DD: Hey guys! So I know a lot of you were upset in the last chapter that after waiting for over a month, you still didn't get to know what happened to Yugi. So I wrote this a bit early and decided to give it to you today! Fun? FUN! Also, to clear something up, the last chapter was mainly about getting everyone else's problems sorted so that I could focus on Yugi. Now; it's the moment you've all been waiting for! BUUUUT! JUST BEFORE IT! I want to say something. Ahem. THIS IS NOT A STORY THAT HAS SMUT IN IT. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST SMUT; I'M ABOUT TO POST A STORY WITH SMUT IN IT. BUT IT IS NOT THIS ONE! Thank you!KILLER QUEENS; START YOUR READING!

Reviews:

thor94: Look, there is no smut in this. But there is torture.

Ern Estine 13624: Thank you!

animatronic 2.9: Aaah! I'm sorry! Don't cry! Here! Take it!

revolutionchief: As stated, Yugi hangs out with them because they have access to drugs he wants for reasons not yet given. Yami and Yugi kissed and then Yami started having flashbacks and things like that from the rape because that stuff lasts a lot longer than a few days and he was basically going, "Shit. No. I can't do this." so he tried to distance them so he wouldn't need to do it and he's only now really realising that wasn't a good idea. Ryou's situation isn't far from ending thankfully, and yeah; so am I. Thanks so much!

Kigen Dawn: Well I did say that I was ending it soon. Besides, calm stories are no fun.

Azurephoenix: Here you go.

Yugi groaned as he cracked open his eyes. Too bright…

He closed them again. Then he frowned and opened them. Wait. No it wasn't. It was pitch black.

He tried to stand up. Even during a new moon, it was never this dark in his room. There were always streetlights or helicopter lights or something.

His breath caught in his throat. He tried to stand again. Something was stopping him.

He twisted his head to try and see what it was before remembering that he couldn't see.

He wiggled his hands around and winced when he felt a rough substance rub the sensitive skin on his wrists.

Wait… Why was his skin sensitive all of a sudden? He tried to swivel but his chest was stuck to the back of the wooden chair he was sitting on.

Wooden chair? Why wasn't he in his bed?

His breath started to quicken. He tried to move his legs. They wouldn't budge an inch. They were stuck to the legs of the chair.

He heard a crash and light shone down on him. He winced and his eyes shot closed. Now it really was too bright.

"Welcome to the land of the living," a voice chuckled.

Yugi blinked a few times, squinting. He could hear footsteps. Slowly, his eyes adjusted and he looked around. A… cave?

It was too rough to be a basement. The walls were too rocky and damp, the floor wasn't smooth enough and there were patches of moss everywhere.

But there was a door.

He looked up at the person that had entered as they grew closer. "Who…?"

He trailed off as he met a dual-coloured gaze. His eyes widened. He tried to scramble back, but the chair prevented him from doing so.

Aknadin chuckled. "You have no idea how refreshing your fear is. I haven't had a taste of fear in months." His smirk became a glare. "Not since you liberated my nephews."

Yugi swallowed the lump in his throat. He tried to glare. He wasn't sure if he succeeded or not – Aknadin's expression didn't change. "Good."

"Oh. Feisty." Aknadin snorted. "Sort of." He crouched down in front of Yugi. "Why do you think you're here, boy?"

Yugi continued to glare at him. "So you can try to get Yami, Bakura and Marik back," he said, proud that his voice wasn't shaking. "They won't fall for it."

Aknadin smirked. "You seem to think that this is a ruse. That I won't kill you if they don't come."

This time, Yugi smirked. "You won't hurt me. You need me."

Aknadin raised an eyebrow, leaning back a bit. "Do I?"

"Of course." Yugi began to relax. "You need me because you know that if you don't have me as a bargaining chip, Yami won't come and Ryou and Malik won't convince Marik and Bakura to help if they don't want to."

Aknadin chuckled and stood up. "What a smart kid." He reached over and threaded his fingers through Yugi's hair. "Your hair is so like Yami's. You are so like Yami, actually."

