The Darkness Experiment Chapter 16: The Edge Of Human, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

The Edge of Human

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Midnight's calling, are you close behind?

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Bakura breathed in the air with a relish he hadn't felt for what could have been a thousand lifetimes, and it made sense considering his time on the earth.

The sensation of returning home was more than a faded memory. It had become forgotten, meaningless, until the heat of the harsh sun, the itchy swirls of sands and the vividness of the blue sky, all hit him at once. A cacophony, a sensory overload, and for a few moments Bakura was overwhelmed by it all.

"Are you okay?" Marik's voice, and then his hand, rested lightly on his shoulder.

Bakura turned to him.

The boy looked smaller against the backdrop of everything else, but no less important. Bright and violet eyes, kind and still patient enough to want to understand him despite everything that had happened, and was still to happen, of course.

Bakura licked his lips, remembering the taste of Marik against them.

"Wonderful," he said, and hooked an arm around Marik's shoulders.

This was the happy times. For a few moments, Bakura could feel something close to content, and whatever passed for his heart could swell and pound, and Marik could feel it and understand it, even without the link between their minds.

"You look better," Marik smiled at him, and reached out a hand, brushing back some of Bakura's sharp bangs, to get a better look at him. "you look good."

Bakura baulked, and then baulked again, to himself. As if compliments ever made him feel coy before. But here it was.

"You'll look even better with a tan," said Duke, poking him in the ribs.

"Leave them alone," Serenity nudged Duke, and looked almost apologetically at both Bakura and Marik, as if she'd spoilt something between them.

But the moment was gone anyway.

"I've never been so excited to see the ground," Ryou announced, as he reached them. "I'm all alive and I survived."

"Well done," Marik patted him on the head, and then noticed Kaiba stalking about nearby, like some agitated cat, face set in a scowl.

"This is it?" he said, his gaze mostly on Marik. "are we here?"

"What does it matter to you?" said Joey. "don't worry. You don't hafta come with us."

"But I am anyway," a smirk ghosted Kaiba's mouth, and his eyes slid to Bakura. "I wouldn't want you kiddies going off and getting yourselves into more trouble now, would I?"

"Didn't know you cared," Joey looked like he wanted to kill or kill himself. "If he's coming along please kill me," he confirmed in a weak voice to Yugi.

"Oh I think it's nice Kaiba wants to join us on our little adventure into madness," Ryou looked like he wasn't really joking. "it makes sense I'm the only sane one left here, anyway."

Marik grinned at him. "keep telling yourself that."

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Adventures into madness sounded about right, though. The ground was bright orange and the heat was almost palpable.

Joey and Tristan were singing bad rap songs, making up lyrics that told stories about demons and Pharaohs and crazy guys who showed up with scaless in the middle of nowhere. Occasionally Tea chided them for their language, because she seemed to think Yugi shouldn't be hearing it (not that Yugi minded).

Duke and Serenity's mouths were never far from each other, so nobody was bothering them too much, and even though Ryou attempted friendly conversation with Kaiba, the CEO strode briskly ahead, not too far away from the two that were leading the way on this journey through the hellish heat.

Yugi noticed (actually he didn't really take his eyes off) the way Marik and Bakura brushed arms for no particular reason. Bakura's eyes were wide and more alive than Yugi had ever known them. The brown depths were on fire and he was looking around as if he'd been created to come here and that was all.

He was different, but whether it was a good different or not was pointless to consider. Bakura was always going to be difficult.

At least he wasn't throwing up anymore.

And at least they'd kept the darkness at bay for a bit.

Yugi looked automatically down at the Puzzle. The Pharaoh's link a comforting warmth amongst apprehension which was always there. Still he had made his mind up.

He easily reached to two leading figures, and caught Bakura's arm.

Bakura halted and turned round, dangerous for a second. "what is it?" his face becoming neutral when he saw it was Yugi.

"This is it, isn't it? This is the way to the Pharaoh's tomb?"

Bakura blinked down at the Puzzle, as if it'd asked the question. "Yes," he said stiffly. "that is where we have to go." he looked sideways at Marik.

Marik shrugged; "I'm a tomb keeper. I know this tomb. I know it...I know it better than anyone," a smile attempted to reach his face. "We're going the right way, Yugi."

Yugi felt a part of his insecurities fall away. He didn't really know the significance of where they were going, or what they would do when they got there. There was just a pit in his stomach, a coil of sickness, and at the same time a reminder of the being that resided within him, and had taught him so much already. Yugi held the Puzzle tighter.

He looked ahead and noticed Bakura walking closer to Marik, and the way they seemed to jigsaw together like that, perfectly in sync. It would have been strange to see before, but now Yugi was sure he understood it.

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"Are you okay?" Marik had already asked the question far too many times already, but he couldn't help it. Whenever he looked at Bakura it was with a prickle of concern.

Bakura walked with a determination that betrayed everything that had already happened to him, and his eyes were fierce.

"I'm fine, I told you."

Even though their links were open, Bakura was giving nothing away. Perhaps there was nothing to give away, and Marik was just too anxious.

Of course he was anxious.

