When the air cleared of the golden dust, Atem had fallen. His Life points flashing zero. He gasped in a few jagged breaths before standing, teary but looking glad that he could finally rest.
Yugi was crying as Atem hugged him and whispered a few things in his ear. Reassurances, promises, probably a few lies. Anything to make his Hikari feel better.
Tea was weeping. She had foolishly fallen in love with someone that wouldn't, couldn't love her back. And now that the Pharaoh was leaving, there was no hope she could change that. Joey and Tristan would miss the other member of their unofficial gang. Seto would miss his duelling partner. Solomon would miss his second grandson.
Everyone would miss him.
'Yami?' came a quiet whisper from the other side of the room, everyone slowly turning around.
Thomas was kneeling on the ground, looking at the Millennium Flute that lay broken on the ground.
'Alkia?' his voice a bit louder now, trying to find his guardian.
He stood up a little shaken, Marik rushing over to help him when it looked like his was going to fall over. Thomas looked around brokenly, trying to find the Egyptian woman.
Suddenly, there was a bright flashing light over the other side of the tomb, next to the Doors to the Afterlife and Alkia took shape, glowing brighter than ever before.
She smiled carefully at her Hikari and welcomed him when he rushed at her with open arms, hugging him tightly to her breast, whispering a few things into his ear.
'No!' came the young teen terrified cry, 'You can't!'
Alkia smiled sadly, 'I must, young one. There is no other way for it to occur.' She moved to turn around, but her wrist was grabbed tightly by the boy.
'Alkia you can't! You can't go!'
'Go? Where are you going?' Asked Atem slowly.
'I won, which means the Doors to the Afterlife will open for you, at my say so.'
Yugi nodded, puzzled, 'But?'
Joey looked at him, 'How did you know there was a but?'
Tea shushed him quickly, 'Thomas wouldn't be making a fuss about it if there wasn't a but, Joey.'
Alkia smiled gently at their antics, 'The duel purified me, cleansing me of the Evil and Regret that once coated the Millennium Item,' she gestured at the broken flute, 'As it was supposed to. And now it is my duty to open the Doors of the Afterlife, at the sacrifice of my own soul.'
Thomas was crying as everyone else gasped, 'You won't move on?' whispered Atem, looking at the older woman carefully.
Alkia smiled as she shook her head, 'No, I won't be moving on, at least not like you will be. Not straight away.'
'What do you mean?'
'By using my soul to unlock the Door, my soul will be given to the service of the gods, for a set amount of time. An honourable price. After the time has passed, if the gods feel I am deserving, I may finally be allowed to move on with my band.'
'Band?'
'I was part of a band of Musicians, your highness. With the breaking of the last thing holding them to this world,' the group once again glanced at the broken item, 'They will finally move on, as they should of at the beginning.'
She turned once again to Thomas, 'You are strong, my Hikari, and shouldn't cry. I will be fine, and you will move on. And of course beat Yugi for the title of King of Games,' she winked playfully, 'because we both know I play by luck. Your skill is more than enough. Follow your dreams, Hikari, I will be watching over you, just not as closely as before.'
She gave him a small kiss on the forehead before moving in front of the door.
'I, the redeemed once-spirit of the Item, give my soul to the service of the gods, as decreed many millennia ago, to open the Door to the Afterlife for my Pharaoh Atem, Ruler of Egypt. I have judged him and he has passed the test. So let the powers of the Millennium Items flee and do their one last task, for the time for rest has finally come.'
The millennium items all glowed and out rushed spirits, swarming the young woman before flying at the door. The eye glowed and the door slowly opened and showed the souls of those Atem loved in the past there waiting for him.
He walked into their arms, his clothes once again in his Ancient Egyptian garb, and turned and waved one last time before the door closed, and Alkia faded.
They left behind a room of sorrow, but were finally at peace.