I know, I know, it's been how long? But see, I come bringing a long update to make up for my absence—*dodges the rotten vegetables being tossed at her*
Again, thank you to every reviewer and follower, anonymous or signed. I appreciate you all, haha, and your reviews honestly make it all worthwhile. Thanks also for your patience as I work to get the chapters out!
Content warning: canonical toxicity between Ryou and Bakura brought up here, and there's also mentions of what happened to Alister's arms (though nothing graphic).
When Ryou was a lot younger, Bakura had been a dominating force in his mind. Their loosely termed "partnership" was one-sided; the spirit had not been able to form his own body at first, and so would act through his host. Bakura would often force control away from Ryou, leaving gaping holes in his memory and usually leaving him physically covered in blood. It was a frightening time in his life, and even now Ryou dreaded his freedom being taken from him. They'd ultimately settled into an uneasy truce, but the threat of losing his free will hung over Ryou as a dark cloud.
It was why he had decided to learn how to block the mental connection between himself and the spirit. There was no way Ryou could ever truly shut Bakura out—only death could do that, as there were so many tethers between the two of them that it was impossible to sever the connection completely. But Ryou had experimented, and he'd practiced in secret, until at last he'd found that he could temporarily cut off the connection between them. It always worked better the further they were away from each other, and he'd long ago learned how to act without consciously thinking it. It was how he'd managed to sneak to Hermos without Bakura catching on.
As they'd entered the Shadow Path Yami had helped create, Ryou had felt the barest of tension settle at a point behind his eyes. When they left the path and started into the forest towards the lair, the headache began to grow in intensity and to the point that Ryou had to squint to see.
Most headaches were caused by tension, fatigue, illness, or combinations in between.
He knew exactly what was causing his, and it was none of the above.
The distance had bolstered Ryou's mental defenses. Now that he was back in the forest, the proximity to Bakura was causing his defenses to crumble—the headache was proof that the thief knew Ryou had returned.
"Ryou?" Sivya had stopped walking, concern on her features. Even though she was exhausted from traveling all night, she had not failed to see Ryou start trailing behind them. Rishid and Ishizu also halted, watching him with something close to worry as they registered his condition.
Ryou's smile was strained. "Y-Yes," he managed. "I'll be fine. It's just—"
The pain intensified, as if he'd been stabbed directly between his eyes with ice. His smile slipped almost immediately as black spots rose in his vision. He staggered, the world tilting on its axis for a few jarring seconds. Now his head felt like it was in a terrible vice, and he felt like he was about to collapse. A high-pitched ringing was echoing in his ears.
There were voices around him, but they sounded as if they were underwater. Someone caught him and wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders, practically lifting him. He was set down on something soft but firm. Dimly, Ryou realized that Rishid was the one helping him and sitting him down.
Ryou closed his eyes, focusing his breathing to help combat the rolling waves of pain. He fought back the rolling darkness gathering at the back of his eyes. If he let himself fall into that darkness, the link would remain closed. Years of experience had taught him enough to know that was not an optimal outcome. Keeping his eyes closed, he began dismantling his mental defenses to reestablish the connection.
Mind links were not something trivial, despite the almost too-simple name. The connection he had to Bakura was not just to his mind—they were tethered together by their very souls. To block such a connection required an immense amount of control and mental concentration. It had taken Ryou almost his entire life to learn how to create a barrier strong enough to block Bakura, and while it took time to craft a defense strong enough to keep the thief out of his mind it took only seconds to dismantle.
He felt a familiar shift as the link was re-established, a familiar weight settling somewhere in his chest. It would be some time before the blinding headache disappeared, however. The balance between himself and the thief was skewed because of the amount of time the link had been blocked. Until it evened out, Ryou would have to work around the pain.
Mentally, he reached out towards the other presence. Hello, Bakura, he called wearily.
Bakura's reply was almost immediate, his voice loud and angry in Ryou's head. Are you aware of just how much trouble you're in?
If this headache I've got is any indication of how you feel, I'd say you're furious. Your anger is that palpable.
What right do you have to complain? You're the one who snuck away in the dead of night without telling me!
If I had told you what I was doing, you would have never—
SHUT UP.
Ryou flinched at the accompanying spike of white-hot pain that shot through his temples. The voice currently resonating through his skull held a tremble of anger that permeated each word that followed.
Since when are you Yami's little errand boy? Since when does he have the right to order you about? The last I checked, you held the Ring, not the Puzzle. If Yami wants to risk someone's life that's his business, but you are not his pawn to command!
There was no one else who could go, Bakura! You and I both know that! Ryou's voice came out sharper than he had intended, and his head throbbed. He waited until he was certain he would not snap any further before he spoke again. I made my choice. You can't change it now.
The pain in his head was growing stronger, as well as Bakura's presence through the link—he was getting closer to them. He kept his eyes shut, but he started listening to the forest around them to try and pinpoint which direction Bakura was coming from. A fruitless task, he thought wryly, for Bakura could be as silent as a shadow when he desired. The title "Thief King" was not just a means to boost an already insufferable ego.
You have free reign over your actions. If it is such a heavy burden, however, I can easily remove it from you. I enjoy having my own body, but I remember a time not so long ago where we had to share.
Ryou paled, dread rising within him. Bakura was not one for idle threats. If he felt that Ryou had crossed a boundary, the thief would act the moment he found them—he would take over Ryou's body and lock his soul away, and there was no telling how long it would last. Can you at least trust that good came from this excursion? he asked at last, trying to keep the desperation and fear out of his thoughts.
And what sort of good would that be?
Without preamble Ryou summoned every memory he had of his visit to Hermos, shoving it to the forefront of his mind. He felt the pressure increase at the back of his skull and, much like one would turn pages in a book, he felt the memories he'd called being perused. The memories were clipped, jarring and often disconnected in sequence; Bakura was viewing them in the order in which Ryou had called them, but he was seeking out the important aspects of the memories.
