spiritfire: I was right about the previous chappie, it was kinda lengthy since I didn't get much reviews… (sad) oh well….

XX. Despair

For days, Dark, Yami and Mahad were wandering around the forest trying to find the exit but in vain. The Forest of Despair was filled with a very thick fog and the three of them can barely see where they're going. A rustle startled Dark and his face began to look but it turns out that it was only the wind but for some time he heard cackles a lot lately. It seems that there's nothing to find until the three of them saw numerous skeletons on the ground. Mahad stared in disgust, Yami felt abhorred as some of them were decayed for a long time and Dark…well his mouth was set on a grim line.

"Now I understand why people don't want to enter here." Yami commented as their only light, the sun finally set. It was already evening and nothing has changed since they came here. Dark set up a fireplace and all three of them sat down.

"Master!" Valkyria said, her eyes look mysterious and yet serious at the same time. "I have a bad feeling about this place."

"I agree with sister," Mana added, her expression was ominous. "What do you think?"

"I know and I've been hearing cackles a lot lately. Let's just be on our guard," replied Dark, staring at the fire as the two spirits vanished. "But what I'm worried about is Yami. He's been trying to mellow down his confusion and fear ever since he read that book back at Alexandria. And the Spell Rage ability…" With that, he touched the part where the Lunar Prince gave him the lovebite. "I don't know how powerful he is but I don't think Mahad could handle him this time. With the Millennium Puzzle on his side, I doubt he could stop him from doing anything reckless."

"Uh…Dark, you okay?" asked Mahad. "You've been staring into the fire for quite a while."

But Dark didn't listen as his thoughts kept overflowing with questions. "And there's one more thing, I don't know about…'love'...I'm so confused… it's like I muddle through everything and muck everything up. Plus ….I ….. I know almost all of my own race traits but love is a word I never seem to pry on."

"Dark…helloooooo…." said Mahad, waving his hand and up and down in front of him and it snapped out of his thoughts. Yami didn't mind that much for it seems that whatever the teen is thinking must be thinking deep.

Mahad sighed as Dark kept quiet for most of the time. It seems that most of time the three of them were contemplating to their own thoughts. What are they thinking anyway?

Yami's thoughts:

"It's been months since Dark arrived from Lunar and we sure gone through a lot and I fell so much in love that I even tired to make a move but unfortunately, it ended up in a mishap. I've seen that he's much closer to Mahad that I've been wondering about it for quite some time….and there's one more thing that troubles me… That book I just recently read…it feels so familiar somehow that I myself can't pinpoint it. What shock me the most is the picture itself? It looked just like me and that Magician that I just saw looks like Mahad...I don't understand ….but prying to these thoughts won't help I suppose." With that his expression wore a frown on his face and stared at the blazing fire. (A/N: He saw this when Dark left the library)

Mahad's thoughts:

"I sensed a familiar presence for the last few days and I think its Bakura. Once, my death has taken its toll, Yugi has to tell his highness the truth and hopefully before Yugi gets home, Yami must know his past at least for I know that seeing the truth can be harsh. Even history is premandated itself per se. I know that I can trust him to protect his highness."

With all their thoughts taken in, the three of them dozed themselves to sleep and hoped that they'll be able to find the exit.

- - -

Bakura was leering in the bushes, shadows began to dance around him as his powers began to slither. He wore a wicked smile and his eyes wore a murderous intent. It was the powerful…..the sin…the grim reaper….death.

- - -

Morning has finally rise and the three of them woke up with ease. After they put off the fire, they set off again and hopefully they would find the way out of this disturbing forest. Cackles of laughter had winded down on Dark's ears began to itch. Nervous habit he developed when he was a kid.

"Something wrong?" asked Yami, staring at the spiky haired boy who seemed glaring at every place they pass.

"You're right about that, Your Royal Highness…" said a familiar voice and in an instant, it launched shadow energy at the prince who nearly got hit. Out from the shadows came and Bakura sneered. With the wave of his hand, black aura began to enveloped around him and something was rising. Corpses and undead began to rise from the ground and they grabbed Dark and Mahad away from Yami.

