• 1-Prologue
• 2-Chapter One (revised again)
• 3-Chapter Two
• 4-Chapter Three
• 5-Chapter Four
• 6-Chapter Five
• 7-Chapter Six
• 8-Chapter Seven
• 9-Chapter Eight
• 10-Chapter Nine
• 11-Chapter Ten
• 12-Chapter Eleven
• 13-Chapter Twelve
• 14-Chapter Thirteen
• 15-Chapter Fourteen
• 16-Chapter Fifteen
• 17-Chapter Sixteen
• 18-Chapter Seventeen
• 19-Epilogue
• 20-Bonus Chapter One
• 21-Bonus Chapter Two

A.N. Hello, everyone! ^-^ I am now on my spring break,
lets see what I can get done. ^-^ LOL Actually, I’m helping my friend move out
of her house so I may be a little busy this week… *Sigh* Oh, well, not much I
can do about that. So here we are at chapter 15, the chapter I looked to with
such dread, and now I’m glaring at the notes—with all my scribbles and arrows
that say change this add that—and I’m thinking, “Damn, I’m cruel.” ^-^ Anyway,
thank you so much for all of your reviews, they make me smile every time I get
one. I must say though, I’m shocked how many people hate poor little Ceasar.
^-^ I was expecting pity, but this hatred is amusing. ^-^ Thank you to everyone
whose here to read this and keep it going. Thank you!

            There was a low-riding fog across
the marshes again this morning. It blanketed the yard and the reflecting pond,
and made the swing set between the two large oak trees seem to vanish into
nothingness. Ryo sighed and slumped a little further into the window seat, his
chin cradled in his palm as brown eyes watched the natural phenomenon with a
casual boredom.

            “Do you think Yugi’s all right?”

            “Why the hell would I care?” Was the
expected response he got from the irate spirit of the ring, as he lounged
across the downy bed, feet and head hanging over the edge hair like a blackout
curtain for his face. He looked like luke-warm road kill, with his arms hanging
by his head. Ryo would have laughed at the sight had he not feared Bakura’s
retaliation. He may have settled down after that insightful trip into the
millennium world—the past as it was—but he was still an over-reacting ex-tomb
robber. And no one made a joke out of him and lived.

            “… I know you don’t, but I do. So,
do you think he’ll be all right?” Ryo said in a firmer voice. He wasn’t brave,
not yet at least, but he was learning to assert his backbone in some instances.
Like when his father invited him home for the month he had off in London, he’d
told Bakura to keep quiet and not let his father see him.

The
spirit listened, though Ryo was certain it was due to Bakura’s dislike of
groups and, “Stupid people” as Bakura was want to say. The spirit gave a
discomforted grunt from his prone position, and Ryo knew that he was
contemplating his answer. Pretend all you want Bakura, I know you’re worried
about Yugi too. After all, when you have no body of your own, you
unintentionally rely on those who know of your existence and except you, in
order to prove you truly exist. Ryo thought to himself, though by the
random, and casual flip of Bakura’s long middle finger, he was certain the
spirit had heard him.

You are a real
smart ass, you know that? Bakura
shot his way, finally forcing himself to flip onto his back, his hair now
appearing to stand on end, as bored brown eyes locked on his own.

            “… and the runt is fine. You think
the Pharaoh would let his precious little light and fuck-toy be taken away for
eternity?”

            Ryo scowled at the crass statement
but knew better than to correct the spirit. “Well, no, but Yami doesn’t know what—“

            “The pharaoh is a god damned idiot!”
Bakura growled, closing his eyes and to anyone who might walk in looked like he
fell asleep. Like some deranged, albino bat. “Besides, Yugi’s around now, isn’t
he?”

            “No, that’s why—“

            “Ryo don’t let the runt’s friend’s
stupidity effect you. I meant he was born an lived in this time.”

            “Oh. Well, yes of course he wa—“

            “So,” Bakura cut off, and as far as
Ryo knew, enjoying the momentary power that the action gave him. “My point is,
the Pharaoh probably made some sort of deal with the Gods, most likely
involving his sacrifice, and saved Yugi’s existence so they could be together
again.”

            Ryo smiled, relieved by Bakura’s
statements even if half of them were only speculation. “Yeah, you’re right. I
should trust those two and enjoy the last few days we have here.” Ryo beamed at
his darker half, glad that he was still with him, even if he was insane. It
kept his life interesting if nothing more. “Thanks Ba—“

            “Too bad he’s too stupid to realize
that if he doesn’t claim that little runt-like idiot, that stupid female with
the annoying voice and glasses will kidnap him, brainwash him, and make him her
sex slave. Leaving that dumb ass pharaoh to the bimbo friendship worshiper.”
Bakura made a face, chuckling manically.

            Ryo blinked. Bakura was definitely
not allowed to watch his father’s movies anymore. “I think you need to go
outside today Bakura.”

            “Why? And how do you intend to make
me mortal?”

Ryo could think of
a few methods.

            His smirk was all his darkness
needed to see. “Shit, I’m rubbing off on you.” He didn’t sound all that
displeased.

^^^^

            The stables seemed a little too
quiet to Yugi, but he wasn’t certain. He’d never owned or ridden a horse
before, well with exception to that one time and battle Yami and him had chosen
never to talk about, and technically it was Yami that rode the horse, not him.
So, he wasn’t too sure that the stable was too quiet or even normal, but the
silence of everything just unnerved him. I hope I’ll be able to ride. Damn,
I should have asked Atemu to teach me… oh well. Yugi slowly maneuvered
through the stalls, taking the time to look over each animal.

            Would it be safe to take a horse?
What if the horse died before it got back here? No, once Atemu finds that
note he’ll come after me. The horse will be fine. Yugi nodded to himself,
stopping before a sleek looking black horse. He whished for the life of him he
knew the names and types, but they all eluded him. Whatever breed, the horse
was very regal looking, and Yugi got the distinct impression that the horse
belonged to Atemu. How he knew he wasn’t sure, but he felt that way all the
same. Who am I kidding, every horse in here belongs to Atemu…

            The stall was easily opened, and
aside from a whinny the horse remained calm. For that, Yugi was grateful,
especially when he realized that he was going to have to ride bareback. He had no
clue how to saddle a horse.

            “Hey, you’re a good horse aren’t
you? Yes, you are. Are you going to let me take you out for a bit?” Yugi
crooned to the animal, hoping he wouldn’t have to flee for his life as an
enraged horse tried to cave his head in with its hooves. It looked like the
horse was going to be amiable, but something in the shadows wasn’t.

            “Found you.” The raspy hiss made
Yugi jump, a very unmanly squeak escaping him, as he turned to face his
adversary only to find himself tackled to the hard floor. His head cracked
against the stone painfully, creating spots that danced and twirled before his
eyes, and Yugi grunted as the smaller form landed atop of him crushing the air
from his lungs. “Not so special now are you. Wonder what the pharaoh would
think, knowing you’re just another thief.” The breath was rank as I wafted over
Yugi’s face smelling crazily like the outhouse on a softball field.