"Ryou?"
The white-haired man opened his eyes wearily and gave Sivya a reassuring smile. The headache was finally easing, though not entirely dissipating; in about another hour, the headache would be entirely gone. Rishid was still holding him upright, but when Ryou shifted and straightened the Enterran man released him.
"There's no need to worry. I'm sorry if I frightened any of you," Ryou said, looking at the others around him. "Bakura and I share a…connection. There are consequences for being gone too long."
It wasn't the full truth, but he knew better than to tell anyone that his migraine had been caused by the thief—there was nothing anyone could do to help him.
Sivya hovered around him anxiously as Ryou slowly rose to his feet. She did not know much about the link between Ryou and Bakura, but she was at least aware of its existence. "Are you certain you should walk?" she asked. "Maybe it would be best if we rested a while longer, until you've recovered."
"I'm certain," said Ryou, smiling with some exhaustion. As he rose to his feet, Rishid silently rose with him to help if needed. "We need to get back to the lair. From here it's only twenty minutes, ten if we walk quickly," he told them. I'd rather not keep Bakura waiting.
"That won't be necessary, Ryou." Ishizu's gaze was fixed on a point beyond him, her hand resting lightly on the Tauk. "He's coming."
Rishid frowned, and after making certain Ryou was fine standing on his own he came to his sister's side. "Who is?" he asked quietly. He looked ready to defend Ishizu, or at the very least put himself between them and any threat.
Ishizu hadn't missed the motion, either. "He isn't a threat yet, Rishid," she said. "I know he's coming, but I cannot see his future with the Tauk."
"It is not a threat that approaches," she replied. "I cannot see his future in the Tauk, but my Item still recognizes its brethren."
"I don't understand what you mean," Sivya said, her eyes moving around them uncertainly. "Brethren? Is there another item that's like your necklace?"
The gruff voice came from directly behind Ryou. "She's talking about the Ring."
Apart from Ishizu, the group jumped at Bakura's sudden appearance; even Rishid had been caught off guard by how abruptly the Thief King had shown up. Ryou had not even sensed the spirit's presence, despite the connection he had.
Ryou turned, trying to will his heart not to beat out of his chest. "Hello, Bakura," he greeted.
The other man grunted, eyes traveling past him to land on Sivya. "If it isn't the little mouse," he said flatly. "I thought you were in Enterra."
Although Sivya was likely affronted by the nickname, she did not reply. That was likely for the best—Bakura had never thought highly of Sivya to begin with, and he had no compunctions about holding back his temper when it came to women.
Bakura's gaze slid past her, going to Ishizu and Rishid; Ishizu remained unaffected, but Rishid tensed. It was apparent Rishid did not trust Bakura, even though he trusted Ryou.
If Bakura was surprised by their presence, he was certainly hiding it very well. "I don't recall you having the ability to sense the items, Ishizu," he drawled.
"My power's grown," Ishizu said evenly as she faced him. Her hands were folded in front of her, her expression tranquil. "It has been some time, Bakura. I trust you've fared well since we last saw each other?"
The thief grunted, his eyes flicking over to Rishid before returning to Ishizu. "I suppose we have. I almost didn't recognize your bodyguard without all the blood on him."
"He is my brother, Bakura," Ishizu replied, and beneath the calm there was a current of steel. "Not my bodyguard, and not anything less than my equal. Please do not make that mistake again."
Rishid started, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked to his sister. Bakura rolled his own eyes and said, "Fine, fine. I won't. Are the scars on his face new?"
"No," Rishid said stiffly. "I've had them for years, even before your brother joined my company."
Bakura studied him, then gave an amused snort. "They'll serve you well, then," he said. "They suit you, protector."
Rishid frowned at the new title but did not comment on it. Instead, he said, "What of Master Marik? Is he all right?"
Although Rishid tried to keep his voice level, Ryou heard the slight tremor in it; Ishizu's calm mask had cracked briefly, her eyes never leaving Bakura. Ryou felt a pang in his chest—he had nearly forgotten that Ishizu and Rishid had not seen their younger brother since they'd been separated.
"Even though years have passed, you still can't seem to muster the faith to trust me. He's fine," retorted Bakura irritably when Rishid made to speak. "Your brother's grown into an insufferable brat, but he's healthy. Traumatized, perhaps, but healthy."
"Then he is safe?" Ishizu was watching him attentively, but there was no hiding the concerned note to her words.
"I would think you would know that answer for yourself. The Tauk allows you to see the future—you would have seen this meeting coming, wouldn't you?" Bakura said, waving a hand dismissively.
Ishizu's composed mask cracked again before it smoothed. "I cannot see the future of any who hold Shadow Items, Bakura. I am still limited in that regard," she said, choosing her words with care.
Once again, Ryou felt that same unease he'd felt when Ishizu had dodged his earlier questions. Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Marik does not hold a Shadow Item."
"I think it best we get back to the lair, and perhaps we can get more answers one we are there. Princess Mai has a message for Yami, and there are other things to discuss," Ryou said. For Bakura's benefit, he pulled the memory of the Shadow creature from the night before and pushed it along the link.
The other silver-haired man grunted again, then jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Fine, whatever. I for one despise traveling in the rain," he declared, and with a snap of his fingers the entrance to another Shadow Path opened directly in front of him. "Let's go."
The Enterrans passed Bakura without problem, but as Ryou walked by the other white-haired man grabbed his arm and yanked him to the side. "Don't think that the arrival of the mouse and Marik's siblings have served as a distraction from our earlier conversation," he hissed. "There is much we have to discuss when we are alone."
"…I understand," came the subdued reply.
Bakura released him and stalked forward. Just before he stepped into the Shadow Path, he paused. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you're safe," he called over his shoulder gruffly as he stalked into the darkness.
