…+…+…

Chapter 8 - The End

…+…+…

Author's Note

Warning: The following chapter contains violence.

…+…+…

A doorbell rang in the dead of night as the the witching hour struck. A maid answered the door and an unannounced guest strode past her. He walked with purpose, as if he knew this home. He breezed in as if he lived in the mansion. She watched him pass and started to call out to him but another servant took hold of her shoulder and wordlessly shook his head. The master was prepared for this guest.

Seto walked the main hall of the mansion and kept his eyes focused on the path ahead of him. He did not allow his eyes to wander and risk their falling upon some thing that reminded him of his time in that house. Of course it was not the same building that he had lived and died in more than a century ago, but Yami had rebuilt his home over and over again with the same exact specifications. There was something about the period in time that the original mansion had be constructed and furnished in that appealed to him. It was the period in time when Seto had been born and he had been trapped in it from then until he was given his freedom.

The mansion may have been from the Victorian era but there was one room, the room which Seto strode to with so much purpose, which was not altogether fitting.

The room was hung with crimson velvet, lit by floor candelabras, and each side of the room was flanked by engraved pillars. Hung upon the pillars were large oil paintings in gaudy gilded frames. Each painting was a portrait of the owner from a different era. Seto could never be sure which were real and which imagined but if they were all to be believed it meant that his master had been alive in the time of the ancient pharaohs in Egypt.

Naturally, Yami lounged in a golden throne atop a stepped dais in the middle of the room. He played with the engraved and gilded miniature shepherd's crook. Like a lion, he watched as Seto entered the room. On either side of him, sitting on steps, were two small children. A girl which Seto had not been expecting, sat in a thin pink shift with a fresh black eye. The boy Seto had been expecting but he still found himself shocked for a moment. A long slice down the side of his face, with the blood beginning to dry, was not as jarring as the disturbing resemblance the boy had to the monster, at whose feet he sat. Even down to the wide purple eyes, the boy was the spitting image of his master. To complete the sick tribute to himself, Yami had apparently had the boy's hair styled in the manner of his own.

Seto looked away from the children. He ignored them as he focused his mind.

"What finally brings you here?" Yami purred. He twirled the crook in his delicate fingers absently.

Seto glanced at him.

"Well?" Yami peered at his guest and he sat up a bit straighter.

No answer came from Seto but his eyes settled on one of the paintings. He took a step towards it.

"Oh, the paintings? You came to see the paintings?" A twinge of stress bled into Yami's words. His curiosity was piqued and he had feeling that his guess was correct.

The guest began to walk down the row of pillars towards the throne. His head was turned upward, his eyes were seemingly glued to the paintings, and his mouth wasn't moving. He wasn't answering and he wasn't giving any indication that he was even going to acknowledge that questions had been posed. A tiny claw scratched at Yami's patience. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out if it was an infuriating coincidence that Seto was not looking at him or if it was on purpose. He tried to reach out to his child's mind but all that met his probing was a recitation of some poem. Seto repeated the lines over and over again. It seemed to be about a journey at night in the wilderness and promises. Yami quickly grew tired of it. Those were not the thoughts he was looking to examine.

An itching frustration continued to grow as he watched his guest meander about, without so much as a proper greeting!

As his guest came closer, Yami shifted in his seat. "Did you want something? Did you want to talk!? Why are you here!?" frenzied suspicion colored his words and the handle of the crook in began to be compressed in his trembling grasp.

Seto continued his quiet tour, unperturbed. He walked past the throne to look at the other row of paintings, pursing his lips and whistling.

Yami sat bolt upright as he walked past, like a dog straining against its lead. "LOOK AT ME!"

One of the children giggled, Seto couldn't tell which. The sound was cut short by a sharp smack and a yelp. Seto made an effort not to wince as he heard the child land heavily on the ground.

"DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH! I TELL YOU WHEN YOU WILL LAUGH!"

Seto turned his head a few degrees and caught a glimpse of the girl. She had been thrown nearly a foot from where she had been seated. The girl gulped and sobbed, "Yes, Master."

Seto focused again on the poem '…and miles to go before I sleep…' It still wasn't time to act.

"Now! You! What business do you have in my home! Ignore me at you own peril, boy! I will snap you like a twig if you don't open your damn mouth and ANSWER ME!"

Casually, Seto turned his head to look in Yami's direction, as if this was the time he was being addressed. "Excuse me? Did you say something?"

