Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/10643688.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Yu-Gi-Oh!
  Relationship:
      Bakura_Ryou/Thief_King_Bakura
  Character:
      Bakura_Ryou, Thief_King_Bakura, Marik_Ishtar, Otogi_Ryuuji_|_Duke_Devlin,
      Yami_Yuugi_|_Atem, Mutou_Yuugi, Mazaki_Anzu_|_Tea_Gardner, Jounouchi
      Katsuya_|_Joey_Wheeler, Honda_Hiroto_|_Tristan_Taylor, Priest_Seto,
      Priestess_Isis, Karim_(Yu-Gi-Oh!), Shada_(Yu-Gi-Oh), Akunadin_|
      Akhenaden, Mahaado_|_Mahad, Mana_(Yu-Gi-Oh), Ra_no_Yokushinryuu_|_The
      Winged_Dragon_of_Ra, Shaadi
  Additional Tags:
      Fantasy, Adventure, Mesopotamia, Ancient_Egypt, Explicit_Sexual_Content,
      Sexual_Tension, Magic, Eventual_Romance, Awkward_Romance, Past_Violence,
      Revenge, Alternate_Universe_-_Time_Travel, Supernatural_Elements,
      Reincarnation
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-04-16 Updated: 2018-03-18 Chapters: 32/? Words: 91946
****** Sun and Moon Kings ******
by Darktragicangel
Summary
     The Nameless Pharaoh travels to the Memory World. Something is amiss.
     Instead of gaining back his memories, it feels like he's reliving his
     past. Meanwhile, in the present day, Shaddi reveals the shocking
     truth about Yami's Destiny which is connected to a never-ending
     cycle, one that can only be broken if the Past is changed. Who are
     the mysterious Sun and Moon Kings of the city of Ishtar? What is
     their role in the Salvation of Ancient Egypt and the World? How will
     they help Yami defeat Bakura?
Notes
     I'm using the original Japanese names.
     Tea Gardner = Anzu Mazaki
     Joey Wheeler = Jounouchi Katsuya
     Tristan Tyaler = Honda Hiroto
     This is a story I have had in mind for a very long time and have been
     finally working it out. Although it's an Alternate Universe, it does
     follow the Canon to a certain extend. It's a Time-Travel Alternate
     Universe, which means, the moment events are changed, the plot will
     evolve diferently from the Canon. No more will be said for now, you
     must read in order to understand what I mean :)
     Enjoy the reading
     ...
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH AND ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS
See the end of the work for more notes
***** Never-ending cycle *****
So this was it. This was the moment the Nameless Pharaoh would finally unveil
all the secrets of his past and discover what happened 5,000 years ago. Yami,
the other Yugi, looked at the large ancient relief, the Tablet of Lost
Memories. It showed an image of him, but his name had been erased from the
stone and forgotten in time.  He looked at the empty cartouche Anzu just gave
him.
 
   «I will remember.»
 
  Yami took a deep breath. He looked one last time at Yugi. The short boy, who
very much looked like him, nodded in encouragement. The Pharaoh’s lips drew a
slight smile.   He turned to the stone relief, full of determination and took
the three Egyptians cards out of his pocked. He stretched his arm, presenting
them to the ancient stele.
 
Yami looked expectantly at the wall before him. At first it seemed nothing
would happen, but in a flash of a moment, Yami felt his spirit be ripped off
the Millenium Puzzle and be sucked into the stone. He was falling. Falling down
a crazy, dizzying and disorienting tunnel. He involuntarily screamed. He could
not make out space. He could not make out time. The confusing travel was making
him feel dizzy and nauseous.  It seemed to last forever. And yet, as suddenly
as it started, it ended abruptly.
 
His hand twitched, he opened his eyes and blinked. The light was bright, the
air hot and dry. Yami stared at the sky. It was beautifully blue. He then
looked to his hands and gasped of surprise. They were tanned, bronzed by
endless days of summer. His ears heard a loud sound nearby, like millions of
voices , singing and cheering as one.
 
“They want to see their new Pharaoh.” A small man with a cloth covering his
face, except for his eyes, spoke.
 