Ryou felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth, despite his own mixed feelings. Even if it was because Bakura did not want to be trapped in the Ring, it was nice to know the thief had been worried about him.
He stepped into the darkness after a moment's pause.
Téa scrutinized the bookshelf, trying to pinpoint the book in the dim light. She and Yami had gone upstairs to try and locate the storybook, as Yugi and his grandfather generally kept all written text in the room above the shop. Normally the shop was lit by fairy lights and magical fires; both had gone out when Yugi had collapsed, and Yami couldn't tap into Yugi's magic to recast the spells. The only light Téa had was coming in from the windows in the room.
The familiar magical pressure that was normally in this room had abated in the time since Yugi had been struck down. Everything seemed to hold a gray cast to it, one that was not necessarily caused by the light from outside. It even felt stifling to be in this room—it was hard to be here without Yugi's warm and friendly presence hovering nearby.
Téa took a steadying breath before she reached for another book. As her fingers brushed against the emerald green cover, she felt the leather warm beneath her fingertips; it was not necessarily a new sensation, as every other spellbook had also warmed to the touch, but the warmth traveled up her hand and into her arm. Was this the one? She'd have to take it to the window to read the book to verify if she found it; in the dim light, reading was hard to do without squinting.
She caught a motion at Yami's hip, a hand moving in a smooth motion. A very faint warmth touched her fingertips and she started, looking down at the dimly flickering pink orb of light resting on her fingers; it illuminated the cover of the book and just inside the orb she could see what looked like delicate butterfly wings. Yami had managed to cast a fairy light for her.
Her eyes were drawn to the golden letters written across the book's cover, the color illuminated by the glow of the fairy light, and she brightened. She didn't even need to take it to the window to read. "Here it is, Yami!" she announced victoriously, holding the book up.
Yami set the book he had been perusing down on the shelf nearest him. He crossed the room and took the book mutely, beginning to rifle through the pages. His eyes scanned each page intently before he finally made a triumphant noise in the back of his throat.
"So it is in this book after all—Yugi's memories weren't wrong," he said, closing the book. At Téa's affronted look he held up a reassuring hand. "I do not doubt Yugi's mind. The memories in question were from his childhood, though. A child's perspective is oft different than those of adults."
"You peered into Yugi's memories?" she asked. She knew that Yami and Yugi had a bond that was like the one held by Ryou and Bakura. However, he normally he didn't intrude into Yugi's memories without permission. What had prompted him to do so now?
Yami must have seen the unspoken question. His hand unconsciously cupped the golden pyramid resting on his chest. "In the years before Yugi completed the Millennium Puzzle, I was…not paying attention to my surroundings, shall we say. When Jou told us as much of his predicament as he could, it reminded Yugi of something he'd heard as a child. It was fairly important, something that I feel he's been subconsciously pushing—hence why we are here now."
His eyes landed on the orb of light resting on Téa's fingers, and they widened by an almost imperceptible fraction. "A fairy light," he breathed, suddenly sounding odd.
"Yes. I couldn't really see what I was reading, even with the light coming from the windows. What's wrong?" she asked uncertainly, noticing the expression on Yami's face.
"I cast no such spell," he said after a brief pause, frowning at her.
"You did," she insisted. "I saw you move your hand and then the light appeared."
The spirit stared at her for several long moments before he spoke. "Téa, I cannot use Yugi's brand of magic. That is something neither he nor I could figure out," he said slowly. "Creating fairy lights was something Yugi alone could do—and I don't recall moving my hand to create that light."
It took a few moments for Téa to process what Yami was telling her. When it clicked, she sat up straighter. She held out the hand with the fairy light twinkling ever so faintly on her fingers, hope and excitement began to rise within her chest.
"This little light means Yugi's getting better," she said, a smile starting to grow as she looked fondly at the ethereal pink orb. There was a joyful tremor in her voice when she spoke. "This is his way of telling us he's going to be okay, isn't it?"
Yami did not answer. It was not because he was ignoring her.
Ever since the Puzzle had been completed Yugi had been a constant and familiar presence. They'd connected, become friends even; Yugi had defended him even as often as Yami had. Yugi had learned complex magic, while Yami had started to remember how to be human after thousands of years of isolation.
When Yugi had been attacked the wizard had promptly disappeared; it was as if Yugi had been torn right out of his soul. Yami had felt entirely off balance in the weeks since Yugi's collapse. Though he now inhabited a physical body, it was not his body. After spending years sharing the same body, it had been disorienting—frightening—to not even be able to detect Yugi's presence. But he had put on a front, because Yugi needed him to protect him. Most people could not tell that he was bothered by Yugi's absence.
But he was.
It had been while Téa had been speaking when he felt something shift at the back of his mind. A weight, familiar but tired, settled into place as if it had never left. The new presence did not speak, still too exhausted and strained for words.
Yami was not alarmed by the "intrusion". If anything, he was relieved beyond words.
Welcome back.
"Yami?"
He smiled at Téa, one that was fully earnest. "You would be correct."
"—And if it hadn' been for our dragon friend 'ere, you wouldn' 'ave made it," Valon finished, glancing at Alister for some sign of acknowledgement.
Marik re-adjusted his position on the cave floor, leaning cautiously against a nearby pile of rubble. Jou had moved all three of them to the shore, lifting Alister with especial care out of the water to situate him. Once again, Jou had the odd predicament of not having enough space to settle with them on land. He remained where he was in the water, half in and half out of the water.
Valon had just finished relaying to his older friend about how they had found Alister floating in the river; the Enterran had pitched in here and there, but he had left the bulk of the tale to Valon. Though the Aurosian was still uncertain about Jou, it seemed that he trusted the dragon a lot more since their adventure at the river. He'd introduced Jou as an ally when Alister had asked, though he'd not given him Jou's name.