He looked ahead, where soon he would see the place he thought had been purged from his mind forever. But forever was nonsense, he knew that now. Unless he ever ceased to be, unless he died, his memories would always exist. And now he'd meet them again, physical and real, and it frightened him.

It was the anticipation. The stepping into the unknown, and not really knowing what would happen next. Wasn't that life, though?

Between these thoughts, Marik remembered Bakura's mouth, soft and open and pliable against his own, and the sounds he'd made, the sensations of flesh on flesh...

"Any idea how much further it is?" Ryou said politely, but there was an edge of hysteria in his voice.

"Until we die," Kaiba said darkly. "they're probably leading us into a pit of hell, or something of that description."

"We're going the right way," said Yugi, and raised the Puzzle. It was glowing just a bit. "the Pharaoh knows."

"Oh right. How could I forget about the ancient dead guy living inside of you. Phew, lucky we can take his word for it."

"You didn't hafta come with us," Joey reminded, but even his want to antagonise Kaiba sounded half hearted at best. "my legs hurt and I think I'm hallucinating."

Marik turned round to everyone, trying to ignore their desolate faces.

"Look, we're going the right way. I mean, I should know. I lived here my entire life!"

"Nobodies saying you're taking us the wrong way," Tea moved to put a hand on his shoulder, but Marik stepped away.

"Speak for yourself," Kaiba muttered.

Marik glared at him. "I don't care what you say, but don't accuse me of not knowing where my own damn home is."
"Nobody is, Marik," Bakura said, and it was almost funny how he was the calm voice of reason for once.

Marik noticed it with a cracking smile, and he could feel his irritation disappearing. And Ra, how ridiculous it was.

Bakura touched the tomb keeper's fingers, very slightly.

"I'm sorry," Marik said. "I'm just...tired."

"I know," Bakura said, like they were the only ones there.

"Then why don't we take Wheeler's ingenious advice and have a break?" Kaiba suggested.

Joey looked at him oddly. "Ingenious?"

"What? I'm not allowed to pay a compliment to a moron once in a blue moon?"

"I'd punch ya for that, but I just don't have the energy."

"Let's rest," Yugi said quickly. "we're all tired."

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"Are you okay?" Now it was Bakura's turn to ask.

His voice was soft and close to Marik's shoulder. It sounded weird coming from the Spirit, especially when Marik had gotten used to relaying the question to him so much already these past couple of days.

He turned and found Bakura closer than he'd thought. The Spirit's pale skin looked much brighter against the setting sun, as did his eyes.

"Yeah. I'm good. Are you?"

"Of course,"

Then Bakura lay back down, against the sand, his gaze intent on the sky, his arm brushed against Marik, and Marik caught his wrist, fingers finding his own.

Marik kept his eyes ahead, pretending to watch the dying sun, but all too aware of Bakura and everything this strange creature now meant to him. At this point the Spirit's presence was a force that grabbed him, and wouldn't let him get away anymore.

Marik rubbed his head, the pang of a headache finding it's way there. At the same moment he felt Bakura's link, finding his own and coiling into it like some guarded snake.

"It's alright, it's just a headache,"

"He'd probably want you to think that," Bakura said grimly, and he sat up, his hand falling away from Marik's.

He held the Ring in a protective sort of way, watching it shine at odd angles, as if bracing himself for something. They both knew what it was.

After what felt far too long, Bakura eventually glanced back up, eyes locking wide and almost earnestly with Marik's.

"Let's go ahead. I know we're not far from it."

Marik blinked and swallowed back a wave of nerves, considering the words. He looked doubtfully over his shoulder, where Yugi and all his friends were wrapped in sleeping bags. They'd stay here the entire night, no question.

Another night, another chance for the darkness to finally consume them. To hurt Bakura.

Marik felt Bakura's hand on his arm, tight as it always was, like he didn't know any better, or maybe he had no concept of what it really felt like to grab someone like that.

"We're not far," Bakura repeated, and there was a trace of urgency in his voice. "please."

Marik stared at him, and for the first time he could identify what it was in Bakura's eyes. Hunger. A hunger for something Marik knew that Bakura would not tell him about.

Ahead, the sand looked amber, and it was already getting dark. Marik stood up slowly, then held out a hand to Bakura.

"Alright, let's go."

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It was easy to slip away in near darkness, with their footsteps conveniently muffled by the sand.

Bakura led with a vigour, even though he really wasn't supposed to know the way. Marik hadn't been surprised by that. Perhaps he was becoming desensitised to Bakura and surprises. He'd just trust that whatever Bakura was doing was right.

An insane kind of logic, really.

"It's wonderful," Bakura said. His head tilted to the sky, his face full of elation. "look,"

Marik followed his gaze, where it looked like nothing but dark blue sky and dots of stars. Marik's eyes started to sting and he rubbed a hand roughly over them.

"It's just the sky," he muttered, more to himself than Bakura.

The Spirit slowed until Marik was at his side. He looked at the tomb keeper with a strange face. It was strange because he did look happy, and Marik was shaken by it in some way.

"I'm...glad you're here, Marik," Bakura told him, and his voice was awkward, like he was testing the waters of a strange new language.

"Oh." Marik didn't know what to say.

"Are you glad?" Bakura didn't sound upset with the reaction, just curious.