 Yami, confused, looked forward. He heard the man say something about the
people have been waiting for him all day, but his voice sounded far away. Yami
could not believe his eyes. They met his world. The pyramids rising far away in
a desert landscape. Thousands of sand coloured square houses spread themselves
as far as eyes can see. But it was the sight of a mass of people below his
balcony that surprised him the most. They were surely thousands and thousands
of men, women, children and elders. They called him in unison and looked
expectantly at their new ruler. Not really knowing what to do, the young
pharaoh raised his hand as a greeting, followed by a hesitant “hi”. The people
dropped to their knees at once and cheered, calling “pharaoh” with great joy.
 
Yami, the King of Games, the Nameless Pharaoh, swallowed dry. He somehow had
the feeling this was more than a mere memory. He had the strong feeling he was
living this for the very first time, for no recollections came back to him. He
wondered if he travelled in time. If he was actually reliving his past.
 
CHAPTER_ONE
 
“He’s gone!” Yugi’s voice echoed in the large division. He had sensed Yami
being ripped away. It had happened when that strange light filled the room. He
held the Millennium Puzzle in his hands. It felt empty, lifeless, lonely. His
friends didn’t really understand what he meant. How could Yami be gone, just
like that?
 
“The boy is correct.” The four friends turned their heads to see a mysterious
man wearing a long cream colored tunic with a matching turban. “The pharaoh’s
soul has travelled to the Memory World.”
 
“Shaddi!”  Yugi yelled.
 
The boy didn’t even feel surprised to see Shaddi. The Egyptian spirit always
seemed to appear in decisive moments. Yugi knew that this mysterious man was
about to tell them something important. And his expectation was indeed
fulfilled. The friends listened horrified to the truth about the Memory World.
Yami was to relive the past, confront a dark energy and fulfil the important
task of saving mankind from evil. If the events wouldn’t repeat themselves the
same way they did in the past, their future too was in stake. If Bakura was to
defeat the Pharaoh, only the gods knew what would happen to the world. Cries of
revolt echoed in the empty room.
 
“We need to help the Pharaoh!”
 
The four friends stared expectantly at Shaddi. He would know a way to help
Yami, right? That was, after all, the reason he had come. The Egyptian opened
his mouth to say something, but shut it again. He looked at the floor
thoughtfully. Yugi could sense his hesitance. Shaddi shook his head slightly.
 
“This is most unfortunate.” Shaddi spoke more to himself. He turned around and
was about to enter the wall he just came from.
 
“Wait! Shaddi, what were you going to say? We can help the Pharaoh, right?”
Shaddi froze in his steps and sighed. He turned around.
 
“Yes, I was going to tell you how you could enter the Memory Realm and help the
Nameless Pharaoh.”
 
“So why change your mind?”
 
“I apologize. It’s just… I know exactly how events will unfold. You’ll find the
way to the past and help the Pharaoh defeat Bakura. But then again, both their
spirits will be sealed in the Millennium Items, waiting millennia to be found
again.” He sighed. “It will just start another endless cycle. Maybe I’m doing
something wrong. Maybe, if I let events develop naturally, it will all finally
end.”
 
The friends blinked and stared at one another not comprehending what the
strange Egyptian was telling.  
 
“What are you talking about?” Jounouchi demanded.
 
“The Pharaoh and Bakura will confront each other. Bakura will try to destroy
the world. Many will die. In the end the Pharaoh must sacrifice his soul and be
sealed in the Millennium Puzzle and wait millennia again until the day Yugi put
the pieces back together. And then the whole cycle will restart, all over
again.”
 
“You mean to say that we have lived this before?” Yugi asked, not believing
what he was hearing.
 
“Yes. It is the curse of the Millennium Items. When they were made, they
released a great dark force. The energies of the cosmos came out of balance.
Since then, the events in the universe kept repeating themselves. I was chosen
by the gods to be the guardian of the Millennium Items, with the mission to
guide you in order to restore balance to the universe, and bring an end to this
never-ending cycle.”
 
