Hey guys.

Sorry for the lack of updates. The end of the semester got really busy and I have two jobs this summer, not to mention my cousin is staying over until August. I don't know how often I'll be able to write, but I am going to try to finish this before heading off to school in the fall. *crosses fingers*

Just to clarify if there was any confusion, my headcanon is that there was not one, but three creators of the Shadow Realm. I honestly think something like that is too massive for one Egyptian Shadow Demon to do by himself. So Zorc asked Azazel and Murzix to help him with the project and they each brought their own elements into it; Azazel brought everything to do with shadows, Zorc all of the monsters and demons and creatures, and Murzix everything magic. Murzix actually is the one that gave Shadow Users the ability to animate cards with their Shadow Magic. He is also the reason why the Shadow Realm has a mind of its own; Azazel's shadows are already animated, but on top of Murzix's spells… even they don't know what goes on there. However, all three of them have an enormous ego, so if you meet one of them alone, they will take all of the credit. Hence why Zorc was all, "I am the creator of the Shadow Realm. Fear me!" when he was being stupid and thought he could take over the world.

All right, that's a long enough explanation. I hope that clears things up for you guys if anyone was confused! (Yes I did purposefully hold back on info in previous chapters for reasons.)

Finally hit double digits! WOOHOO! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, however I do take credit for all of the Shadow Realm ideas and my two OCs.


Chapter 10

Deal With A Devil

A brief, uncomfortable, and slightly tense silence settled among the small group. Malik noted that uncomfortable silences seemed to be a common theme for him and the white-haired Brit on his right. This one, however, was more out of shock considering.

"Excuse me?" Malik turned; his lavender eyes fixed on the harsh and almost offended look on Bakura's face. "What do you mean by 'the creator of the Shadow Realm'?"

Azazel, as he introduced himself, smirked and walked forward. "Exactly what I said." He held his arms out and spun in a circle. "I made all of this." He snapped and a shadow escaped from his fingers. "Like that."

If Malik had a camera, he would have taken a picture of Bakura's face; his look of deep indignant confusion was virtually priceless. That expression would probably never find it's way to his face ever again.

"Excuse me?" he repeated. "You can't possibly be the creator of the Shadow Realm."

"I can and I am," Azazel replied smugly. "Please indulge me on why I can't be something that I already am."

Bakura shook his head, his brow furrowing even deeper. "Zorc is the creator of the Shadow Realm."

"Who?" Azazel and, surprisingly, Ryou asked unanimously.

The confusion morphed to incredulousness. "You're kidding me. Zorc Necrophades! The Shadow Beast, creator of the Shadow Realm. He…" Bakura paused and crossed his arms, choosing his words carefully. "He… almost succeeded in overcoming the pharaoh five thousand years ago."

The so-called "creator of the Shadow Realm" smiled at him with disbelief. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about. There is no 'Zorc.' I created this place. Me. Only me. There was only one and it was myself."

Well he's a bit full of himself, Malik thought and resisted to roll his eyes, his better judgment keeping his actions in check. After all, if what Azazel said was true, he was in the presence of terror and nightmares.

"You couldn't have done all this though," Bakura continued, refusing to believe what he was hearing. "You're just a simple shadow demon."

A red glint flashed across Azazel's eyes. "I think not." He smiled a Cheshire cat smile and melted into the shadows. "You see," he said, his voice echoing around them in difference octaves and frequencies. "I'm not a simple," he whispered the words next to Bakura's ear, making the spirit glare in that direction, clutching his arms tighter and trying not to spit, "shadow demon." The constant bluffs of wind that blew across the Realm picked up speed. The smoggy shadows thickened and billowed around them like threatening thunderclouds; in a matter of seconds Ryou, Bakura, and Malik were surrounded in total blackness. None of them could see each other despite how close they stood together. They couldn't even see their hand in front of their face if they tried, it was that dark.

A cold and heart-chilling fear hit Ryou like a bolt of electricity. If this shadow demon, Azazel, was causing this, then Bakura was wrong of accusing him. So. Wrong.

"'Simple shadow demon,'" the voice echoed cruelly around them, sounding miles away and right in their ears. "Boy," he barked and the darkness swirled away from the three, a huge black mass of shifting and bending shadows glowered down on them. A pair of slitted, red eyes glared and razor sharp white teeth smiled pitilessly. "I am the king of all things shadow. I am the king of the Shadow Realm." He rose up and bent over so his face was an inch away from Bakura's. "Don't you dare question me again."

Like a light switch, the shadows returned to the light greyish-blue and Azazel popped his collar and brushed some non-existent dirt off his sleeve. "Been awhile since I've pulled that form out of the closet," he muttered to himself.

Bakura's Shadow Aura was alight with a vengeance, his knuckles pale from his clenched fists, and his eyes burning with a deep hatred. There was no way in hell that this "shadow demon king" created the Shadow Realm when Zorc showed Bakura when he made it. He would let him play his game for now.

/…\

Murzix had to try very hard from bursting in on Azazel. He the creator of the Shadow Realm? If any of the three of them actually had the right to that title, it was Murzix. He supplied the most to their creation. His kind of magic wasn't something that you could find all willy-nilly in the Duat; he was the one and only.