Yugi frowned. "What are you-?"

Aknadin's fingers suddenly tightened, latching onto a fistful of Yugi's hair. He yanked Yugi's head back. Yugi gritted his teeth to hold back a yelp. "Don't talk back to me, boy. Didn't Yami ever tell you what happens when people talk back to me?"

"Obviously not," Yugi muttered.

Aknadin's smirk grew. "Well you grew a backbone. What? The withdrawal making you bitchy?"

Yugi flinched. How did he-?

"Looks like I hit a soft spot," Aknadin snickered. "What're you craving? Weed?" Flinch. "Cocaine?" Flinch. "Heroin?" Flinch. "Ecstasy?" Flinch. "Everything?"

Yugi diverted his gaze. It sounded so much worse when Aknadin named them all out.

Aknadin whistled. "That's got to cost you." He leaned down next to Yugi's ear. "Tell you what. If you're a good boy and do exactly what I say, I'll make sure that you get a month's worth of all of that."

Yugi snorted. "No one has that much money in their wallet after kidnapping someone and dragging them to a cave."

"I like to come prepared." Aknadin tilted his head. "Do we have a deal?"

Yugi glared at spat at him. The spit landed just above his fake eye.

Aknadin snarled and wiped his face. He pulled something out of his pocket. "You're going to regret that, boy."

"I doubt it," Yugi hissed.

He heard a soft click and Aknadin held up a lighter. Yugi's eyes widened. Fear and fire danced in them and he tried to lean away.

"You don't like fire, do you?" Aknadin grabbed a fistful of Yugi's hair again. "So soft," he purred. "I wonder how flammable the conditioner you use makes it."

Yugi couldn't hold back a whimper.

Aknadin's eyes lit up. "Let's see, shall we?" He brought the lighter closer to Yugi's hair. "I'm betting on three minutes before that gravity defying kaleidoscopic mass is gone and the fire reaches your head."

Yugi squeezed his eyes shut. Instead of a loud whoosh and a burst of heat, all he heard was a general Nokia dial tone.

Aknadin let the fire go out on the lighter and he pulled a phone out of his pocket. Yugi cracked open his eyes.

Aknadin smirked at him. "Looks like you got lucky," he hissed. "Your boyfriend is smart."

No. Yugi's eyes widened as Aknadin answered the phone.

"Hello, nephew."

"So nice to hear from you again. How's school going?"

Yami ground his teeth together. "I'm not going to play your games, uncle. Where's aibou?"

"Aibou? You call him aibou? Oh, how sweet. Wouldn't you agree, Yugi?"

Yami's eyes widened. "He's with you?"

"Why of course," Aknadin hummed. "You didn't think I'd leave him alone before you called, did you? I know you need proof that he's here."

Yami swallowed. "Put him on to me."

"Now, Yami-"

"Put him on the phone or I swear to every god up there that when I find you, I'll kill you without a second though!" Yami yelled.

He heard Aknadin chuckle. "Keep your temper, Yami. Angry and broody suits Bakura better."

"Just put him on the phone," he hissed.

There was silence for a moment. "Yami?"

Yami's heart leapt. "Yugi? Yugi, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Yami; he hasn't hurt me. Whatever you do don't-"

"That's enough."

"Don't come down here!"

"Give me the phone, Yugi."

"I'll never forgive you!"

Yami heard a loud crash. "Yugi!"

"Oh don't worry about your aibou. He's fine. Just a bit… down at the moment."

Yami clenched his fist. "What did you do?"

"Nothing too extreme." He could practically hear the smirk in Aknadin's voice. "But I know you won't believe me."

"Damn straight I don't," Yami hissed. "Give him back."

"You know I can't do that."

"And why not?"

"Why not?" Aknadin sneered. "Let's see. Ah, yes. Because you landed my younger brother in a cell."

"He deserved what he got," Yami said coolly. "And you will too."

Aknadin just chuckled. "You might want to come down here, nephew," he said.

"I don't know where you are."

"Yes you do," Aknadin said. "Or rather, Marik does. He just doesn't want to remember."

Yami closed his eyes. "You didn't."

"Oh, I did."

"What do you want?" Yami ground out.

"I want you and your brothers," Aknadin replied. "Here. Within four hours."

Yami swallowed. "Bakura's out of town," he lied. Maybe he could buy them more time. "School trip. We need more time."

"Too bad. You don't have it. Or rather…" Again, the smirk was in his voice. "Your aibou doesn't." He chuckled. "I'll see you at eight, nephew. Just in time for dinner."

The dial tone sounded in Yami's ear. "Fuck!" He hurled the phone against the wall. He heard it crack but he didn't pick it up as it fell to the floor.

It was all his fault. Yugi was going to die. Atem and Heba already did.

He was going to have another death on his head. It was all his fault. All his fault.

His phone rang. He watched it for a moment before picking it up. The screen was cracked in a few places, but the phone still worked.

Yami tapped the answer button, careful not to cut himself on the glass. "Hello?"

"Yami? It's Malik. Is Yugi okay?" Yami swallowed. "Hello? Yami?"

"No, Malik," Yami whispered. "He's not. I'll be over in ten minutes."

Both Bakura and Ryou jumped as the screen froze. Bakura looked up and glared at Yami when he saw his brother standing in the door of their motel room. "We were watching that."

Yami threw the remote at him. "Yugi's in trouble."

Ryou sat up, his gaze concerned. "What kind?"

"The bad kind." Yami jerked his head. "Come on. We'll go into Marik and Malik's room."

"Why can't they come in here?" Bakura snorted.

Yami glared at him but before he could open his mouth, Ryou frowned at his boyfriend. "Bakura, I don't care if you think Yugi's getting it easier than us or not. He needs our help, so we're going to help him."

Bakura held his gaze for a moment before sitting up with a sigh. "Fine. Lead the way, Yams."

Yami rolled his eyes and walked down the hall to Marik's room, the two white-haired boys following him after Ryou grabbed their room key.

Yami knocked on the door. Room thirteen. Of course Marik would get thirteen.

It was Malik who opened the door. Malik wearing a black sequined skirt, a red t-shirt and black pumps. "Hey, Yami. You like?"

"Yeah, it looks good," Yami said dismissively. "Can we come in?"

Malik pouted slightly but opened the door enough for the three to come inside. "What's up?" He asked, closing the door.

"Where's Marik?" Yami asked. "He should be here for this as well."

"In the shower," Malik replied. "He'll be out in a-" The bathroom door opened and Marik walked out wearing jeans and a towel around his neck. He held his t-shirt in his hand. "Now."

Marik gave them an odd look. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Yugi's in trouble," Yami said as Malik sat on the edge of the bed. He leaned against the windowsill, his fingers tapping incessantly on the wood. "Big trouble."

"What kind?" Ryou asked, sitting cross-legged beside Malik. Marik and Bakura opted for standing.

Yami closed his eyes and let out a slow breath through his nose. "Aknadin's back."

Bakura's face visibly paled. Marik tensed up. Ryou and Malik looked a bit confused. "Aknadin?" Ryou mumbled. "Your…"

"Uncle," Bakura mumbled. "He's a murderer."

"You have no proof that he was the one that slaughtered your village, Bakura," Marik said.

Bakura glared at him. "He fucking killed my mother in front of me! He and his ten friends annihilated it!"

"What?" Ryou's eyes widened.

"When Bakura was younger, he lived in Kul Elna," Yami explained. "Under the guise of Muslim extremists, a group of ten people killed his entire village. He got away. Nine of them were caught and they confessed. The tenth is still out there and Bakura thinks-"

"Knows," Bakura corrected.

"-that it's Aknadin."

Ryou reached out as though to take Bakura's hand, but thought better of it. Bakura wouldn't appreciate it. Not in front of people anyway.

