Chapter CXLII: Yugi

"Who did you go to find?" Jaden demanded, turning to Yugi with burning eyes. "You said you had to go find someone and then Yusei came back with scratches. Leviathan abandoned fishing because he saw something strange and came to see what was going on."

"Yeah, well, for all I know he might have been referencing your face because it's hideous," Yugi said defiantly, wrapping his tail around his paws. Atem paused in the water, laughing, and looked over with a startled expression. Yugi raised his head, grinning, and snickered when Yusei snorted and Leviathan chuckled. Only Jaden didn't look amused, which Yugi noted with a smirk. "It doesn't matter. You'll find out later what I was talking about."

Atem turned back to fishing, snatching large mouthfuls and ignoring all of them. Yusei continued snickering, laughing harder when Jaden turned on him with a snarl. Leviathan hummed as he turned away, smirking wider, and looked at Atem.

"I know what I saw, but I guess I won't say anything just yet seeing as Yusei isn't speaking up yet, either."

Atem turned to him, a fish sliding down his throat. "Respectable," he growled. "I would hate to sharpen my claws on your flesh, Leviathan."

"Oh? Do you truly think yourself so capable in that state?"

He growled softly. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. But do you really want to see if my abilities kick in and I gut you instead?"

Leviathan chuckled but made no move to speak further. Yugi glanced between the three of them. Jaden was scowling at him, eyes narrowing with annoyed suspicion. Yusei was grinning where he stood a few feet away, dropping into a stretch with a long yawn. All of them were perfectly content to sit there and pretend nothing had happened if it meant they weren't at the end of Atem's abilities. The thought made Yugi grin as he turned back, almost shaking with pleasure at the realization. They were right to fear him. Atem would have gutted them the moment they got too close anyways.

But another small part of him wondered at the fear they were struck with just upon exposure to him. It was almost amazing. He hated the rumors surrounding the God Dragon, the constant fear just his name invoked, and yet he was grateful for it other times.

Yugi looked over again. Atem had gobbled another mouthful of fish, and his scales looked shinier, but it was only the water. He didn't have to be told to know Atem had not left the den in the time that he'd been sleeping. He looked as if he hadn't slept properly or eaten in so long that every bone in his body was visible beneath his pale scales. He looked so unhealthy it was almost as if he had a layer of dirt caked into his scales.

Yugi wished he would have gone to sleep sooner. But Amun hadn't been able to draw him to Paradise until that moment. It was horrifying seeing the damage done, but there was no reversing it. Yami didn't have his memories and even then, it wasn't a battle wound. Yugi wasn't sure Yami could heal malnourishment or illness.

He had given Yubel her sight back, but that had been from scarring. That was still outward damage…

"Yugi?"

He whipped around. Yusei was staring at him with wide eyes. "What?"

Yusei opened and closed his mouth, then mumbled, "Did I actually see what I thought I did?"

Yugi considered him a moment. "Maybe don't talk about it until we get a better idea of what's going on," he answered finally, turning back. Atem had clearly heard them, but he was pretending to be preoccupied with a fish. Yugi watched him intently, wondering what ramifications there would be for his insistence on giving Yami a second chance at life. Would anyone get hurt? Would it would turn disastrous? How much of this truly impacted Atem? What if his lifespan hadn't been long to begin with and he'd severed it even more?

Had he condemned him to an early grave?

"I guess that makes the most sense," Yusei grunted, though he sounded more disappointed than Yugi was expecting. The Gandora glanced over his shoulder toward him, bewildered, but the Ice Dragon didn't speak. He had turned away from him at some point, facing Jaden and Leviathan instead. "We don't have any real details yet, so we should wait until we do."

"There's no reason to expect anything else of the situation," Atem added, and Yugi looked over curiously. The Sky Dragon seemed to have eaten his fill, because he'd come onto the bank when he hadn't been paying attention. Atem dripped water, shook himself so that he splashed Yugi from beak to tail as he huffed, and padded forward a few more steps to lay beside him. "Until there's more information, there's nothing to be offered or gained."

Jaden had an unsurprisingly suspicious glint in his darkened eyes. "And there is no chance you would just say who it is you went to check on?"

"No," Yugi snapped, even as Atem snorted, "No, Jaden."

Yusei snickered. Leviathan shook his head and smirked. Jaden scowled, but the expression softened after a few moments when he turned back to the other two deities. Yugi would have assumed it was because he was no longer looking at him or Atem, but realized it was far from the case. His eyes had softened before he'd completely faced them. He wondered if it was because he'd worried about Atem's decline as much as Yusei had.

Yugi and Atem swapped looks, though he wondered if Atem was thinking along the same lines as he was. After a moment he exhaled slowly and looked over his shoulder. He opened his mouth to speak, but Jaden cut him off before he could.

"Fine. I'll give you a week at the very most. I hope you have your stories straight and your lies formed by then." Jaden narrowed his eyes, and Yugi wondered at the glint in them. Did he suspect what they'd done already? Did he sense Yami somehow? "Atem, I suspect you'll be healed and up to fighting speed again by then."

Atem nodded slowly. "Are we expected to go to blows?"

"If what I suspect happened—as impossible as it seems—then we might," he answered coldly. "But I suppose that will be determined then."

Yugi barely suppressed his bristle, scowling. Who did Jaden think he was to threaten him? He'd rip his head off before he could blink.

"Must we declare war again so quickly?"

"Do you imagine we'll go to blows like that?"

"Maybe. But I doubt it." Atem lashed his tail. "Or so I should hope."

Yami woke later in the night. Timaeus was still fast asleep beside him, chin stretched across his shoulders. His heart was steady and easy in his ears when Yami focused on it. He almost envied how light his dreams must have been, how simple and soft and easygoing they likely were. He wondered if his own parents had slept nearly as well, or if their dreams had been strained in some way or another. He curled his paws toward himself and thought for a moment to get up, but he didn't want to disturb Timaeus. He didn't want him to wake and think something was wrong, though he wasn't sure that would have been his first thought.

Maybe he'd just ask if Atem and Yugi were okay if he realized he was getting up. It wouldn't have been too hard to assume that if he was leaving his side, it was for his parents.

Yami stared at the entrance of the den and wondered yet again. Did the God Dragons realize he was there? Had any of them sensed he was alive again? Had they noticed the change in the air as his memories had come back? He remembered them being alerted to the fact when he'd touched his final powers those few times—when he'd dreamed of Amun, right before Jaden had come to the village, and then when he'd tried again before Atem and Dimitri had fought, and especially when he'd come to kill him at the cliffs. They'd sensed it when Yugi had woken from dormancy. When his powers had come to surface, they'd felt it; they'd sensed it, they'd understood it.

Yusei had been there when he'd panicked and fled the den, lunging at Yugi and then turning on him at the last moment. Leviathan had seen him when he'd taken off flying for the cliffs. Jaden had not seen him, but he had a feeling he sensed him all the same. He would have been stupid not to. It was impossible to know what he planned to do, however, but Yami didn't suppose it mattered just yet what he wanted to do with him.

If he had an idea of his continued existence, he would come for him eventually.

It would happen. It was just a matter of time.

He wondered if Atem and Yugi had an idea of some kind what might happen. He wondered if they planned to go to war again should Jaden push. It didn't make sense to assume otherwise, but he had to wonder all the same. Atem wouldn't have let Jaden lay a paw on him before so he doubted he would now—especially when he'd just brought him back.

But…if Amun was truthful, Jaden could not strike him down. He had no choice but to agree to allow Atem to do it. Atem had given him half his lifespan, was tied to him as completely as he was Yugi. It was only if Atem died that they both would go with him. Otherwise, striking down Yami…meant nothing if it wasn't Atem to do it.

He almost chuckled. Atem would never allow Jaden to lay a claw on him.

He'd declare war—if he got the chance. Yugi would likely go for Jaden first if he got the chance.

Yami lowered his chin to the ground again. He'd wait until morning. Atem and Yugi would both need rest before he went to speak to them again. He needed to give Atem time to sleep and regain some of his strength before he woke him and asked things of him. And he knew Yugi would appreciate the gesture as well, if only because it meant Atem got some rest instead of being immediately run down again. Of course…

Yami could give them more time to rest and recover before he bothered them.

But…how long would Jaden hold off? How long before he came after him?

He closed his eyes. He'd think more on it in the morning.

Atem cracked an eye. "Are you planning to sneak out and check on Yami without me?"

Yugi froze from his spot at the den entrance and whipped around. "Of course not!" he blurted, laughing. "I was just stretching my legs."

"Oh, right. How ever could I imagine you might abandon me to check on our son?" he scoffed, smirking, and closed his eyes again. "Give me a minute and I'll go with you."

"I really wasn't going to check on him without you," the Gandora murmured, voice sounding surprisingly tense. Atem opened his eyes to stare at him and found Yugi looking sheepishly at his paws. "I was just going to go catch something to eat and bring it back. I figured you were still really tired and I'm starving."

He grimaced. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"No, you're perfect," Yugi blurted. "I just… I didn't realize you were awake or I would have said something."

"I shouldn't have accused you—"

"You were teasing. I know that. I didn't take it personally." Yugi lifted his eyes finally, grinning. The Claim made Atem's chest warm with approval once more. He searched his face, eyes brilliant like gems, and flexed his claws. "I just didn't think you'd be awake or else I would have said I was leaving to do that. I hadn't really thought about you waking before I got back with food."

Atem tilted his head. "It's okay," he said finally, blinking. "It doesn't matter. I woke before expected and startled you. It's fine. I wasn't upset. If I were you, I would have thought to run off and see about my Divine son before I would anything else."

Yugi considered him a moment, expression softening. "No, you wouldn't have," he laughed, smiling wider. The Claim buzzed with amusement and the faintest hint of sorrow, a shadow of regret hidden beneath it. "You would never have left me to check on him. You're just worried because you didn't know before. You had no idea Yami was still alive and there's never truly been a chance for you to sit and process it. After everything that happened, and with how everything piled up so high one after the other…"

He opened his mouth, but Yugi continued over him.

"I'm not mad. Like I said before, I knew what I was doing. I chose to do it." He paused a moment. "But it's okay. It always was. I hated that Yami was right when he said it—that I'd choose you over him—but he was right. I did. I always will. And… He's not hiding from us any longer, so there's no reason for us to even worry anymore. When you're better healed and he's gotten more time to acclimate to being alive again, we'll go see him together, okay?"

Atem blinked, for a moment wanting to argue—he hadn't truly meant to bring up the past; he hadn't even meant to hint at it. But the words died in his throat. He studied the Gandora a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Okay."

Yugi jumped down from the ledge to come forward and lick his forehead, rubbing muzzles with him, and said, "I'll be right back, okay?" before turning to trot away again.

"Are you planning to visit them today then?"

Yami looked over his shoulder at him in surprise. Timaeus searched his face, curious, as the hatchling seemed to struggle for words. For a long minute the Divine shook his head slowly. "No," he answered softly, "I was thinking about it, but… Atem needs rest. And Yugi should focus on him before he does me. He should take care of him before he does anything else."

"I'll agree with that," Timaeus commented, smirking. "Besides, I doubt either of them are too worried about you. You're with me and I'm amazing."

Yami laughed and glared playfully. "Oh? You are, are you?"

"Don't act like you don't know."

Yami snickered, growling and flexing his claws. Timaeus snorted when he wiggled and pounced at him. He swatted him gently away, throwing him sideways and to the ground. Yami rolled onto his back and peered up at him for a long moment. They watched each other intently, until finally Timaeus had to ask, "What?"

Yami was quiet for a few heartbeats before rolling to his paws. "I just… Do you think Atem was angry when he realized Yugi was unresponsive because of me?"

Timaeus burst out laughing. "I don't think Atem cared," he snickered. "He was told he'd get his mate and son back. I don't think he cared at all that it cost him anything. And as for being mad it had to do with you? Why should it matter? He may have been angry with you, but he did always love you even if he struggled sometimes to show it."

Yami grimaced. "I didn't make it easy for him." He paused. "I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd been upset that Yugi was even suggesting he bargain for my life. I… I made his life so hard sometimes."

"That's what every child does for their parent," Timaeus chuckled. "Critias made things hard at times, and Hermos was a nightmare before he left the den. Ishizu was always cold but she finally began to recognize how much she'd shut us out before leaving. And Mahado was so afraid of everything it was sometimes exasperating. If Critias and Hermos hadn't bonded so well upon hatching, Hermos likely would have been just as afraid and cautious as Mahado."