            “What? No, I’m not…”

            “Shut up, I don’t really care what
you are.” It was then that Yugi realized the voice was childlike, and in the
gloom he was just capable of seeing the outline of that face, and he felt his
jaw drop as icy fear coursed like poison through his veins.

            “King Arthur…”

            Fastosus gave him a funny look at
the odd name, before recomposing himself, his amazingly strong hands folding
over Yugi’s neck in a tight vicious grip. Yugi choked out, surprised at the
sudden grip his own fingers curling around those hands trying to free his neck,
but some thick, sticky, liquid prevented him from gaining a real grasp on him.
“Why?” Yugi choked out from around a quickly bruising throat.

            “Why? Are you stupid? Because I hate
you, your existence sickens me. Your poor dancing skills, and average looks,
and clumsy virgin actions make me want to vomit. I hate you and the way Pragus
watches you like your something special.” Spittle stuck to his chin and lips,
as his yelling became enraged whispered spat from between clenched teeth. Again
Yugi’s eyes were blurring as oxygen was deprived from reaching his brain.

            “B—ut I haven’t don…” The flexing of
those fingers broke off Yugi’s complaint with a cough.

            “You didn’t have to.” Fastosus
snarled, his grip tightening further. For a small child he was insanely strong.
Yugi wheezed as best he could trying to roll, or even squirm but the boy seemed
to have planted his weight evenly over Yugi’s prone form making escape nearly
useless. “All you had to do was take his attention from me.”

            His head began to throb and Yugi
found his gasping to be useless. If he didn’t move now he’d be killed. With
blurry thoughts, Yugi lifted his hand to tug on those fingers one last time.
Fastosus smirked and in that moment Yugi moved. The heel of his palm shot up
and connected with the underside of the young Cesar’s nose. He heard the
cartilage crunch and retracted his hit afraid of killing the boy, and was
instantly released. Cool air rushed into his lungs and soaked into his brain.
Vaguely below the humming in his ears he could Fastosus’s agonized cries as he
held his broken nose.

            Rolling over weakly, Yugi attempted
to stand knowing that blow wouldn’t keep Fastosus busy for long, and shakily
made his way towards that beautiful horse once more. The animal trotted in
place, nervous and fretful, and Yugi tried to reach out to the animal to calm
it.

            “You worthless bastard!” Fastosus’s
cry was followed immediately by the bodily shock of being tackled. Yugi’s
breath was again knocked from him with the impact as they flew across the room.

            Searing pain lanced through his back
as they hit the wall. Like fire it tore through him and Yugi gasped, unable to
scream as the pain engulfed his mind, numbing all else.

            “Die!” Fastosus cried, striking Yugi
across the face, but that action barely gained Yugi’s attention as a thick
sticky substance spilled down his back. No.. I have to… move. Arg! It… it
hurts… so bad… Yami… Atemu… it hurts…

            “Pragus will no longer be blinded by
your filth you animal.” Fastosus’s spat, but whatever he’d planned to do, was
cut short as Yugi curled up with the last f his strength to kick the boy in the
center of the chest, throwing him back and against the sandstone wall of the
stable.

            The hollow thud created as the small
body collided with the rock was relaxing, especially when Fastosus didn’t get
back up again, obviously knocked out. Yugi’s breath was labored as he waited
for several long moments, simply glad to be alive. I’ve got to remember to
thank Jonouchi for the self-protection tips when I get back… Yugi thought,
trying to find the strength to pull away from the wall.

            He collapses again as the movement
caused a flash of blinding agony to race through him. Damn it… I have to…

            A gentle nudge to his cheek coaxed
his attention up and towards the horse that had approached him, as he lay there
prone. “Hey…” Yugi whispered with a small smile. “You want to help me?”

            The horse gave him another nudge,
whether that was an agreement or a request for him to move his carcass out of
his stable, Yugi didn’t know, but he took it for ascent. Reaching up Yugi
grabbed a hold of the horse’s flank; unable to move any more the horse pulled
Yugi back and away from the wall. The soaking, sticky, heat increased around
him as something slid out of his back sending shockwaves through his mind. Yugi
tried not to think about it as he lay trembling on the side of the horse.

It
was several minutes before he managed to haul himself up onto the horse, where
he lay barely conscious, the map nearly soaked in his own blood.

^^^^

            He wasn’t all that surprised to find
himself standing in the middle of the desert after having been asleep in his
bed. His odd attire and appearance barely concerned him either, though he did
wonder what his real body looked like at this moment.

            “Dark Magician.” Yugi’s voice
sounded tired and strained, and had Mahado not also been apart of the Chaos
that had suddenly engulfed all of Khemet he would have been worried. But why
has he called me? HE has not done so since arriving at the palace… and why are
we out in the desert?

            It was en that Mahado realized that
the sun was just starting to rise in the distance—a tiny sliver of light where
the clouds of Exodia did not reach. Where is Yugi that he could be on the edge of
Exodia’s control?

            Looking up finally, Mahado gasped in
sudden panic at the sight of the small slave. He was barely supported by the
Pharaoh’s favorite Arabian Stallion. His skin was a pasty pale and was covered
in a dense sweat though the air was as chilled as it had been for the past few
weeks, but his biggest concern lay in the open wound upon his back, where black
colored blood seeped out to color his dark blue clothes from before. He is
dying… Mahado thought frantically, and instantly moved to aid the small
boy.

            “Dark Magician, wait… I need a favor
from you…” Yugi whispered, his breathing becoming labored. “I.. need to get
into the place where Exodia’s seal is… but… I can’t feel my legs anymore.”

            “Wha… Yugi, why do you wish to go
there? It’s too dangerous, what do you think you can…” Mahado trailed off as
his eyes landed upon the gold and blood smeared millennium puzzle around Yugi’s
neck. It glowed with a dim power, pulsing with the wind around them, or perhaps
Yugi’s own fading heartbeat.

            “Don’t worry… it’s mine… make sure,
Atemu knows… I… I’m sorry… but I couldn’t let him die… this thing… only needs…
one of… us.” Yugi gave a rueful smile then, made bitterly painful by the pain
and sadness reflected in those once bright eyes. “This is my only request…
Mahado… please help me… save Atemu…”

            Mahado looked away, his heart heavy
with grief. How could he say no now? With quick, but careful steps he lifted
Yugi into his arms. His slight hiss of pain was quickly covered as Mahado
situated his slit weight against him. The warmth of his blood quickly soaked
into his robes. Even if he brought him back now, Yugi would never survive this
wound. He would die in vain.

            Yugi gave a tired laugh, his eyes
scanning the area. “It would figure… that this would be… the place where I woke
up… in the first place…”The humor was lost on Mahado.

            “Hold on, this is going to be a
little while.” Mahado warned briefly as he stepped through the torn and
destroyed barrier that had once stood at the exit. They’d be luck if the tomb was
even standing after Exodia’s escape.