Marik turned properly to him, and stopped walking.

"Of course I am."

He was so overwhelmed then, by an emotion he didn't think he could ever possess, or perhaps he'd just kept hidden away for too long. But then, it could never had left him. He knew, at the very least, it had not gone away with his dark self.

Definitely not.

"Bakura?"

"Hm?" Bakura was still watching him intently.

"Promise you won't leave me?"

He wasn't sure why he said it. It was stupid and he was feeling too emotional. But then Bakura was being weird and happy, so it was okay.

Bakura's face was obstructed by a combination of shadow and his own hair, but Marik noticed the way his almost-smile faded, and then the Spirit turned away from him.

Marik caught his wrist before he could take another step.

"Please tell me. Tell me you won't leave,"

He felt the link, the well worn essence which was Bakura, running through his mind, and wanted to latch onto the hint of an emotion, a scrap of something, anything, that would tell him something definitive about the Spirit.

"We're here," Bakura said.

"Huh?"

Marik glanced passed Bakura, noticing the dark outline only a few yards ahead of them for the first time.

The Pharaoh's tomb. More like hell in a tomb.

Marik exhaled unevenly, suddenly feeling dizzy and sick. He gripped Bakura's wrist harder.

"I'm not going in there,"

Bakura turned to him with a vaguely confused face. "but we must,"

"We don't have to do anything," Marik couldn't keep the indignance out of his voice. "we could...we could just forget all of this and go home!"

"Home?" Bakura looked amused. "what is home, Marik?"

"I don't know...somewhere, away from here. Somewhere back with Yugi and his friends, away from all of this..."

Marik could feel Bakura tugging away from him, but he kept a tight hold on his arm.

"I won't go in there, Bakura! I can't-please, let's just wait for the others."
Bakura hissed as he wrenched away, for the first time in a long time his face twisting unpleasantly just for Marik.

"They'll find us soon enough. I'm sure the Pharaoh knows this place very well," there was a strange tilt to his lips, like a repulsed smirk.

"So why don't we wait!?" Marik protested, pulling him back again.

Bakura shrugged him away. "Don't be ridiculous. You knew this was the plan."

"Plan?" Marik scoffed. "don't give me that. I still don't know a thing about your plan, Bakura. That's something you've kept well hidden from everyone! And yet here I am...still trusting you."

Bakura held up his arms, feigning surrender. "so why must you start questioning things now?"

"I...I don't know," Marik hung his head, feeling confused and light headed. For all his adamant want to trust Bakura (some would say blind faith), there was still the very real fact that he was dicing with something he didn't really understand, and perhaps that didn't ultimately matter, but in this moment it did.

Bakura seemed to know his thoughts, and his expression creased, as if he'd been physically wounded, or worse, betrayed.

He turned away from Marik with a fresh determination.

"It makes no difference if we go in there together anyway."

He started toward the tomb.

"Bakura, wait-"

Marik ran after him, but before he could reach the Spirit, something cut between them.

A bright light, way too bright, unnatural in the darkness, and yet familiar in some way to Marik, started to take form, shaping itself into a human figure.

"Shadi," Marik breathed, and took a decided step back. Bakura did the opposite, his arms outstretched, his eyes locked on one thing only.

Shadi kept the Millennium scales close to his chest, and regarded both of them with a short bow.

His clear blue eyes rested on Marik. "You have made up your mind? To have come this far?"

Marik opening his mouth, but wasn't sure what he was supposed to be answering to.

"We need the scales," Bakura answered for him, his eyes still trained on the Item. "so give it to us."

Shadi's expression did not falter when he looked at Bakura; cool and resolute.

"The Spirit of the Ring," he said, and Bakura startled, but in a way that said he was impressed that anyone would think to call him by that name. "You have a great desire for the Item, for your own purposes."

Bakura barely nodded. "you know I do," there was impatience edging into his voice.

Shadi held the scales out, and Bakura darted forward, quick as a silverfish, snatching the item away. Shadi stepped back, and Marik cried out, as smoke started to seep from Bakura's hands.

"Ah!" Bakura dropped the scales, and fell to his knees. He stared at his hands; his palms were red raw and the smoke was spilling from them.

Marik immediately knelt next to him. "what happened? What is this?" he glared up at Shadi. "what did you do?"

"I am regretful, but I have no control over the Item's powers once it is possessed by another...creature."

Bakura seemed to flinch with the words. He blinked up at Shadi with an accusatory face, but didn't say anything.

Marik reached out, tentatively, and picked up the scales. They felt cool and normal against his skin, like any other metal.

Confused, he turned slowly to look at Bakura.

Bakura had turned his head away to side, his face hidden.

"Are you okay?" Marik ventured to touch his shoulder.

"Yes," Bakura snapped. "yes, Marik," he repeated, more softly.

Marik stared at Bakura's hands, which still looked painfully red, and wanted to be convinced, but it wasn't working. "Shadi, what do you mean-"

As usual, the spirit had left at the most inconvenient moment, and all Marik was left to look at was the warm darkness of night and the shadow of the tomb, still waiting for them.

Bakura hadn't moved from the floor, but his face was turned and looking at the scales, like they were some horrible betrayal.