"None of them faked their death or nearly got you or Kris killed. And I doubt any of their lies were as damaging as mine." Yami gave him an awkward, flustered look, and Timaeus was reminded of just how young he truly was. He'd be three in a few days, and it was abruptly all too clear how he'd been dreading the end so much he didn't know now what to do with the idea of a life being presented him. When he ducked his head and exhaled slowly, Timaeus noticed the slight tremor in his paws, the way he'd so pointedly tried to hold himself together and was now struggling. "Between all the heartache and the remorse and the guilt… I don't know. I guess I just assumed he'd be angry. I was the root of much of his suffering."

Timaeus snorted before he could help himself. Yami startled and looked at him with huge eyes. "Atem's suffering stems from being forced out of the nest prematurely. You may have caused a few things to go downhill when you hatched, but nothing so dire as suffering. You weren't expecting Dimitri when he struck Yugi down and you went with him to retrieve him, even if in the end Yugi wound up forging his own path out. You can't truly expect that even if you hadn't been born or hesitated that everything would have been so much easier? Even you said when Jaden died Yugi would have become active. And even if Yugi hadn't been his mate, Atem would have still laid your egg—likely forced and bound to that Uria that challenged him before. I don't think in the long run a lot of your choices made the ripple effect you think they did. Honestly? I think Yugi caused the biggest interferences and brought about the largest changes."

Yami opened his mouth, but clicked his teeth after a moment when he seemed to fail to find the words. The hatchling tilted his head and seemed to consider his words for a long minute.

Timaeus watched him curiously. "Is that not what you said?"

"It is. I just…" Yami blinked and laughed after a moment. "I always kind of wondered why Atem never followed Yugi to find out why he was disappearing so often. I guess I figured it was just depression because I'd died and he didn't know how or why, but I think… I think Yugi did that, too. I think he influenced so much that I'll be finding the newest threads for a long time."

He snorted. "And are we surprised?" he snickered. "Yugi is an abnormal little goof of a Gandora. I don't know how he wound up as sweet as he is but he's definitely something. If he could flip his entire nature just to be able to court Atem, I can't see why his abilities couldn't influence him enough to get around it."

Yami laughed softly. "I just never considered it before. Atem never even thought about following him."

"Well, surprise, surprise," he teased, "maybe Yugi had a lot more control of the situation than any of us expected."

Yami fell silent, then flicked his tail and flexed his claws. "He saw that entire thing in the water…" He blinked. "He had to have. He had to have seen Amun and my death and known how to find him because of it. He must have. Because when I died… His memories should have come back immediately, but he shouldn't have been able to make it to Amun before the Red Meadow fell."

Timaeus nodded slowly. He just remembered being led along by the little hatchling Atem had been so long ago. The phantom had come immediately, chirped, and led him along back to Paradise. The closer he'd gotten, the harder it had been to even consider that Yami wasn't with him or what might happen to Atem and Yugi. The only reason he'd even understood something was wrong was that Yugi had come crashing through Paradise himself, calling for Amun in the most furious tone he'd ever heard.

"Did you see all of it?" Yami asked quietly. "Everything that they said?"

Timaeus hesitated for a moment. "The majority of it. But a portion of it was them in a…kind of stasis. They didn't do much but speak initially, and then Amun said no deal could be struck until Atem fell asleep." He ignored the urge to turn away. Yami looked so curious, so intent. "Yugi was basically losing his mind the longer he waited for Atem to fall asleep. I think it was anxiety for him being so distraught he could only fall asleep when he collapsed from exhaustion rather than worry about the deal itself."

Yami nodded. "I'm not surprised."

"The fact Atem only dozed for eight days and finally fell unconscious after that was almost impressive," he snickered, a wave of exhaustion coming through him. "It seemed almost like he would never sleep again. And Yugi was so anxious he started digging and pacing like a maniac for a little while. But Amun never so much as said a word the entire time. If he wasn't spoken to, he laid there curled up sleeping for the most part. It was obviously a test of will for Yugi. If he broke, there wasn't a chance he'd be able to bring you back, no matter what he had to offer. So he was driven mad by all the inaction."

Yami fell silent for a long minute. He wrapped his tail around his paws. "I don't know where I went. Amun called it the in-between, where souls go before they're reincarnated. But he kept me there and all I could do was wander endlessly. There was no beginning or end and the ground beneath my paws was like a trail of ash, with this strange trickling sound like there was water somewhere ahead that I could never reach. It was like an endless vale of shadows… Just…infinite and without a single change no matter where I went…"

Timaeus hummed. "Amun said something like that."

Yami blinked slowly again, closing his eyes after a moment. "It was hard sometimes to even keep moving. But something told me if I didn't keep moving things were going to get worse…" He tilted his head. "When Amun gave me my memories he said it's meant to be an endless cycle so that the soul in question sheds their attachments to who they are and those they used to love. Their memories fade until their own identities are stripped and then they disappear to be reincarnated when they give up."

He flicked his tail. "Well, I guess I'm glad you didn't give up then, huh?"

"It seems lucky enough I didn't."

Yusei hesitated as he padded forward. "Jaden," he pleaded, "don't pick a fight, okay?"

The Fire Dragon ignored him, rushing forward when he heard Atem's voice. The God Dragon seemed to be speaking to Yugi, because his voice sounded deeper and richer than he usually regarded anyone else. He threw himself over the incline of the hill and watched as the two of them whipped around to give him surprised glances.

Atem snorted, recovering immediately. "Has it been seven days?"

"I held to my end of the agreement," he growled, stopping a few feet away when Yugi lunged and snapped his teeth. Jaden wondered how much more time Atem would need to be at his peak again if Yugi was so worried now he was even baring his teeth. Usually he got standoffish without provocation but never so far as to lunge. He eyed him a moment before turning to Atem. "Did you both practice your lies enough to tell them now?"

Atem peered back unwaveringly. "I had no intention of lying."

"Really? Because every other statement regarding your son has been one."

Yugi bristled uneasily. "That was different. The circumstances—"

"Yugi," Jaden cut in, snarling, "I'm talking to Atem."

The other God Dragon held a paw up to bar Yugi when the Gandora took a step forward with an indignant snarl. He never looked away from Jaden as he answered, "He's not wrong. We lied. But Yugi is right as well. The circumstances were different. Do you plan to kill him now as you would have when he was easier prey?"

Jaden flicked his tail. "Is there reason to?"

"Not so far as I know, but you tell me."

Yugi shifted his weight and plopped down, teeth bared in a menacing snarl though he made no noise. Atem glanced at him sideways and smirked before turning back. Jaden watched them both for a long minute before his eyes flickered to Yugi and back slowly once more. Yusei had gotten to his side, drifting a little closer, and Yugi whipped his angry stare toward him, making Yusei snicker as he took a seat and turned to Atem as well.

"Is his life not granted until he proves it should no longer exist?"

Jaden tilted his head and considered him intently. Dimitri was dead. If Yami had come back, there had to be a reason, right? Did it mean an omen of some kind or was it meant to be celebrated? He risked a glance at Yugi who had scooted close enough he was pressed into Atem's side. He wondered if it was because he was trying to protect him or if he was scared of Atem moving away.

"The Divine have no place here."

Yugi opened his mouth to no doubt spit at him, just as Atem growled softly, going to answer, but another voice muttered, "You're right. The Divine have no place among the living."

Jaden blinked and looked over. Yami came from behind Atem and stalked toward him. He saw Timaeus a few inches away from Atem's hip, studying him with curious eyes. Jaden raised his head when he looked Yami over. The hatchling seemed no different than he had when he'd fought Dimitri, but for his eyes were no longer without pupils. They were faint and looked blue rather than black but they were there all the same. They didn't move but for shrinking when he got closer, and Jaden noticed his wings flick when Yugi barked at him not to get any closer to the other deity.

Jaden looked between them slowly and considered Yami again. He sensed Leviathan approaching from a few feet behind Yusei and wondered if the two of them had planned to bar him discovering the Divine or if he'd meant to investigate. Was there an omen he'd seen as a declaration of war?

Yami stood inches from him, small and slender but well-muscled and powerful. The Uria eyed him for a moment and Jaden noticed with interest that his gaze was a uniform gold again, as if he'd never had pupils to begin with. He wondered if it was a trick of the light for only a heartbeat before Yami continued.

"But I shared my heart with another, because their life was cut short without reason," he growled, peeling his lips back to show the ridges of his teeth. His voice had dropped almost to mimic Atem's when he harnessed his abilities, and the rumble in his timbre made Jaden bristle in surprise. "I may not fight for my own, but I will fight for his."

Timaeus grunted, while Atem considered his son with cool eyes. Yusei and Leviathan shared glances that Jaden couldn't quite read from his position.