Alister had remained on his back while Valon had been speaking, and though his eyes had been locked on his younger friend he made no attempt to sit up on his own. Perhaps he was too exhausted to move, but Marik did not miss the way that Alister was pointedly ignoring his arms. It was entirely possible Alister was unaware of the changed condition of his injuries.
"I take it that the dragon won't try to eat me for shooting at it earlier?" the red-haired man asked then, glancing at the dragon looming over them all.
Jou's face scrunched into a scowl, an irritated huff escaping him.
"Naw, Alister, 'e won' 'urt ya. 'e's like Marik—'e eats rabbit food," Valon replied, but then he yelped when Jou ducked his head and deliberately knocked the brown-haired man into the water.
"He eats meat, Valon. He just doesn't eat humans," Marik said with some amusement when the spluttering Aurosian resurfaced. Jou himself was giving his own version of a laugh, a sound that was a cross between a growl and a strange hum.
Alister did not laugh, but there was a small smirk that quirked the corners of his mouth. "Glad to hear that. I've got enough to deal with as it is," he said tiredly. His eyes closed seconds later and he relaxed.
Valon clambered out of the water, returning to Alister's side. He shot Jou a nasty look before his attention went back to his friend. "Wha' 'appened t' you anyways, Alister?" Valon demanded. "'ow'd you end up in the river? You said someone stabbed you," he added, his voice darkening and his eyes flashing.
"Ah yes, about that," Alister said, and his own eyes narrowed. "I'm afraid that I can't give specifics yet. Let's just say I didn't play nice with Jean Claude's guards while I was up there, and Jean Claude decided I was better off dead."
"What do you mean 'I can' give specifics'?" Valon retorted. "Tha's not somethin' you keep t' yourself! I know you don' like bein' social 'n' all, but—"
"It's not me being secretive," Alister interrupted, his voice carrying the starts of anger. "I don't think I can tell you what's going on, not without bringing a whole world of hurt down on certain, undeserving heads."
His eyes flickered downward at that comment, towards his neck, tensing. From above them Jou let out a low rumbling growl of understanding.
Marik realized why, Jou's reaction only confirming his suspicions. "A gag spell," he said grimly.
Alister turned his head to Marik. He did not have to say anything—the look in his eyes was confirmation enough.
"Not you too," groaned Valon. "It's bad enough that ol' Scaly 'ere has that problem, now you seem to 'ave it."
Jou made an affronted noise at his new nickname, but no one paid him any mind.
"I'm not the only one," Alister replied slowly. "More than one person at the castle was afflicted with this…ailment."
Valon stared incredulously, realizing who Alister was referring to. "Raph and Elya, too?"
"Not just them, Valon. All the guards, save for those on Jean Claude's side, have my problem." Alister said darkly. "As for why, I can't say anything until I've seen Yugi. He's the only one who can do something to help."
Marik and Valon exchanged glances. "There's only one problem with that," Marik began slowly. "Yugi's…been missing, so to speak. Currently we have Yami in Yugi's body, but Yugi himself? He's been gone for weeks now. Yami's available, but if you are under a spell he can't do anything about it until Yugi's recovered—and he's made it pretty clear he has no idea when that will be."
Surprise flitted across Alister's features, but seconds later it vanished. "I'd wondered whether he'd known Yugi was here," he muttered. "Jean Claude must have found out, so of course he made sure the one magic caster left in the area was taken care of. That's one of my questions answered."
"From what I've gathered, Jean Claude was nothing but a pompous airheaded braggart. You seem to share Mai's sentiment about him, too. You've not used formal titles when it comes to him."
Alister gave a dark laugh. "I'm from Viernet, Marik. We don't give a damn who's on the throne—they don't stay long enough for me to care."
"Yet you care about this one. He knows magic, among other things."
Alister eyed him. "He doesn't, but you won't like the answer I give you when I'm able to speak freely," he said grimly.
Marik's frown deepened and he studied Alister with renewed concern. What was he talking about?
Valon made an impatient noise that caused everyone else to look at him. "If you can' tell me 'ow you ended up in the river, Alister, can you tell me why you got your arms messed up?" he asked. Even though he tried to keep his voice neutral, there was still a slight stutter in his words.
Alister had not missed Valon's shift in behavior and he frowned. "I think we both know the answer to that one. That night in the forest, when you and Mai ran into us, Jean Claude ordered Raphael and I to shoot at one of our best friends. I shot an arrow at Jean Claude's face instead. I'm only sorry I missed."
The Aurosian flinched. "So…Raph was punished too, then?" he asked, gulping nervously. He was almost afraid to ask what had happened to their oldest friend. If Alister had been unstrung he could not even try to imagine what the prince had done to Raphael.
"Whipped, beaten, and a few other nasties I can't discuss at the moment, but he'll heal," said Alister quietly. Noticing that Valon was looking rather guilty, however, a scowl crossed Alister's features.
"Don't you dare apologize," he said sharply when Valon opened his mouth. "You had no idea we were there that night. I chose to defy Jean Claude's orders, and so did Raphael. We brought our punishments on our own heads. If anyone, blame Jean Claude for what happened."
The dragon growled above them in agreement, his ruby eyes flashing.
Valon still did not look convinced. "I was still the reason you got your arms all mangled."
"Last I checked, you weren't the one who dropped an anvil multiple times on my arms. You weren't in the crowd that was watching and laughing the whole time," Alister retorted irritably, though his eyes darkened and a haunted edge crept into his words.
Valon's guilty expression morphed into one of absolute fury and horror. "They were laughin'?"
Jou abruptly snarled in outrage, a strangled and feral sound that startled all three humans. His tail slapped the water and his red eyes glowed in the dim light.
