A/N: I'm writing this listening to a rendition Hymn To The Fallen from Saving Private Ryan by Voces8. The feels.

Psycological Shadow Games

The memories were merging, tumbling over each other with no end in sight. It was bogging him down, disorienting him. He was loosing his sense of self, his identity. All he could clearly feel the Shadow Magus's attacking his mental and spiritual barriers relentlessly. The Magus pounded them, ripped them apart, tore them down, and stopped on their remains.

It took all of Kaiba's and Set's knowledge of Shadow magic to hold the Magus back. But he could tell it was a losing battle. This Shadow Game was tailored specifically for him by someone who knew Kaiba's basic nature well, too well. It speared into his mind, digging out his memories, showcasing them before his eyes. First the good memories, those that filled him and Set with hope and joy, then ruthlessly tossing them aside and drowning him in darkness, despair, and depression.

He probably relived Atem's and Kisara's deaths a half dozen times each with the death of Mahaad, Shada, Karim, and his mother not far behind. Set was imploding in on himself with the endless weight of guilt and despair and loneliness. With Set barely functioning, Kaiba was left to take up the shield and fight the Shadow Magus alone.

But while he knew it was coming, he still was not prepared for the intensity and vindictiveness the Shadow Magus went about ripping apart his memories. It forced him to relive his parents' death in the car accident, but this time Mokuba died as well. Kaiba faltered. He had prepared himself for the daunting pain and anguish he knew he would face as his memories were laid bare before him. But he was not prepared for the Shadow Magus to manipulate his memories.

Mokuba did not die.

:No?: a voice reverberated through his mind. :Are you certain of that?:

"Mokuba is alive," Kaiba insisted.

:He lived that time,: the voice conceaded. :But he certainly didn't have much of a life after that, did he?:

Flashes of the two brothers, still too young and innocent to understand the significance of what was happening to them. Kaiba had been forced to grow up at the tender age of ten. He had to become Mokuba's father, mother, and brother at the orphanage. It has not been easy, but he had tried his best. Then Gozaboro had arrived.

:Yes,: the voice purred, causing Kaiba's hackles to rise. :Gozaboro, the man who would adopt you. You defeated him at chess, didn't you?:

Kaiba shifted to a defensive stance, not bothering to answer.

:What did you think would happen, Seto? Did you think you could defeat Gozaboro and be welcomed into the Kaiba family with open arms?:

Memories of the big man glaring down at the ten year old in ill-disguised disgust over the chess board filled Kaiba's senses. He could feel the brisk air filtering through the open window, smell the cologne Gozaboro wore, see his pieces clearly have mastery over the board. Even at ten, Kaiba knew life with Gozaboro would not be an easy one. But it was better than the orphanage. Mokuba had to be protected.

:But was he, Seto? Was your precious little brother safe?:

No. Mokuba had probably been safer at the orphanage than with Gozaboro. The man drank too much and had a nasty temper. Kaiba had long since forgotten the number of times he had been struck for not doing something fast enough, or good enough, or efficiently enough, or whatever reason Gozaboro had come up with at the time.

:What was the deal you made, Seto? To become the sole focus of Gozaboro's attention, was it not? Why?:

For Mokuba. Everything was for Mokuba. He tolerated the slaps, the curses, the verbal abuse, the late nights, the mountains of homework, and so much more because it meant Mokuba was left alone. But it also meant Mokuba was out of his reach. When Gozaboro found Kaiba's small, fledgling Deck, he had take it, ripped apart most of his cards and threw the rest away right in front of him.

But Mokuba had somehow managed to save a few cards and slip to him in a book along with a drawing of the one card Kaiba dreamed of having: the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Even then, he had been in awe of the creatures beauty and power, drawn to it on a spiritual level. He sometimes had dreams of flying with Blue Eyes, or cuddling with Blue Eyes. He knew now those were remnants of his love for Kisara from his life as Set leaking into his current life.

Kisara.