Yami's right eye twitched and one of his alabaster talons wrapped around an arm of his throne as his other threw aside the fitfully broken pieces of the crook. "Yes," he spoke through clenched teeth. "What do you want here?"

Smiling, the guest replied, "Oh just…" his sentence drifted away into nothing.

Yami leaned forward over the edge of the throne. "JUST!? JUST WHAT!? TELL ME!?" The armrest came free in his hand. With a howl of rage, Yami raised it like a club and whirled on the little boy.

Now was the moment.

Suddenly Seto's hand was around the monster's wrist. "Don't touch either of them."

Yami grinned manically and looked up at Seto, "Is this what you're here for!?"

"No." Yami's grin faltered. Seto's fangs caught the light from the candles and they glittered in Yami's confused eyes. "Children, please leave, we have things to discuss."

The children's eyes widened but they didn't dare to move without their master's permission. Yami's little lips began to curl up into a smile. He had what he wanted. He knew why Seto was here! His child had come for a private visit! He didn't want to say so earlier because he has always been so shy! Yami marveled at the fire and passion in his eyes. Now sending the children away. "Oh, there's no need-"

Seto threw his head back with lightening speed and brought it down on Yami's neck with naked ferocity. He ripped a chunk of flesh free and spat it over his shoulder

The children stared at the bloody show, frozen in terror. Yami's screech of surprise and pain snapped them out of their shock and they ran screaming out of the room.

Seto reared his head back to deliver another attack but Yami broke free. He pried his wrist free but Seto hooked his razor sharp nails and changed his grip. In Yami's struggle his wrist was torn open. Seto's claws ripped through tendons and veins.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Yami shrieked as he jumped backwards off of the dais.

Seto only smiled and rushed him. Claws and fangs extended he was a sight to behold. This was most certainly not the little boy that he had had under his thumb. This was not the cowed creature he had taunted and trained. What was this beast in his home? Yami frantically tried to think as he dodged swipes and grabs. He was dodging but he wasn't fast enough. The neck wound was taking it's toll. With each movement, more of his precious blood was pouring out. He would need massive amounts of blood and rest to heal but first…

First he needed to put down this foolish rebellion. And he also needed to find out WHY!

"I WILL CRUSH YOU!" Yami launched an attack, determined not to be pressed into a retreat by this insolent whelp. Fingers hooked, he struck for Seto's face. Seto caught his hand but the other, not quite disabled, flashed across his face.

Pulling back, Seto still felt the piercing pain of the nails raking across his cheek. He pulled his arm back and threw Yami into a nearby pillar. Yami hit the pillar and was stunned for a moment but Seto's body had quickly followed him. The blow of the large body slamming him into the pillar was followed by a large cracking sound. The pillar cracked under the blow and the sound of concrete breaking masked the sound of ribs cracking in Yami's perfect little body.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?" Spluttering blood but still driven, Yami screamed.

"Why don't I cry?" Seto whispered. Yami's eyes widened. "Why don't I like your touches?"

Yami's body shook and his eyes flicked rapidly between the icy eye staring at him and the closed, bloody, eyelid of its partner. "YES! YES! WHY!? WHY ALL OF IT!?"

Seto smiled, the monster was beginning to become unglued. Unfortunately, he was not as distracted as Seto had hoped. A searing against his belly made Seto jump back.

Yami hefted the fireball and threw it at Seto. He would maim the rebel further and, then just before the dog expired, he would claim the answers he was owed! Prized pearls from that filthy infuriating mouth!

Surprised by the magical attack Seto ignored the pain and recovered his wits. He dodged the fireballs which followed it, and continued his taunts, "Why did I never kiss you? Why didn't I sleep in your bed? Why don't I come back?"

A primal scream ripped its way out of the blood splattered porcelain throat and filled the chamber. "YES! YES! JUST TELL ME!"

The small monster began throwing the fireballs blindly. Seto dodged fluidly and appeared before his former master. In a flash he was gone again. Pain exploded from Yami's face as he grabbed at his face. Seto's swift hand had torn across his face.

Yami's mind registered his pain. His hand flew up to protect his face. A fresh agony exploded across the back of his protective hand. He shrieked, pain and frustration overwhelming him.

Seto grabbed the newly injured arm, and threw Yami into the throne. Preparing to unleash a barrage of blows, Seto pulled back his fist. Unfortunately, he underestimated the power of rage and quickly found their roles reversed. Yami grabbed Seto's shoulder and turned. Seto was thrown into the seat and bloodied hands were around his throat. One hand, it's tendons torn, tried in vain to exert pressure but the freshly injured hand still clamped over his throat.

