Now, lets see how Bakura and Marik get out of this one…

Chapter 4

Only a Taste

Hell around the candle stick

Flammable as the tree

Fall away, oppressor

Or feel the fire trapped in me

Fall away, lowly theif

Or feel the wrath of your king

Fall away lowly Pharaoh,

Or find your master in me.

Bakura and Marik found each other at the back exit where the employees checked out. Police were entering the building from the front and were quickly catching up. Their best chance was outside. Marik, who was wearing a black sweater over an all black outfit, put his hood up to cover his face. Bakura didn't care if they saw his face, but in the case of Marik it was necessary.

"What do you plan on now?" the blonde Egyptian asked.

There was a small window on the door from which Bakura was observing the police from. They had surrounded the building quickly and were already in position. Bakura smirked. He turned to his friend and said, "Do you trust me?"

Marik nodded once with a serious look on his face.

"I will step outside first and when I call your name you get on your bicycle and ride away. Forget about the police, and don't stop for anything. Do you understand? Don't even panic." Marik looked at his friend with a puzzled expression but nodded none the less.

Bakura opened the door and stepped outside in front of the headlights. "Step outside and have your hands where we can see them," said an anonymous policeman.

The thief had his head down but he was smirking. He gladly obliged and lifted his hands above his head while raising his face to the heavens. Put his hand where they could see them indeed.

He tapped into the power within him and let it fill his soul. It was like an adrenaline rush but a hundred times stronger and with all the anger of Set's army in hell. It was as though Set himself was possessing him, and in many ways, he was. In his mind he remembered the Rite that was written in The Book of Lost Shadows. It was a Rite invoking Set, the god of chaos and destruction. It was a Rite that activated the stone. He bellowed them aloud with all the authority he could muster:

Anet-hra-k, Nut! Auksh satet-v n amenta, hent en peteru; au teh an Tehuti, au hent en ehehui-v en maqet: un uat er Setekh teh-k-na Setekh ses-a. Anet-hra-k auksh au Suten heh anet-hra-k auksh au ka pvtu hennuti au ueh hennut er amentet, ueh er abtet, ueh er mehtet, ueh er quemeh-I; teh-k-na Setekh ses-a!

(Hail to thee, Nut! Oh daughter of the heaven, mistress of the sky; thou gift of Thoth, thou mistress of the interdimentional ladder: Open a way to Set let Set pass. Hail to thee oh thou king of eternity, hail to thee oh thou bull of four horns who hath one horn to the west, one horn to the east, one horn to the north, and one horn to the south; let Set pass!)

Once the invocation was complete a darkness like the stone around his neck surrounded him like an aura. He felt he god of destruction pass through him and into the stone. He turned to Marik who stood wide eyed. It was a real spell that he himself had used before, but for the invocation of one's own god-self, also known as the Rite of Totem-Integration. This was a warped version, meant to allow Set into the world, or his power. From the looks of things, Bakura had succeeded.

"Go Marik," Bakura hissed. Marik obeyed. He jumped onto his bike which was beside Bakura against the wall and rode away as though all hell was behind him. Police were in front with guns pointed right at him. He rode on anyway and braced himself when they began to fire. The bullets never reached him. He felt something surround him, like the night sky itself had descended as a blanket.

Bakura waited for Marik to be out of sight before making his next move. The police didn't know what to do. He was far too powerful for them. They had never seen anything like what Bakura was demonstrating. He laughed to himself. This was only a taste, and now they would have another.

Time slowed and he drew his thoughts inward. He touched the darkness as though it were a lover, seducing it to join with him to be released into world to do his bidding. It stirred and trembled at his morbid affection as his soul entwined itself with the darkness. The power surged within him under sever pressure. It needed to be released, but it needed to be controlled. He sent his simple wish to the stone around his neck and then held his hands in front of him, palms toward the police.

The next instant was a beautiful eternity for Bakura, but only a second for the men. A power, like dark rushing water spilled forth from his hands like and angry horde. It enveloped the men and their vehicles, then destroyed them. Wails cried out in pain as their flesh was ripped from their bones and their limbs were torn apart. Blood boiled and organs ruptured. There would be no heaven for them in the afterlife without their bodies, but Bakura didn't mind.

The feeling was exhilarating. Like vomiting, but far more pleasurable. The magic was his wrath incarnate and it felt like an intense orgasm throughout his body. He could not help but laugh as his insanity took form and fulfilled its deep desires.

When it was over the sight was sickening. The men were now only piles of flesh, unrecognizable and gory. On last chuckle escaped the thief's lips, then he casually strode away. His power had reached around the museum and destroyed everyone. In the distance, the sound of helicopter blades approached.

He withdrew within himself again and asked for one more simple favor. Darkness opened to him and through darkness he traveled. To the eyes of an outsider it was as though he had disappeared. The form of travel was quick and he was back at Marik's house in the living room.