"Ki-sa-ra," he murmured. Set screamed the name in his mind and suddenly she was there before him. Kaiba stared at the breathtaking creature in awestruck wonder. She was still the most beautiful and prefect being in existence. She always would be.

But then her light faded and the draconic creature screamed in distress. There was a brief flash, and she was suddenly god, sealed into a great stone tablet. Chains sprung from the ground, looping around the tablet preventing her from summoning herself and rising to Kaiba's and Set's defense.

Kaiba felt his heart drop, brought to his knees by the unified horror and despair of watching their lover caged in such a way. A cry ripped from their throat and they ran to the sealed stone, tugging at the chains but the lock clanked heavily against the stone.

They shrieked when a hand seized a handful of his hair and yanked him back ripping his hair out. They slammed onto the stone floor hard enough to daze them.

They pushed themselves up to their hands and knees and lifted their head. Mahaad's dead eyes stared back at them accusingly, blood dribbling from the severed neck. They scrambled back and bumped into something solid. A hand clamped around their neck, cutting off their airway, while another tangled in his hair and forced their head to tilt back. Blue eyes widened when they saw Gozaboro standing over them, holding against his legs and glared down at them. They could not escape.

"Ni-sama?"

No. Mokuba could not be here. He could not see this. He had to stay safe, to stay out of this. They had to keep Mokuba safe.

:Why?:

What?

:Why must you protect him?:

Because.

:Why?:

He's our Keeper.

:You need a Keeper?:

He keeps us balanced.

:That's all? You protect him because he keeps you balanced?:

He would do the same for us.

:Would he?:

Yes.

:Are you sure?:

Yes.

:Why?:

Because we're his brother.

:Cain was Abel's brother.:

He would never hurt us.

:But he already has.:

Memories welled up inside their unified mind; memories of Mokuba standing in front of them, blocking them, preventing them from attacking Noa. They hear their precious baby brother command them to leave Noa alone, to stop attacking his brother. But Noa was not Mokuba's brother. Mokuba was their's.

:He betrayed you.:

No. Noa brainwashed him.

:Brainwashed? That requires building on something that's already there. Some part of him must have resented you at least a little bit in order for the brainwashing to take a firm hold.:

You're lying!

:Am I? Did you not resent the Pharaoh?:

Never! He was our friend!

:And yet Horus attacked you.:

That bird was possessed.

:And yet the Pharaoh continued to fly his hawk in your presence knowing it would attack you.:

He tried to tame it.

:So he said.:

It's the truth!

:Is it? Then I suppose it's true that you killed the bird?:

We did no such thing.

:Or was it Geb?:

Geb would never do that.

:He very nearly did. I remember it well. You laughed.:

And you punished us.

:And you tried to get yourself killed by taking the knife meant for the Pharaoh's back.:

He was our friend!

:And how did he repay you? He died anyway, after forcing you to swear and oath witness by the Shadows to not interfere. He died in front of you after he knew you were still recovering from watching your fellow priests and the bitch die.:

Don't call her that.

:Do you resent the Pharaoh? He abandoned you and left you with a kingdom in ruins, still at war with the false god-kings, without your bitch-:

Don't call her that!

:-alone until death. And you and your clever mind, you wiped all traces of the Pharaoh from the face of the Earth. Or did you?:

We did.

:Really? Then tell me, Set. Who is Atum?:

They could not respond.

:Oathbreaker.:

No.

:He made you swear on your name to erase his name.:

We did.

:Then who is Atum?:

...they struggled to free themselves from Gozaboro's hold. But the hand on their throat tightened, pinching their trachea and sealing off their airway. They could not breathe. Their hands fumbled, trying to break Gozaboro's choke hold.

:Who is Atum?:

They could not answer. They could not breathe. They could not think.

:Who is Atum?:

No on.

:Liar! Oathbreaker!:

The grip tightened on their neck as Shadows not their own began to coalesce beneath him. The Shadows sensed a possible cheat.

:Who is Atum?:

No one.