Marik hesitated. It was hard to forget the animal way Bakura had snatched the item, and perhaps he never would forget.

He tossed the scales a few feet away, and Bakura blinked at him in some confusion.

"There. Forget about those things for now," Marik told him, and smiled forcefully. "they don't mean anything. I know you better. I know you much better.."

His voice faded into an earnest tone. Unconsciously or not, he needed Bakura to give him the right answer, right now.

Bakura just stared at him, but it was enough. The slip of his connection around Marik's own, like some abstract embrace, was all that he needed in that moment.

Marik's smile quivered, threatening to break, and he slowly placed a hand over Bakura's, lifting it up and exposing the reddened palm.

Without fear or thought, Marik bowed his head, and kissed it, ever so lightly.

Bakura's eyes widened just a fraction, but nothing else.

"Does it hurt?" Marik asked.

"...no," Bakura's voice was hoarse.

Marik took it, as well as the sudden strengthening of their link, as a good sign.

He leaned forwards, so that the gap between them was barely existent. Bakura's face was pale as always, but now Marik could see the weary purplish circles around his eyes again, and the perspiration coating his skin.

"You've helped me so much, Bakura."

The tiny gap closed, and Marik closed his eyes.

Bakura's mouth was soft on his own, and it warmed with Marik's. A deft moan escaped the Spirit, and his hands pressed at Marik's chest. Marik curved a hand round his head, keeping him in place, needing to anchor him there. The feelings that rushed through his mind, the connection between them, was suddenly intense and overwhelming.

He gently pushed Bakura back into the sand, covering him with the heat of his body, and all of his mouth. The sand was a warm sea that Marik felt briefly through his fingers, before he found Bakura's skin, sliding with his own, and the soft, almost breaking moans that followed.

"Marik..." Bakura gasped against his mouth.

Marik deepened the kiss, crushing away anymore words, and with it he arced his back, pushing against Bakura with an instinct which was new but entirely natural to him. The connection between them seemed to burn and surge within those few seconds, and Bakura's arms curled round Marik's back, fingers biting into skin, and then a choked sound, as he followed the curve of Marik's hips and trembled beneath him.

Marik barely registered his own body shaking, and he kissed Bakura more desperately;

"I trust you, more than anything," he murmured.

Bakura broke away; his eyes hooded and his cheeks unusually coloured.

"Thank you," his voice was faint, not even a whisper, and then Marik realised he was talking through the link.

The connection trembled, and Bakura's essence started to disappear all at once. For a moment Marik started to panic, then he noticed Bakura wasn't looking at him anymore.

"I should've known you two freaks would be up to something. Although this wasn't really what I had in mind,"

Marik spun round, simultaneously tumbling back onto his rear. "Kaiba...we- we were just errr..."

Kaiba shook his head, his smile sarcastic. "Spare me the details, I think I get the picture. And believe me, you weren't leaving much to the imagination."

Marik turned away, hideously embarrassed.

Bakura was watching Kaiba with interest, though. Things like embarrassment didn't seem to cross his mind, even with dishevelled, sandy hair, and a telling glow still on his cheeks.

"I came across this," Kaiba continued, and pulled the scales out from his coat. "I don't suppose it belongs to any of you-"

Bakura was on his feet in an instant, mouth twisting a snarl.

Marik held him back with some difficulty.

"Bakura, stop!"
"Ah, so it is important to you lunatics." Kaiba said. "you should learn to keep that thing on a leash," he added in afterthought, smirking at Bakura.

"You know it's important," Marik frowned at him. He slowly releasing Bakura, who settled for glaring daggers at Kaiba.

"Well, just checking," Kaiba tossed the Item, and Marik caught it in his arms. The CEO walked with a thoughtful face passed them, toward the tomb. "very homely."

Marik pulled a face. "it really isn't."

Marik watched as Kaiba walked all around the outside of the tomb, like he was inspecting something needless.

It made Marik indignant somehow, but his anger was short lived.

He felt, more than saw, Bakura sink to his knees, holding his head. The Spirit batted away Marik's concerned hands and spat angrily at Kaiba's vague curiosity.

"is it..is it him?" Marik barely dared to consider.

"No...something else..." Bakura grunted, as though trying to banish an image from his mind. "I can't...it follows me..."

"What?" Marik was more concerned now. As if Dark Marik wasn't more than enough, without "something else" coming along for the hell party too.

"He's cracking up, I knew it," Kaiba said, unhelpfully. "what else do you expect from pyschotic demons, anyway?"

"Shut up," Marik snapped, but his eyes stayed on Bakura.

Kaiba shrugged. "you truly are made for each other."

Marik ignored him. "Bakura...are you...can you fight it off?"

"I...I'm just tired." Bakura muttered, but allowed Marik to brush a hand across his face, sweeping back some his his hair. "I'm alright now."

"Lie down," Marik told him. "we can wait for the others."

There was a selfish sense of relief there too. At least now they wouldn't go into the tomb until everyone else arrived.

And yet it was still an inevitability.

"Yugi and the rest of the dork squad will be here soon. Pretty sure Wheeler saw me leaving." Kaiba said. He was stood a short distance away, every now and then looking back at the tomb, like it might decide to sprout legs and run away at any minute. "I'm gonna take a look around."