“What? You knew from the beginning how things were going to develop? Jounouchi
yelled revolted, remembering the dangers he and his friends lived the last
years. “You know, if you would have told us the whole thing from the beginning,
it would have been really helpful!”
 
“It’s not the way it works. I have great limitations. I am not allowed to
change the course of events that much. I must not change destiny. I’m only
allowed to interfere in necessary moments. Like when I see you are in trouble.”
Shaddi paused and his gaze met Honda, recalling the moment he saved the
teenager and Otogi from having a deadly fall. “I’m the only person carrying the
memories of each of these cycles. I do try, every time, something new, in
moments that can be significant for the course of events. I do try to correct
where I might have gone wrong in the previous cycle. But every time, the
Pharaoh’s and Bakura’s souls end up in the Millennium Items and then the whole
thing starts all over again. It’s hopeless.”
 
“Have you ever tried something completely different? Because, maybe, just
maybe, you’ve been using the wrong method.” Anzu carefully asked.
 
“Well, I was about to let things develop by themselves.” He replied clearly
offended.
 
“Yeah, and then the world would end! It would definitely be a great
improvement!” Jounouchi angrily pointed out. Shaddi looked a bit taken aback.
 
“I am sorry. It’s just...I’ve tried already so many things...I just wish I
could find the way to break this cursed cycle!”
 
There was a deep silence. The ancient reliefs seemed to watch expectantly,
wondering if events would unfold differently this time.
 
“What happens if we break the cycle?”  Anzu asked.
 
“The powers of darkness and light will become equal. The cosmos will regain its
balance and the souls of both the Pharaoh and Bakura will finally be freed”.
 
“So, how were we going to enter the Memory World anyway?” Honda wondered.
 
“We would have to dwell in the labyrinths of the Pharaoh’s fragmented memories
inside the Millennium Puzzle and...”
 
“Wait!” Yugi interrupted, sounding somehow excited. ““I have an idea! The
Millennium Puzzle is full of secrets and mysteries related to Yami’s past,
right?” Shaddi nodded. “So, maybe the answer is to be founded in there! Or at
least a clue!” The Egyptian ghost seemed to consider this for a while.
 
“I suppose it’s worth a try.” The guardian of the Millennium Items smiled
hopefully.
 
They held their hands in a circle. Shaddi spoke some strange words and, thanks
to the magic of the Millennieum Key, the four friends were transported into the
Millennium Puzzle. It was, beyond doubt, he most confusing place they ever been
to. Jounouchi noticed that it had changed since his last visit and Shaddi
explained this was a consequence of Yami’s transformations in his memory. The
four friends stared at the many stone walls and countless staircases that
developed everywhere in all different and impossible directions.
 
“Yami’s mind is completely messed up. No wonder he’s always so confused about
his past.” Jounouchi commented.
 
“Let’s split ourselves. Like that we have more chances of finding something.”
Yugi said.
 
And so everybody took a different path. Staircases would lead to doors. Doors
would lead to new doors with new staircases. A false step would activate a
trap. Dangers were to be found behind every corner.  Often the friends would
return to the start point without even knowing how. They wandered in galleries
and corridors with empty walls finding nothing that would give any kind of
clue.  They finally all met in the beginning point for the countless time.
 
“Anybody found anything?” Yugi asked
 
“Nothing except for that creepy Bakura.” Honda complained.
 
“Hey, did anybody try that gallery over there?” Anzu pointed out to a passage
almost hidden by a staircase.
 
“How odd. I never saw it before. I must have missed it every time I came here!”
Shaddi sounded truly surprised.
 
“What are we waiting for?” Jounouchi yelled, as he run to the new discovered
passageway. This one had its walls covered with odd stripes, points and lines.
“Nya…It’s full with scratches.”Jounouchi pointed out.
 
“Those aren’t scratches! It’s cuneiform writing from Mesopotamia!” Shaddi said
surprised. He examined the wall from closer.
 
“Meso-what?”
 
“Mesopotamia. It was a culture that co-existed with Ancient Egypt.” Yugi
explained. History had always been his strongest subject. “They developed in
the region of actual Iraq and were formed by several cultures and kingdoms. The
Sumerians, Babylonians, Persians...”
 