            “Thank you… Mahado…” Yugi seemed to
fall asleep against him, and Mahado quickened his steps entering the forbidden
tomb.

            It was dark and stank of death, and
Mahado pulled Yugi closer to himself as if to ward off the raven wings of
Anubis with his very soul. The pathways had mostly caved in upon themselves,
leaving only one corridor to follow, having no other choice, Mahado took it.

            The hall never seemed to end, only
continued to spiral on continuously, and just as he’d started to fear that this
was one of the many traps set up by the ancients to guard the evil, Mahado
stepped into a spacious room. The dark magic seemed to emanate from this room.

            Yugi was warm in his arms, and
appeared to glow faintly in the blackness. Just like before… Mahado
wondered, noticing how the Puzzle around Yugi’s neck seemed to keep the small
boy alive even as his body slowly collapsed in upon itself. This was your
reason for appearing to us. Mahado realized sadly, suddenly not wishing to
let him go. You came to seal away Exodia. You came to give up your life for
us… for Atemu… For some reason grief struck him hard, and the urge to urn
and run from it all was nearly overpowering.

            “… here?” Yugi asked, his eyes
barely able to open. Mahado couldn’t swallow around the large lump in his
throat, so nodded his head in response instead. “Good.” Yugi mumbled with a
smile. “Can you put me before the stone tablet please?”

            Numbly, Mahado obeyed, his feet
working without his brain really realizing what his body was doing.  The sound of his feet hitting the stone
flooring was missing, as he approached the alter where Exodia’s tablet now
rested.

            His heart had turned to lead in his
chest as the fluttering heartbeat of the boy in his arms grew fainter against
his palm, and the think liquid of Yugi’s blood soaked into his robes. How
did he get so injured?

            His movement stalled as he reached
the top of the stone steps, his movements reluctant as he laid Yugi upon the
altar’s landing as gently as he could. Immediately his arms felt empty: hollow,
as though he’d just thrown away something that was undeniably precious; that
he’d just made a terrible mistake.

            “What do, you need me to do?” Mahado
asked, his voice calm with steely resolve. Yugi pushed himself up on weak arms,
his eyes looking up and into the tablet that held Exodia’s soul—well once
had—his eyes dull and glassy. He was fading fast.

            “Tell… Atemu I… I love him… and stay
by his side.” Yugi’s words shocked Mahado to the core, and he moved forward to
try and stop Yugi from his hastily made plan, and suddenly couldn’t move.

            “What?” Mahado briefly struggled
against the light wisps of smoke. Incense that held him physically restrained
from Yugi, his skin soaked in sweat from his exertion and glistening in the
light that he emitted.

            Yugi gave him a smile, a very sad,
mournful smile, and Atemu realized the extent of Yugi’s exhaustion as he
noticed the dark rings under Yugi’s normally expressive gaze.

            “It’s okay… Mahado.” Yugi began, his
breath sounding water-logged as he inhaled. “I’ll be back. Tell Atemu that… I
promise to find him… again… so… … wait for… me…”

            Amethyst eyes slid closed and the
world turned black.

^^^^^

            Mahado shot up from his bed with a
bitter cry on his lips and tongue, but no sound escaped. Sweat clung to his
night wrap and sheets, as breaths were dragged in through his open mouth. It
can’t be…

            Across the room, his young
apprentice gave a light coo in her sleep as she rolled over, falling back into
a careless dream. Mahado’s belly clenched as he looked in Mana’s direction.
She’d been trying to keep her spirit’s up for so long, but he feared she was
slipping as the shadows remained.

The darkness
will end soon. Mahado
thought with disdain, and quickly rose from his bed.

            His movement was as silent as it had
been in the tomb as he through on his clothes and bolted from his room, feet
rushing him to the Pharaoh’s bedchamber. For an insane moment, Mahado toyed
with the notion of turning around and leaving, but he shook it off harshly and
threw the doors open, as he’d been doing for the past few weeks.

            The room was dark like the rest of
Khemet, and carried the solitude of the deepest of regrets. It clung to the air
like a potent stench, nearly coking the words from his throat.

            “Mahado?” Atemu’s voice dragged his
eyes around to the bed. Clothes were scattered around the floor, and the bed
sheets were rumpled around Atemu’s form. Even in the darkness, Mahado could see
the marks of passion upon his god’s skin, and felt his heart sink through his
feet.

            “Tell him… I love him.”

            Mahado’s words caught in his throat
as he realized that the room was laden with painful hope, denial, and the
remnants of sex. His news seemed to burn away at his mouth leaving him mute, as
those crimson eyes bore into his own, growing ore concerned by the moment.

            “pr-aA…” The white priest choked out
from around the ball of regret. “… Yugi… he…” He trailed off in a moment of
weakness, his fingers curling into his palm with enough force to break the
skin.

            Crimson eyes blinked, as the Pharaoh
looked around his bedchamber, as if just coming out of a haze and realizing
that he was indeed alone in his rooms. Panic set in, and was clearly visible in
those eyes. “Where is he?”

            Mahado tried not to shy away, but
his eyes averted of their own accord. This seemed to warn the pharaoh more than
his words, if the sound of the shifting bed sheets was anything to go by.

            “Mahado, where is Yugi?” Atemu’s
voice was whisper thin; fragile and breakable in the soft darkness of a room
turned cold. Atemu’s approach was loud in comparison to his own as the ruler
suddenly grabbed fistfuls of Mahado’s robes, his hands trembling.

Mahado closed weary
eyes.

            “Where is Yugi, priest?”

            “He has gone to the temple of Apep.”
Mahado responded solemnly, and watched as Atemu’s grip became tense, his eyes
boiling angrily.

            “Why in all of Ra’s mercy would he
go—“

            “He asked me to watch over you. To
tell you that, it only needed one…” Mahado trailed off at the stunned,
horrified look that crossed his god’s face, as his hands released him in a
numbed manner, his eyes darting back to the bed where the two millennium
puzzles should have been. Only one winked back at him through the darkness.

            “Ra, no…”

            Mahado remained silent, unsure o
what to say in this moment defeat. Anything he said now would be meaningless in
the face of what his god was losing. “Yugi wanted you to know, that he was
sorry, and that he… loved you.”

            Enraged crimson settled on him, and
Mahado found himself being restrained by Atemu’s angered fists once again. “Why
did you allow him to leave?! Why didn’t you stop him? Wake me? How could you
turn your loyalties to—“

            “I was summoned in my sleep, pr-aA.
He was already there, there was nothing I could do. He sent me away just as
easily, and I came immediately to your side. I did not change my loyalties.”
Mahado spoke calmly, though inside he was upset at the casualness in which his
god had accused him.

            Slowly, Atemu released him, and
Mahado straitened himself as, the teen resituated himself.

            “We must hurry then. Apep’s temple
is nearly a day’s ride from here.”

            Mahado agreed silently, helping the
pharaoh gather his attire and dress, Before making to accompany him to the
stables. He knew he should try to convince Atemu to stay in the palace, the
pharaoh being too important to lose, but at the same time he knew instinctively
that he couldn’t stop him, he doubted that anyone could.