Marik watched him go, helpless to stop him. He wouldn't leave Bakura now.

He watched as the Spirit turned onto his side, blinking sleepily up at him.

Marik curved a hand around his face. "will you ever get used to this being human thing?"

"Sometime..." Bakura's voice fell into a sigh, and his eyes drooped.

His hand loosely connected with Marik's, before he seemed to sink into sleep.

Marik rolled onto his side, and kept his hand within Bakura's.

Eventually Kaiba came back around, and begrudgingly knelt down, muttering something about making a fire.

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Yami could not rest, even if it was just for a few small hours.

Yugi was the steadfast comfort there in his mind as always, but there was only so much it could help, when there was an uneasy anticipation of what was to come, and a terrible fear of the unknown.

Still he made good enough attempts to at least try to sleep, because he knew that so long as he was awake and worrying, Yugi would be doing the same; links intermingled and alert, sensing each others distress. Of course Yugi had the option to shut off their link, but he cared too much, and for that Yami didn't want to afford his host anymore trouble.

A solution to the problem came in the form of Joey Wheeler's face, manic and annoyed and with messy bed hair.

"Yug, Yug!...Kaiba flew the coop! And I'm pretty sure Marik and the demon went the same way,"

"What?" Yugi opened his eyes and the Puzzle glowed, automatically allowing Yami to assume control. "where did they go?" the Pharaoh asked.

"That way," Joey pointed across the the bump of a sand dune.

It was still dark and everyone else was undisturbed in their sleep.

"What do we do?" Joey asked.

"I'll go ahead. Joey, tell the others when they wake up. I don't want this to be an unnecessary worry for anybody."

Imagining Tea's reaction was bad enough.

Joey rubbed his eyes and nodded unhappily. "be careful."

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Marik and Bakura's outlines against a shimmering fire were easy to spot; the young tomb keeper was sat upright, and he was holding a stick, poking the the small source of heat with it every now and then.

Another tall figure stood a little way off from them.

"Hey, thought you'd never make it," Kaiba called, arms folded.

"I couldn't exactly sleep," Yami acknowledge them all, but his eyes stayed on Bakura, who was curled on the floor, seemingly dead to the world.

Marik followed his gaze. "We just went ahead...I'm sorry if you worried."

Yami softened. "I understand." he sat down opposite the tomb keeper, only really catching Marik's creased face through licks of flames and sparking embers. "are you okay?"

"Scared. Really scared." Marik didn't bother to hide it.

"I can understand that."

Marik blew out a sigh, pushing back some stray hairs that invaded his vision. "I'm more scared for everyone else. I don't know how to stop this."

"Nobody does,"

"Then what are we doing? What is all this madness?"

Yami snorted, and then glanced at Bakura again. "what is there left to lose, Marik? All I know is that my past is here...somewhere. And it calls me to it. It wants me to unlock something. The key is within that tomb...the question is how does it all fit together. But I know it does, somehow."

Marik smiled weakly. "I wish I were as strong as you."

"You already are far stronger."

Marik shook his head. "I'm no good."

Nearby there was a short scoff, and then Kaiba leaned over the fire, shadows casting over his face eerily for a minute. He held out the Millennium scales to Yami.

"In case you were wondering, they weren't just messing around the entire time they were gone."

Yami took the item with some hesitancy, but granted Kaiba a thankful look.

"How did you-"

Marik tucked his knees up to his chest, making himself smaller. "Shadi came to me. I don't...I don't know if it went very well though."

"We have another Item now, isn't that good enough?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Marik looked like he was hiding a thousand vivid and unpleasant images behind his eyes, and Yami ached to know what they were, but knew it was useless asking.

He noticed the way Marik watched Bakura.

"Do you think...everyone'll be safe after this?"

Yami knew what he was asking.

"I think everyone will be," he spoke to the fire, not sure if he could ever look into Marik's eyes with any kind of certainty about that.

Marik's eyes stayed on Bakura. "I hope so."

The Spirit made a soft sound then, and tossed his head, but did not wake up. Marik automatically grabbed his hand, like he was so used to it, and murmured something soothing under his breath.

"I think he's dreaming," he said a little louder. "I mean...it's not m-my darkness anyway. I would have felt it."

Yami sat up a bit straighter. "I didn't know he might dream. I didn't think he could..."

He trailed off, trying to recall his own mind, when he was resting. Spirits didn't really dream. They had thoughts, absent trains of consciousness which got more vivid when they weren't focussed on anything else. But not dreams.

Yami supposed it was different now though, now that Bakura had his own body to use, like some alien stepping into the skin of another alien; a person, mimicking and pretending, but not really being. Just on the edge, but not quite there yet.

Yami realised he pitied Bakura for that.

"Can you feel the dream? Through the link, I mean?"

Marik shook his head. "No, not really. But I have heard him say things. He said something was following him."

"Dark Marik?"

"No, something different," Marik's face creased then, marring the flashes of innocence his eyes often took. "it's something bigger...I think. He gave it a name, like a demon."

Yami looked at Bakura, feeling cold with the thoughts flitting about his mind. It was easy to remember Bakura's essence, to recall strange movements and shadows that lurked in that infested mind. Yami could see it even now.