"Is self loathing hereditary?" Yugi grumbled, breaking the silence with an annoyed growl. "By Paradise."

Yusei burst into laughter, shaking his head. Yami flicked his tail as Atem snorted and Timaeus grinned and looked away.

"You're right, Jaden. Dimitri and I weren't allowed our lives. We were so powerful the world might have buckled beneath us." Yami considered him, eyes sharp and glittering. "I'm still not meant to exist now. And I won't pretend I don't know what it cost to bring me back. And if you think for even a moment I'll let you spit on what my parents sacrificed or let you take the life of a dragon I cared enough to share my heart with? You're far dumber than I was ever warned."

Jaden cast a sideways glance towards Timaeus. The teal male was statuesque, eyes sharp and glittering. He bristled faintly when he noticed Jaden looking at him, but didn't speak, and when he looked toward Atem and Yugi, the Gandora was the only one who looked as if he might pounce. Atem had even turned away, eyes half-closed and locked on the glittering surface of the river.

"What did it cost?" Yusei asked quietly, bristling uncertainly.

"Half of my lifespan," Atem answered easily, turning back toward them and tilting his head. "And Yugi's abilities."

Yusei shivered. "I thought you seemed different."

"I wasn't supposed to be active unless or until Jaden died," Yugi said with a small frown. He considered Yusei with his head tilted. "I didn't see a reason I shouldn't offer them up, especially when it's unnecessary for me to come out of dormancy. Jaden is still here, you and Leviathan are still here, and Atem definitely isn't going anywhere. So offering them up seemed simple enough."

"What does that mean for you?"

Atem leveled him with a glittering, cold gaze. Jaden thought of ice reflecting sunlight and bristled faintly as they considered each other. "It means nothing. He is tied to me and his lifespan is equal to mine. As are Timaeus and Yami." He flexed his claws. "You are aware that if you should raise a paw toward any of them, I will eat you alive."

Yusei bristled and shifted his weight and Leviathan chuckled.

"Yami is mine. Timaeus is my best friend. Yugi is mine." Atem tilted his head and Jaden blinked as he considered. "I didn't stop it the first time, but I'll prevent it a second."

Jaden looked at Yami for a long moment. "I have no intention of harming you." His eyes shot to Atem again. "But I should expect you to hold true to your word."

"I gave Yami life a second time. I will grant him death."

"Even when it means Timaeus dies."

"Yes."

Jaden nodded and turned back. Yami had lost his snarl, staring at him suspiciously and curiously, head slightly tilted as he considered. The Uria bristled uneasily but did not attempt to argue, blinking in surprise when Jaden didn't speak immediately.

"I expect you to live your life to its best."

Yugi was staring at him as if he had a second head. Yusei had stiffened in surprise, Timaeus was staring in shock, Leviathan looked unconcerned, and Atem was watching Yami as if he expected him to react negatively. But Yami hadn't moved beyond blinking again, staring as if he didn't believe a single word he'd said.

"You'll be required to join gatherings Atem is summoned to."

Yami nodded slightly, even as Yugi hissed, "Summoned to, my dung."

Atem snorted and lightly swatted him with a wing, shushing him.

"I wish to see you when those situations arise," Jaden continued, narrowing his eyes and watching his face. Yami was staring at him in open bewilderment, the suspicion clear in his eyes. "You're stronger than the four of us. You'll prove useful should something happen."

"Three of you," Yami muttered.

"Hmm?"

"Three," the Uria stated a little louder. "I am stronger than three of you."

Jaden considered him a moment longer before looking at Yugi. "Tell me. Should I die, will you come out of dormancy again?"

Yugi tilted his head. "I doubt it. I don't think my abilities were just…forced away. I think they were essentially stripped." He glanced at Atem sideways. "But I don't suppose they're necessary anyways. Atem is more than capable of fixing things should they come to a head."

"That survival instinct of yours… Is it infinite?"

Atem flicked his tail. "I don't know. Does it matter?"

"No." He shook himself out. "I was just curious…in the long run…"

"Hmm?"

"Which of your abilities was stronger?"

Atem was silent for a long moment. "Yugi's was likely stronger," he said finally, and Jaden noticed Yusei and Leviathan immediately turn to him with huge eyes. Yami blinked and looked over as well, head tilted. Atem flexed his claws, voice low and tired. "A survival instinct is only going to work as long as you have the will to live."