All right! I'm back haha Updates might drop to once a week for a little while. Lots of new things going on for the new year so my time is being split between multiple projects. I'm not sure that Saturdays will be my update day, but that's how it happened today.

Hoping everyone had a good couple of holidays!

Chapter CXXVIII: Electricity

Another flash of lightning blinded the clearing. Atem ignored it, though it crackled so close to his body it sent a wave of tremors through his limbs. The dragon before him writhed, still screaming. It dug its face into the dirt, struggling and rolling about in a fit. Atem aimed his tail and swung just as he descended upon the bleeding, screeching form. It was only as his claws sank into flesh, a quill shattered beneath his weight, and his opponent screamed, "I'll kill you, I'll rip you to pieces!" that something like recognition crashed through him. A nagging feeling had come the moment he'd seen the glint of lightning against the jewels, but it had not been enough to stop him. But a blinding flash of blue-violet, pupils cracked into thin horizontal lines and burning into his, made Atem falter.

He had already clamped his jaws into his throat by the time the screaming had started in his ears. Warnings went through his entire body, limbs hardening beneath the flare of his nerves. Everything in him said to move away, to flee. But the voice—ringing with panic, hatred, and anger—made his head spin. The shock of ice that crashed through him made him stop short. His limbs tightened with mounting horror. His grip loosened immediately. His tail slammed into the dirt just a sliver from the hybrid's throat. He would have decapitated him had he not faltered.

Atem couldn't move for a single second. And then he jerked, jaws soaked in blood that tasted too metallic and chilling against his tongue. Atem struggled to back away, entire body shaking. H-how had he…?

"Atem."

His head snapped around just as someone rushed forward. He bristled, backing up, and risked a glance at the fallen creature further into the clearing. The dragon lay on his side, panting and snarling. The gems lining his body gave a faint but brilliant glow. Foam dribbled from his jaws, blood flecking the pool of saliva, and Atem stiffened. His limbs shook as his head snapped back toward the newcomer.

Why were there…?

The newcomer stepped forward. A flash of lightning struck next to them, but they didn't even blink. Their brilliant blue-violet eyes settled on their mirror image. Bristling, they looked to Atem again immediately. "I'm right here. I'm okay." He flicked his tail and looked back to the form in the dirt yards away. "I'm okay, Atem."

His eyes shot back and forth between them. Had he…always been fighting Yugi?

Atem couldn't recall for a single second. His head spun as he considered the two of them. No… No; he'd been fighting someone else. He'd been fighting…Seto, Timaeus, a Serpent Night, Kisara even. But not…

His head snapped back. Why did they look like Yugi?

Why…?

He blinked and turned back when Yugi stepped closer. He scrambled a step back, snarling. He'd been prepared to decapitate him a moment ago—and maybe it wasn't truly Yugi, but they wore his face and they spoke with his voice. And if he was willing to kill someone who looked so similar, how could he trust himself now with Yugi so close like this?

His mate froze after a moment. Hurt flickered across his eyes, though it was rapidly replaced with understanding. Atem couldn't tell what he thought he understood and for a single second he wished he had Yami's abilities. He wished he could have known what Yugi was thinking in that brief moment.

He saw movement in his peripheral. He turned his head, blinking, and bristled in alarm. The other Yugi had gotten to their paws, bleeding and swaying. Pus and blood oozed from the rotting flesh lining their jaw and throat. The poison had done its damage and the stench that wafted forward made Atem flinch.

"So, it's true then." The other Gandora shook himself out, voice lowered with growing ferocity. He stumbled forward, snarling and salivating heavily. "Sky Dragons truly are ruled by their mates. You couldn't even finish the kill blow."

Atem barely had a moment to think. Yugi stood rigid to his left, and Atem understood that the creature approaching him merely wore the same face. But it didn't stop the confusion that swept through him. And it didn't stop the quaking in his limbs. He couldn't think straight as he eyed them both, the icy sensation sweeping through him once more. It wasn't Yugi.