"You okay?" Marik asked. "you look kinda pale."

Yami turned away, examining the Puzzle in his hands, which trembled for whatever reason.

He felt for the link with Yugi, which was strong and assuring, telling him he was okay.

Yami was doubting himself.

"You guys finished with all your angsting over demonic crap yet?" Kaiba's voice. "looks like we're ready,"

The CEO was standing near the the entrance of the tomb, tapping a foot impatiently. His was looking past Yami though, and Yami turned to see his and Yugi's friends closing in on them. They all looked tired and disorientated.

A hand clamped on Yami's shoulder, and Joey looked apologetic.

"Sorry. I tried to keep em calm, but don't work like that with these guys."

Yami smiled faintly. "alright," he tried to offer Tea a brave look, and she didn't look angry, just concerned.

"Must you wake him?" Ryou asked. "he looks awfully tired."

He knelt next to Bakura, watching him like he might disappear. His hand outstretched, the tip of his finger touched Bakura's shoulder, and then Bakura's eyes shot open and he sat bolt upright.

Ryou shrank back, and even Marik startled a bit.

"I'm..so-sorry.." Ryou said.

Bakura rubbed his eyes roughly, barely sparing Ryou a glance. He focused on the fire, which was mostly a charcoaled mess now, and then Yami.

"We're ready," the Pharaoh said.

Bakura stood up, nodding pointedly. A leer danced on his lips, he didn't even stop to register Marik.

"Very well." and he led the way to the tomb entrance.

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The tomb was such a cooling contrast to the unforgiving heat above, and Bakura's skin crawled, but in an excited sort of way.

The ancient parts of his mind were slowly making their way to the forefront, reminding him of why he was here, and acting like muscle memory with each purposeful step he took into the tomb.

He could still feel Marik within him (that would never go away), and then the compromise of the Pharaoh too. That sensation was not a welcome one any longer, not that it ever really had been, but he knew that somehow, it was important.

His hands brushed over ancient scrawling stone, and he blocked out the voices of awe around him, taking in all the surrounding details of the tomb, absorbing everything his eyes settled on.

A hand on his arm briefly halted his thoughts, and then Marik's quiet voice;

"That's it, isn't it?"

There was a slab a few feet in front of them, and of course Bakura knew it.

He shook off Marik's hold, and ran to the slab with a laughter he didn't know he'd needed to release. His hands stretched over the markings upon it; the scaless, the Eye, the Necklace, the Puzzle, the Ring,... and...

"We just need the Rod." said Yami's voice.

His voice was breathless, and he was looking at the slab in a way that made Bakura want to know him a little better.

Yami turned to face him then, his expression all sorts of conflicting emotion.

"Spirit...will you retrieve the Rod for us?"

"What?" Marik stepped forward, horrified. "no, he can't-"

Bakura silenced him with a nod of his head. He closed his eyes and lifted the Millennium Ring up to eye level. It was glowing brightly.

"He wants to come out anyway, Marik. Why don't we give him the satisfaction of an audience? All the better for his humiliation when I kill him."

Marik shook his head wildly, his hands clenching at Bakura's coat. "You can't! You can't beat him!"

Bakura easily shoved him back, his attention all on Yami.

"Can you feel it, Pharaoh? He's waiting."

Yami swallowed hard, and nodded his head very slightly.

"Just don't involve anyone else in this, Bakura. If you must bring anyone into it, only me."

"Very well."

Bakura lifted the Puzzle a little higher, the light around it fluctuated, spasming out into white streaks.

He wanted to keep his eyes on Yami's, as mist started to descend over and around them, like some heavy blanket, but at the last second he glanced at Marik, who's eyes were wide and glittering.

An imprint that followed him into the dark.

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The descent into darkness should have been familiar, and to Bakura it was, but with it was a new feeling. This wasn't a power play anymore. He knew very well where all the power really was, and it belonged to neither he nor the creature stood opposite him.

Dark Marik leered, rolling the rod playfully about in his hands.

"I've missed you," he said, and didn't waste anymore time.

Bakura staggered back as darkness flooded both his mind and body, but this time he was aided, not only by the Ring, but something else.

Shielding his eyes against invisible attacks, he finally caught sight of the creature that he knew better than anything else, like some unexpected reunion. Like the flood of nostalgia that reaches you without warning, and pulls out emotions and feelings you thought had been nothing but dreams.

But demons did not dream.

"I found you," Bakura said hoarsely, and staggered like a blinded man into the depths of it, so eager.

The darkness responded at once, swirling around him, lovingly, rushing over his body like it was inspecting every part of him, inside and out.

There was a voice within it, inhuman but decipherable to the human ear;

"I'm glad you returned to me, at last."

Bakura laughed jaggedly. "Of course I would. The time is right."

The darkness coiled easily around Bakura's hands, healing the marks left by the Millennium scales, and then dancing about his eyes, making him feel giddy.

"And you bring another darkness to me as well."

The entity swirled away from him and reached Dark Marik, whom Bakura had all but forgotten about.

Dark Marik was watching the display with an interest which lended itself to a child being entertained at an amusement park. His leer had widened into a grin.