            “pr-aA!” The cry echoed from the
halls, and froze the two in their place. Jonoh came up the way towards them,
his clothes slightly disheveled; Seth followed behind him.

            “What is wrong?” Atemu asked, and
below the calm exterior, Mahado could hear the weakened tremble that resonated
in the strong man’s voice. Why must this all happen to him? Mahado asked
the gods, but as always they never answered him.

            “It’s Exodia!”

            Mahado and Atemu stiffened at the
mention of the dark beast, each fearing the worst.

            “W—what about him?” Atemu’s slip
didn’t go unnoticed by Seth, and the dark priest turned cold, hard eyes to
Mahado, asking him without words what was wrong, but Mahado ignored the look.
It was none of Seth’ concern at the moment, he’d wanted Yugi gone from the
beginning, soon he’d have his wish.

            Seth spared him a rather nasty glare
which Mahado ignored once more, turning his attention to the sun-bleached guard
who seemed to have the information he was dreading. Was Yugi’s sacrifice in
vain? Was it too late? Had he gotten stronger?

            “For Ra’s sake, Jonoh, spit it out!”
Atemu cried when the guard seemed unable to make more than a few choked noises.

            “Exodia’s stopped!”

A moment of tense
silence and unrelieved stares.

            “What do you mean, stopped?”

            “Just what he said, Atemu.” Seth
broke in there, his voice sounding quiet and restrained, and it made Mahado
wonder just what all the priest of the dark magics knew. “It seems that Exodia
is being restrained from attacking…” Seth trailed off, enjoying the tension in
the room as all eyes were focused onto his words.

            Mahado felt his heart cave, already
knowing what it was that would be restraining Exodia. He didn’t know the form
that it would take, but it was clear to him that whatever it was, it would be
bright, and light. Whatever it looked like, it would be Yugi’s life that held
back the beast: his small, fragile, irreplaceable life. Why must you take
him back, Ptah? His soul is so very dear to Ra’s son. So why… why must you take
such joy from him now? Mahado thought, just waiting for the God’s
retribution for his questions, but none came.

            “Restrained?” Atemu sounded bereft,
and slightly shocked, as if unable to comprehend the significance of what his
cousin was telling him. Or just, unwilling to comprehend…

            “Yes, pr-aA, Exodia’s being
restrained, by chains of light, or so our informant tells me.” Seth said. It
didn’t take a genius to figure that the informant was a Shadow Monster, there
was no other way for that sort of news to arrive so quickly.

            “Yugi…”

            Mahado closed his eyes and turned
away at the desperation in Atemu’s voice, and heard Jonoh’s sudden start.
Without opening his eyes, Mahado knew that Jonoh had turned to Seth for his
answer. Whatever Seth said—or in this case didn’t say—it seemed to be right,
for Jonoh quickly to leave the room.

            “I’ll get the horses ready.” He ran
off in the direction to the stables, before Mahado could warn him that Atemu’s
horse would not be there, but that was of little concern.

            “pr-aA?” Mahado questioned when
Atemu did not immediately follow, and turned to face the worried man.

            Atemu seemed stiff, his arms quaking
by his sides, but when he looked up, his eyes were hard and concentrated.

He had no intention
of losing Yugi.

            Mahado looked away again, knowing he
had no choice.

            “Seth, I want you to stay here.”
Atemu said, obviously still thinking of his people. “If anything happens to
me—“

            “You curse me with your job and I’ll
make sure you regret it in the after life.” Seth warned, and Atemu managed a
smirk.

            “Of course.” Atemu turned then, and
strode from the room. “Mahado, I will need your assistance.”

            “Yes, pr-aA.” Mahado breathed, even
as he wished to decline. He knew what they would find, and he desperately
didn’t want to see his god collapse, but it seemed this was his punishment for
questioning the god of creation.

He followed Atemu
out of the doors and into the murky night.

^^^^

            “This is amazing, I can’t believe
that this is actually true!” Arthur exclaimed as he viewed the two mummies with
his own eyes. Yoshimori tried not to quake too much as he stood so close to the
things that had started this insanity. His psychiatrist had told him to avoid
strenuous situations, and yet here he was back in the museum, the shadows of
night held at bay by the florescent lights.

            “… yes. Quite.” Was hi only input,
as the scientist suddenly abandoned the glass cased mummies to look through the
forensic flies Yoshimori had brought along at Sugoroku’s request.

            “By word, it’s almost a perfect
match of our dear Yugi. How peculiar…” Arthur seemed to be having the time of
his life, flipping through what had been found, and what was still a mystery.

Such as, how the
hell Yugi was a mummy to begin with.

            “The same DNA, mitochondria a match
with his mothers… huh, almost perfect.” Arthur’s brow creased then as something
caught his eye in the document. He looked up then, face unreadable aside from
the excitement that rolled off of him in waves. Yoshimori wished he could be as
ecstatic. At the moment all he could manage was a sick feeling of dread. I
killed my friend’s grandson…

            “It says suspected death occurred
from a large puncture in his back.” Arthur began, as if speculating the results
of the tests he’d had done.

            “Yes. It’s on his left side, we
believe it punctured his kidney and he bled out. Why, you think its wrong?”
Yoshimori asked, wondering just what the ‘black sheep’ of the archeological and
scientific field was getting at.

            “No, not really I was just a little
curious. It says that everything else appeared normal, is that right?”

            Sugoroku sat up straighter then, his
own interest suddenly peaked, and drawing him away from the exhibit he’d been
looking through for nothing more than a distraction. He took the papers from
Arthur and scanned them himself, his brows drawing low in the same confused—yet
hopeful—expression that Arthur d held.

            “Yes, why?” Yoshimori asked, feeling
a bit out of the loop and not liking it. 
He was a very down-to-earth man by nature, yet he always seemed to be
dragged into unexplainable situations that left him with out any control, and
he was getting tired of feeling lost. “Will you just tell me what you think is
so wrong?” He nearly snapped, the stress doing more than giving him ulcers.

            “Oh, it’s nothing so big, I was just
a little curious at the fact that you found no surgical metal in the body.”
Arthur said off-handedly and Sugoroku gave a soft sound of shocked relief.

            “Your right… well then, your theory
is right!” Sugoroku seemed to beam he was so suddenly relieved. Yoshimori
blinked, still not understanding anything the other two were saying, and
suddenly had the feeling of being the but-end of a joke.

            “Do either of you plan to fill me
in?”

            “Sorry, Yoshimori,” Sugoroku began,
handing the papers back to Arthur casually for the American to look over again
for any other hints that seemed obscure to all but him. “Arthur had this
hypothesis—“

            “A theory now that there is some
proof.” Arthur interjected.

            “Right, a theory, that perhaps Yugi
really did exist back then as well, and has currently received a newly created
body by the gods.”

            “Ptah specifically.” Arthur said
casually, flipping through the papers. Yoshimori’s mind went blank.