Marik was not entirely surprised by what Alister had said. Punishments were specifically designed to be cruel in nature; for those who watched such things, it was a reminder to obey the laws. Even so, the mention of the anvil had Marik subconsciously drawing his arms closer to his body.
He glanced at the hole in the ceiling above them and frowned. Though normally he could determine what time of day it was based on the sun's position, the rainclouds above them made it difficult for him to gauge how long they had been gone. "We need to go," he announced, rising to his feet. "Bakura's probably wondering where I got off to—he's mad enough Ryou's vanished and I don't intend to make him any angrier."
Valon snorted again. "Tha's if 'e actually cares you're gone," he pointed out.
Marik glanced back to Alister, who was looking suspiciously close to dozing off. Even though the water had taken away Alister's injuries and the fever, it did nothing to hide the fact the red-haired man was utterly exhausted. "You should try to sleep on our way back," Marik said then, catching everyone's attention. "I'm pretty sure if we tried to stand you upright, you'd fall over."
Alister's eyes shut and did not open while he spoke. "It's a tempting offer. I haven't slept for weeks because of my arms—speaking of which, I have no idea what you did to make them this comfortably numb. Thank you," he said, and there was a grateful note to his words. "I feel almost normal. I don't know what potion you used, but I hope it lasts for a while yet."
Marik nodded to himself, suddenly much more certain. His earlier suspicion about Alister's reluctance to look at his arms had just been confirmed. Neither of them had thought to tell Alister that his arms had completely healed, they'd assumed he had known.
Valon had reached the same conclusion Marik had, and he scooted closer to Alister. "We didn' give you a potion," he said, and Alister's eyes opened to regard the Aurosian with some confusion. After hesitating a moment, the younger man reached for one of his friend's arms. "You also don' 'ave t' worry 'bout your arms 'urtin' anymore—we fixed 'em."
Alister had stiffened when Valon's hand moved to his arm, and out of instinct he swatted Valon's hand away. "Don't touch my arms!" he snapped angrily, his eyes flashing. "They're—!"
The man froze, eyes widening as they locked onto the hand he'd just moved. His breath hitched, but he'd been stunned into silence. Slowly, hesitantly, he lifted his arms into the air. The oversized sleeves immediately slid down, exposing the now unmarred and fully healed arms. He continued to stare as he began rotating his arms, alternating between wiggling his fingers to forming fists.
Alister's expression seemed to crumple, a flurry of different emotions crossing his features. Valon did not miss the way Alister had started to blink rapidly, and Valon had to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat. He'd never seen his friend look so vulnerable and close to tears, even if they were relieved ones.
Alister sat up slowly, his eyes traveling between Marik and Valon. "I…I didn't think I would ever get to do that again," he said softly, voice wavering.
And just as suddenly as Alister's mask had crumpled, it was back. His eyes moved to Valon, frowning. "How is this possible?" he asked, a slight edge to his voice. "What did you do?"
Valon held up his hands. "We don' owe anyone anything, if that's wha' you're thinking," he said earnestly. "We found a healin' spring. That's wha' to thank for your arms."
Alister blinked once, then glanced at the water nearby. "I had thought springs such as this were bedtime story fodder. I guess I'm wrong, and I'm glad for it," he said. He glanced at his fingers splayed across the dirt and pebbles beneath them, still marveling he could even move them. "How did you find it?"
"You have our dragon friend here to thank for that," Marik said. "We thought he had a hoard, but we're not so lucky. We got an annoyingly loud princess and a healing spring. I'm still weighing pros and cons behind our discovery," he added, making a face. "On one hand, the princess was more trouble than she's worth in ransom, but on the other the spring proved useful when Kaiba came around."
Alister arched an eyebrow. "Kaiba? Why?"
"We…may or may not have ended up on his bad side, for something we didn't do," Marik said after a moment's pause.
"Is that why a quarter of the forest is destroyed?" he asked Marik. "What happened to anger the oh-so-mighty Lord of Dragons?"
"Someone de-scaled one of his kits. He decided Bakura had something to do with it."
The redhead stilled. "I want to hear that particular story later," he said grimly. "Jean Claude has a very interesting sword that Kaiba might like to know about."
"The one crafted from the White Dragon? Mai already told us about that," Marik stated.
Alister's face promptly darkened. "Oh, that makes perfect sense. Of course she'd point that out to throw you off her trail. You should have let your dragon eat her—though that might be too good for her at this point."
Marik frowned. While Alister was from Viernet, and he was biased against royalty, he'd also had more chances to interact with Mai than they had. The princess had clearly done something to warrant his anger. Was this all connected to the rumored rebellion?
But how? There had been the rumors of the coup d'état, then had come the banishing of the magic casters and of some of the servants from the castle—and now Alister had shown up, currently bound under a gag spell, and he had died at one point this morning. How exactly was Mai tied into all of this? How was he involved? Even though he had never even been to Hermos, Marik was rapidly gaining the impression that he had played some part in this mess.
The abrupt sounds of Jou's snarls ripping through the air brought Marik out of his thoughts. His eyes shot up to the dragon. Jou was bristling, half-rising from the water and glaring at Alister. His fangs glinted in the dim light and his eyes were glowing once again. Alister looked understandably uneasy, hands twitching for a bow and arrow he did not have.
"Shut up, Jou," Marik said flatly. "Just because you seem to be harboring some sort of crush on Mai doesn't automatically make her a saint—"
"Jou?"
Alister's voice was hushed, his gray eyes wide in shock; what little color that remained in his face was gone in moments. "Jou," he breathed. "Is that…it is you, isn't it?"
Jou looked startled by the sudden shift in behavior from Alister. The indignation left his features as he stared at the archer, followed by an expression Marik couldn't fully interpret. A soft noise rose out of the dragon's throat, head lowering so he could better make eye contact with the human.
