1A/N~ I know it has been a long time and for that I am sorry. I promise to finish the story. Thank you all for supporting me when people were trying to put me down.

Chapter 18

Yugi gave Irakih a death glare as he tried to approach the teen. He was going to end this, here and now. He and Atemu would never leave this world if Irakih wasn't taken care of. Seeing that the mystery man was not going to let them go quietly, there was no way to get home unless Irakih was destroyed. They were back in Yugi's room again. Yugi gently knelt down and picked up the dagger he had dropped last night. He had never killed a man before. He wondered if he actually had the guts to go through with it.

Irakih watched the teen closely and smiled. "You're going to kill me?" He asked, amusement writhing in his eyes.

"You'll never leave us alone." Yugi stated.

Irakih stopped smiling and looked at Yugi seriously. "You think you can stop the course of event that is to come? If I remember correctly, you and Atemu went through something similar before. His final destiny was met, though the events happened differently. What makes you think this world is any different?"

Yugi gripped the dagger tightly. "Love can stop lots of things." He stated simply.

Irakih laughed, "He doesn't love you."

"Yes he does." Yugi spat, angry rushing through him. His head pounded dangerously, making Yugi take a deep breath and calm down. As long as he kept his anger under control, he would be fine. Irakih couldn't control him. Yugi centered on one name, Atemu.

Atemu paced his cell nervously. They had been gone a while. How long had it been? Five minutes? Five hours? Atemu couldn't tell. He bit his lip and grabbed hold of the cell door, shaking it to try to find weaknesses within it. Atemu growled when he found none. He slammed his fists against the bars and sighed.

Footsteps. Atemu raised his gaze to the door when he heard footsteps, and it sounded like a lot of people. Guards. They probably had heard the noise and came to shut him up. Atemu braced himself for the worst. He was surprised when he saw Ashley and five other people come into the room.

Ashley smiled at the former king. "We came to get you out." She explained, nervously tapping the ground with her shoe.

Another person spoke up, "We know it wasn't you that killed our king. That priest is trying to frame you. He is jealous because he knows the prophecy. You're destined to bring peace and help to this land." He explained, taking keys out of his pocket.

Atemu smiled warmly. "What about the guards?"

Ashley opened the door and Atemu walked out, brushing himself off. Ashley laughed a little, "They all think the prince and Irakih are still here. Where are they anyway?"

A bad feeling formed in the pit of Atemu's stomach as his smile fell. Yugi. He had to go, now. He ran out the door. "Thank you very much!" He shouted and made his way throughout the palace, looking for where Irakih might have taken his little light. What if Yugi needed his help and he couldn't make it on time? Atemu shook his head as he continued to run, he would make it on time.

"Wait!" He heard behind him, forcing the former king to stop and turn. Ashley and the other were running to catch up with him. Ashley panted and looked up into crimson eyes, "We want to help."

Atemu nodded, "Stick with me." He said, and they continued their search, "We'll find them."

Yugi watched as Irakih advanced on him. He raised the dagger and aimed it at his throat. Irakih stopped and put his hands in the air for his defense. "You really think you have the power to kill your owner?"

"You don't own me." Yugi stated. "After I am done with you, Atemu and I are going home and pretending like none of this ever happened."

Irakih smiled, "You think it will be that easy?"

Yugi nodded, "Yes I do." He said confidently. He had a yami who loved him, friends that would die for him, and a grandfather he couldn't wait to go home to. Yugi smiled with happiness. "You're the only one here that won't have a happy ending." He said simply. "You can't control me anymore."

"You think Atemu can forgive you for all you have done and will do?" Irakih asked, backing away from the hikari slowly.

Yugi shrugged, "See, that's what you don't understand. He already has."

Irakih frowned. It was over. Yugi could no longer be control. But he didn't have to control the younger teen to get what he wanted from him. He needed his soul, he needed Yugi to submit his full power to him. There was only one way that was ever going to happen. Irakih stood still and closed his eyes, allowing what little power he had left to consume him.

Yugi's eyes widened as Irakih began to disappear before his very eyes. Yugi gripped his dagger firmly and watched as Irakih faded from sight. Where did he go? Yugi panted, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he gazed wildly about him. He has to be around here somewhere. People just don't randomly disappear. He told himself as he looked behind him. Where would Irakih go? Yugi felt a ping in his heart. Did he go to Atemu in hopes of killing him himself? Yugi swallowed and starred at the ground as horrible possibilities reigned over his mind.

Arms suddenly wrapped around him, pinning his own arms to his sides painfully. Yugi yelled out as he struggled, feeling Irakih's hot breath on his neck. Yugi struggled to get his hands free, to plung that dagger into the heart of the man who tried to ruin his life. Irakih's grip was strong, and Yugi felt a pinch of fear overwhelm him and Irakih nipped at his earlobe.

Just as suddenly as the attack had come, it was over. Yugi found that he was able to move his arms freely. He whirled around to find that Irakih was out of sight, but not gone. Yugi could hear his laughter all around him. He was toying with him now, trying to unnerve him. Yugi swallowed and carefully viewed his surroundings, his stance showing that he was ready for another attack.

Pain snapped in his head and Yugi brought his hand up out of instinct. A wrong move to make. Irakih was at him again. This time, at his front, grabbing both of his arms and holding his wrists together with one hand. Yugi lashed out, trying to kick the man holding him but he missed his target and started to fall. Irakih held him up and pulled him into a kiss. Yugi yelped out and bit him on the lip.