Half an hour later Marik returned. He stood tall but he was visibly shaking. Bakura wondered if it was because he understood the Rite or if had stayed to watch. The white haired Egyptian watched his friend intently from the comfort of the couch.

"Well?" Bakura asked. Marik stopped and stared at his friend a moment.

"Well what? You just obliterated a police force. I thought you didn't want to give Yami any warnings." Marik pointed out.

"He won't know it's me."

"You're the only one he knows that has the wrath necessary to obtain the powers of the Shadow Realm. It won't take long before he figures it out." The two stared at each other a moment before Bakura's smile broke the spell.

"I think I have another change of plans," he said, "but first I need to fix something." Marik said nothing and watched with curiosity as Bakura stood and closed his eyes. His figure became fuzzy and a glow surrounded him. From the soft violet light a figure was forced out. Marik cringed at first, expecting to see some creature from hell, but instead he saw the crumpled, naked form of Ryou.

The glow subsided and Bakura had transformed. He was now tan and far more muscular with a pale scar on the right side of his face. Violet eyes stared down at the curled form of his former Hikari.

"Stand up," Bakura commanded.

Ryou looked around for a moment and blushed but he obeyed. The two stared at each other for a few moments. Bakura's gaze bore into the younger boy with an intensity that would have set Ryou on fire.

"So you did it?" Ryou asked with a calm look on his face. The question surprised Bakura but he didn't show it.

"What are you saying?"

"You're anger allowed you to merge with your soul monster, didn't it? You did it. You have the power to defeat Atem, Yami Yugi."

Marik smiled to himself. He was right. Bakura was confused for a moment but the confusion passed quickly. It was amazing, but as he stared into the eyes of his former Hikari he saw a hidden malice staring back at him. He remembered the authority in Ryou's voice when he demanded to know who was speaking to him from the ring. As meek as the boy looked, he was not one to be messed with. He disguised himself behind a mask of meekness to fool everyone and in so doing he helped Touzoku. Deep inside he was proud of Ryou. He had been loyal, even if he was difficult to understand.

Unexpectedly, Ryou fell to one knee and bowed to his former darkness. "Hail to you, Touzoku-oh, King of Thieves. I am your servant, now and forever." He looked up into the older man's face and smiled before allowing his gaze to fall respectively back to the floor.

"What a pleasant surprise," Bakura mumbled, "I didn't expect this, but I will test you to see how honest you really are." He held his hand out and a coin appeared with two different faces on each side. "Two sides of one coin. I need you take this coin and place it up against the puzzle somehow. Then, I want you to make sure Yugi touches it. It will seal Yami to his body."

Marik chuckled to himself. Even if Yami wanted to cast himself out of Yugi's body he wouldn't be able to. He never liked the little brat anyway, so they would hit two birds with one stone. There was just one problem.

"How do you know you'll beat Yami?" Marik asked. Bakura was shocked that his friend would question his abilities. "Yami has beaten you far too many times to trust you right now."

"Atem is the king of games, not the king of magic. I did not become the king of thieves through cards alone. I became the king of thieves by knowing more about magic than anyone. Magic is my blood," he explained, "Let's see what a Pharaoh who fears his own power can do against a master like me who fears nothing."

Ryou stood. "I believe in you Bakura. I always have. Sometimes I was afraid, but now I'm not afraid of you. Not because I see no reason to fear you, but because I know you. I know your spirit like you thought you knew mine. I will do whatever you ask of me." He reached out and took the coin. "From now on, you are Touzoku and I am Bakura."

Touzoku nodded with a vicious grin. He was glad he had hesitated before killing Ryou. Things were definitely looking up for him. He closed his eyes a moment and took a deep breath, letting the rushing feeling of the power in him run through him like blood.

"So what is your change of plans Touzoku?" Marik asked with expectation.

Touzoku tilted his head back and rolled his eyes so they fell on his friend. An impish grin was plastered on his face. "I plan to take everything from Atem, and have him watch as I sit at his throne. Then, from my place as Pharaoh, I will finally kill him."

----------------

WARNING: The spell that Touzoku recited was a real Egyptian Rite. It is a variation of a Rite of Totem-Integration. It is in the real ancient Egyptian language. It may have errors in its spelling and you may not know how to pronounce it correctly, but it is still possibly dangerous. I don't know what will happen. I seriously doubt that invoking Set is a good thing for anyone. Most likely, nothing will happen, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I made the variation myself for security purposes but only in the usage of Set's name.

Why did I put the spell in? Because I love Egypt. It's the reason why I love Yu-Gi-Oh. I just had to give you all a taste of real Egypt. It is my gift to you.

If you are grateful, please review.

Peri hena reswet.

Go forth with joy.