            “Ptah. As if the god of creation,
Ptah?” Yoshimori questioned, a little lost and received two similar nods of
agreement.

            “Yes, it would make the most sense,
that the gods needed Yugi to fulfill some great task, but he was not born in
the right time—well in this case he was not free to attempt such a task—and so
brought his soul back through time, and gave him a new, replicated body that
could be disposed of when his task was done.” Sugoroku paused smiling as though
that explained everything.

            Yoshimori wasn’t sure whether he
could call the two mentally unstable or not. After all, he had been filled in
by Sugoroku, Yugi’s friends, and his dark half/possessing pharaoh Yami about
what had been going on. He couldn’t deny what he’d seen, but at the same time
he couldn’t just believe him either.

            “Ptah?”

            Arthur sighed, closing the file and
setting it aside as he approached. “Look, its not important whether or not you
believe this, the fact remains that he body in that sarcophagus is a genetic
match for Sugoroku’s son, and can be dated back three thousand years, an
impossible feat to be sure, but the body in there is not Yugi’s.”

            “What?” Yoshimori asked, a sense of
incomprehension clouding his mind and numbing his body. A quick glance at
Sugoroku solidified Arthur’s bizarre claims. “…but it is. He DNA test proved—“

            “The DNA says it is Yugi, but
Yugi—if I remember correctly—has a surgical pin in his hip from a childhood
accident.” Arthur turned to Sugoroku who nodded.

            “That’s right. Yugi was in a car
accident when he was very small, it fractured his hip bone so badly, that the
doctors had to place a pin in to hold the bone together. It can’t ever be
removed. The fact that the x-rays showed nothing, not even a fracture on the
hip bone proves that the body in that sarcophagus, is not my grandson.”

Well, that took out
the time machine theory he’d been putting together.

            “So… you’re saying…?” Yoshimori
asked, still a little lost as to what this all proved.

            “Yugi is missing, we have proof of
that. Yami seems to be remembering things putting Yugi in the past, but his
real body is here, and if the story is true, Yami and Yugi were once one soul,
so Yugi would not have his own body then.” Sugoroku stated calmly, aware that
this all unnerved Yoshimori greatly. His concern was barely noticed but
appreciated all the same.

            “Leaving reason to believe that the
gods had foreseen these events and created a solution. Ptah created a
replicated body for Yugi to reside in. As such, its not so far a cry to believe
that if we call upon Ptah now, he just might be able to return Yugi to this
time.” Arthur finished, and Yoshimori decided it was time to stop thinking.

            “Oh. Okay then.”

            “We need to get back to the Game
Shop. Rebecca has the layout of the ritual on her laptop.” Arthur said, already
moving to the exit at a fast pace. Sugoroku fast on his heels.

            “Yoshimori, are you coming?”
Sugoroku asked, just before he left the room, and Yoshimori found he barely had
the strength to look up.

            “Nah, you go ahead with out me.”

            Sugoroku shrugged, and then was
gone.

I need a beer.

^^^^

            I have no idea what I’m doing…
Yugi realized with a cold fear as he stared up at the darkened slab of stone,
empty now of the image that had once been there. How can I even hope to lock
away this evil? Yugi wondered a little frantic, most his fear had ebbed
away with his still free flowing blood. It was a minor miracle that he was
still alive actually, having been bleeding for such a long time. Yugi’s vision
was starting to blur, and his body was desperately cold even though he knew the
tomb should have been warm, regardless of the shadows that poured from the
stone before him.

            Damn it! I don’t know what to do!
I thought that Yami sacrificed himself for his people… so why…? Yugi
sighed, actually not that sad with the thought of dying in Atemu’s place. He
desperately wanted to be with him, to stay with him, to meet him n the future
and fall in love all over again, but more than that, he wanted Atemu, his Yami,
to live.

            Tears stung the backs of his eyes,
and Yugi blinked to try and keep them back, but it only seemed to make it
worse, and soon he was crying silently in the dark void of peril. I’ll never
see you again… will I?

            Yugi gave a water-logged laugh, his
back burning and aching at the sound and movement and Yugi hissed closing his
eyes tightly against the pain. I have to hurry if I’m going to do this…

            Looking back up Yugi contemplated
just what he needed to do. His puzzle pulsed against him, as if calling to him,
and Yugi glanced down at the bright object, a smile slowly building on his
face. I guess I’ll just have to trust you huh? Yami used your power once, I
should be able to do the same.

            Nodding, Yugi concentrated on the
stone slab before him. What to do? Amethyst widened in sudden understanding as
he peered at the stone ‘card.’

The only
card.

            That’s it! Exodia’s too strong
because its whole. That’s why in Duel Monsters Exodia was broken into five
pieces, bound I gold chains. Yugi smiled, tears still running from his eyes
as he lifted his hands—the puzzle glowing brightly against his chest—and closed
his eyes, his palms pressed against the biting stone, face wet with regret and
yet his heart was amazingly hopeful.

            “Change.” Yugi breathed through lips
that tasted of rust, his mind picturing the five separate cards he’d lost from
the trip out to Pegasus’s Duelist Island.

            The puzzle burnt against his chest
painfully, lighting the area momentarily in a blinding, binding light, and then
it all vanished. Yugi gasped as what little heat he still had was torn from him
harshly, and a deep blackness swept in to take its place, bringing with it a
sharp agony that torn into his mind shattering his tears behind his eyes, and
forcing blood from the corners of his eyes.

Aibou!

            For a moment Yugi thought he heard
Yami’s voice in his head, but the pain drowned it out soon after. The scream
that escaped him was desperate and blood-curling, freezing the sneaking shadow
that had been slinking up behind him through the darkness, and making the small
form quake at the mere sound, no longer able to move as the shadows rushed out
of the stone slab, engulfing the room into his world. The darkness swarmed into
the cuts that littered the small stalkers frame, traveling through his
unguarded mind and easily breaking it under its weighted pressure.

He never had the
chance to cry out.

^^^^

            The wind was harsh on his face as it
tore across his body, twisting the cloth around him, causing his hair to whip
his cheeks, but he refused to slow. The horse beneath him panted, frothing at
its muzzle as Atemu forced his animal to hurry.

            Behind him Mahado and Jonoh followed
close, their horses just as tired and worked as his own. How it was that it was
only the three of them going out into the danger, Atemu was unsure, but it was
an easy assumption that Jonoh had understood the tenderness of this situation,
if not from the discussion before their departure then from the state that the
stables had been in.

            The room was destroyed and held
splatter of blood upon the stone and wooden stalls, the straw, and the wooden,
pitchfork in the corner, one of its prongs soaked through and a deep black.
Atemu didn’t even want to know why it was that Mahado cringed after seeing
that, instead focusing on the horses Jonoh had set out.

            “Someone was attacked in here.”
Jonoh stated, handing over one of Atemu’s newer gift stallions. Before he could
question it, Jonoh had turned to his own horse. “It seems that your prize horse
is missing, I’m assuming that whoever won that fight took off with it, and the
looser followed after on Seth’s horse.” Jonoh cringed, and with good reason.
After losing The Blue Eyes in battle, Atemu wouldn’t want to tell his cousin
his horse was missing as well. He just hoped Seth wouldn’t kill the messenger
that he was sure Jonoh had sent.