“Akkadians!” Shaddi exclaimed.
 
“Yes, Akkadians too.” Yugi confirmed perplexed. Shaddi looked at the wall with
new enthusiasm.
 
“It’s Akkadian. Listen, I think this is important. ”
 
In the land beyond the sea
There lays a kingdom
Ruled by two, you see,
The lords of the Sun and the Moon
 
As one, they ruled
Together they were gods
Never to be divided
Alone they’ll lose by all odds
 
The friend became the enemy
The Sun King went to battle
The Moon gave him victory
Alas, the city of Ishtar was feeble
 
The golden beast attacked the city
The Moon King missed his brother
He was brave and fought mightily
Alas, the beast was stronger
 
Too late was the Sun King
Walls were broken, the city burning
Death had taken the Moon King
And left the world mourning
 
Together the kings ruled as one
Together they were gods
Never to be divided
Alone they’ll lose by all odds
 
And so the Sun King too vanished
 
“The city of Ishtar?” Anzu spoke petrified. “That’s Malik’s family name!”
 
“It’s Akkad, capital of the Akkadian Empire, hometown of Ishtar, the great
goddess.” The Egyptian ghost said. “Egypt had back then a strong alliance with
the Akkadians kings.”
 
“You mean Malik’s family descended from this Meso-thing?” Jounouchi asked
confused.
 
“Mesopotamia.” Shaddi corrected irritated. “Yes. It is possible. The tomb
keeper family’s origins are obscure to me.”
 
“Together the kings ruled as one, Together they were gods, Never to be divided,
Alone they’ll lose by all odds…”All heads turned to Yugi as he muttered these
words.  “Shaddi!” Yugi spoke, his hands closed in fists, his eyes glimmering.
“What if these two kings were supposed to help the Pharaoh?”
 
“What do you mean?”
 
“Well, the text says that when these kings were together they were gods. They
were probably very powerful. Never to be divided, Alone they’ll lose by all
odds. This means that when the Moon king died, the other king was weak, perhaps
even powerless.”
 
“You mean to say...”
 
“What if something went wrong already in the past? What if these two kings were
supposed to play an important part in the battle against Bakura, but didn’t
because the Moon King died? That would explain why you fail to break the cycle
every time! Because this is a piece of information you never knew about! This
is probably an episode in history that needs to be amended.”
 
“Perhaps you are right. In that case, you will have to be able to travel to the
past instead to the Pharaoh’s Memory...There has to be a doorway somewhere that
leads to the past of these two kings.”
 
“You mean like this one?” Honda pointed to a door a bit further. It had a
picture of a moon and a sun on it.
 
“Yes. It is probably the gateway to the past.” Shaddi said and couldn’t help
but think the door’s appearing was little too convenient. “My friends, I cannot
guide you further than this. But first, I must warn. The moment you change the
past, you interfere with history. Events will unfold with no destiny defined.
Anything could happen. In the worst of all situations, you could all die
there.” All four gulped. They stared one another, fear present in their eyes.
 
“What kind of friends are we, if we don’t try to change the events? We cannot
leave Yami all alone with his tragic destiny!” Jounouchi spoke eloquently. “He
would help us, he would sacrifice himself to make things better.” Yugi, Anzu
and Honda looked at the blond with great awe. They missed the sweat drop on
Shaddi’s temple. He found the whole speech kind of cheesy. “I’m in! I will
travel to the past, save this moony king and help Yami defeat the evil Bakura!”
Jounouchi spoke with great determination, his fist in the air. Another sweat
drop appeared on Shaddi’s temple.
 
“Count with me!” Honda followed, imitating Jounouchi’s gestures.
 
“Me too!” Anzu and Yugi yelled in unison. Shaddi, having now a collection of
sweet drops, took a deep breath.
 
“Remember this. You will be placed on the right place, at the right time. But I
have no idea where and when it is. May the gods protect you.” Yugi and his
friends nodded and walked silently to the door. There was nothing to see
around. Nothing to hear. There was just darkness. It was as if nothing existed
beyond that door.
 