:Perhaps you know him by another name. Who is Ate-:

PAIN! Sharp and surprising which broke their concentration. They could not move to escape. They could hear the voice. They could not feel the world around them. They could not taste the air over their dry tongue. They only knew oblivion. But they were aware of the oblivion. It was thick like water and held them suspended in its depths.

They had the vague impression of a burst of light on the edge of their not-senses as one is aware of lightning when asleep. The faintest whispers danced across the fringes of their not-hearing. They were losing themselves to the darkness, lost in the void, lost in the Shadows. This was oblivion not unlike when their soul had been ripped from them. They were lost with no way of finding home again.

Set was dead. Kaiba was dying. Together they were lost.

Alone.

The sudden sharp pain of guilt and despair they knew so well, had lived with for so long, came back shocking their not-senses. The emotions in the sensory deprivation of oblivion was too sudden for their vulnerable soul to handle in the oblivion. They sank deeper into the darkness, weightless, suspended by darkness, Shadows, and... and... something... a voice...

They knew that...

"...Kaiba..."

The sound startled them. Their eyes drifted open, lashes still brushing their cheeks uncertainly. They did not want to be overwhelmed by the absolute darkness that surrounded them.

"Ni-sama!"

Their eyes burst open and immediately slammed shut, blinded by light. Light? But there was only darkness in the oblivion.

"Kaiba!"

Hands shook him roughly.

"Don't close your eyes on me. Stay awake."

Kaiba is dying. Set is dead. Why were they calling for one soon to be lost?

They rolled over onto their side squeezing their eyes shut and curling into a ball.

"Regent. Please return to us."

A new voice.

"Ni-sama."

They froze. That voice. That voice was important. Why?

"He's knows you. Keep talking to him."

"Ni-sama. It's me, Mokuba."

Mokuba. Kaiba's brother. The one who resented them. Why did that thought bring water to their eyes? Why was Mokuba here? He should be protected.

Why?

He's our brother.

Is that all?

...

No. We love him.

All you love dies.

"...Mo...ku...ba..."

"Ni-sama!" Hands grasped him; no, embraced him. "Come back to me, please. Don't leave me alone."

Alone? Never.

They opened their eyes, sight blurred by the light and unshed tears, and beheld large gray eyes. They knew these eyes.

Oathbreaker!

He flinched back in shame and fear, feeling the Shadows ripple beneath him.

"Ni-sama, it's okay now." Two small hands reached up and cupped their cheeks. "I'm here now. Let me help."

The gray eyes closed. No! Don't close! Don't leave them to the oblivion. They did not want to be lost.

The other person pressed their forehead to their's. "Ni-sama."

Mokuba!

Their hands lifted and clamped onto Mokuba's head, digging into messy black hair as blue eyes stared straight ahead, wide eyed as they were pulled apart. No! They wanted to stay like this. But they were separate. They were the same. Separate but the same. They did not wish to be torn away. They did not want to be lost.

Oathbreaker!

No! They could both hear and feel the ripping sensation as they were pulled apart. Their body arched, tensing as they fought the separation. They kicked and panicked. They clung to each other desperately. Neither wanted to be left behind. They wanted to be they, not he.

"Ni-sama."

Please don't do this to us!

"Please. Trust me."

They did. Their hesitation was all it took for them to be ripped apart. Set fell limply to the floor leaving Kaiba heaving in Mokuba's embrace. Wide blue eyes stared directly into gray in shock.

"Mokuba," Kaiba murmured, easing his death grip on his little brother's hair. "What are doing here? It's not safe. How did you even-"

"I'm your Keeper, Ni-sama," Mokuba said, smiling in relief. "How do think I keep you balanced if I couldn't do this?"

Kaiba just blinked stupidly, too new to this to form coherent statements.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," Oliver said, drawing Kaiba's startled attention. "Well, kinda."

"Wha... How?"

Oliver pointed to Shaadi. "It's all him."