"This is just sick," said Dark as the undead grabbed his neck and trying to choke him. Mahad on the other hand was pinned down on the ground.

"Now then, shall we get started?" said Bakura; his face was nearing the Prince. "Give me the Puzzle or your friends will pay a painful death in hell."

Yami glared at the warlock. Of course, he wouldn't give it to him but with two precious lives at stake, what can he do about it?

Reluctantly, he made the Millennium Puzzle visible much to Mahad's dismay but Dark tried to escape so he tried one spell he could quickly think of.

"Fire!" Dark chanted and flames began to enveloped the corpse, burning it in the process. But since, he's an undead and all; it simply just got up and went after him. He didn't have much time so he casted Haste to speed it up. In an instant, Bakura got kicked out of Yami's way before he could do the wrong mistake.

"You….obnoxious idiot….you were gonna give him the puzzle without a fight?" Dark glared and the Lunar Prince frowned. He couldn't reply on what he would said or talk back.

"Ouch!" said Bakura, who got up and saw one of them escaped but it didn't matter now. More undead and corpses began to rise and surround the two of them. It seems that it was a useless struggle in the warlock's thinking.

"Let the undead be your death and rise up the chains of hell!" Bakura laughed madly as more corpses began to overpowering them. Mahad was still struggling behind and tried to escape but one of them grabbed his neck and choked him. It was a relentless struggle until….

"I really don't want to use this but I have little choice." said Mahad and his staff began to glow, blowing the corpses out of his way. His aura began to emanate the entire forest and to Bakura's surprise, he sensed something huge. Yami and Dark sensed it as well.

From a few meters away, Mahad was glowing with purple aura, his staff became much longer and somehow his powers suddenly increased. The two teens awed at this sight but now is not the time to admire. Rather, it would be better if they get rid of those corpses first.

"Dark Magic!" Mahad chanted and all the corpses were destroyed but it seems that even if he blasted all of them, they seemed to come back to life.

"It's useless, Mahad …the spell I used is one of the illegal magiks around," the warlock sneered. Mahad realized that it wasn't an ordinary summoning spell for Bakura was an expert of that particular magic.

"Sweet gods above, it's necromancy!" Mahad scowled as the lifeless beings were now moving forward. Yami mentally cursed Bakura for that since he stated that it was an illegal magic not meant to be used.

"Necromancy? What's that?" asked Dark while he was firing magic everywhere. Yami and Mahad frowned at this.

"It's an illegal magic. When used, it allows the summoner to summon dead bodies from the ground and used them as weapons and shields" Yami stated as he blasted another one.

"So Mahad, you decided to use 'that' power then if you're going to use it…so be it!" said Bakura and he swing his hand revealing some kind of staff. It was about four feet long and its power began to seep out from the warlock's energy.

"The Oblivion Staff…yes, I know that staffs so it looks like you're going to full throttle." Mahad glared and both of them began to cast their spells.

"Dark Magic!" said Mahad, aiming his staff at Bakura.

"Helical Shockwave!" Bakura countered. Black energy began to gather around the staff and fired a series of blasts at the guardian but Mahad evaded it all. Yami and Dark stared as the two of them continued to fire their spells.

"Hmph, your spells are as easy as pie," Mahad grunted. "Shadow Flare!"

Numerous balls of fire rained down from the sky then as the balls of fire fall, they turned into dark color and hit Bakura as the fire made contact to his body.

"That fucking spell…well I prepared a counterattack for that," said Bakura who smirked and smiled nastily. "Helical Shadow Shockwave!"

Energy began to pulsate his staff and instead of firing a series of blasts, it fired multiple shadow arrows at Mahad. He tired to shield himself but he got himself a cut from his face and his right arm.

"And here's something that you wouldn't expect," Bakura sneered. "Shadow Flare!"

Mahad reeled in shock as the familiar shadow balls of fire hit him. Yami was beginning to get worried. Dark on the other hand was trying to fend off the corpses.