“Are you sure about this, Yugi?” Anzu asked, unable to hide the fear in her
voice.
 
 The boy didn’t reply. His frown was replaced by a smile of determination and
courage. Without any warning, Yugi jumped into darkness. The others gasped and
called out his name, but silence was all they heard. The three friends switched
hesitated looks and took a deep breath. One after the other, they jumped into
this blackness and their hearts hoped this wasn’t their one-way ticket to
death.  And so they fell and fell and fell.
 
“Are those stars?” Honda asked at midway.
 
“Who cares?” Jounouchi yelled “Outch!”
 
The three friends landed, one after the other, on dry and dusty ground. It was
still dark, but a dim pale light illuminated the nocturne world around them.
Yugi stood there already, staring intently at the full moon.
 
“Where are we?” Anzu asked.
 
“In the right place and the right time.” Yugi’s voice sounded far and absent.
 
They all looked at the nocturne landscape and wondered what the right place and
the right time were.
 
***** Meet the Sun king *****
Chapter Summary
     Yugi and his friends are in the right place, at the right time.
     But what they do not expect is to find familiar faces with whole new
     names.
     Yes, I am talking about reincarnation / past lives!
Chapter Notes
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
See the end of the chapter for more notes
 
Yugi and his friends stared around. All four of them wondered why they landed
5,000 years ago in the middle of nowhere. The full moon’s pale light
illuminated a word made from different shades of grey. They could make out a
dry rocky landscape surrounded by mountains. But they could not see any houses,
just rocks, some bushes and small trees growing here and there.
 
“Damn! Shaddi tricked us!” Jounouchi cursed under his breath, his hands in
fists. “I don’t trust him!  He’s so vague! Not to mention he’s a ghost.”
 
“Don’t go taking rushed conclusions, maybe we just have to explore a bit
around…” Yugi tried to calm down his friend, although, he shared Jounouchi’s
fear. They looked around and Honda decided to go on top of some rocks to get a
better view. Nothing. There was no city, village nor even a small house to be
seen anywhere near. He sighed.
 
“It’s helpless. There is absolutely nothing around here!” He shouted while he
jumped back on the lower ground. Jounouchi murmured something illegible; Anzu
held her arms protectively around her and Yugi stared at his now empty and
lifeless Millennium Puz-
 
“My puzzle!!! It’s gone!” He shouted shocked. He then heard a sound and turned
around suddenly, just like his friends. It sounded like horses running,
followed by voices.
 
“It’s coming closer!” Anzu said.
 
“And it’s heading this way, really fast.” Yugi added.
 
Jounouchi decided to climb a rock like Honda had done earlier, in hope of
seeing who was coming. He barely had time to react. His eyes grew as large as
his face would allow and he let out a loud scream while he fell back with his
arms and legs spread out. Yugi, Anzu and Honda yelled in unison both of shock
and surprise as a horse jumped right above Jounouchi, not touching the teen by
an inch. The horseman didn’t stop, but instead, continued galloping in a wild
speed. Jounouchi got up and started shouting and cursing at the horseman,
shaking his fists angrily in the air. He stopped to look down at his friends
who were acting strangely. They were wide eyed, shouting one louder than the
other, so Jounouchi couldn’t make out a word. It was the wild and frenzy arm
shaking and pointing at his direction that made the blond slowly turn around.
Once again, he barely had time to fall on the ground and survive to see this
time, two horses jumping right above him.
 
“What the hell is going on here?!!” He hysterically shouted, after making sure
that no other horses were coming his way.
 
“It looks like they were following the first one.” Honda noted.
 
“Maybe we should follow them.” Yugi spoke.
 
“Yeah!” Anzu cheered.
 
And the three of them started running in the horses’ direction, following the
dust cloud that was left behind. Jounouchi stood still on the rock, staring
with enormous unbelief at his friends.
 
“I’m unharmed, thank you.” Jounouchi murmured upset his friends forgot him.
“Are you mad? Did you see the speed of those horses?” He shouted without
receiving any reply. He was surprised to see how fast his friends could
actually run. They never were this fast during sport class. “Wait! Do not leave
me behind! I don’t want to be left alone in some strange place 5,000 years
back!” He desperately screamed. “God knows what kind of stuff I could bump
into.” He whispered scared with a shaky voice.
 
Jounouchi had just spoken when he startled. He heard a little sound coming from
the ground. He looked down and his eyes met a small cricked standing right next
to his shoe. It was staring curiously at him. Jounouchi let out a horrible
scream and made an Olympic jump, running behind his friends faster than any
golden medal athlete could ever run. He reached his friends in no time. They
were all panting exhaustively. 
 
“I’m so tired.” Anzu confessed.
 
“Yeah, I don’t think I can take another step.” Yugi added.
 
“*Pant* pant*pant*(inhale really deeply)*pant*pant*”  Jounouchi would swear his
lungs were about to burst.
 
“Jezz Jounouchi, your condition is awful. Back to the gym when we are home
again.” Honda mocked.
 
“(Guttural angry sound)*pant*pant*pant*” Jounouchi was about to release another
wordless sound, when they all froze. They heard a scream. And then a cry for
help. They run a few steps closer and looked down on the valley just below
them. The soft moon light revealed the first horseman being caught by the other
two. They threw him to the floor and Anzu covered a scream when a white blade
shone under the pale moonlight. Without thinking (did they ever do?) Honda and
Jounouchi jumped from where they stood and landed on the two chasers. They hit
and beat and kicked and punched. The two men fell to the ground in no time
seeing more stars than the sky actually had. Anzu and Yugi ran down to meet
their friends.
 
“Those two aren’t going to harm anybody for a while.” Honda triumphantly spoke
as he cleaned the dust of his clothes.
 
“Thank you very much. I’m really grateful!” A young man’s voice was heard
behind them.
 
The four friends turned around to see who they just had rescued and gasped in
great surprise. He was around 17 years old, had wavy long black hair, caught on
a pony tail and even in the dim moonlight, they could see his eyes were light
of colour. They all knew they were green.
 
“Otogi?” They asked simultaneously in great awe.
 
“What?” The black haired young man asked a bit confused.
 
“You are Otogi!” Yugi yelled.
 
“You must be confusing me with someone else. My name is Nigiku.” He said
smilingly. The friends switched confused looks.
 
“Ehm, Nigiku. Who are these guys and why were they chasing you?” Yugi asked
while he looked at the unconscious men, wearing dark hooded cloths.
 
“I have no idea, but I’m pretty sure they wanted to stop me from reaching King
Dumuzi. He’s on battle and his brother gave me this letter. It must be handed
to him as quickly as possible.” He spoke sternly, displaying a small clay box.
“I wonder how they knew…” He murmured thoughtfully.
 
“What’s in the letter?” Jounouchi asked.
 
“I dunno. It’s for the king’s eyes only.” He looked at the box and the then at
the moon. “I’m sorry, but I must haste.”
 
“Can we go with you? We are kind of lost.” Yugi asked. Only now did Nigiku take
a better look at the four of them and thought their garments were rather
peculiar.
 
“Yeah, sure. Just take the enemies’ horses and follow me.”
 
“Ehm, maybe you didn’t notice but, we are four and there are only two horses.”
Honda pointed out the obvious.
 
“You divide. You guys ride (he pointed at Honda and Jounouchi). One of you
takes the girl and the other takes the child.” He cheerfully said, unaware of
the reason for Yugi’s blushing and loud protesting.
 
Said and done. Nigiku leaded the way, while (after a very fast course of ‘how
to ride a horse’) the others followed him, Jounouchi with Yugi and Honda with
Anzu. The four of them found the journey extremely unpleasant, for both Honda
and Jounouchi were fighting to maintain control of the horses, while both Yugi
and Anzu had the feeling they were going to throw up at any moment. They all
hoped that this king, wherever he was, wasn’t too far away.
 
…
 
The white disk on the sky shone brightly and illuminated a landscape belonging
to everyman’s nightmare. The horrible display of a ferocious battle’s outcome.
The blue pale light revealed what used to be a peaceful and solitary valley
between some rocky hills. Just two hours ago this valley was filled with noises
of battle. Men screamed, swords clashed. The moon witnessed the shedding of
blood from both armies. Tonight, this place became a mass grave.
 
Lilac eyes stared at the dreadful scenario. Tears formed on the two beautiful
orbs. They cried for the hundreds of men who died this night. They mourned for
the many families who lost their sons, brothers and fathers. It had been a
mighty battle and King Dumuzi was cheered as the glorious winner. He had
battled magnificently proving to be a brilliant leader, a courageous warrior, a
powerful king. The enemy had been a great challenge for it was both strong and
fierce, but King Dumuzi’s army had the moon on their side, powering them. Their
weapons were stronger, their strength greater. Tonight, the moon made King
Dumuzi invincible.  This was his very first important battle after his
coronation and he passed all the ordeals to prove he is a worthy king. He felt
happy and proud for his triumph, but it pained him that so many lives had to be
sacrificed to achieve this victory.
 
King Dumuzi sighed. He watched comrades burying their friends, brothers paying
their final goodbyes, sons mourning their father’s deaths, fathers weeping the
loss of their boys. Dumuzi caressed his left lower arm. It was stinging from
the pain, a wound he received during the heat of the battle. But he smiled
relieved this was all he suffered. He survived. Soon he would be able to see
his loving brother’s face again. But his smiled faded quickly when he heard a
shouting behind him.
 
“Dumuzi! Dumuzi!” The king hurried as he recognized the voice. He immediately
felt apprehensive. Nigiku’s presence could only mean something was really
wrong. “Dumuzi, I’m so glad you’re alive and well!” The black-haired boy said
while he dismounted the horse. They hugged happily, patting each other’s back
warmly. Jounouchi and Honda managed to stop the horses just before they would
break down the king’s tent.
 
“Who are they?” Dumuzi asked surprised as he watched the strange foursome come
down the horses, one looking sicker than the other.
 
“Quite clumsy horsemen.” Nigiku commented more to himself. “They rescued me
from two strangers. I think they wanted to stop me from bringing this to you.”
He presented the clay box containing the letter. “It’s from your brother. He
said it was urgent.” Dumuzi opened the little box and picked up a clay tablet
with strange inscriptions on it. He read his brother’s handwriting and his eyes
widened, shinning from concern. He suddenly flinched and quickly turned around,
startled by a loud shriek. His eyes met a blond teen pointing at him with a
trembling finger.
 
“W-What the Hell?” Jounouchi said with great unbelief. “Malik is the king?”
 
“Jounouchi!” Yugi whispered between his teeth. Nigiku and Dumuzi were staring
surprised and questionably at the blond boy.
 
“What strange outfits.” Dumuzi spoke.
 
“Yeah, I know. From what kingdom do you suppose they come from?” Nigiku asked.
Dumuzi shrugged, obviously not having any answer for that.
 
“She barely has any clothes on. Do you think she’s a whore?” Dumuzi whispered,
but loud enough for Anzu and the others to hear.
 
“I am not a whore! This is the latest fashion from where I come from!” She
yelled undignified.
 
“You must come from a really strange place then. And which one is your
husband?” Dumuzi continued, forgetting momentarily his brother’s letter.
 
“W-WHAT! I am not married to none of these losers!” She responded, crossing her
arms and lifting her chin to the sky angrily. Her three friends fell back,
insulted.
 
“Definitely a whore.” Nigiku said giggling.  Dumuzi smiled but only for a short
while. He looked serious again.
 
“I must return to the city immediately. And I will take the elite soldiers with
me. You must stay here, take my place for now, but return as soon as possible.
Let the soldiers rest the night. Best is to leave by day break.” Dumuzi spoke
sternly.
 
“What does the letter say?” Nigiku asked, obviously worried.
 
“My brother has been having this recurring dream. He says here he fears this
battle was a manoeuvre to lead the army far away from the city. A distraction.
He thinks the city will be attacked while it’s vulnerable.” Dumuzi spoke while
he stared at the letter. “It seems he just realized the danger this evening.”
Nigiku nodded in understanding.
 