Shaadi met Kaiba's eyes in obvious relief. "I brought him here. He saw Akhenadin," Kaiba flinched, "start the Shadow Game."

"Saw?" Kaiba asked, moving to sit up. His muscles ached and he felt uneasy.

Shaadi nodded. "Yes. Oliver has the ability tot perceive the Shadows visually."

Kaiba turned to Oliver with interest. "Oh?" After a moment, a very Kaiba-esque grin stretched his lips. "Definitely mine."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Yep, he's back."

"Indeed," Shaadi agreed. "You had us worried there, Regent. I would not suggest doing that again. It isn't good for any of us."

Kaiba snorted. "I'll keep that in mind."

Kaiba stood, wobbling as his legs threatened to give out on him. Mokuba grabbed his big brother's arm and braced it on his shoulder. Together, the group trekked back into Kaiba's soul room. Already, the damage was beginning to lessen. But it was still evident in ways that would take time to fix.

Kaiba glanced longingly at the futon on the Japanese half of the room before sighing. "I suppose I should wake up now."

"That would be preferable, yes," Shaadi said.

Kaiba groaned and summoned for his Deck, relieved to find it unharmed by the Shadow Game. He shuffled through it until he found his much loved Blue Eyes White Dragon card. He caressed it with his thumb hearing Kisara purr in his mind.

Oliver jumped looking around in surprise. Kaiba snorted. "It's just Kisara."

Oliver paused, eyes becoming shadowed. Suddenly Kaiba felt panic. "Visually perceive..." Blue eyes hardened. "What did you see?"

Oliver shifted. "Nothing."

Kaiba leapt forward, pinning Oliver to the wooden wall by the low bookshelf. "Do not pity me!"

Green eyes met blue evenly. "I don't." Blue eyes darkened. "I won't. I respect you." Kaiba blinked in surprise. "Five years on an island, remember? Don't ask, don't tell. Everyone has a right to their secrets."

Kaiba stood in surprise, stepping away from Oliver in renewed respect. Then the moment passed and Kaiba crossed his arms and looked away. "Idiot kohai."

Oliver grinned and made to push away when Mokuba tugged on Kaiba's clothes, drawing his big brother's gaze to him. "The Justice League are here," the younger Kaiba said. "I think they're going to attack?"

Shaadi stiffened in surprise. Oliver tightened his grip on his bow. Kaiba merely raised an eyebrow.

"Took them long enough," he muttered. He shuffled through his Deck and drew a card. There was another rumble from Kisara and Kaiba grinned. "Field Spell activate, Mountain!"

Kaiba tossed the card out into the air. The card grew and the painted mountains rose up from the image on the card like a three dimensional map. It felt like something from a movie. The mountains grew around them, below them, towering above them. Oliver looked down and saw only air beneath them.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

Then there was a huge, white draconic beast beneath him. Oliver instinctively grasped the dragon's white, armored spines lining its, her back and held on. Shaadi did the same on the other side while Mokuba plopped down between the dragon's wings, legs hanging on either side of the long, serpentine neck. Kaiba sat just behind Mokuba.

"Take us to the Pharaoh, Kisara," Kaiba commanded. "I swear if Superman is there, I will make him pay for bungling my Trap."

"Oh, casting Spells in English now, are we?" Oliver asked, hanging on for dear life as the dragon flapped her wings and flew through the sky.

"No," Kaiba said. "I just wanted to see your reaction to real Spell casting."

"A bit theatrical."

"I'm a nineteen year old CEO of a multinational, multimillion dollar company who regularly competes in world tournaments for a perceived trading card game, all while ruling two realms as the Regent of the Shadows. I can afford to be theatrical if I feel like it."

"You mean always," Mokuba chirped.

Kaiba glanced down at Mokuba in an expression that bordered between offense and amusement.

"Truth hurts," Mokuba said in response to his big brother's look.

Oathbreaker!

Kaiba flinched at the word and focused on getting out of his soul and in the Shadow Game in the real world. He had a bone to pick with Superman.