            “Let’s go, we don’t have time to
wait.” No one questioned him as they settled onto their horses, taking off into
the still dark sands of Khemet.

            The edge of the darkness was settled
across the horizon, and in the distance, Atemu could just make out the shape of
the Temple of Apep. His breath released slowly after having been trapped in the
nervous knots that made up his chest cavity for the long hours he’d spent
riding his horse into the ground. Without the sun, it was hard to tell what time
of day it was, but from the strip in the distance, Atemu guessed late
afternoon. His spine tingled with tension, becoming an almost physical pain as
he drew closer to the place Yugi had supposedly run off to, trying to ignore
the hum of complicated magic that echoed on the air and wrapped itself around
all those present.

No, please Ra,
no do not take him from me. This is all that I ask for, for myself. Do not take
this away… Atemu thought,
his heels striking the sides of his weary hose harshly, and his beast stumbled
in its attempt to comply with Atemu’s wishes.

            Yugi, why?! Why did you leave,
what possessed you to come here? What did I do to make you choose such a
foolish task?! Damn it, you can’t leave me, I won’t let you! You’re mine, do
you hear me? Atemu’s cries were again unanswered, not that he expected
otherwise.

            A shift in the air startled Atemu’s
horse and it through the teen from his perch. The sudden lurch startled Atemu,
and he gasped as he felt himself careen through the air as though weightless.
For a moment, everything seemed to stop: frozen in some terrible nightmare. He
could feel the wind around his body, and the magic crackling in his ears. He
saw the sky, clouded in darkness, watched as it flickered, becoming just a
shade brighter. He had enough time to wonder at the change and focus on the
worried cries of his companions, before time resumed and he crashed painfully
into the sand.

            His skin burned as the granules bit
and scrapped against his flesh, and Atemu gritted his teeth, holding his
injured shoulder, trying to regain the breath that was knocked forcibly from
his lungs from the impact.

            “s3 nt sAb…”

            “Atemu!” Jonoh’s and Mahado’s cries
seemed to blur together to his ears, and Atemu shook his head, not
understanding the annoying ringing that seemed to pierce through him.

            “…what… happened?” Atemu asked, the
sound growing louder as he attempted to sit up. The continued annoyance made
his heart race a little faster with worry, and he turned to face his guard and
priest.

            Both of them were holding their
ears, obviously trying to block out whatever it was Atemu was hearing.

            “A magic spike.” Mahado called over
the rising noise, and Atemu felt his heart clench in his chest, noticing for
the first time, the dragging sensation of the wind. It was pulling toward the
distant temple, and it wasn’t the only thing being dragged.

            “The clouds!” Jonoh cried, his gold
eyes looking horrified as he pointed to the quickly fading darkness. Like
trendles of smoke, the darkness of Exodia’s power was being drawn away and back
into the temple.

            “Yugi!” Atemu cried, ignoring the
grappling hands that tried to keep him seated as he clamored toward the temple,
his hands sweating in anxious fear, his legs trembling under him.

            “pr-aA! Stop, its too dangerous, all
that darkness… not even you could survive that!” Mahado called, quickly
catching up to Atemu, grabbing him around the waist to hold him still.

            “Let go, Mahado! Yug’s in there!
He’s inside there!” Atemu yelled, the cry bitter to his tongue as the
grip refused to slacken, his struggling only bringing him more pain as the
taller man lifted him from the ground. “I order you to let! ME! GO!” Atemu
growled, striking back with his head, catching Mahado in the side of the head.

            Mahado bit out a curse, dropping
him, and Atemu landing on his feet kicking off in a dead run. His feet sunk
into the slippery sand, tripping him slightly and forcing more effort into each
and every move, making his every breath painful as a stitch made itself known.

            Atemu cried out as a solid force
slammed into him from behind tackling him to the sand. Atemu coughed, spiting
out the gritty sand and attempting to shake the heavy form off his body, but
rough hands shoved him back down trapping him. “Let me go! Ra damn it, Yugi’s
going to—“

            “Die.” Jonoh’s voice was cold and
unrelenting, and Atemu froze his entire form chilling as ice wrapped around his
heart. “I’m sorry, but Khemet cannot lose you, pr-aA. I can’t let you go there…
I can’t lose Seth to the throne…” Jonoh ended in a broken whisper, betraying
his heartache and fear. His fear of losing his love to the restrictions that
the throne gave, the need to produce and heir and deal with every problem the
kingdom faced; his pain of having to hold Atemu back from saving Yugi, and
becoming the enemy in order to save the future of Khemet.

            Atemu understood his reasons, he
knew what it would mean if his people lost him now, after just having settled
into a semi comfortable life, the Roman threat, and now Exodia. To lose their
ruler now would shatter them, even if Seth was there to pick of the pieces, but
he couldn’t just abandon Yugi, not after everything he’d said.

Not after Yugi made
this reckless decision to save him.

            Damn it, little one I know you
well enough to know… to know when you’re trying to protect me! Why, why do you…

            “Let go! Let go of me Jonoh!”

            “No. I’m sorry, Atemu, but I can’t
let you do this.” The hands tightened on Atemu’s wrists from where Jonoh had
twisted his arms behind his back to pin him to the unforgiving sand.

            The ringing grew sharper as the
magic swirled higher, coming to a climax, and Atemu’s insides wrenched,
loosening pain filled liquid from his eyes. “I Have to go to him! Let me go! I
LOVE HIM!” Atemu’s gut-wrenching scream echoed on the mixed air and struck cold
in the hearts of the two that stood beside him, and held him prisoner. Atemu
choked, straining and twisting to break through, but Jonoh’s grip held firm.

            “I’m sorry…” His voice was small and
filled with anguish, but unrelenting.

            Atemu’s scream tore at his throats
and cursed the mixed air around him as he struggled against the arms that held
him, while the ringing spiraled higher in pitch, the darkness strangled from
the sky, sucked back into the temple with a popping sound. For a moment there
was silence, as the sun warmed the sands that ha been cold for far too long,
and then the sound of the wind returned calm and gentle: full of life.

It was over.

^^^^

            The darkness was a sudden shock, as
it pulled him into its frigid embrace, as echoless, bodiless, voices whispered
to him, attacking, clawing, fleeing, touching him and his light. Yugi shivered,
as his pain slowly faded to a dull throb, one he recognized from the times Yami
had taken over his body and thrown him into his soul room. Fearfully, Yugi
wondered what had happened to his body, and how long he could survive outside
of it.

