Chapter 7: Deals and Death

Satan grinned maliciously at the tied Atem. He was thoroughly pleased with his work. Now he could bind Atem into service forever.

"I see you no longer follow our agreement."Atem glared at him, despising this unholy being with all of himself.

"Our agreement never involved the boy! I had every right to protect him! And you didn't seem to specify on what I could do in my spare time while awaiting your new list!" He spat at his feet and was clouted on the head. Satan however smiled.

"Good lad Atem! You're anger, your rage, it gives me strength!" Atem shuddered and slowed his breathingSatan frowned. "So you refuse to get angry? Well this should invoke some feeling" Yugi was grabbed from behind and dragged down to where the others were. Atem gasped when he saw Yugi being so roughly handled.

"You BASTARD! Let him go! He didn't do anything to you! It's me you want!" Atem fought to reach him. More demons had to come up and hold his chains to force him to stay still. Satan laughed.

"I'll let him go when you agree to join me!"Atem looked at Yugi, then at Satan, then at the sky and back again. "Maybe this will encourage you!" A demon pulled out a sword covered in a black substance. Atem's eyes widened. "You have ten seconds! Ten… nine… eight… seven… six…five…four…" The demon started to walk toward Yugi. "Three…tw"

"ALL RIGHT!!" Atem took one final look at the sky with tears streaming down his face. He lowered his head and knelt in submission. "All right….you win…..I'll…" He winced. "…Join you." Yugi gasped.

"No! Atem don't! Please! There must be another way!"

"There isn't." He whispered, ashamed to admit defeat, but it was the only way to keep Yugi safe. He bowed meekly to Satan while Yugi watched in horror. To him it seemed as if Satan had broken something inside Atem. Satan smiled.

"At last I have you! But you know what? I don't think I'll spare your precious brother after all." He snapped his fingers and the demon lowered the sword and began to approach Yugi again.

"NO!!!!" Atem shouted. For the second time that night he broke the chains holding him. Atem ran forward. There was no time to grab the sword. No time…. He managed to put his body between Yugi and the demon. The demon thrust his sword to pierce Yugi's throat only to find it heading straight for Atem's chest. There was a sickening crunch and Atem grimaced. He looked down and pulled up his hand. It was covered in blood. He collapsed onto the ground. Atem gasped for breath. The blade still remained within him. Dimly he heard someone calling out to him. There was a bright light and several screams. A figure knelt beside him.

"Atem…Atem, please, please wake up." With a great deal of effort he opened his eyes and looked at Yugi. "Atem please don't die…I just got you back." He looked at Satan with a strange glint in his eyes. "I will give you my life, but please…spare him." Atem struggled against the sleep that called him.

"Yugi…No…I would rather die…than have you become…what I am." Yugi looked at him in shock.

"But Atem…"

"No…I would rather die a thousand deaths…and break a thousand promises…Instead of see you…fall under his rule." Yugi sobbed, tears staining his beautiful face but nodded. He picked Atem up and spread his wings. They were now ready for flight. Even though he would be carrying another he could make it. Slowly he made his way back to Angel Kingdom. Angels were gathered around the gates. They were all talking about what Yugi was doing. Archangel Gabriel approached him. Yugi looked into his eyes without fear. Gabriel looked down at the fallen angel in his arms.

"Are you sure he is pure?"

"He sacrificed himself to save me." He said, looking straight into his eyes. A gasp ran through the crowd. A fallen never sacrificed himself for another! Gabriel looked at the wound in Atem's chest and nodded.

"NO!" A voice shouted from the depths of the crowd. Angel Corel struggled to where Yugi and Gabriel were. "Lies! A fallen angel would never sacrifice himself!" Yugi looked absolutely furious. Before he could stop himself He sent a beam of light at Angel Corel. He was too slow to avoid it and it hit him square in the chest. All of a sudden his wings began to change. The feathers became black. One by one they changed color until only a few were white. Corel paled. How did the boy know the spell of innocence?!!(1) That wasn't taught until you were a minor archangel! Gabriel turned to Corel, his face was hard.

"Yugi, Take your brother to the medical center immediately. Tell them that Archangel Gabriel sends a request that all the best angels try and heal his wound." Yugi nodded and flew off with Atem in his arms. "So Corel, it seems that you are not the angel you had us think you were." He approached Corel and placed hand on his head. "I believe that you were the one who said Atem tempted an Archangel. Tell me now, which feather is it?" A secondary flight feather glowed blood red. His frown deepened. "So I guess that the odd behavior of the band wasn't a malfunction after all. It was you. Which feather was that one?" The feather right next to the first glowed. The crowd had begun to look at Corel with hatred. Gabriel removed his hand. "Take him away. His punishment will be decided by the boy…if he lives." Many angels came up and carried Corel to the restraint corridors. Gabriel sighed and went to the medical center. Yugi was bent over the prone figure of his brother. "How is he?" Gabriel asked one of the angels. She shook her head.

"Even if he had been brought to us immediately…the blade was poisoned with demon blood, even fallen angels die instantly from it.(2)" She looked at the bed. "He has a strong will." Gabriel nodded. He touched Yugi on the shoulder. He moved so that Gabriel could see him. Atem was a pitiful sight. His once bronzed skin was pale and stood out against his black clothes, his breathing was ragged and uneven. Atem opened his eyelids to reveal hollow eyes. He opened his mouth and coughed.

"G-Gabriel...?" He gasped.

"Shhh…Atem…save your strength." He fought to stay awake, fought to make the words he wanted, no needed to say.

"I-I'm sorry I…could back….in honor…" Gabriel looked at him with surprised eyes.

"Come back in honor? I have never seen an angel walk through those gates with more honor than you did today." Atem smiled, and coughed. "New evidence has come up that your trial was rigged and set under false pretenses. The offender has been caught. What should we do?" Atem thought for a long time, contemplating this kind of power.

"L-Let him stay…" He finally managed to answer. Gabriel was surprised by this.

"You don't want to see him fall to earth in shame?" Atem hacked again.

"I-It will be…more shameful for him…to remain here…and…watch the other angels…despise him…" Gabriel was surprised but smiled.

"You are wise Atem. Not only have you shown caring for others, you have offered mercy to a man who has wronged you. You are truly pure. Go now, rest…As a true angel." Before he had ended his sentence Atem's colors began to change. His wings paled until they were snow white, his clothes and skin did the same thing. His red eyes became a dark amethyst. When it was done Atem had a smile that would have lit up the world.

"T-Thank you…" He whispered. His eyes closed and Yugi knew he was dead.

"No…Atem…Come back…" Gabriel picked up his body and carried it outside. He was laid in a special mausoleum made for only the bravest and most pure angels. A bright violet star appeared in the sky. Yugi smiled at it and swore he saw the star wink back at him. That must be what happens. Yugi thought. When an angel is killed his soul becomes a star. Yugi took the symbol it made and put it on his robes. To remind him of the bravest angel he had ever met.

End Chapter

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The spell of innocence allows an angel to count the number of sins another has done by turning the feathers black. The first sins are at the edges of the wing and work inwards from there. Getting closer to the core.

(2)Demon blood and Angel blood are fatal to the opposing race and kill almost instantly. This is one of the few things that do not change with a fallen angel. Interesting no?

So? Tell me what you think!