It wasn't.

He knew that, but…

He hadn't cared before. He hadn't even stopped to think. He'd wanted to sever the Gandora's head. He'd thought only to do that when he'd gone running. And he had not recognized him at first. He had not even recognized Yugi was the one he'd been striking out against.

The Gandora headed toward him struck at his face. The quills fell in a bloodied mess of muscle and rotting stench. Pus and blood dripped in hideous rivulets. He struck the other three from his flesh and shook himself out again. Atem could see to the bone along his throat where one had dug into the flesh along the back. His jaw looked as if it were barely hanging in place, though the bone glinted like ice as the heavens writhed and flashed overhead once more.

Thunder roared loud enough the earth seemed to shake. Atem stiffened, bristling, and wondered at the shaking in his limbs once more. It occurred to him only as the Gandora came to a stop before him that the urge was still there. This power he'd tapped into didn't care about Yugi in the slightest. In fact, all he saw was a set of two strangely identical hybrids with glittering blue-violet eyes. Now that they stood before him, statuesque and peering at him, Atem could only feel the urge to rip them both to pieces.

There was no affection to be found in the foreign strength that surged through him.

There was only the urge to kill them both, to protect himself.

Atem took a shuddering step back. Yugi immediately looked over. His copycat smirked and turned to him with glittering eyes.

"Had I known it would have been so simple, I would have merely used this lovely carcass to rip you to pieces instead." His voice dripped with malice and Atem could hear the blood bubbling and gargling in his throat. His windpipe whistled with each breath and Atem wondered at the furious glint in his eyes. It was so strange to see on such a familiar face, so outlandish and irreconcilable in his mind's eye. "I'd heard rumors, but you… You're so goddamn detached to everything, I wouldn't have assumed you ruled by such instincts."

Atem backed up when he stepped forward. Yugi looked between them intently. The glint in his eye made Atem bristle with growing anxiety. He could see it, the rising determination that made his gaze brighten somehow further. The lightning that struck the ground near them was so brilliant it stunned even the God Dragon.

"Although, I suppose it just barely stopped you, didn't it?" he sneered. He stalked closer. Atem snarled softly but didn't move. Yugi was watching Dimitri with glittering eyes. "You would have tried to tear my head off if that lovely little lightning bolt hadn't struck at just the right moment. Isn't it amazing, Atem? Your own abilities ruined your chance to kill me."

When he sprang, Atem stiffened. Yugi surged forward, and the God Dragon barely had time to think. He shot between them, throwing his wing outward. Yugi yelped from the impact, rolling, and sprang to his paws immediately. Dimitri slammed into him. Atem snarled as they rolled a few feet back. He writhed, trying to shake him. Hooked claws dug into his flesh so firmly he couldn't shrug them off. He felt blood surging from his flesh. Muscle tore as they dug into his shoulders, ripping and shredding.

He kicked hard with his back paws and winded him for only a split second. Dimitri threw him backwards with a single shift of his weight. Atem struggled, flailing, and tried to kick him away again. They landed on their sides and he kicked his back legs, twisted his upper body up, shoved his wings into the dirt, and braced his hindquarters. He threw Dimitri off with the maneuver, stumbling to his paws and panting.

He'd almost gutted him. His underbelly burned with pain. His shoulders ached. His wings trembled from the impact with the ground. He panted and stared. The hybrid had changed shape again, standing before him with his original shape. The Lightning hybrid peered at him with burning eyes, laughing with raw anger, and Atem felt the cuts lining his forelimbs with such intensity it almost made him collapse. He risked a glance at Yugi in his peripheral.

The Gandora was frozen, staring at them both with a horrified expression. He seemed to realize he couldn't risk rushing into this fight, and the devastation his own Battle Form had caused Atem visibly shook him to his core. He wanted to tell him he was fine, that he would survive this as he had all the rest. But he'd never fought a Gandora before, and the title Dragon of Destruction seemed so terribly fitting for the beast he'd just struggled against.

Dimitri came forward after a moment. When he feinted, Atem arched his spine and braced himself. Laughing, his sibling sneered, "Do you plan to fight back? Or do I need to rip Yugi to pieces in front of you this time?"

Atem lashed his tail. Yugi snarled, arching his back, and slammed his tail into the dirt. He could barely hear the other three deities as they swapped curses and seemed to come forward. Atem ignored them, watching Dimitri as he feinted again. He laughed when Atem tensed, then turned to Yugi. His lips peeled back into the widest of smirks as he sprang forward. Atem almost expected him to take a different shape, but the hybrid simply hurtled for the Gandora. Yugi bristled, braced himself, and raced for him. Atem sprang forward at the same time as Dimitri abruptly changed direction.

The abrupt movement sent him straight for the Sky Dragon. Atem braced himself even as they slammed into each other. The blow sent him rolling backward. Blood dripped into his face as the hatchling slashed at him, venom leaking from his weeping wounds. Atem wondered for a split second at the fact that they had not healed. They rolled further along the plateau, his shape changing once more to that of the Gandora. His sides stung, his stomach pulsed with pain, and his blood tasted disgusting upon his tongues as he sputtered for air.

Atem was pinned with his wings to the ground, slammed into a neighboring pillar of stone. He snarled as Dimitri placed his back paw into his flank, claws ripping downward. Blood swelled outward and Atem could feel his flesh ripping beneath the hooked weapons. His head spun when Dimitri grabbed him by the jaw and slammed his skull into the rock. Atem spat but couldn't keep a grip with his own claws. There was too much blood and his skull had begun to throb. Anger made his body quake for a single second. Power surged through him, but his wings were fractured; he could feel them even as instinct said to shove off the ground.

Dimitri changed shape again, voice low and dripping as he hissed, "I'm going to rip you to pieces in front of Yugi."

Atem locked eyes with him. The surge of power and hatred which swept through him was blinding. He almost laughed, sneering, "Do it."

Dimitri opened his jaws to clamp into his throat. Atem braced himself, digging his claws in where he could, and angled one of his paws to kick at his stomach. But, just as he aimed to shove him back and potentially save himself, blinding pain surged through him. He screamed, and an echoing sound roared through the air before him. Every nerve burst into flame and Atem writhed, kicking and rolling against the ground. He didn't know what had happened to Dimitri, but he heard him screeching in pain as well. The God Dragon thrashed, flailing, and found himself mute as he hit the ground violently.

Atem couldn't see beyond the wave of white which crashed through him, the pain blinding and lighting his entire body.

Yugi surged forward, panicked, screaming his name. He couldn't have explained what had happened. Atem and Dimitri had been locked together. Atem had screamed just as Dimitri had. The hatchling had gone flying backwards. He'd hit the ground, writhing and screaming, in an exact mirror of Atem. They both flailed and kicked, but Atem had gone statuesque, whereas the hybrid stumbled for his paws.

Oh gods, oh gods, Atem…

He didn't make it to the God Dragon.

Dimitri snarled and lunged forward, then froze. Yugi couldn't move any closer, yards from the deity as he lay frozen there in the dirt. Blood oozed hideously from his wounds, and Yugi could see somehow that his back leg was kicking faintly at the dirt. It was almost as if he were trying to itch a scratch he couldn't reach.

Yugi pushed against the sudden weight on his limbs, struggling beneath it. He managed to throw himself an inch forward, but the effort proved immediately futile once more. It took him a moment to lift his eyes from Atem, to realize there was someone standing in front of him. Anger surged through him immediately upon seeing the newcomer, but he could not bring himself to move again.

"You?" Dimitri spat, and Yugi could see him struggling to stand. He'd been forced to his belly by the same oppressive weight that had blocked Yugi from reaching Atem. The hatchling panted for air and stumbled back a step rather than forward.