But watching Azazel put on a big and grand show about how he was the Big Cheese of the operation made his blood boil. Not only did the shadow fail to mention that in his plan, but he also left out a few plot holes. Like how the testy one, Bakura, was connected to Zorc. When Murzix originally asked to research the newcomers and find out more information about their test subject, Azazel shot him down, saying that he knew enough about them and would fill him in later. Murzix was doubtful, considering how many other times the two of them worked together and Azazel left out crucial information, and went ahead behind Azazel's back. Lo and behold, this "Yami Bakura" was actually the soul of a five thousand-year-old thief "king" by the name of Akefia. Apparently the best host for Zorc was a little boy who watched the genocide of his whole village for seven magical objects. The Book of Shadows, Murzix admitted bitterly, was a good idea of Azazel's.

The leaving out of pertinent information, however, was not.

"My frustrations with him continue to grow," he muttered to Wioqu as the magician heatedly threw different ingredients into his cauldron. "He's done this every time we attempted to collaborate. I at least try to be civil…" he continued to grumble complaints as he stirred the pot and watched the events unfold from a spying glass directly across from him. He couldn't stop the small smile from creeping up on his lips as he watched Azazel jaunt arrogantly around the three guests; Bakura's face was a far cry of pleasant. At this point, Murzix was quite pleased that he decided to add in that little Easter egg last minute.

/…\

"Uh, excuse me," Ryou said a little more meekly than he wanted; Bakura resisted rolling his eyes.

Azazel turned to Ryou and broke into a grin that looked more like a snarl. "Ryou! What can I do for you?" He strolled over and draped his arm across the frail boy's shoulders. Ryou looked extraordinarily uncomfortable.

"Now, I have two questions," he started slowly. "First, how do you know my name?"

That unknown red light glinted across Azazel's eyes. "I know the names of everyone who has entered or are currently… journeying the Shadow Realm," he said with uncharacteristic patience. "Your next question?"

"Uh, not to be rude or anything, sir," Ryou fought hard to keep his voice from quivering, "but why would the creator of the Shadow Realm want to help people get out of it? It really makes no sense. Don't you want people to stay here?"

Azazel's smiled wavered for a fraction. Well shit. He didn't think of that at all.

Thinking on his feet he said, "Because you three do not have a place here."

"I don't understand," Malik said. "I was taught that anyone, including Shadow Users, could be banished here."

"As true as that is, you three are exempt to that rule," Azazel continued to lie smoothly.

"Why us three?" Bakura pressed. "Just three in this wide maze and they just so happen to be us?"

"Don't think I am blind to your guise, Thief King," Azazel monotoned. "I am in full support of your revenge against that pharaoh."

The three Shadows Users spoke all at once.

"How do you know of that?" Bakura growled.

"What revenge?" Ryou asked.

"My readings never mentioned you…" Malik pondered.

"Boys, boys, boys!" Azazel rose a few feet off the ground. "Wait a tick. Bakura, yes I do know. And you can't do it without your lovely little host over there." He winked suggestively at Ryou, who frowned and shifted uncomfortably.

"Malik," he said next, turning his head to the Egyptian teen and ignoring Ryou's question. "Why would you books mention someone who likes to," he smiled deviously, "hide in the shadows? I often do not leave here. I didn't really care about the mortal world. Well, I used to." He trailed off vaguely and stroked his tie like a cat.

"Why?" Ryou's curiosity overruled his rationality.

Azazel gave him a steady gaze. "That's my business." He drifted a few feet higher and crossed his legs. "Now, Bakura, I want you back because that little pharaoh friend of yours wants to seal off the Shadow Realm, and I can't have that. Ryou, Bakura needs a host. And you are his light. "

Ryou sighed and crossed his arms, feeling defeated and angry without being able to do anything about it.

"And finally, my gorgeous little Tomb Keeper," the shadow shifted his eyes to look at Malik. "I believe you have a road block keeping you from entering your body?"

"I do, yes," Malik replied, placing his hands on his hips. "What is it to you?"

"Weeeell," the shadow drawled, "that silly dark of yours is preventing Bakura from reaching his goal." He grinned. "I could eradicate his soul and bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, you get your body back."

"And why would you do that?"

"Simple: I don't like the pharaoh."

"You're going to help us like that?" Ryou inquired. "That makes no sense."

Azazel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He realized his action was something Murzix did often and opted crossing his arms instead. "If the Shadow Realm is closed, then no more people can wander in. With no people, I am out of business." He explained.

"So you want us to leave so other helpless people can accidentally end up here?" Malik asked.

"Precisely!"

"I don't wish this on anyone," Ryou demurred. "I don't want to hurt innocent people!"

"Would you rather starve to death here?" Azazel quietly threatened.

"No…"

"Then," Azazel fell back to the ground and snapped his fingers, a portal opening behind him. "I suggest you go home."

Malik and Ryou looked warily at each other for a moment and walked forward together.

Bakura hung back and gave Azazel a hard stare.

"I don't know what your game is," he cautioned, his voice gruff, "but I will find your aim. You are no threat to me."

The shadow surveyed him. "It's a shame you feel that way," the red glint flashed across his eyes as he rounded the spirit, "because you should be threatened. You should be afraid. Run to your fake god," he chided.

After a moment, Bakura walked through the portal.

"Run while you can," Azazel smiled a Cheshire cat grin and melted into the darkness.


Hazah?

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal