Seth snarled to see the blade at Yami's quaking throat linger, so agonizingly indecisive, and quivering so hard that he was fairly certain the resulting wound would only be a
deflected cut, and not a fatal slice.
Yami's eyes shot open when he felt soft fingers encircling his wrist in a fiercely protective grip, as his arm was slowly dragged down from its deadly path. Shocked, his gaze wondered vaguely from the arched, slender, dark fingers, to the bare arms studded with twin gold bracelets, encrusted with jewels, to the face that was almost hidden by the cascade of ebony hair. He saw the sharp cheekbones, the glittering saphire eyes brimming over with tears, and the mouth drawn in a pleaing frown.
"Yami, my king, do not commit this despicable act against my memory, and your future! Do not let it end this way, please!" The rich cadence of her voice, the soft imploring, the flowing dark hair against the white of her garment,and the bronze, slender arms that were drawing him into a protective embrace were almost too much to believe as Isis finally worked the blade free from his fist, as he permitted it to slide down and clatter to the floor. Isis destainfully picked up the blade, dangled it between two fingers, with infinite sadness as she gazed at Yami with sorrow.
"My king...is this what you want? Is this the ending you seek?" Yami could only stare up at her, the anguish and shock at seeing her rendering hopelessly mute.
Trembling, a timid hand slowly jerked up, as questioning fingers glided down her cheekbone, her hair, as if seeking reassurance that she was more than a ghost and a memory. She offered him a compassionate smile, as she kindly drew his hand away with a very real squeeze.
"Yes, my king, I am here. I've been called forth to prevent you from making a tremendous mistake. Do not let Seth destroy you now...not after all you have suffered, and all you have endured. Yami, you have been so strong up until now, and I know that it is such an unfair burden to ask you to bear any more. But I am pleading with you, as a friend who loves you, do not end your life. Your time of peace is coming, don't forfeit it for a fleeting promise borne of a lie!"
It was Seth's sick cackle that made her stiffen, and Yami gawped to see her turn to face him, her face burning white, her eyes fixed upon him with deadly promise.
There was absolutely no fear, or cowering from her, as she gave Seth a viciously satisfied smirk.
Yami felt Isis gently shove him behind her, as she strode forth, her eyes narrowed to glittering points of a dagger, sharp, deadly, but still so delicately bueatiful, as her hands rose to the swirled gold of her Millenium necklace, the silver light dancing forth in tendrils of moonlight, deceptively frail, as they looped in arches of glimmering
jewels around her, and Yami. Yami gave a troubled glance to Isis, not understanding what power was at work now. She only lay a hand on his quaking shoulder,
gave him a kind smile. "Do not fear, Yami. All will be made right, in a moment."
Then, with a flick of her hand, her magic engulfed Seth in a shower of white sparks, falling off his skin and hair like rain, before he was completely consumed by their volume. Yami raised an amazed eyebrow to see Seth raising arms and gaping in wonder at the bueaty of the pearled drops that wafted over his bare arms, and then
lighted their way down in a shimmering trail, but he was not consumed, or dismembered.
Isis uttered a quiet command, "Be purged, be cleansed, be healed!" as she raised a hand high, and called back the white light as it rushed back into her necklace.
For a lingering moment, the jewel burned against her quaking throat, as she heaved, staggered, regained her footing.
Seth found himself stripped of the light, and he whirled around in panic, before his eyes fell upon Yami, and Isis. Horror lit across the deep eyes, his snarl fell into
a mortified grimace of remorse, his spine so stiffened with pride abruptly bent with humble and contrite apology, as he lowered himself to hands and knees, his
sweating forehead brushing against Isis's sandle toe.
"Forgive me...please, please forgive me! Slay me if you find it just, but please, don't force me to endure the torture of the dark again! My king, I don't know why I was consumed, and I am so, so very sorry to my core for what I have forced you to suffer. I would consider my own death but a small price to pay, my lady, and I humbly
give myself up to you both, to do as you will to me. It is only right."
Yami twisted around to Isis, arms flung wide in a pleading demand for an explanation, as he lay a quaking hand over the scars, and almost swooned from the confused anguish.
"My king...My Necklace does not have the power to destroy, or to wound any more. It can only restore and heal. By purging Seth of the darkness he was overcome with,
he will threaten you no more."
Yami's eyes only slid shut, as he shook his throbbing head, and coiled his arms around himself protectively. His scars and rib ached horribly, his vision was swimming, and from the quivering that now radiated from his very core, he knew he would probably fall and not rise again. Was this Isis's idea of healing?! To purge the threat that
sent him shattered and weeping and weak, that mutilated his throat, and forced him to exchange his innocence for either brutal hatred, or a few thousand years of ressurected nightmares?!
Isis only lay a dark hand on Seth's shaking shoulder, and whispered, "You may rise, Seth. I know that you were the unknowing pawn in an evil plot, and you were not responsible for what you did to Yami. If he forgives you, I bid you go in peace, and move on to your rest. You are finally free of the dark."
Seth bowed his head in a solemn nod, as he slumped. It was so liberating to feel that evil gone, the strained days of his existance no longer tainted by voices and memories that screamed of death, and knives and so much cruelty he could not begin to speak of.
She turned to Yami, extended a hand. "Yami...I know it is much to ask, but will you forgive him? Will you let this rage go? I ask you,not on behalf of Seth, or I, but so that you may released from the hatred and the fear that the Puzzle feasts on."
Yami just looked up at her, his eyes hardening into narrowed consideration, and pain, as he put his head in his hands, and started shaking.
"Please don't ask me to do this. I can't." It was a broken whisper, as he turned to Seth with so much anguish and hurt, that he winced.
"You tortured me. You cut my flesh open, and you laughed. Even the thought of you forces me to remember how it felt, to be murdered, how harrowing it was to have my
throat cut, and see one I once trusted smiling over me as he stabbed me. I've been so haunted and afraid, and broken, ever since...do you have any idea how much suffering you have caused me, Seth?"
Seth's face crumbled as his stricken eyes fell upon the hideous scars, that Yami was now displaying in their full, brutal glory. He clapped a hand over his mouth, and turned away. "What have I done to you, my king?" The tortured whisper lingered between them, so much uncertain pain, and so many memories ressurected to drive them
all back into the waiting abyss.
"You destroyed me." The bitter rancor of being so unjustly wounded filled every one of Yami's words, as his hands fell over the scars.
"Even after 5000 years, they still hurt, I'm suprised they don't bleed anew, Seth."
Isis gently lay a hand on his shoulder, her mouth drawn in understanding.
He turned to her, the disbelief and the horror melding into a numbing tremor of his lips, as his face contorted. "I can't do this, Isis. I cannot forgive, and let go, and move beyond my own death. I don't have the liberty to flit about time as you apparently do, to absolve the evil ones of their sins, and then ask the innocent to bear their burdens.
Why are you asking me to be burdened with this, while Seth is suddenly unshackled from all the evil he has done?! Why am I still chained and tormented, and broken, while you so freely heal him?"
"Because he was trapped in a far greater darkness than you will ever see, Yami. It was not his choice." Isis whispered gravely, and sadly as she turned to gaze at Yami.
"Then whose bedamned choice was it, Isis? How is it that I willingly sacrificed myself to save the people from monsters like him, and 5000 years later, I am still just as broken and bleeding and weak as I was when he murdered me? When will my wounds be healed, Isis? When will this nightmare be over with?!"
Isis could only embrace him, trying not to weep herself from the injustice of it all. How she wished she could make this right for Yami. How she wished she had the power to heal him and grant him rest! But, there was only one thing she could do for him, one offer of salvation she fervently prayed he would refuse, knowing the cost...
"Yami, I can give you a choice, now. I can seal your memories of your murder away, so they no longer torment you. I can banish all of your fear and pain to the shadows,so that you will no longer be haunted by them. I can even sever your connection to the Puzzle. But, understand the cost, Yami. This trial you are enduring will eventually bring you peace. If you decide not to take your chosen path, you will be sealed into oblivion, with no memories to torment you. You would simply cease to exist."
Yami sighed, bitterly, folded his arms in finality, and shook his head. "Can it be any worse than what I've already been through? Never knowing how much longer I have to endure, or when the next volley will be bringing me back into the darkness? If it's an end to this pain, Isis, I don't care what the cost may be. Please, just let me go, and stop this madness before I'm consumed completely."
Isis was shocked at the defeated attitude, the morbid indifference, the overwhelming resignation and indifference to eternity her king was showing, as he wearily shook his head, no longer caring what the outcome was for now. It just cut too deep, and wounded too long for him to endure any more.
Seth stared at Yami, tormented, his ice-colored eyes lighting from Isis and back again, before he stepped forward, timidly.
"My king, and my lady...might there not be another way?" Isis turned to him, Yami ignored him.
"I mean...my lady, let the pain of the king fall upon me until it's ended. It was by my cruelty that he was broken..let it be by my strength and regard that he is restored.
Please, allow me to bear it until he is free...in this manner, I may repay him in some small way, and he will no longer be forced to endure the sufferering inflicted by me.