"Our time hasn't come," the newcomer sneered, stepping toward the Divine with glittering eyes. "So, I'll allow you to drag your broken body from my sight, Dimitri. But remember, I see in the dark."

Dimitri stiffened as if he'd been struck, then backed away with a snarl. Yugi fought against the force pressing on him, but it had not alleviated itself. The hybrid stared at the newcomer a moment longer, glanced at Atem, and then looked back.

"Do you think you can kill me?" he scoffed, though Yugi thought it reeked of false bravado. The hatchling laughed loudly and straightened, eyes wild and burning. A flash of lightning made his pupils shrink to mere pinpricks and Yugi didn't think he'd ever seen a crazier creature before in his life. "Do you truly think you could lay a claw on me, Yami?"

"You were always going to get Atem's form, one way or another. If it did not happen tonight, it would later." Yami didn't blink, and Yugi could see Atem stirring behind him. The God Dragon had shifted his weight. His back was arched, his tail drawn toward himself, and Yugi could see where his organs had spilled from the gaping wound in his underbelly, where Dimitri's claws had raked further along his flank in a downward strike. Yugi almost sobbed, unable to quell the shaking that came over him. "But you and I won't fight now. I won't kill you here. I'll kill you during the new moon, when the sky is at its darkest."

The Divine stared at him blankly for a moment. "Are you so afraid of me, Yami?"

"I suggest you learn to utilize my parents' forms, Dimitri." He turned away entirely, and Yugi was amazed by the show of arrogance. But he realized, startled, Dimitri looked terrified of Yami. The glint in his eyes had changed from wild to fearful, and abruptly the Divine turned tail. The Uria had turned to Atem, studying him.

Yugi realized only then that Atem was watching Yami. There was no hint of recognition to be found. The gem on his forehead had turned a blinding white, and his eyes seemed dead. There was no emotion, nor even a shadow across them. Yugi stiffened, fear racing through him.

Yugi, Yami's voice called in his head, I need you to stay there.

Like Purgatory I will, he thought defiantly, scoffing as he tried to push forward. The force pressing upon him doubled down and he slowly found his body seizing as if with tension. It took a long moment before he realized something was pressing upon his spine, forcing him downward to his belly. He fought it for a while longer, but the sensation only tripled, then slowly grew tenfold. Finally the strain made his legs shake and he could no longer hold himself in place. He fell to his belly an agonizing minute later, panting, and lay his chin on the ground in as submissive a gesture as he could manage around his mounting anger.

"Timaeus." Yugi could hear the Wind Dragon moving to his side slowly. He bristled despite himself, though the pressure had lessened considerably along his spine. He could have gotten up and rushed forward if he were to try, but he realized he didn't know what would happen after. Would Atem lash out? Would Yami? He didn't know what entirely the Divine Dragon was capable of, though he remembered slight whispers of it almost instinctively… "Stand with Yugi. Keep him on his belly."

The Knight Dragon hesitated beside him for a moment. His eyes flickered across Yugi's and the Gandora scoffed, opening his mouth to snap at him to leave him alone, and then Yugi sputtered for air. Timaeus had whipped around and planted himself upon his back, sitting with all of his weight focused on his hindquarters. Yugi snarled with what little air he could draw into his lungs a second later, scowling at him.

There was a sickening sputtering and crunch.

He and Timaeus both looked over. Yami was held off his front paws with his neck craned backwards as if to snap. Atem had surged forward, teeth clamped into the Divine's throat. Yami was motionless, held there with his forelimbs limp in the air. His mouth was half-opened, eyes glazed with pain. Blood dripped from the hideous wound Atem had inflicted in his throat, dripping to the ground with a sound to mirror a rushing river crashing against the banks.

Timaeus shifted his weight upon Yugi's back, and the Gandora remembered with a horrified sensation that Yami's heart was in his chest. If Atem killed Yami there, Timaeus would drop with him.