Bakura folded his arms. "If he has Yugi, we've got no chance of getting him back."

"Not true," Malik protested. "Yami didn't think we had a chance of getting you guys out!"

"Yes, and two people were shot because of it!" Bakura snapped.

"Hey, I healed up okay," Ryou said softly. There was a scar left, but no lasting damage had been done. He didn't even need a bandage anymore.

"He's given us four hours to hand ourselves in," Yami said softly when silence filled the room.

All four stared at him. "You're joking." Marik's whisper was strained. "You think we're going to go back there?"

"We don't have a choice!" Yami growled. "We can't let Yugi die like we did Atem and Heba!"

"That wasn't our fault!" Bakura yelled.

"Yes it was!" Yami shot back. "You blame yourself for your brother's death even though it wasn't your fault, but you've completely disassociated from something we all need to take responsibility for!"

Bakura growled and looked away. "Even so, if we go, he'll die. If we don't, he'll die," he muttered.

Ryou shook his head. "Maybe not," he mumbled.

"You have a plan?" Malik guessed, looking over at him.

Ryou nodded. "He'll only be expecting Marik, Bakura and Yami. He knows we don't want Yugi to die. Yami, do you have any idea where he could have taken him?"

Yami shook his head. "Anywhere within four hour's travel from here. His voice was echoing though."

Marik's eyes widened before slipping closed. "I know where he is," he mumbled. "The tombs at the edge of Domino, about forty minutes drive from here."

Malik looked up at him. "Mar-"

"Don't." Marik cut him off. Malik fell silent.

"What if Malik and I sneak around the back?" Ryou suggested.

"It's full of traps," Marik warned.

"I've lived around traps my whole life," Malik said. "I can get us through them." Marik threw him a sharp look but was ignored. "We'll be fine sneaking around the back."

Yami nodded. "Knowing him, he'll have Yugi close to the back anyway so that we won't try to run into the tombs, grab him and run back out again."

"So when do we go?" Bakura's voice sounded hollow.

Yami sighed. "Grab things you need and text Joey, Seto-"

"Can't," Ryou cut him off. "Seto and Joey are going to Germany in the morning. Joey left a voicemail asking me to tell Yugi when he couldn't reach him."

Yami nodded. "Then text Duke and Tristan in case something goes wrong."

"What about Anzu, Mokuba or Serenity?" Malik asked.

Yami shook his head. "Mokuba and Serenity are too young. Anzu's getting ready to go to America next week. Anyone we drag into this will need to be in Japan for a month at least." He walked towards the door. "Get food, water, spare clothes and any knives or weapons or anything you have that's dangerous. We don't know what will happen." Bakura caught Yami's shoulder. Yami met his gaze and nodded in response to his silent question. "This time, we're bringing him down. For good."

Yugi resisted the urge to scoot back when he saw the door open again. He knew that it wouldn't do him any good.

He squinted as a light was turned on. How was there electricity down here?

Then he froze, seeing the source of the light. A flaming torch. Aknadin smirked and attached the torch to the wall. "My, you really hate fire, don't you?"

Yugi looked away. It was none of his business.

"I wonder why."

"None of your business," he gritted out.

Aknadin's smirk grew. "Now that's no way to talk to someone holding fire, is it?" Yugi turned to glare at him but stayed silent. "Was it something… to do with an old house?"

Yugi flinched.

Aknadin chuckled. "I see. Maybe a pet?"

Yugi looked away. Sure, he missed his cat Kuriboh, and Ryou's bunny Lily's recent death was still a sore spot, but neither of them had died in a fire.

"A brother?"

"I'm an only child," Yugi mumbled.

"Grandparent then?"

"Is there a point to this?" Yugi snapped.

Aknadin guffawed. "I'm liking this you more and more every second. You're a real bitch, you know that?"

Yugi shrugged and looked down again.

"What about a cousin?"

"I don't have any."

"But you did. Atem and Heba Mutou, right?"

Yugi swallowed. "How did you-?"