Irakih pulled back immediately with a yell and Yugi used his time to get his hands free and lashed out at his attacker. Yugi nicked the man's arm and Irakih let out a cried in pain. He backed away from Yugi, holding his bleeding arm limply and growling, a look of fierceness on his face. He again disappeared.

Yugi turned his face and spat on the ground. Disgusting. He thought. He panted and waited for the next attack. This would be it, the final blow. Yugi never killed anyone himself before and wondered what it would be like. He didn't wish to kill anyone, but he wouldn't let this man hurt Atemu. Not after everything the former king had done to get him back.

Yugi fell forward as he felt a kick to his back. The dagger fell out of his hand and scattered a few feet away from him. Irakih moved on him before Yugi could register what had just happened. Another kick to his side and Yugi sprawled on the floor. He gasped in pain but stood his ground immediately. He moved towards the dagger, only to have Irakih kick it away again.

Laughter surrounded him as Yugi made a dashing crawl over to the dagger. He heard footsteps behind him. Irakih was coming up fast, making his final move. Yugi grabbed the dagger and when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned with all his might and plunged the dagger into the chest of his attacker.

Yugi cried out and backed away as the figure fell on his knees. Yugi's heart pounded out of control, his head searing with pain, eyes brimming with tears as he gazed into crimson eye. "Yami." He whimpered, shaking his head.

The former pharaoh starred into amethyst, his breaths ragged and hard. He moved his eyes to his chest and with both hands, he pulled the dagger out, crying out in pain as he did. Yugi shook with fear as his yami fell on his hands and knees, panting heavily. "Y–Yugi." He stammered, trying to reach over to him but failed miserably and collapsed on the cold stone floor.

Yugi cried out and gathered his hero in his arms. "Atemu." He whispered. "I-I........I didn't mean–,"

"Sh." Atemu whispered. "I know."

Yugi sobbed as blood stained his Yami's attire. Atemu moaned slightly and gripped Yugi's clothes tightly in one hand, trying to distract himself from the pain. Yugi didn't know what to do. He looked up to see Irakih smiling at him, his victory clear. Yugi also saw many others starring in shock at him from across the room. Another groan pulled his attention back to the man dying in his arms. Blood started to spread on the stone floor and Atemu's breathing started coming in small gasps. "Please don't leave me." Yugi whispered, pulling Atemu close to him.

Atemu grabbed Yugi's shirt and pulled him down to whisper in his ear. "I'll never.... leave you. I'm.... always right...h-here." He gasped out in whispers, tugging on Yugi's clothes near his heart.

"Please, Yami." Yugi sobbed. "Please."

Atemu wrapped his numb arms about his hikari, taking a deep breath. "I'll always love you." He smiled, closing his eyes and leaning against his other half.

"Yami?" Yugi cried, shaking the cold figure wrapped around his body. "Yami?!" He cried out louder, his voice high with urgency. Then it hit him. It was worse than any punch he had ever been given, worse than any headache Irakih had ever given him, worse than any shadow realm visit he had been delivered. It was his heart. It hurt like nothing he could think imaginable. It felt like someone reached into his chest and slowly tore out his heart, as painfully as possible. "Yami!" He screamed, his eyes closed tight. "Come back." He sobbed into the former king's hair. "I need you, please come back."

"You killed him!" A shout came from across the room. Yugi didn't bother to look up, he didn't care. "He killed our savior!"

"He is to be killed!" Another shouted.

Before Yugi could react, people were around him, tugging him away from the figure laying dead on the floor. "No!" Yugi screamed, trying desperately to get over to Atemu. He just wanted to hold him a little longer...just a little longer. People pulled him out of his room and soon the smell of blood faded. Irakih followed suit and watched as Yugi wept weakly as he was tugged every which way. "Yami." He sobbed, hoping in vein that somehow his protector would hear him and rescue him.

A sort of numbness surrounded him. No one came to save him, not his friends, not Yami, no one. Yugi allowed his eyes to glaze over slightly as more and more people gathered around them. They lead Yugi outside, to an area in the middle of the street. He was tied to a pole but did nothing to stop them. "Prince Angel of Bethaming, for every action in this world there must be a consequence. For every killer in this world there must be a savior. You have murder that savior. For that you must pay!" Shouts were accompanies by the man's voice.

Yugi looked up, those words were very familiar. Yugi let fear build inside him as men brought bundle of sticks and logs and placed them around his feet. No...this isn't happening. Not again. Yugi started to struggle. "What's happening?"

"Due to your crime, you will be sentenced to death by fire. Upon your death we will be able to avenge our fallen savior." The man on the platform next to him continued his speech. Many shouts of agreement erupted about him. Yugi's eyes wondered as he found Irakih, who was watching him in the crowd. This time, there was no love or compassion on his face as there had been before. Just victory. He smiled and mouthed to Yugi words that sent chills down his spine. "You belong to me."

The man finished his speech and lit the four corners of Yugi's log prison. Yugi starred around him. Irakih had been right. Yug didn't change his or Atemu final destiny, just how it happened. Yugi didn't struggle, it was pointless. He deserved this. He killed his Yami. Smoke started to build around him and he gave a weak cough. He closed his eyes as the flames made it to the pole he was tied to. With the last ounce of his strength, Yugi opened his eyes. He could see a figure forming in the smoke.... Yami.

Just as before Yugi sobbed for his protector looked angry. Flames licked his feet as he threw back his head and let out an agonizing scream. Then nothing. This body fell limp against the pole he was tied to, eyes as blank as could be. Irakih smiled. He had done it.

Yugi's soul was forever broken.

A/N~ 1 more chapter. Please review.