But the God Dragon seemed abruptly to remember himself. He started to withdraw, but Yami's paw touched his shoulder as if to keep him place. A long moment passed, and then Atem dropped him. Yami hit the ground with a sickening thud, crumpling as if the life had been drawn from him entirely. But Timaeus was still firmly seated upon his shoulders and Yugi could see Yami breathing, even though the movements were weak and he could hear him gurgling with each exhale.

Abruptly the Knight Dragon left him, rushing forward. Yugi saw him go to Yami's side as Atem backed up a few steps and gave him more room. Timaeus lay next to the Divine for a few moments, but Yugi hurried to Atem's side. The God Dragon turned to him immediately, blinking, as Yugi brushed against him and leaned against his flank.

"Are you all right?" he demanded breathlessly.

Atem blinked, opening and closing his mouth, and then looked away toward Yami. The Divine Dragon had gotten to his paws, shaking himself out, and stood watching Atem with glittering eyes. Yugi looked between them, bristling faintly, and went to step between them, but the Uria merely laughed, "I guess I'm lucky Dimitri hurt your tail during that final fight before I got here. Otherwise you would have taken my head off."

Atem didn't answer for a moment, then hissed, "You said you'd be here earlier."

"I was…held up. I'm sorry, but it wouldn't have changed anything." There was something almost cold and distant in his tone, and Yugi wondered at the brief resentment and overwhelming bitterness which came through Atem's eyes. Yami spoke a little gentler when he said, "I'm sorry, Father. I wish I could have done more, but it was not time yet to step between the two of you. And I couldn't risk further aggravating the problems I've already caused."

Yugi looked between them, then huffed. "You couldn't even be bothered to show up when you were supposed to," he said slowly, quietly. He hadn't meant to say it, but it came all the same, tumbling from his mouth as he scowled at the Divine Dragon. "You want us to trust you, yet you can't be bothered to help Atem at all."

"Yugi," Atem hissed, voice lowered and icy, "don't."

"What? I'm not wrong," he spat, shaking with anger. He and Yami locked eyes and the Uria studied him with a slightly tilted head. "I'm not. You said you'd be here when the moon was at its zenith. You told us all that. Then you failed to come before the fight could devolve into this chaos. And you expect me to just be happy that you helped heal Atem?"

Yami was silent for a long moment. "You're right. I messed up. But I still came, Yugi." He flicked his tail. "I still showed up. And I still helped Atem. Whether or not it was in time to prevent things already set in motion is another question, but that doesn't mean I didn't do what had to be done at the end of it."

Yugi opened his mouth, but Atem nudged him with his beak, snarling softly. The Gandora huffed and closed his mouth again, giving him a sullen glare that Atem ignored as he turned back to his son.

"What happened?"

Yami stared at Yugi for a moment, then turned to Atem. "Your abilities kicked in. Your liver set itself off when he pressed against it when he was…disemboweling you." Yami looked as if he might vomit as he said the last two words. He turned away and Yugi watched him flex his claws anxiously. He exhaled slowly, shakily, and continued in the same quiet tone. "You have that electric liver—the same one that went off when Keith attacked you both times. Dimitri managed to hit it and you both were shocked for it."

Atem nodded slowly. "Okay."

Yami flicked his tail. "You'll feel it for a while," he said slowly, looking up again. "I couldn't heal the pain from the shock because it would have killed me if I tried to heal that much damage. But the wounds are closed at least."

Atem nodded again.

The Uria paused for a moment, then leaned forward. He moved closer to Atem, then purred and pressed into his other side. The hatchling rolled against his legs, pressing a paw into Atem's shoulder, and lay there wiggling. Atem snorted, eyes softening from the cold expression he'd worn moments before.

"Get up. You look ridiculous."