            The recognizable pressure pressed
down against his mind, and Yugi drew his arms around himself in an attempt to
block the angered, and vengeful spirits from attempting to drag his light into
their depths to be devoured. Wide frightened eyes looked around the darkness:
the compilation of hate and sorrow turned into a physical entity, realizing
where it was he’d been drawn into. The Shadow Realm…

            The shadows shifted, moving around
him like a crazed merry-go-round, the whispering voices: wordless and cold, a
sick calliope to follow the image. Yugi shivered, his stomach twisting at the
strain this hatred was placing on him. The sounds of Ushio’s threats followed
him in the darkness, and Yugi whimpered attempting to forget the pain and fear
the shadows tried to dredge up inside of him. How… how did Yami survive
this? Yugi wondered, terrified as the shadows drew close again, only to be
violently repelled by a bright glow.

            Looking down, Yugi found the
millennium puzzle around his neck. It was glowing brightly, the edges blurred
as if fading away into the darkness, like clouds. Yugi’s eyes widened in awe at
the sight, his hands lifting to hold the puzzle, and smiled when the warmth
spread through his arms and settle comfortingly in his heart.

It’s okay… it’s
going to be okay.

            Yugi smiled, allowing his fear to
escape him, focusing on the tense darkness around him, searching out the
darkest point and sending the light out to tie the blackness up.

            The darkness tore away harshly and
it physically hurt Yugi as it tried to escape him, and the voices drew close
once more, pressing in on him drawing up every painful memory he held and
trying to drown him in them.

            He saw Jonouchi and Honda picking on
him, Bakura’s insane games, Death-T and Honda’s near death, Pegasus’s island,
Malik’s tortured games, Doom and Yami’s betrayal… A car…

            Yugi gasped loosing his concentration, his eyes drifting
unfocused as he viewed his deepest nightmare gain from the passenger seat of
his family’s car.

            The
light turned green, and his father pulled forward… bright lights shone from
outside his father’s window, catching the boy’s eye. Turning he watched as his
father spun, covering his small frame as the car crashed into their side,
sending glass and blood flying over the tiny form in the passenger seat, the
black phone falling from clumsy fingers as his world spun, landing coldly in a
silent bloody mess, his father’s body heavy upon him, thick warmth coating him
in an eerie embrace.

            “AHH!” Yugi screamed, trying to
escape from the images the shadows showed him, images he’d tried to bury: tried
to forget. The puzzle pulled back from its job slightly, sending a calming
sensation to him, and Yugi desperately clung to it, tears erupting in his eyes
as the shadows doubled their attempts bringing up his recent abandonment of
Atemu.

            Shaking, weak and tired, Yugi
focused the light ball of mist—all that was left of the millennium Puzzle—onto
the still fighting darkness. Pain... is a part o life… I’m sorry Atemu…
Yami… but I have to leave. I love you… I love you…

            “It’s time to let go. Let that
feeling guide your light, let the darkness be trapped, let this end.” Yugi knew that voice, but his mind was too
fuzzy to think to hard on the richly accented voice. It sounded almost like…

            “Shadi…”

            Something snapped free, suddenly the
dull ache from his body was missing completely and Yugi jolted as the mist
glowed fiercely, shooting out into the darkness. Yugi could feel the angered
scream as Exodia was suddenly embossed in golden shackles. The shadows
screeched in rage, turning on him now that the light was gone and Yugi sighed,
eyes drifting closed, oddly at peace.

            The shadows passed right through
him, somehow missing him as a dim light broke through the endlessness and Yugi
collapsed into the warmth that well from that small light, drifting through the
nothingness a small ember in the night.

            Atemu… Yugi thought, sensing
the distraught mind of his other, and felt a soft ache in his chest as the
bright mind dulled in pain. Reaching out, it was surprisingly easy to brush
against that glorious mind, and once in contact he felt the part of that soul
that was him shift awake at the intrusion—so young and confused touching Yugi
with curious caresses—and Yugi smiled. He wasn’t really leaving Atemu that
comforted him a little.

I love you, my
Pharaoh.

            Atemu’s mind jerked responding to
the intruding thought that did not belong to him, just as Yugi’s mind faded
away into the darkness, his light winking out completely, vanishing with a
breath of fresh air.

And he couldn’t
help but feel like this had happened before.

^^^^

            The room was silent as the teenagers
hung around in the kitchen unwilling to speak after Yami’s sudden cry and collapse.
They’d moved him to Yugi’s bed when he’d completely blacked out, from the pain
in his head, or maybe just the images that had been flashing before his eyes,
and now found no real reason to talk. Even Rebecca had grown silent, and
Jonouchi sighed, leaning more heavily against the coffee table. We’re just
lucky Yugi’s mom hasn’t figured out about Yugi. Jonouchi thought, listening
to the soft typing that engulfed the room.

            Rebecca’s idea had sounded so good,
but in light of what Yami had said, it seemed that the plan had come too late.
Jonouchi sighed, stretching to look at the small blond who seemed so fixated on
his best friend, and wondered what she’d say if she knew about Yami’s hidden
feelings. He shook the thought off, standing and walked off in the direction of
the stairs.

            “Jou?” Honda asked, his voice
surprisingly calm after the storm he’d wrapped himself in, and Jonouchi shot
him a smile, it was fake and hurt him to make it, but everyone was showing
those smiles and Honda seemed to understand as he relaxed back into his seat.

            “I’m just going to go check on
Yams.” Jonouchi answered, not missing the way Anzu tensed and Honda looked away
for the first time aware of just what the spirit had been going through alone.

            “Oh.”

            “Don’t bother, he’s not going to be
awake, besides, we need to discuss the plan Grandpa found.” Rebecca said, not
meaning to sound so cruel but sounding so all the same. Jonouchi scowled, not
liking her bossy attitude.

            “I ain’t discussing nothing until
Yami wakes up.” He snapped, catching as those green eyes snapped up to his in
shock.

            “But—“

            “Look, it’s great that we have a
chance to get Yugi back, but they’ve shared a body for so long… this plan of
yours seems dangerous, especially since Isis didn’t find it when Se—Kaiba went
out there looking for an answer. If she didn’t offer it then, I don’t think
it’s such a good idea.”

            Anzu and Honda remained quiet,
keeping their thoughts to themselves, but Jonouchi didn’t need them to state
his opinion on the matter and held the little girl’s gaze with his own; her
glare nothing compared to Seto’s.

            “What do you mean? This could give
Yugi his own body! This could—“

            “He already has his own body, and I
think both him and Yami’ll agree that they don’t want that to change.” Jonouchi
didn’t wait to see if Rebecca would fight back, as he ascended the stairs that
led to Yugi’s room.

            The halls were dark and quiet, it
unnerved Jonouchi the way his footfalls seemed to echo back to him off of the
walls. The tiny room at the end seemed the same as it always did, messy and
filled with toys, but it had grown cold. Jonouchi tried not to flinch when the
hinges creaked as he nudged the door open to look in on the sleeping occupant
of the room.

            Yami’s face was scrunched up as if
in pain, and Jonouchi shuddered, feeling bad for his friend, having to remember
such horrible things even as he slept.

            “I’m sorry, man. I can’t do much for
ya here, but, you have to hold on. You just have to.” Jonouchi wasn’t sure if
he was speaking to Yami or Yugi then as he moved into the room pulling the
blankets up around Yami’s shoulders before pulling up a seat beside the bed to
wait Yami’s awakening.