Yami stared at him, eyes narrowed in suspicion, before he gave Isis a troubled glance. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Recall how you had the ability to absorb your young friend's suffering from the Puzzle,Yami. You simply redirected it from young Yugi to yourself. If a person willingly submits to bearing the pain of another, it will restore Yugi to life and allow you to continue your role as protector. By sacrificing his life, Seth will be saving yours and Yugi's." Isis whispered, as she cradled protective arms around him.
"It would mean that you would have the chance to make your treachery right against Yugi, and he would have no memory of this occuring. It would reduce all this horror to a fragmented dream inspired by the Puzzle."
Seth lowered himself to his knees, bowed his head, as the tears slid down his cheeks. "Please, please, my king. Let me make this right. The only thing that would be worse than going back to the darkness is having my soul restored and living with the torment of knowing I cost you your existance, and an inocent child his life. Please allow me to do this."
Yami only looked at them both, in sad acceptance. "Will I have any memory of seeing you again, Isis?"
Isis caressed his hair with steadying hands, as she shook her head in sorrow. "We will meet again, Yami. And until that day, I will always watch out for you. But, this moment is outside of time, and therefore, when it's ended...will leave no trace of its existance behind. You will not recall cotemplating suicide, or your attempt to wound
Yugi. You will only remember what happened to the point of your collapse. Considering how troubled you are, I don't believe this to be much of a sacrifice. But, it is your choice. Do you wish to return to Yugi?"
Yami nodded his head, slowly. "I cannot leave this task unfinished, or cost Yugi his life...that is not right. I guess it is my fate to be the sacrifice, is it not?"
"This time, my king, it will be Seth who sacrifices. May this be one step closer to ending so much suffering." Isis gestured towards Seth, who strode forth, questioningly.
"My lady, what do I need to do?"
"You need do nothing, Seth. Please remain where you are. I believe that you would only trouble Yami more if you came closer. My king, are you prepared?"
Yami cringed. "What will this involve, Isis?"
Isis gave him a rare, coy smile. "Nothing at all, my king, except that you be willing to yield your anguish."
Yami gave her a tired, bitter smirk. "I have been willing for 5000 years, Isis."
Isis only lay a palm across his heart, and whispered an ancient incantation. "Shadows, come forth, and rest in your new home." It was a snarled invocation, and Yami always hated the effect that such dark magic had on her. Before he could even state his concern, he felt his mind go slack, and his heart suddenly swell and surrender.
It was the yielding of so much pain, leeched from his bones, purged from his scars, forcing the last remnant memories's ache out of his rib. Yami watched in horror as Isis
summoned the pain forth, directed high in a swirl of vicious shadows, as it arched high and hungry, only to swoop down on Seth in sudden, but expected agony.
Seth lingered on his feet for a brief moment, as the shadows swathed over him like a hungry dragon, tearing at marrow, and memory, flesh and heart, and all that he was,
as he was infused and absorbed. Seth did not scream, or cry, but raised both arms high in welcome, as he was consumed, and started fading away.
Yami's eyes bulged in disbelief as all of Seth was ripped away from the light, until all that lingered was his bright, sweat-beaded face. Seth stared down at him, his eyes glowing, the serene smile of surrender and peace lighting his lips, as he bowed for the last time. "Forgive me, my king." His last words lingered in the air, as he vanished.
Yami staggered from the shock, and found himself lowered to the ground by Isis, as she braced him against her shoulder and calmed him with soothing hands, rocking him slowly.
"My king, it is alright. It is alright. Soon this will be done, and you will be restored. Yami, please, please, don't tremble so." Her voice was as soft as a lullaby, as Yami
quivered in exhaustion and strain.
"Once again, you have saved me." He whispered. "And once again, you leave me." Isis's grip only tightened as she tapped his forehead with her own.
"It will not always be this way, Yami. You will come home. Rest in that promise, until then." Yami nodded, wearily. "How long?" Isis stiffened, but did not reply for a long, sad moment.
"I do not know the answer to that, Yami. But know we are waiting for you, and when the time comes...you will join us, where there is no more sorrow."
Yami winced. "It is time for my return, is it not? Will you do me but one favor, Isis?" She drew back from him, as her arms tightened in reassurance.
"If it is in my power, of course, my king."
"Invoke one of your slumbering spells upon me, and let me wake in the mortal world with Yugi safe. It would make it easier for me to believe this is a dream."
"As you wish, my dear brave king. I bid you farewell."
Yami lowered himself to a prone position, as Isis brushed aside the golden bangs, and placed warm fingers aside his temples. He stared up at her, bit his lip, nodded permission.
She chanted the spell, quietly. Golden radiance showered down on his body as he felt his muscles go pleasantly slack, and the kindly darkness of slumber engulfing him in peace.
He felt her fingers ghost over his forehead, as he shut his eyes. "Be at peace, Yami. Please, be at peace."