"This is utterly insane!" Dark grunted as he kicked the corpse out from getting close to him. Yami was more worried by the minute as Mahad and Bakura kept casting their spells.

Bakura kept casting his Helical Shockwave and Mahad kept casting his Dark Magic Attack. It seems that they decided to use their special spells.

"You haven't changed one bit." said Bakura who evaded Mahad's magic.

"And you have gotten yourself some big nerve to use illegalized magic!" said Mahad, who used his staff as a weapon knocking Bakura out of his way.

"Well, it was pretty useful and I don't see why they made it illegal," said Bakura who shrugged. "Not that it matters and now…."

An invisible force impaled Mahad's arm and the guardian growled in pain. The warlock sneered and chuckled.

"Wondering what just happened?" asked Bakura in a mocking tone. Something was slithing in the forest and then a huge snakelike monster emerged. Its scales were white and there was a demon like face in it. It roared in fury and Mahad felt a backlash.

"What the…?" Mahad stared as the monster was huge.

"Meet my most powerful summoned monster, Diabound," said Bakura, smirking. "This is the one who will make your downfall!"

"This is really bad. If I don't do something now, Yami and Yugi will…." said Mahad then he heaved a long suffering sigh.

"If you're think I'm afraid of that snakelike monster of your then you're sorely mistaken." said Mahad, readying his staff.

Bakura couldn't help himself but to laugh at Mahad. He thought that he was joking for all he knows what could happen. To the warlock's surprised, the guardian was laughing and not fearing at Diabound.

"What are you laughing at?" Bakura snarled at Mahad.

"It's funny that I'm already at the verge of death and both of us have exhausted our energies just to kill each other." Mahad chuckled then stared at Diabound. "You didn't realize that you step on my trap!"

Explosion was heard everywhere and Bakura ran to see all the copses were reduced to ashes. Mahad had some time to heal himself at least. The warlock turned to him angrily as Yami and Dark could only gape. They have no idea what's going on.

"My ….legion of undead……???? Annihilated but how?" Bakura sputtered.

"Vortex Shadow…" Mahad said simply, his expression was giddier. For the first time, Dark was impressed but not the situation itself.

"Grrr...It's time to end this, Diabound crush him with Helical Arrow Shockwave!" Bakura commanded and the monster did his master's bidding. Powerful sound waves began to echo from its mouth and from that echo, there were some kind of wind arrows but it's not like the wind itself. It seems that it was some kind of invisible force. The arrows hit Mahad badly and as for the two teens, Yami cast his Mighty Guard Spell but unfortunately he didn't cast it in time so they were pushed back.

The three of them didn't expect that but before they knew it, Mahad was hurled away from the two teens. Blood was pooled everywhere as the damage from Diabound took its toll. He got severe damage from his arms, a lining of blood from his foot, multiple wounds all over his body.

"Damn it," Mahad mentally cursed himself. He stood up and Bakura is now smirking and laughing like a hyena.

"Now, shall we continue?" said Bakura as the shadows began to dance around him. The guardian didn't know what to do now and all the magic he knew were not much of a help. An idea suddenly popped up his head on only one option he could think of. He knew it was risky but he didn't have a choice and even if he use Spell Breaker, that would not help that much.

"Powers of old and new, I summon thee…. Take my powers as I may thrive to me my summoned spirit. Aid me now for I called you thee" Mahad commanded and a whirl of shadows began to enveloped the entire forest. Bakura's jaw dropped as the shadows began to seal themselves. Yami realized that Mahad is going to use 'that' magic.

Something came out of Mahad's spells and it looks like some kind of human spirit. No, it was some kind of malevolence. Dark clouds began to gather around and finally, a spirit appeared beside him. It was a spirit wearing purple robes only much shorter and held a long green staff.

"Oh Fuck! What the freakin' hell is that?" said Bakura, cursing himself.

"This is my own summoned monster although this is the first time I'll invoke so you better say your prayers!" Mahad stated and commanded the spirit to destroy Diabound. Explosion was everywhere and in the end blood was pooled out.

spiritfire: One thing I must point out: yes the language is Arabic and I'll let you guess who died in this chappie