            Looking over the desk, Jonouchi
found a small list, made before Yugi’s disappearance—unless the date at the top
was wrong—and felt lump in his throat choke him.

List to do:

- write Malik
about the final battle

- write to Ryo
and ask him how England is

-give Jou the
new set of Duel Monster cards for birthday

-ask Anzu for
help on English paper

-ask Ryo about
drea---

            It ended on a squiggle, showing he
must have been interrupted or simply lost interest in his own project.

            Lifting a tired hand Jonouchi
touched the paper, feeling as though he was losing something just past his
fingertips, and traced the words his best friend had left behind. Yugi… come
back. You can’t leave us, we all deed ya, your pharaoh the most. Jonouchi
thought, crossing his arms to burry his face in them over the slip of paper. …
but I need ya too… Yugi.

            On the bed, trapped in his own
memories, Yami shifted, his breath coming in slow ragged sounds as tears leaked
from his eyes. He was unable to turn away as the moment in history played out
before his eyes, reminding just what he’d lost in that life, what he’d
forgotten for so long.

            The room
was filled with the dying light of the sun, seeping in through the holes in the
temple ceiling painting the room a deep red, the day leaving on the cold wings
of ravens; Anubis claiming another soul.

            Atemu stood shaking, crimson eyes
overflowing with tears that he couldn’t seem to stop as he took in the scene
he’d come to once the magic had calmed and Jonoh and Mahado had allowed him to
enter. There, upon the alter, soaked black with his deep blood, was the small
form of his little light. His dark blue clothes clinging to his body, stained
and torn slightly, making his pale face seem even more stark against the darker
colors.

            A soft sound of pain escaped him as
he numbly approached the still figure that was crumpled before five new tablets
where one had once rested. His legs felt like led as he climbed the stairs
hardly aware of the blood that trickled off of them, nor the body of Fastosus
resting at the bottom of the steps—eyes burnt out of their sockets and mouth
open in a silent scream—as he came to rest before Yugi.

            He looked so peaceful, almost as
though asleep upon the stone, cheeks damp with drying tears, of salt and blood.
The crimson stain destroyed the false image and shook Atemu’s strength from his
legs. The stone bit into Atemu’s knees as he sunk to the alter floor, his hands
shaking as he reached out toward that beautiful, still, death-filled face.

No… Yugi, come
back. I command you to come back! You’re my light, my ari, my… my…

            His fingertips met the soft skin
that was icy with the chill only death could ever instill into things. He
choked, running his darkly tanned fingertips through the dark tears upon Yugi’s
face, smearing the red like colored ink and Atemu collapsed, his tears
overtaking his vision completely. With a muted cry that belittled the ache in
his heart, Atemu wrenched the boy into his arms, burying his face into the soft
shoulder, but the comforting smell of the ocean wasn’t there anymore, and Atemu
let out an inhuman cry of anguish, his whole body shaking with his sobs. Warm
tears ran over the chilled skin of the still boy, and still he refused to wake.
Yugi… I’m sorry… I wasn’t…
I wasn’t… He choked only now able to apologize to the small form that had
never heard the words he’d been too proud to state before.

            “Yugi…. So sorry… Love you… please…
don’t…” Atemu broke off unable to continue as his entire world fell to pieces
around him and he had no way of putting it back together. How he’d survived
without Yugi, he couldn’t remember, and now he wasn’t sure that he wanted to.

            “pr-aA…” Jonoh froze at the sudden
silence that filled the room as Atemu lifted his broken, tear-streaked face
from the still lifeless body of his love, looking back at his guard and priest.
Both looked away quickly, and Atemu slowly looked back to the five tablets, each
containing a piece of Exodia. Every part of him bound in chains of light.

Why did he get
to have Yugi with him?

            Looking back down, Atemu caressed
Yugi’s face, lips still mouthing the words he’d never said, whispering it into
the boy’s skin as though he could tattoo them to his missing soul. “I love you…
I love you… I love you…I’m sorry…antyw iwt. antyw iwt…”

            Lips brushing the cool ones one last
time Atemu sobbed, continuing to rock the small form from side to side, missing
the child the way only the soul could miss a piece of its self.

            As Jonoh and Mahado came to stand by
his side, most likely to urge him to return, Atemu grew deadly still, his tears
running silent, as that deep numbness set it, almost making Atemu miss the
pain, because the pain was all he had left of Yugi to cling to.

            “pr-aA,” it seemed they both knew
Atemu didn’t want them being informal with him. “It’s getting dark…”

            “I hate you.”

            Neither argued that fact, as the
light died from the world—to some—never to rise again.

I love you… My
Pharaoh.

~~~~~~~~

(End Song: “Better
Than Me”- Hinder)

I
think you can do much better than me

After all the lies that I made you believe

Guilt kicks in and I start to see

The edge of the bed

Where your nightgown used to be

I told myself I won't miss you

But I remembered

What it feels like beside you

I really miss your hair in my face

And the way your innocence tastes

And I think you should know this

You deserve much better than me

While looking through your old box of notes

I found those pictures I took

That you were looking for

If there's one memory I don't want to lose

That time at the mall

You and me in the dressing room

I told myself I won't miss you

But I remembered

What it feels like beside you

I
really miss your hair in my face

And the way your innocence tastes

And I think you should know this

You deserve much better than me

The bed I'm lying in is getting colder

Wish I never would've said it's over

And I can't pretend... I won't think about you when I'm older

Cause we never really had our closure

This can't be the end

I
really miss your hair in my face

And the way your innocence tastes

And I think you should know this

You deserve much better than me

I
really miss your hair in my face

And the way your innocence tastes

And I think you should know this

You deserve much better than me

(And I think you should know this)

(You deserve much better than me)

A.N. Sorry if there is a lot of grammar or spelling errors
I had to write this up in one day due to a lot of friend and family issues. I’ll
fix it when I can. The special ending song is by Hinder, called “Better Than
Me.” And I felt it fit very well. ^-^ So, several people have commented on the
fact that Yugi’s reasons behind not wanting to be gay as weak. His only
argument being that society says its wrong, and that in Japan its not so much
of an issue. Well, here’s my universal answer as to why I wrote it this way,
and usually use the same excuses in most of my stories: In Japan, its not as
big of an issue to be gay, but there are still problems. If one found they are
different they always fear their own families and friends reaction. Being gay
is a big thing in America, but there are a lot of people who don’t care about
it, just like in Japan its more widely known and accepted, but that doesn’t
mean that everyone’s okay with it. People are cruel by nature—hence Honda’s
aversion to Yami’s preference. He’s a homophobe. Now, Yugi’s thoughts…

            It’s easier to make Yugi get over
his so called “reasons” for not being gay if the are pathetic and a little
weak. ^-^ So there you go. 

Translations:

s3 nt sAb: Son of a
jackle

antyw iwt: My
wrongdoing

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