A mind splitting headache and an overall burning sensation taking over her entire body is enough for her to want to fall back into unconsciousness until she is fully healed. Her legs are partially submerged under water while the top half of her body lays on the ground. Her clothes are pasted to her body while blood pours out of her wounds and bruises accommodate them.

What just happened?

Her eyes are closed as she tries to remember. Quick flashes of the events that led her to this very predicament go through her head. That's right. She was doing the magician's trial and had made it to the other side. Then she went back to help a fellow sorcerer in need. At least, she thought he needed her help. Why would he do such a thing?

Slowly opening her eyes, she looks up the length of the chasm. She personally found out how long of a way down it was. And she can currently feel it as well.

She closes her eyes once more, breathing out a long, grainy exhale. Feeling too weak to assess her injuries, she can only assume it will take awhile for her to heal on her own. 'That would be fine…except I'm a sitting duck out here,' she thinks to herself. She goes to move her leg, only to flinch when she feels her skin tearing at the knee. Her body goes limp once more, not wanting to aggravate anymore of her wounds.

It begins to hit her that she did not complete the magician's trials and she feels a great deal of sadness. She waited years for her moment to finally shine and show what she could do, only for this to happen. If only she had kept going. No. Not helping isn't apart of her nature. She did the right thing.

Right?

Her eyes flutter open and she gasps sharply, seeing a blurry figure standing over her. She cannot make out most of their features, but from where she's laying, it appears to be a man with brown skin, wearing a dark grey knee length skirt. Her heart begins to pound knowing she is completely defenseless. What is she going to do?

What is he going to do?

Her eyes go up to the area around his face, noting his grey hair. She takes one hard blink in an effort to clear her vision to no avail. She is much too dazed to see who he is. But she doesn't know many people with grey hair that goes down in a spiky manner like that. Is her mind playing tricks on her or is that really who she thinks it is.

She sees his head whip over to the right, seemingly gazing off into the distance as if he hears someone. Then he suddenly dashes off, away from her sight.

"Wait…" she manages to say hoarsely.

"Mana!" she hears a voice belonging to Mahad call out to her seconds later.

He levitates down until his feet make contact with the ground before rushing to her side and kneeling down to her. "Are you alright?" he asks worriedly. He looks down to her wounds, seeing them beginning to heal on its own to his relief. "Thank goodness for your healing abilities."

Her eyes slowly go over to him. "Does this mean…I've failed…?"

"Mana, let's not worry about that alright?" he tells her. "Once you're fully healed we're heading back to the palace, understand?"

That's the last thing she wants to hear. Why couldn't he just tell her and take her out of her misery? Then again, he practically confirmed it. If she had passed, she's sure he would've told her right away. Groaning, she closes her eyes once more as he watches over her.

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Standing at her bedroom door, Atem takes a deep breath in before exhaling out. It's not everyday that he feels anxious, but this is a situation where he doesn't know what exactly he's walking into. It has been several days since the magicians' trials and Mana has barely left her room, even going as far as avoiding him altogether. Mahad had relayed to him everything that occurred and advised the prince to give her space. But how much space does a person need? And how longer must he wait for her to finally come around?

With his concern for her growing, he made the decision that now is the time to see her. Waiting until evening, he made his way over to her chambers, being absolutely sure to avoid the gaze of any servants and guards who might inquire as to what he's doing on that side of the palace. After all, his own chambers are on the opposite side of the large palace.

After taking a moment to gather himself, he knocks lightly on the door. At first there is no response on the other side, prompting him to knock again. The silence continues and he begins to wonder if she is even inside to begin with. He raises his balled up fist to knock one last time until the door slowly creaks open on its own.

Raising an eyebrow, he gently pushes the door more and peeks his head in to get a full view of her bedroom. His eyes scroll the entire width of the room, only being met with complete darkness and no indication that Mana has been in here recently. That is, until something else catches his eye.

In the corner of her room is a large open portal. Wanting to ensure that no one is watching, he leans back to check the hallways before entering her room and closing the door. He approaches the portal with caution, gazing into it. A familiar site of a grassy area and the river flowing alongside it is what appears in the portal.

It's no wonder he hasn't seen Mana out and about lately. He can only assume she has been exiting the palace through magical portals. After hesitating for a moment, he steps into the portal, being transported to an area along the Nile River. The moon shines brightly in the sky and there is a breeze cool enough for goosebumps to appear on his arms.

Being here isn't new for him. It's where he and Mana have frequently visited when avoiding their studies or wanting to get away. But the question is, where is she?