"But they didn't die in a fire, did they? They were found dead in an abandoned house, half-rotted."

Yugi flinched, squeezing his eyes shut. "Shut up," he hissed. "I know what you're trying to do."

"Oh?" Aknadin raised an eyebrow. "Pray tell, what am I trying to do?"

"Set me against Yami," Yugi mumbled. "I know his father killed them. I know they died trying to help them escape. I knew that over a month ago."

Aknadin frowned, tilting his head. "And that didn't anger you?"

"Of course it did," Yugi snapped. "But it wasn't their fault. And your brother's paying for what he did to them."

Aknadin scowled and picked something up from the corner of the room. "Tell me why you're afraid of fire."

"Piss off."

"Was it your mother?"

Yugi flinched. A gunshot sounded in his head.

"Hm. Close." Aknadin narrowed his eyes. "Your father then?"

Yugi's eyes shot closed and he bit his lip harshly to hold back a whimper.

"Bingo." Aknadin walked closer to him. Yugi could hear a squelch as he opened something. Liquid then. "What did he do?" Yugi turned his head to the side. "Was it similar to this?"

The smell of gasoline reached Yugi's nose moments before it was poured over him. He let out a panicked wail, struggling to escape from his bonds.

Aknadin laughed and continued pouring it over him until there was none left.

He walked back to the door, leaving Yugi shivering and dry-sobbing. He picked up the torch and moved back to him. "Was it, Yugi?"

Yugi looked up at him, his eyes wide in fear. He shook his head, doubling his efforts to escape. Aknadin held the torch over Yugi's hair.

The fire sparked but the flint didn't hit Yugi.

"Stop!" Yugi screamed, squeezing his eyes shut. "Don't! Please!"

Aknadin paused. Yugi cracked open an eye again to see him pull the torch back. "Better," he purred. "Much better." He turned away and walked towards the door, taking the torch with him. "They've got an hour to get here," he called over his shoulder. "If they're not here by then, I'm watching you go up in flames."

"Malik-pretty, you need to slow down."

"I can't!" Malik snapped. "We need to be there soon!"

"No, Malik, seriously."

"Fuck speeding laws!"

"No; seriously. Yami and Bakura lost us."

Malik groaned and pulled his motorbike into a nearby roadside diner. "Again? That's the second time?"

Marik glanced at his phone. "They lost us about twenty minutes back."

Malik huffed, crossing his arms. "They should drive faster."

"Bakura's not a great driver and a car can't go as fast as your bike." Malik clicked his tongue and looked away. Marik pulled off his helmet. "Come on; we'll head inside and get a drink. Nothing else to do."

"But-" Malik cut himself off and nodded, taking off his own helmet. "Fine." He wheeled his motorbike over to an area easily seen from the diner and stowed the helmets in the compartment under the seat before following Marik into the diner.

As they sat down in a booth that they could see Malik's motorbike from, a girl with dirty-blonde hair and brown eyes came up to them. Her name-tag read 'Alexis'. "What would you like to order?"

Malik didn't even look at the menu. "Just some water."

Marik frowned. "Malik, get something to eat. You don't know when we'll be able to again." Alexis paid no mind to the statement. It sounded as though they were just going on a long road trip.

"I'm not hungry."

Marik sighed. "I'll take a hot chocolate with cinnamon on it, and two pieces of apple tart. He'll have one."

Alexis nodded, writing down their order. "'Kay, I'll be right back with that."

Malik frowned at Marik as Alexis walked away. "I'm not going to eat it."

"Yes you are," Marik insisted. "You'll need it where we're going." He looked outside.

The landscape had turned sandy now. In the winter, he knew it looked mystical. Now, it looked like a wasteland. And only half an hour's drive from a city.

Malik watched him. "What happened there?" He murmured. "In the tombs?"

Marik gritted his teeth and shook his head.

Malik reached across the table and took his hand. "Mar, please. I want to help."

"You can't," he mumbled. "They're old scars." Literally.