Murderous, bloodied, tired, but driven by his unbridled fury and curiosity, Yami endeavored to squeeze his answers out of the beast. "ANSWER ME! TELL ME EVERYTHING!"

"Why don't I scream for mercy? Why don't I cry? Who am I on the inside?" Seto made grabs for Yami's hand but kept his eye calm and locked on his attacker's. Yami's singlehanded grip wasn't as strong but it could still do grave damage if he didn't get free.

Determined to stay in the position of power, Yami formed a fireball in his weak hand and tried to burn the fighting hands. He snarled and bared his teeth. He would have his answers!

Around them the room was coming undone. Flames raced up the gaudy hangings and gobbled up the paintings. The broken pillar was close to giving way. Flaming portraits were beginning to fall one by one, spreading the fire further. The flames greedily jumped and licked at everything they could reach.

Just as the flames consumed, so did the insanity consume Yami. But it wasn't enough to loosen Yami's grip.

Seto gulped a smoky breath and played his last card.

"Why did I never love you?"

His words left him and the room seemed to freeze. Icy eyes looked deep into a wide purple eye. The pupil was swallowed up and the crazed purple iris floated in a wide ocean of wide. The monster clenched his jaw. The loud crackling of flames drowned out the cracking of teeth as they gave way in Yami's mouth. The one question he needed to hear answered!

"WHY!? YES! WHY!? WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME!?" Yami's grip faltered. Even while his voice roared, some little part of him remembered that he must release the beast's throat if he wanted to hear his answer. Instead he balled up his fist to punch the young beast. A bloody mouth could still answer! He had to have that answer!

Now was the moment he had worked for. The balance had shifted. Curiosity had won out.

Seto pulled Yami forward. He wrapped his arms around the monster and pulled him into a crushing bear hug. He opened his jaws and tore into the other side of the ivory throat.

Another blood curdling scream was torn from Yami and his functioning hand ripped savagely at Seto's face. Even with his right eye torn out by the savage talons Seto still held fast.

Fighting for survival now, Yami summoned fireballs and scorched every inch of the disobedient beast that he could reach. He bucked. He cursed. He ripped. He tore. But all was for naught. As Yami brought his head back to deliver a lethal bite to the treacherous beast, Seto summoned the last of his strength. His jaw still around his opponent's throat, he pulled away the flesh. He spit it out into the encroaching flames and bit once more into what was once a perfect, slender, neck.

The death blow was mute in the fiery uproar around the combatants but both felt its delivery. Both felt the monster's spine break in the beast's jaws.

Yami's struggles abruptly ceased. A twitch moved the lifeless head.

Seto opened his mouth. He gag and spit out the blood and fluids which tasted bitter on his tongue. The monster didn't more but he did not dare to loosen his grip prematurely, "Look, Yami. It's everything you wanted. I'm hugging you… Does this finally mean that I love you?"

Yami did not fight. He did not ask anymore questions. Seto still held fast.

This was the end of the beast and the monster. This was how he would make sure that the monster did not rise of the ashes. He would hold onto that corpse. The flames would do away with them both. The fire would cleanse them from the world. The world would be free of the filthy creatures.

Blood and gore clinging to his lips, Seto smiled. This was a good end for him. Even if it was in the last minutes of his life, he had given his life meaning. This was a good death.

His bitter, sweet, and horrific memories already played for him this evening, Seto was greeted with visions of a different sort when it was time for his life to flash before his eyes. In the end, Fate, or Destiny, or maybe it was Love, gave Seto something sweet to send him off.

"He is dead. Please, Seto, let's go." Seto turned his head sleepily to see the vision of Bakura.

He smiled at the sweet face wavering before him. He didn't care that this was a hallucination. "I love you. I always have. You have always been my father." A red tear rose in his functioning eye and he sighed. "I just wish I could have saved everyone."

Turning his head back, he rested it on the shoulder of the corpse. The weight of his life, the years, the sins, the regrets, all that still plagued him, seemed to be lifted up on the boiling air around him. He settled into the throne and looked up at the ceiling. "Dear Love, please protect my brother, Mokuba. Please watch over Bakura and Max. Please care for those two children. Please do all that I could not."

In the bright blaze of the room, the darkness came for Seto once more. The true void came for Seto, one final time.