Yami hummed, rubbed against him more pointedly, and wiggled lazily. Atem smirked and licked his cheek, nuzzling him affectionately. Yugi fought the surge of jealousy that came through him, then shook himself out and took a seat. Yami finally got up a moment later, shaking himself out and stretching lazily.

"Thanks. I try." Yami looked over in the opposite direction. Yugi raised his head; he hadn't noticed the other three God Dragons had gotten so close. He sprang to his paws when Jaden refused to look away from Yami. The tension seemed to crackle between them and for the first time Yugi realized that the moon was shining again, that the clouds no longer lingered overhead and the roar of thunder was long gone. He glanced at Atem sideways and wondered if the others had realized the God Dragon had summoned them without even trying. "You realize that he'll use Atem's form the next time he comes hunting for one of the three of you, yes? I suggest none of you attempt to engage him."

Jaden stared at Yami with burning eyes, as if he wished for a split second to surge forward and sink his teeth into his flesh. After a moment he nodded and looked away. Yugi felt Atem brush against him faintly. "Right." Abruptly the Fire Dragon turned to Atem, snarling softly. "So, do you feel better now? You got to sink your teeth and claws into him. And you failed like the rest of us."

Atem stood statuesque.

"You made them all come here to witness this fight with your sibling—which you lost. You lost this fight, Atem. He almost killed you. He had you pinned by your throat and he was going to kill you if he hadn't accidentally touched your liver. Do you even understand how much danger you put all of them in? Any of them could have easily become his next targets—especially since your lovely son decided he couldn't be bothered to come when he assured us he would."

Atem was silent for a moment. Then he glanced over his shoulder toward the Clans gathered beneath the plateau. They were watching with rapt attention, staring at him with glittering eyes. Atem turned back and shook his head. "I don't regret it. They've seen now what he's capable of. They understand not to engage him, which is truly all we could ask of them at this point." He flicked his tail. "Had Dimitri not acquired Yugi's form, Jaden, I would have won."

Jaden scoffed, "Would you have? I feel like he was winning almost the entire time."

Atem tilted his head and went to snarl, but stopped short. He decided the fight would have to be waged another time, as he did not care to for the moment. His eyes shot to Yami, who was watching the crowd with glittering eyes. "It doesn't matter. They know what Dimitri is capable of as my sibling. Those who didn't believe he could change shape just witnessed it for themselves. Those who didn't want to get involved in his war got to witness why they should at least keep their claws and teeth sharpened. As far as I'm concerned, I did what I needed to in reminding them that there's a reason we are quarreling amongst ourselves."

"Oh?" Jaden scoffed. "Is he why we quarrel, Atem?"

"You fear Yami will turn into a copy of Dimitri. You wish to kill him for the sake of preventing another incident like Sartorius and Shadi, but you forget that I promised him I'll kill him myself should it become necessary. As far as I'm concerned, that means you're a waste of energy to argue with or even bare my teeth at." He flicked his tail. Jaden stared at him as if he wanted to cut his eyes out of his skull. "Yami is my son. I will kill him should he ever stray. You shall stay your paw until that should come to happen."

The Fire Dragon opened his mouth as if to argue, then abruptly turned to Yami instead. "Was this what you sought in refusing to argue with him on the matter of making such a public encounter with Dimitri?" he sneered. "You pretend to care so much about what happens and what damage Dimitri inflicts and yet you cannot bother to even care enough to do more than heal your father?"

"Dimitri and I shall fight on the new moon. I'll kill him then, and not a moment before." Yami turned to Atem, straightening and raising his chin. "My only regret is that I couldn't get here earlier, before you lost faith in yourself. And I wish I wouldn't have had to let you get hurt at all, but I realized what I overlooked before. And when he comes next, I'll face him myself."

Atem didn't answer, studying him and wondering. He turned to Yugi instead. "I'm tired," he said quietly, and was unsurprised when Yugi swung to face him immediately. The Gandora studied his face, licked his forehead, and murmured, "Then let's go home."