Elsewhere, a cry of frustration rings out as she drops to her knees and punches the ground. She has spent a massive amount of time out here with little to no progress and the repeated failures are starting to take its toll. It pains her that she was unable to complete the magicians' trials. And all because she decided to help someone who she thought was in need.

"I'm so tired of all the setbacks!" Mana yells out into the void. A pink aura sparks around her as her eyes begin to glow the same color and her hair begins to flutter from the energy emitting around her. From the moment her parents were killed to now, her life has been filled with ups and downs. She finds herself wondering why things can't go right for her the first time around. Will she always have to go through some sort of hardship in order to succeed and make it through to the other side?

"There you are," a familiar says from behind her.

Startled, she whips her head around, revealing her alarmed pink glowing eyes. But they soon return back to normal once she realizes who it is.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, standing up. She looks over his shoulder in search of how he was able to get there, but sees no signs of his horse anywhere. "How are you even here?"

"You just so happened to leave a portal in your room," he replies bluntly.

Mana slaps her forehead. "I left the portal open? Wait, you went to my room? This late?"

His cheeks turn red as he averts his gaze. "Never mind that. Where have you been?" He looks back in her direction. "You haven't been seen in several days. I was…beginning to grow concerned."

"Well you are pretty busy," she retorts wittily as she walks past him.

Atem side eyes her. "You aren't seriously putting the blame back on me, are you?" he questions. "Besides, my busy schedule has never stopped you from pulling me away from my important tasks before."

Mana chuckles and shakes her head. "Of course not. I'm just…" she sighs heavily before continuing. "…having a rough time."

"Are you ready to talk about it?"

They find themselves sitting on a patch of grass with their backs resting against the side of a tree. His reaction changes from worried, to shock to anger as she relays what happened to her. Ultimately, he finds relief in knowing that she is physically okay. But he can clearly see she is upset over how the trial went.

"The injured sorcerer that I helped ended up getting the spot," Mana continues to explain. "He actually refused at first because he felt guilty. Said if it weren't for me helping him, then he wouldn't have made it to the other side. But I insisted he take it. I technically didn't finish the trial, so fair is fair."

"When my father and I returned, Mahad gave us a brief explanation. Attacking one of his own was enough for my father to sentence the magician who was responsible to be detained," Atem tells her.

Mana hugs her knees, burying her face into her arms while letting out a groan. "It just isn't fair. I finally get the chance to try out and now I have to wait even longer," she whines before muttering. "I almost wish I hadn't helped that guy…"

"You did the right thing."

"Yeah and look where that got me." She pouts, resting her elbow on her knee and her head in her hand. "One of the magicians said our abilities are connected to how we feel. But I haven't been able to pinpoint that specific feeling that will activate my other powers at will."

Atem stays silent at first, thinking of ways to help her through this. With him not being a sorcerer, it's hard for him to relate to what she's specifically going through. But, in general, there have been obstacles he's had to overcome. Surely he can help her in some way. Looking up briefly, he then turns his gaze to her. "You've clearly got a hang on portals. What other tricks can you do?"

Mana taps her chin. "Well I was able to summon a protective barrier. I wasn't able to initially, but that guy needed my help and I was able to do it with no problem at all."

"To protect him…"

"Yeah that's right. Why?" she tilts her head, wondering where he's going with this.

"Why do you want to become a sorcerer of the royal palace?"

Mana crosses her arms and lowers her eyes. It hits her as to what conclusion her dear friend is coming to. Aside from a sense of belonging and purpose, she wants to become a sorcerer to help people. Unfolding her arms, she leans back a little more, placing her hands on the grass on either side of her. She gazes up at the moon, thinking of everything that occurred to her in her past.

"When my village was attacked, I remember being so scared…" she begins. "My parents…my people…all were being slaughtered and I couldn't do a thing. And I promised myself I will never let something like that happen again. I want to help people by using my abilities. And protect those who need it most. Because it's what I needed all those years ago." She balls up one of her fists, peeling the short strands of grass from its roots in the process after being overcome with emotion. It happened so long ago and yet, sometimes it feels like it happened only yesterday.

Feeling another hand on top of hers, she lets out a light gasp, subtly looking in Atem's direction. He doesn't return her gaze, only staring forward as he always does. She often wonders if he's dealing with his own emotions or feeling very empathetic, but perhaps unable to show them as he is training to be king of Egypt some day.

"Perhaps, if you remember why you became a sorcerer in the first place, you can continue to progress your skills and be able to use them at will," Atem says, gently squeezing her hand as he continues to avoid her gaze. "Don't give up, Mana."

"Yeah…you're right," Mana slowly nods. Turning her head to Atem, her lips curl up into a small smile, unbeknownst to him. He sure does have a way of making her feel better in his own odd way. "I have a question for you."

"And what's that?"

"You're a prince and I'm just some random villager that got lucky enough to stay in the palace. What drew you to me?"

He raises an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Ever since we first met, you've always looked out for me. Remember your birthday where you helped me get away from the guard?"

He looks up toward the moon. "Ah yes. We hardly talked before then," he replies. "To be honest, I was drawn to your spirit."

"My spirit?"

"You were so cheerful, so carefree…and radiated a positive energy," he explains. "And then…"

She tilts her head with curiosity. "And then…?"

"I saw your strength and perseverance despite what life threw your way."

"I couldn't have gotten through those tough moments without you. You never left my side and I truly thank you for that."

"When I lost my mother, I remember feeling by myself. My father did his best to console me, but in the end, I was told to remain strong. I'm not allowed to show any emotion due to who I am. So I was forced to deal with those feelings of grief on my own. And that is something no one should have to go through alone. Which is why I wanted to help you, even if I didn't know how to."

"Atem…" She rests her head on his shoulder to his surprise. "You'll never be alone with me by your side. If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here. You don't ever need to hide your emotions from me."

His eyes widen as he looks down at her. At first, he can only see the crown of her head until she senses his gaze and sits up straight to look him in the eyes. "Mana…"

Her reassuring smile makes his heart flutter and gives him a feeling of ease, all at the same time. No one has ever told him to show his vulnerable side. In fact, it's looked down upon. He is used to bottling things up and moving on as opposed to allowing himself to feel his emotions. But to have Mana by his side, assuring him that it's okay to show emotion, has caused a slight shift within him.

Seeing him gazing at her in such a soft and warm manner, Mana begins to poke at her cheek with her index finger as her face turns red. "Stop looking at me like that!" she scolds him. "You're making me blush!"

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," Atem says plainly.

"Stop it!" Mana grins sheepishly, pushing him away playfully. "Geez, you're so bold. You know we come from two different worlds right? If you and I ever got together, there's no way that would be accepted."

"You don't know that for sure."

She chuckles inwardly, resting her chin on her head and looking at him directly with a smile. "Oh yeah? What are you gonna do? Beg your father to pass a law for you to be with whoever you want?"

"I just might," he replies with a sportive smirk across his lips and they both share a laugh.

After spending some time together, they both stand up, preparing to go back to the palace. He lets Mana lead the way, smiling warmly as she ponders on how to get another portal open. But it isn't long until his smile fades, feeling something dark and sinister approaching. Stopping, he looks cautiously over his shoulder.

"I think I can come up with another portal to get us home," Mana jokes, unaware of any danger approaching.

"Make it quick," Atem replies rather sharply.

She turns around, taken aback by his tone. "You don't have to be so impatient." Raising her eyebrow, she notices his guard is up all of a sudden. His fists are clenched and his eyes are more narrowed as they dart from left to right. "Hey, something wrong?"

"Nevermind the portal. Run."

"Huh—Eeep!" Mana suddenly gets yanked by the wrist as Atem leads her away and they make a run for it. But the almost deafening sounds of the gallops only get closer and closer until the hooded figures are right on their tail and eventually surrounding them. Mana can feel her legs shaking on the verge of giving out at the sight of the mysterious figures who stare at them with glowing red eyes.

Several drops of sweat goes down Atem's face as he searches for a way out of the situation. His father will be so upset if he finds out his son is outside the palace walls. But that's the least of his concerns right now. Glancing over his shoulder, he can see the fear in Mana's eyes. He cannot let anything happen to her. As future king, it is his duty to protect and make the civilians feels safe.

She cannot let anything happen to him. As someone who wants to be a royal sorcerer, she has to protect the prince and future pharaoh. So why can't she move? In this moment, Atem is showing more bravery than her. What if her powers fail her again, just like at the magicians' trials? 'What do I do?' she thinks fearfully.

Atem extends his arm to the side, activating an object on his wrist.

"Whoa…" Mana says with fascination, never seeing one being used before. Practically everyone in the royal court has a diadhank, including Mahad. And it looks like Atem may have recently gotten one as well.

"Kuriboh, come on out!" Atem summons, raising his arm into the air. There is a light bright enough for Mana to shield her eyes as they all wait with anticipation as to what monster will appear. Emerging from a glowing ball, a small brown, furry creature emerges, chirping with happiness as it greets its master with a cheek nuzzle.

"Not now Kuriboh…" Atem mutters, trying to shove the creature off him.

Mana's face goes from blank to intrigued at the sight of the monster. Her eyes grow big and she clenches her fists with excitement. "It's so cute!" she squeals, much to Kuriboh's approval as it flies to her and nuzzles her as well.

Atem groans, slapping his forehead. "Focus…"

"I bet you pack a punch, don't you?" Mana encourages the small monster. The Kuriboh nods, letting out a cute chirp as it looks with determination at its foe. Unintimidated by its appearance, the hooded figures continue to slowly approach, causing Mana to grit her teeth anxiously. "Uh…Atem? What exactly can your monster do…?"

"Just get ready to run at the first opening," he whispers back.

"Eh…?" She tilts her head.

Several hooded figures charge at the Kuriboh and Atem narrows his eyes, preparing to make his escape. The first hooded figure's fist makes contact with Kuriboh, causing it to glow. Knowing what's about to occur, Atem wraps Mana in his arms protectively, shielding them from the explosion that follows.

"It exploded?!" Mana yells over the loud bang and the gust of wind.

"And there's about to be more than that," Atem says, finding their opening and pulling Mana away once more. As they make a run for it, Mana looks behind her shoulder as two more Kuriboh's appear, afflicting damage as the hooded figures try and fail to attack. Every single time the opponent makes contact with the furry creature, it explodes and more appear.

"You're incredible Atem!" Mana compliments between breaths. "I didn't know you could do that!"

Atem smirks at her briefly before feeling drained all of a sudden. Slowing down his pace, he releases Mana's arm to place that hand on his chest as he pants heavily.

"Atem?"

He drops to his knees, sending Mana into a panic.

"Atem?!" She drops down beside him. "What's wrong?!

'Shoot…I'm still not used to summoning monsters,' Atem curses in his head. But it was either that or stand around and wait to become their victim.

Turning her head to the chaos they left behind, she sees the Kuribohs beginning to disappear one by one, leaving three horsemen left. She locks eyes with one of them before trying to get Atem to his feet.

"Come on Atem. We gotta get a move on!" She hooks her arm with his, straining as she uses her strength to get him to his feet to the sound of gallops racing toward them. He manages to stand to his feet, only for their path to be blocked by the three horsemen. One outstretches its arm and a glowing purple rope shoots out of its sleeve. Atem uses the last bit of energy to push Mana to the ground and the rope wraps around him, emitting a shock of electricity that has him crying out in pain.

Rolling to her side, Mana's head shoots up as she looks on in horror. "Atem, no!" She jumps to her feet, instinctively grabbing the rope to free him, only for her to meet a similar result.

"M-Mana!" Atem grunts, managing to open one eye as the pain surges through his body.

Fanning her hands, she whips around to face the three horsemen. "Stop it!" She pleads over the sounds of Atem's screams. "Let him go!"

If this continues, he will surely die. And she can't bear the thought of losing him. But what can she do? If only she could launch her own attack in retaliation. 'But I can't! Somehow I can't grasp how to do it!' She thinks frantically, shutting her eyes and holding the sides of her head. 'What am I gonna do?!'

Atem continues to scream at the top of his lungs and she looks back at him with worry. She can't let this go on. After all, he's always been there for her. Just seeing him in pain and anguish makes her want to do everything she possibly can to help him.

That's it.

Remembering Atem's words, it finally clicks. 'I want to help people…that's why I want to be a sorcerer for the palace. To help people!'

Feeling energy growing inside her, she narrows her eyes at her enemies and they begin to glow pink to their shock. Her balled up fists glow the same color and an aura appears around her. This is it. It's time for her to do what she set out to do. She will not let them kill her best friend.

A glimpse of Bakura's smiling face flashes through her mind. If only she somehow could have protected him. How helpless he must've felt during his final moments. She knows all too well how that feels.

But no longer.

"Did you hear what I said?!" Mana snaps, winding her fists back. "I SAID STOP!"

Throwing her palms forward, a large pink blast shoots from her hands, landing a direct hit on the horsemen. An explosion follows, blowing her and Atem back.

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Previously meditating, Mahad's eyes shoot open and he stands to his feet. In the desert lies the magicians' training grounds where he and his students go to train. Currently he is alone, wanting to get extra time to hone his abilities. But hearing an explosion along with feeling an enormous energy puts him on alert.

He has never sensed anything like it. Shooting up into the air is a ball of flames and smoke, causing him to grit his teeth.

"I have a horrible feeling about this…"

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AN: And that concludes another chapter. Sometimes I don't think I can help myself as far as leaving a chapter on an intense note, ha. You guys still reading along? Let me know what you think!