Valon blinked. "Er…Alister, I thought you didn' know the dragon. You tellin' us you do know 'im?"
But Alister had not heard Valon's comment. His eyes were trained on the dragon as he spoke, addressing Jou more than anyone else. "He vanished without a word, and in his place came a dragon. It never destroyed the castle intentionally and avoided causing too much harm to the guards," he said slowly. "The dragon always seemed to be searching whenever it came…of course. Of course. You were searching the castle for her before Mai arrived…and then you took Mai out of the castle. Jean Claude never said he killed you, just that you were indisposed, and what better way to keep you out of the kingdom than to—?"
"I can practically see smoke comin' out of your ears 'cause you're thinkin' so fast," Valon said wryly, though he sobered at Alister's current expression. "Wha's wrong?"
"We need to go to Yami. Now," Alister said urgently, rising unsteadily to his feet.
"Hold on. How do you know Jou?" asked Marik, glancing at the dragon in some surprise. "Was he a guard at the castle with you?"
"I can't answer that. I need to get to someone who can do something to help me," came the irritated retort as Alister fought to keep his balance. He swayed in place, tried taking a step, and fell forward. He was clearly not ready to try walking yet.
Jou's head had been lowering even as the red-haired man had been moving. He let Alister's body drape across his snout, slowly helping Alister back to his feet with a comforting rumble. Once he was assured the archer could stand, he straightened to as close as his full height as he could manage. He lowered one of his taloned hands, glancing pointedly at the humans and dipping his head toward his outstretched hand. Taking the hint, Alister and Valon moved forward; Jou waited until they were secure before lifting them to his back, gently setting them atop of the scales.
Marik nimbly climbed up Jou's front left leg and ended up in front of Alister. He did not know Alister nearly as well as Valon did, but he knew that the other man rarely sounded so urgent unless something was truly important. That, coupled with his own questions, had been more than enough to get him going.
Jou began hunkering down, his muscles tightening as he studied the small opening in the cavern ceiling above them.
Valon tapped Alister's shoulders. "You might wanna hold on to somethin'. Jou takes off wicked fast 'n' you're still tryin' to recover."
"I've seen him try to take off before, Valon," Alister said flatly, "He doesn't go that fast—"
Jou sprang into motion, hurtling through the air with all the speed of a flying arrow as they made for the cavern exit, and Alister's frightened breath came in a sharp gasp.
The three of them ducked as Jou just barely avoided scraping his back on a nearby ledge. His large wings instantly started to flap the moment they were clear of the mountain. They gained even more momentum as they ascended above the rain clouds at nearly breathtaking speeds. Not one of the humans could open their eyes without cold, wet air assaulting their stinging eyes.
At least they were on their way, Marik thought, shivering in the cold air. The faster they were back at the lair, the faster he could get warmed up and get answers to some of the more pressing questions that had come up in their conversation.
You won't like the answer I give you when I can speak freely.
And then the sound of laughter began echoing in his ears, a warped sound accompanied by the brief memory of cold lavender eyes—his eyes—and a smile that sent a thrill of fear up his back—
"Marik? You all right, fella? You look kinda peaky."
"I'm fine! Worry about Alister!" he called when Valon jabbed him particularly hard with a finger in the shoulder.
Marik's voice was level, but he was glad that they couldn't see his troubled expression. He couldn't quite hide the sudden tremble in his hands.
The laugh he'd heard had come from inside his mind.
And as warped as it had been, that had been his own voice Marik had heard just now.
Téa and Yami had only just returned to the clearing when the sound of Jou's wings beating the air above them broke the silence. Tea shielded her eyes against the loose grass and fallen water being kicked up by the gusts of wind generated by the dragon's wings.
The starts of a greeting from Téa died when she saw a thoroughly soaked Valon and Marik. A scowl replaced the smile. "You boys get over here by the fire!" she barked. She grabbed each one of their arms, starting to drag them to the fire beneath the shelter of a nearby awning. "You are freezing, both of you! You're getting out of those clothes this instant!"
Marik, distracted and subdued, did not fight against her. Valon, however, pulled away from her and instead hurried over to Jou's side. When Téa turned around, it was to see the Aurosian kneeling next to a figure sitting on the grass. She released Marik, coming to where Valon was kneeling. "Is that…?"
"Alister? Yup, sure is, love. He's not doin' too well right now," said Valon, eyeing his older friend with some concern. The man was pale-faced and leaning against the dragon with visible exhaustion. Jou was also looking down at Alister, just as worried. "Jou took off pretty fast 'n' I reckon Alister wasn' ready f'r tha'. I know 'e doesn' like heights—"
"He climbs trees if it means he can get a better shot with his bow and arrow," Téa retorted. "He can't be that afraid of them."
"You've clearly never ridden on a dragon's back at his fastest pace," Alister growled, one of his eyes opening.
Valon grinned, as did Jou. "Perfect, you survived! 'ow are you doin'?"
"Never again." Alister directed a furious glare at the dragon. "I don't care if you're the king of all Chronas, never again, do you hear me?"
Jou gave him a look that plainly said No promises.
Once Téa was assured that Alister was all right, she helped Valon get the wounded archer get to his feet. She led them towards where the fire was merrily burning. "Alister, I have no idea how you got here, but you're coming over to the fire with Valon," she told him. "You look like Death warmed over."
Alister smirked at her. "Wouldn't be the first time I've died today," he said darkly, catching her off guard.
The red-haired man started as Yami moved directly in front of him. The shorter man studied Alister intently before speaking. "It seems you have quite the story to tell, if what I'm seeing is any indication."
Alister recovered, sobering. "I can take care of myself normally, but not this time. I need your help."
"I know," replied Yami evenly. "I can see the residual magic from the gag spell. The spell has been lifted already. You've been free of it for some time, Alister."