Malik squeezed his hand. "I had plenty of them and you helped me," he mumbled. "Now let me help you."

Marik met his gaze. Then he looked down at the temple. "Your scars," he mumbled. "I've got the same ones. Well, a variation of them anyway. I don't know how he heard of it, but my dad became a Calliark when I was four. He forced me to move into the tombs." He snorted. "More like kidnapped me and locked me away there actually." He trailed off.

Malik gave him a reassuring smile. "You're doing great."

Marik closed his eyes. "He forced me to do the ritual when I was seven. Or tried to anyway. I got loose and killed him before he finished." A cold smirk crossed his face. "Guess your sister's right. I am dangerous."

"No you're not," Malik mumbled. "And what does she know anyway?"

Marik chuckled before growing serious. "She still hasn't called?"

Malik shook his head. "She didn't return my texts either," he mumbled. "Odion did, but…" He sighed. "What else happened?"

Marik sensed not to broach the topic. Malik could visit them if he wanted. He chose not to. "I tried to get out. My dad had the food and water locked away so rats couldn't get at it, but that meant I couldn't either. It took me a few days to get out and I had barely been walking ten minutes before I collapsed." Marik clenched his fists. "Then Aknamkanon found me."

When he fell silent, Malik leaned across the table and kissed him softly. "Thank you," he mumbled.

"Here's your tart."

Malik fell back in his seat, his eyes wide. Alexis and Marik both grinned at his reaction. "Thanks," Marik said as Alexis placed the tarts, water and hot chocolate on the table. He glanced at his drink to make sure that it had cinnamon in it before nodding.

Malik eyed the tart reluctantly as Alexis left. "Eat," Marik said. "We mightn't be eating again for a while. And the others will catch up to us soon."

"Aknadin!" Yami called as he and his brothers descended into the tomb. "We're here. Come out!"

There was a moment of tense silence.

The three exchanged a look. He couldn't have caught Malik and Ryou sneaking around the back, could he? Not yet anyway.

Then they heard a deep chuckle. "Boys. So good to see you again."

Yami squinted into the darkness, trying to see him. "Where's Yugi?"

"That's none of your concern at the moment." Aknadin stepped forward, smirking.

Yami stood his ground. "We're not going anywhere until you show us Yugi."

Aknadin's smirk grew. "Oh I can't do that just yet," he said. "If I turn my back on you, who knows what you could do." He held each of their gaze for a minute. "Strip."

Bakura snarled. "I knew you were perverted but this is ridiculous."

"How else am I supposed to be able to tell if you have any weapons?" Aknadin shrugged. "You can leave your boxers on if it makes you feel any better. They can't hide much."

The three exchanged another look. Marik was the first to react, unclasping the chain on his cape. Bakura and Yami reluctantly followed his example until soon, Aknadin could see that none of them bore any weapons. "Good. Now get dressed again."

They obliged. Aknadin walked up to each of them and began to pat them down, just in case they had added hidden pockets.

He smirked when he reached Marik's cape. "Take it off, nephew."

Marik growled but obliged.

Aknadin turned it inside out and slowly took each of the seven knives out of the pockets. "Tut tut," he sighed, throwing the empty cape back at him. "I thought you would know better."

He raised a knife, trailing the blade along Marik's cheek. Marik didn't flinch. Aknadin flicked the tip of the blade against his skin. Blood trickled down it but Marik held his ground.

Aknadin smirked and moved on to Bakura and Yami. Neither of them had anything; they had been counting on Marik's cape being thick enough to hide the knives.

Satisfied, Aknadin pocketed the confiscated knives and turned away. "Follow me." He began walking down the hallway.

Again, Marik was the first to follow him. Bakura and Yami trailed after their younger brother.

The traps were lethal, Marik knew. If they didn't keep Aknadin within their eyeshot, they could easily get caught in one and die. Horribly and painfully.

However, Aknadin didn't lead them very far in before he took a left turn.

Marik's blood began to chill. No. Not there. He couldn't have figured out which one it was.