"Let him free, Spirit. Let him free,"

Bakura felt the words more than heard them, bouncing in his head, invading any other considerations and destroying them.

Somehow it was so obvious now.

And yet, there was another there too.

Such violet eyes, and soft hands, which were warm and alive.

The darkness recoiled somewhat around him, and then the voice again;

"Don't be interrupted by mortal beings," there was a note of disgust within it. "for you know, within yourself, that you were drawn to this human for the darkness within him."

Bakura followed the darknesses as it curtailed back to Dark Marik, gesturing to the figure in way of explanation.

"You knew the potential within him, and now is your chance to bring it out with the Rod, so we may complete our existence."

Bakura found himself stood face to face with Dark Marik then, and the other creature was holding the Rod out to him, not in way of attack but almost like some sort of piece offering.

"All we need do is open the link," Dark Marik said. "to all our hosts."

Bakura turned away from him, to find the source of his old friend once again.

Pin-sharp teeth were glinting behind the mist of darkness, and two red eyes made themselves visible.

It was easy. Everything was so clear to Bakura now. After so many, too many, confused years, a smashed puzzle had been meticulously put back together again, and Bakura could finally see an end to a beginning.

"I'm ready, Zorc."

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"Something's wrong, something's gone wrong. It's taking too long,"

Marik paced frantically, ignoring the misty hue that had crept over the entire tomb, instead trying to focus on the link that was supposed to be protecting them.

It wasn't there anymore.

"Easy, Marik. Try to stay calm. He'll be back," said Ryou, but his face looked helpless. He turned to Yami. "Is this...is this how it's supposed to happen?"

"I..I don't know," Yami said, as if he'd swallowed something terrible. "I'm sorry, I don't know."

"This is brilliant," Duke remarked, though even his voice was hit with anxiety. "we're all gonna die in this tomb. And I didn't even get to work on my tan."

"Well, maybe Kaiba was actually right," said Joey. "maybe we were kinda being led to our deaths, here. Now I feel dumb."

"So what's new?" Kaiba was leaning back against the wall, like he wanted nothing to do with whatever was happening right now. "if I die I'm haunting your asses for eternity."

"Oh good. I'll haunt your ass too," Joey said brightly. "at least that's something to look forward to."

"Nobodies going to die," Tea hushed. She looked at Marik. "we know...we know that we'll be protected."

Marik knew what she was saying, or even asking, but he didn't think he could give her any sense of relief about that any more.

He couldn't find Bakura's link. Not even the feeling that it was present, but not active. There was nothing. And Marik would not forgive himself if anything had happened...he couldn't.

"Bakura wants to protect Marik." Tristan spoke up, surprising everyone. "hey, you know I'm not fond of the weirdo, but I know that much."

"I think so too," Ryou placed a hand on Marik's shoulder, effectively calming his frantic pacing. "I know he does."

Marik smiled tightly at him and his amiable face. The understanding "other" Bakura, the one that was supposed to be weak but wasn't really. Everyone had surprised Marik in these past few days.

"Yeah, I think-"

The words died in his mouth; an explosion of light filled the tomb, highlighting everyone's shocked faces for a few seconds, and then sudden blackness, so that Marik could not see even his own hand in front of his face.

He stumbled back, his body finding Ryou's and then Yami's.

"Stay together," Yami hissed. "Hold onto each other. Don't let go."

Slowly, the intense black gave way, until a flickering beacon lit the room, and suddenly Bakura's outline came into being.

"Ba-" Marik started toward him, but felt two sets of hands keeping him back.

"Stay still," Yami told him.

Marik shook, his heart pounding, attempting to crawl up and out of his mouth, as Bakura's form became real once more, but his face was obstructed by sharp shadow, and his mouth twisted up strangely.

"What...what's going on?" Joey sounded frightened, and Serenity's whimper came near to him.
"Bakura?" Marik hesitated. "Bakura...did you get the Rod?"

Bakura's mouth twisted up some more, sharp teeth glinting against the dark. He lifted his head up properly then, and Marik saw the bloodshot glaze of his eyes, and it was nothing like Marik could ever associate Bakura with anymore.

Not even animal. It was other worldly. And Marik's heart sank.

The blackness around them started to move about, making everyone visible but casting eerie shadows on them as it did, creeping over the slab of the Seven Items, teasing against the scrawls of ancient writings on the walls.

"Bakura!" Yami yelled through a silent panic. "where is the Rod?! Do you have it?"

Bakura's body stiffened with the words, and at first Marik thought that was all it was. And then the Spirit's back arced unnaturally back, like some unhinged puppet.

Bakura gasped, but not in a way that implied pain; and then two dark folds drew out from his back, sweeping up and stretching out into the image of huge wings. They hung there for a moment, batting the air, as if testing itself, and then slowly and gruesomely detached, away from Bakura's form.

Bakura staggered back, as the wings grew into something corporal and very real.

Marik felt Yami's sharp intake of breath at his side, and then Ryou's hand still clutching his arm.

Ignoring both, Marik swung away and ran to Bakura, only wanting to find his link.

Bakuru turned inhumanly fast, his eyes sharp and unreflective.

Something hard hit Marik's stomach, and with it a terrible agony struck his head, and he saw stars and blackness, before recovering himself.

He was on the floor, and Bakura was looking at him as if he was dirt on his shoe.

"Keep back, stupid mortal," his voice was hissing and echoey, not really human or even Bakura at all. Not what Marik knew, anyway.

"Bakura...?" Marik said. "...don't..." another rush hit the back of his head, and this time it wasn't physical at all. Something was invading it, pushing through the invisible link that had been protecting him, breaking it down.

Marik clutched his head, and felt laughter burning into his ears. He knew that laughter, the one that woke him from nightmares which were not nightmares at all.

The reality of his nightmares stood in front of him now, at Bakura's side, and they could have been one and the same.

Dark Marik was holding the Rod out, trained on Marik as if to strike.

The other form, all teeth and red eyes, shifted through the mist, so that only fragments of it could be properly seen. A scaly mark here, a clawed foot there, nothing about it came together, and yet it was horrific to watch it move.

It seemed to rise over both Bakura and Dark Marik, and Bakura was the first to reach out to it, as if wanting to touch the dark tendrils of it's essence, like some creature starved of affection.

It spoke to Bakura;

"Spirit, you cannot join me now,"

Bakura's face fell into confusion, and then indignance.

"What?" he said, more like a warning. "what do you mean?"

The darkness stemmed around him, almost tentative about touching him.

"I have sensed...too much corruption within you,"

"Wow, you don't say!" Joey snipped, and someone, maybe Kaiba, nudged him into silence.

Bakura looked furious. "What else was I to do? I returned all the Items, just as you asked!"

"Yes, something I always knew you would do," there was a pause, and then; "it is unfortunate that you have become...this. You understand, Spirit?"

Bakura fell to his knees, as if something had knocked the air out of him.

"Bakura!"

Yami grabbed the tomb keeper, keeping him in place. "Marik, stay back! It's coming."

A great cloud of mist crept over all of them, gripping chests and making them scream.

Marik fell against Yami, unable to tear his eyes away from Bakura, who's body seemed to be fragmenting into nothing.

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It was funny; Bakura even heard himself laugh, as teeth, wings, and claws, making his eyes see black, descended upon him. And then a shard of something within his chest. Perhaps it was pain, Bakura did not have the presence to comprehend it anymore.

For a second the pain was gone, and it was not so much a relief as a breath of clarity, of realisation.

Of course. To know pain, to feel pain. To feel anything at all.

The darkness devoured him, and he embraced it. It didn't matter anymore. He recognised it, he knew it. Ra, he had been it!

Zorc was right, and now Bakura would pay for it.

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Within his mind, Yami was frantic.

He'd been cut off so sudden;y from his link with Yugi, exiled to a soul room which contained no gateway back to his host. And the most frightening thing of all; knowing that Yugi was in danger.

"Damn it..." Yami slammed a fist into the cold stone wall.

He looked around, this place was as it had always been; a mess of stairways and doors which made no logical sense at all. Some foolish part of his mind had told Yami that once he was here, with the God Cards, the Items, that it would all be pieced together.

Perhaps they'd been wrong all along. Of course they had.

"No.." Yami shook his head, and the tears attacked his eyes. He couldn't give up so easily. He knew only that Yugi wouldn't have.

He tried to find the connection to his familiar host, but there was nothing, just like the static of a dead telephone line. Something had pulled them apart.

Yami looked around, and then descended the stairway nearest to him. It hardly mattered which he took, there was nothing to tell him he was going the wrong way, nor to tell him to stay in one spot either.

All he had left was gut instinct, and nothing left to lose.

As he walked, something closer than instinct reached his mind. It seemed to be physically pulling him too, and it was familiar, somehow.

He followed it's pull and reached a single doorway, no different than any of the others in his soul room, and yet there was like some kind of magnet here, forcing him to test his curiosity, and know what was behind the door.

The energy was stronger, and so close, he could almost remember...

He turned the handle open very slowly and stepped in.

It was dark in the room and Yami narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the shape that stood a few feet from him.

It didn't take long.

"Bakura," Yami breathed.

The Spirit turned to him as if he'd been expecting him. His eyes dark and narrowed and amused all at once.

"I've been waiting a long time," his voice said, like ice. "I thought you'd never come."

Yami halted. "what do you mean?"

Bakura laughed, like he'd never known a question more stupid in his life.

"I could feel sorry for you. You almost look like you could have trusted me."

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As I ripped out my heart and said

I'm just bad, I can't help it

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A/N:

(Lyrics in italics are Fall, Fall, Fall by Razorlight)

I wonder how many are still reading this? I doubt anyone at all, and I'm truly sorry. I lost hope on this for a few reasons; partially life related, then frustrations which led to me losing what i'd already written, and then to be blunt, I just lost interest.

I came back to this recently, and I've always known how I wanted it to end, and I guess I finally found the drive. Looking back there's plenty i'd do differently now (both in plot and style), but I'm sticking with the tone to finish this off, it's only fair.

I'm so grateful to everyone who hung onto this for so long, and the trickle of reviews that have passed by over the years. Thanks you!

The next chapter will be the last, and I promise it will be complete!