Valon had been getting a fire warmed blanket from Téa, but he froze as he processed what Yami had said. "'ow? I thought you needed a magic caster to break spells."
"Did Alister's heart stop beating? Did he stop breathing? Was the declaration he made moments before only an exaggerated statement designed to push away concern?"
Alister and Valon remained silent, waiting to see where the conversation was going.
"The moment his heart stopped the spell lifted. Magic cast on living creatures have no hold on the dead. The only way for the spell to keep its hold on Alister is if someone casts the spell again," Yami explained, sounding a little too patient.
Alister started, looking up at Jou with dawning realization. "That means I can tell you all what's going on, can't I?" he said. His expression resolved into a determined one, "Fine, then let's start with this: Jean Claude is not the real prince."
A hush fell over the clearing. Marik, who had been accepting a bowl of warm broth from Téa, looked up at that. Téa was staring at Alister with something close to surprise, while Valon's jaw dropped.
Alister, on the other hand, looked immeasurably relieved. "Good, I can talk freely. Talking about anything that involved Jean Claude's plans would result in everyone aside from me getting hit by the curse. That's including Elya and the princess, by the way."
Jou let out a strangled whine at that, his eyes lighting with something close to panic. Alister glanced up at him, sympathy in his eyes. "I don't believe her dead," he said quietly.
"All right, then, so where's the real prince?" asked Valon, folding his arms. "It's all because of this bloke tha' this is happenin'. For that matter, who is he? 'e sure as heck isn' me or one of us thieves."
"I'd almost suggest it was Jou, if it hadn't been for him attacking Mai," Marik said, glancing at the dragon.
Jou grimaced and looked away, a low whine rising. Alister gazed at the dragon in disbelief and said, "You attacked Mai? I thought a bear had gotten her that night."
"What happened is no fault of Jou's," said Yami, his tone allowing no room for contradiction. "There is no way to protect yourself from an attack you cannot see coming."
The sound of rustling bushes caught their attention. The group looked to the far side of the clearing just as a white-haired man stepped into view. At first, they thought it was Bakura—until they registered the larger, softer brown eyes and the ponytail.
"Ryou, you're back—and you're just as soaked through as these guys. Come over here by the fire this instant!" said Téa, scowling as she registered his appearance.
Ryou gave her a tired smile as he started forward. "Believe me, a nice warm fire is exactly what I want right now," he said. "I've been traveling all night in the storm to get back."
Marik straightened up and rose to his feet, relief lighting his features. "Where have you been, anyways?" he demanded. "You pulled a complete vanishing act. Does Bakura know you're back?"
Ryou grimaced. "He does," he said wryly, tapping his temple. "He's already expressed his…displeasure at my departure."
He sobered and looked to Yami. "I've got a message for you," he said to Yami, holding out a rolled piece of parchment. "It's from Princess Mai—it's very urgent."
As Yami took the parchment from him, Ryou's eyes wandered to where Valon was watching him, and then his gaze landed on Alister. He paled almost immediately at the sight of the redhead. "You're…you're alive?" he asked, stunned.
Alister raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked," he retorted sarcastically.
"Princess Mai told me you had died." Ryou looked shaken, sounding almost breathless. "She had heard from Prince Jean Claude that you had died. In fact, she thought Bakura had something to do with it."
Valon started. "Wha'—but Kura's been 'ere this whole time!" he said. He shot Ryou a betrayed expression. "I thought he was, but…Ryou, did Bakura hurt Alister?"
Alister shook his head, a dark chuckle leaving him. "If you're trying to cover the fact that Jean Claude ordered me to be killed, you look for any avenue to redirect the blame. It's also entirely possible Mai was in on the whole thing—I'm almost positive she knows Jean Claude's a fake prince and yet she's done nothing about it."
Ryou's eyes widened, while Téa and Valon both shot Alister identically stunned looks. "What?"
But Jou instantly starting shaking his head violently. A cacophony of sound—whines, growls, and snarls—escaped Jou's throat as the dragon's tail slapped the ground, the resulting tremor enough to knock them off balance.
"Calm yourself, Jou," said Yami evenly. His eyes went to Alister and he asked, "Can you be certain she is directly involved in this plot you've implied?"
Alister gave him a clearly exasperated look. "No, but I couldn't very well ask her either. My best friend's wife and a helpless, sickly princess would pay the price if I asked—two innocent lives taken all for a question isn't exactly a fair price. Her actions, though…"
"I see." Yami glanced at the parchment in his hands. "I suspect there is a good deal that will be explained in this letter she's sent. Perhaps reserve your judgment of her for a while longer, Alister."
The bushes rustled again and the group watched silently as Bakura pushed his way into the clearing. At their startled looks he rolled his eyes. "Well don't stop speaking because of me, you idiots," he said irritably.
The thief's eyes shifted to Marik. There was a strange light in his eyes, his expression indecipherable as he studied the Enterran. "You. Ryou brought back company and I don't think he noticed that we left them behind. Go get them."
Marik made a sound of protest. "Are you kidding me? It's cold and wet. I'm cold and wet! I'm trying not to catch pneumonia," he said indignantly. "What do I look like to you, a dog that plays fetch?"
Bakura arched an eyebrow and then tipped his head to the forest behind him. "Woof."
Marik scowled at the thief but started out of the clearing. As he moved, he began muttering; his words were a blend between Enterran curses and mutters the group could understand.
Téa shot a disapproving glare at the thief. "Why does he have to go get your guests?" she asked testily. "He's right, he's not acclimated to this weather."
Bakura scowled at her. "I don't answer to you, woman," he said flatly, brushing past her. Noticing Yami's own gaze, his scowl deepened. "And I don't answer to you either, Yami. You'll see soon enough why I sent Marik off."
Yami shrugged. "Very well then," he said. "Who am I to meddle in your business?"
Bakura shot him an annoyed look but did not say anything in reply.