They reached a cavern with two doors. Marik clenched his fists. Not that one. Not that one.

Aknadin walked to the right one and pushed it open. "Everyone inside."

Marik dug his nails into his palms. He could see the table from where he was standing. His scars itched.

Yami stepped forward. "Where's Yugi?" He growled.

"Get inside and you won't be clueless for much longer," Aknadin purred.

Yami glared at him before stalking inside. Bakura hesitated before following, leaving as much room between himself and Aknadin as possible.

Marik stayed where he was. He felt Aknadin's gaze lock onto him. "Is there a problem, Marik?" His tone was light. Taunting. He was taunting him.

Fucking bastard. Maybe I should carve the scriptures into his back, he pondered. He wouldn't taunt me then.

"Marik?" Aknadin raised an eyebrow.

"No." Marik's response hung in the air. "There's no problem." He followed his siblings into the room.

But once he was inside, his breath caught in his throat.

His arm twitched and his fingers curled. He squeezed his eyes shut.

He turned to run but the door slammed shut in his face. They all heard the bolt slide into place. There was no escape.

"This way."

"Are you sure?" Ryou whispered. He didn't dare speak any louder.

"It's what Marik told me," Malik replied. He had no problem speaking normally. "There's a room around here with a heavy metal door. It was used to store food. That's where Yugi will be; it's the only room back here with a lock."

"But what if he's not?"

"Then we'll keep looking."

"Would you quit talking so loudly?"

Malik sighed but lowered his voice to a whisper. "There." His gaze scanned the floor and walls for traps. He was used to being in the dark, so this was no problem for him. They had already evaded multiple false tiles and trip wires.

Speaking of which.

"Hang on. Another wire." Malik carefully stepped over it, placing his feet lightly on the other side and testing the floor in case of more false tiles.

Then he turned and helped Ryou over the wire. Ryou was shaking. Badly.

"Hey." Malik wrapped his arms around him. "It'll be okay."

Ryou buried his head in the crook of Malik's neck. "I'm scared…"

Malik stroked his hair. "I know, Ry," he cooed. "But it'll be over soon."

Ryou sniffed before nodding and pulling away from Malik.

Malik gave him a reassuring smile – though he wasn't sure if Ryou could see it. "Let's keep going."

Ryou nodded, but grabbed Malik's hand for comfort. Malik squeezed his friend's hand before leading him further in. It wasn't too far now.

Marik said the room was three caverns in from the back entrance. They had passed two.

Moments later, he stopped. "We're here."

Ryou looked up. He could barely make out the door. "How do we open it?"

Malik scanned it. "There's a bolt. Help me pull it back." Ryou nodded and ran up to the door with Malik.

They couldn't call into the room to check first. Aknadin could be near.

Malik gripped the sides of the bolt tightly and pulled. Ryou pulled at Malik's arms, there being nowhere else on the bolt for him to grab onto.

After a minute, it slid out of place with a loud screech.

They both froze but no footsteps reached their ears.

Malik slowly opened the door. "Yugi?" He whispered.

He heard a soft whimper and the two ran into the room. Yugi was tied to a chair, his eyes squeezed shut.

He seemed to be soaked to the bone with water, but Malik could smell gasoline. Maybe that was it? But why pour it all over him without doing anything?

"Yugi, are you okay?" Ryou asked softly.

Yugi cracked open an eye. "R-Ryou? M-Mal?"

"Yeah, it's us," Malik murmured. "Come on. Let's get you out of here." He crouched down to untie Yugi's legs.

Ryou moved to untie Yugi's arms, but all three froze when they heard the door slam shut and the bolt slide into place again.

Someone chuckled on the other side of the door. Aknadin.

"None of you are getting out of here anytime soon."

DD: I actually have no idea what was going through my head as I wrote this chapter plan. It makes no sense in some parts. But anyway, I managed to make a decent chapter out of it. I think. What do you guys think? Am I holding the story together okay? Please review. See you next time, Killer Queens!