Yami tipped his head to the fire. "In the meantime, we will wait until Marik's return before we discuss the situation at the castle any further. Alister, I understand you are concerned for those you've left behind, but Marik is involved. We cannot continue without him," he added, noticing that Alister was about to begin protesting.
Téa and Ryou both jumped, looking alarmed at Yami's words. Bakura did not comment, though his eyes narrowed, and Valon shot a puzzled look to the Enterran spirit. Jou, on the other hand, lowered his head and growled.
"There is an explanation coming, believe me," Yami continued heavily in response to the looks on the faces around him. "And out of all of us here, Marik is among those who will be the most impacted by what I say."
Marik stormed through the forest, nimbly climbing over fallen trees or their roots as he moved through the almost silent woods. "Woof, he says," he muttered angrily. "It's bad enough that I'm hearing voices in my head, bad enough that we're being dragged into a mess that's not of my making. Now I've been demoted to a bloody babysitter for some idiots who got themselves lost in the woods."
He passed a sapling tree and shoved a branch out of his way. He should have known it would snap back as fast as it did, but he wasn't expecting how quickly it was moving. It slapped him in the face, his face stinging with pain. He yelped and stumbled, losing his balance before tumbling down a small hill. He came to rest in a ditch that was partially filled with rainwater and floating leaves. He snarled an Enterran curse as he held his face, his eyes watering beneath his fingertips.
Now he was soaked through and he'd earned a slap to the face. Fantastic.
"Marik! Marik, are you all right?"
He lifted one of his hands at the familiar voice, hastily sitting up and trying to force his watering eyes to focus. "Sivya?"
"Yes, it's—oh! You're hurt! Here, let me help!"
He felt hands in between his shoulder blades, fingers brushing against some of the scars as Sivya helped him sit up. He flinched at the contact—sensation around the marred skin always felt foreign. Sivya had not missed the flinch, and he noticed that her hands readjusted. He instantly relaxed.
While her presence was not enough to banish his foul mood, he could not help but smile. One winter he and Ryou had gotten separated from Bakura in a sudden but vicious blizzard, and Sivya had opened her door to them until the storm had passed. He liked the girl well enough, and shortly afterward he had started stopping by her home whenever he was in the area. Soon enough, they had become friends.
"Sivya, what are you doing here?" he asked, managing to fix a watering eye on the other Enterran. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but you're usually back in Enterra with your brothers."
"My brothers have already taken the flocks. I will join them soon enough, but…" Sivya glanced over her shoulder. "There were those who needed my help before I left."
Marik frowned at that, following her gaze. He had not noticed it at first because he had still been reeling from being slapped in the face by a tree, but he thought he could see two others at the edge of the clearing. He frowned, trying to pull them into focus. They were Enterran, a man and a woman, but beyond that he could not discern any other features.
"Well then, let's go," he said. He rose to his feet, pulling Sivya up with him. "There's a fire waiting back at Bakura's lair that I'm dying to go back to. Watch out at the top of the hill, there's a tree out for blood up there—"
"Marik."
Marik stopped so suddenly at the woman's voice that he staggered, nearly falling over.
The world seemed to stop. He almost forgot to breathe until the protests his body made forced him to draw breath; it came as a ragged and harsh exhale. He felt the color drain from his face even as his eyes rounded to an impossible size.
It had been years since he had heard that voice. It was older now, certainly, but he could never forget it. This was the same voice that he had listened to for the half of his life—a voice he had never thought to hear again.
He whirled, his vision suddenly clearing as his gaze went back to the other two Enterrans. He took in the woman's appearance, registering blue eyes, tanned skin that was not as dark as her those of her countrymen, and a gleaming gold necklace that hung just above her collarbones.
Ishizu. That was his older sister, he thought numbly. He knew it was her. And if that was his beloved older sister…then that meant…
His eyes caught the movement of the man beside her and his frightened eyes locked onto a far too familiar face, the left half of the other man's face covered in scars; those scars were similar in appearance to the ones on Marik's own back, made in a gesture of solidarity and support.
Rishid.
His arms started rising and falling helplessly as his eyes darted back and forth between them. He wanted to hug them. He wanted to run. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted them—
He didn't know what to do.
"Marik." Rishid had spoken, and his voice was just as gentle and kind as it had been in the past.
So many years had passed between them, so much time had been lost—and it had all been his fault. It had been because he had been so selfish that his siblings had suffered. What could he even say to them? "Sorry" just wasn't enough, not in his mind.
He didn't know what to do.
Ishizu stepped forward silently, her arms lifting and spreading out in a welcoming gesture. Her facial expression was that same picture of serene dignity that he remembered from his childhood, but her eyes were suddenly far too bright. "Marik," she said again. Her voice shook.
A sound close to a sob tore from his throat, and then Marik was practically flying across the clearing. He did not stop moving, almost barreling into his older sister as his arms wrapped around her tightly. He buried his face in her shoulder just as a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around the two of them. Marik's legs buckled and the three of them sank as one to the ground.
He wasn't in the forest clearing now. He wasn't a member of a band of thieves. He was a child again, and in the darkness of the catacombs and surrounded by the scent of incense and sand. He burrowed into his siblings arms, already beginning to cry.
Someone was speaking, their voiced pitched and near hysterical. It took Marik a moment to realize it was his own sobbing voice, alternating between Enterran and English: "I'm sorry, it was all my fault! I'm sorry, so sorry…"
But almost in unison his older siblings were gently shushing him, their voices just as choked with emotion as Marik's was. He gave up trying to speak and burrowed into the first embrace he'd had with his siblings in years.
There was so much to make up for, so much to be said and so many things to explain to one another, but that would come. There would be time for such conversations, but not in this moment.
The only thing he could process was that his family had been returned to him. For Marik, that was enough for now.