“Go, ride as fast as the wind. I will take over.” The black-haired boy said.
 
“Thank you.” Dumuzi gathered his general and ordered the elite group to depart
as quickly as possible.
 
“We should go with them.” Yugi addressed his friends.
 
“Are you crazy? We barely survived our way here!” Jounouchi yelled, not at
least happy with the thought of getting back on that horse. “I’m sure I’ll be
sick when I’m on it again.”
 
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we met Nigiku. Think about it. He’s
definitely Otogi’s past life, just like the king is Malik’s. They must have
played an important role in the past and then reincarnated in our time, because
of this whole cyclus thing. Besides, I think Dumuzi is the Sun king. Remember
the inscriptions? It said the Sun king was at war. And the Moon king was killed
in the city!”
 
“He’s right. Dumuzi said his brother thinks the city will be attacked. So his
brother has to be the Moon king!” Anzu concluded.
 
“If we wouldn’t have followed those horsemen, Nigiku would certainly have been
killed.” Yugi continued. “Meaning that Dumuzi would have never received his
brother’s letter.”
 
“Wow, you guys! We just changed the course of history by saving Nigiku’s life!”
Honda cheered.
 
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Jounouchi stated determined, his fist high
in the sky.
 
“In that case we must go now! They are already leaving!” Honda warned. In no
time, the four friends were back on their two horses and only had time so say a
fast goodbye to a very stunned and confused Nigiku.
 
“Those must be the weirdest club I’ve ever seen.” He concluded while he
scratched the top of his head. “I sure hope Dumuzi arrives in time for whatever
is coming to our city.” He added, sincerely concerned.
Chapter End Notes
     Came up with the whole past live thing and decided to give real
     Akkadian names (looked up in the net) to our new/old friends. I'll
     keep putting them in the beginning of each chapter, so you will not
     forget who is who:
     Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin) past live is NIGIKU, which means Lord
     Bright-Eyed
     Malik Ishtar past live is the Sun king DUMUZI, which means Son Who is
     Life
***** Meet the Moon king *****
Chapter Summary
     Yugi and his friends have more shocking revelations.
Chapter Notes
     NIGIKU (Lord Bright-Eyed) = Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin)
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Dumuzi and his men rode fast under the full moon’s guidance. Jounouchi and
Honda rode far behind them, following the clouds of dust. They still rode
clumsily, but were progressively gaining more control of the horses. They
galloped and galloped for what seemed ages. Slowly the moon descended on the
sky and a soft light developed on the horizon.  The first rays of sun rose
behind the silhouettes of tall mountains. They travelled through isolated lands
of barren soil made of dry rock. They only stopped once to drink water, nibble
some dry bread and let the horses rest a bit.
 
The sun came up high and warm and the four friends were in no time battling the
desert heat. It became progressively hot. But soon, they discovered the sun
wasn’t the only heat’s source. There were tracks of fire in the landscape in
front of them. Trees and small animals were black and carbonized. They
travelled in a dead country consumed by fire. Dumuzi’s concern grew by the
minute but his heart was rejoiced when he recognized the mountain broken by the
middle, where a path opened itself to his home city. Dumuzi and his men stopped
suddenly, at the edge of the road. Their eyes met the great city of Akkad.
 
Yugi and his friends looked down and saw an immense city built on a fertile and
green valley, by a wide river and cultivations surrounding it. It was a
magnificent oasis in the middle of a dry and dead land. Akkad had high walls,
many little houses, green gardens, stair pyramids and majestic buildings. But
the magnificence of the city was overshadowed by something absolutely
terrifying. Yugi and his friends gasped of horror as they saw a gigantic
monster, golden like the sun, spitting fire at the city walls.
 
“I-It cannot be…” Yugi could not believe his eyes.
 
“The God of Sun Dragon!” Jounouchi yelled. “It’s real. Alive and kicking!”
 
Dumuzi and his men quickly rode down the mountain to confront the beast. But
the four friends stared paralyzed with what they witnessed. Ishizu had once
explained the card monsters were real in ancient times, but they never thought
they were this real. This was a flesh and bone monster, no hologram! They
gasped again when they saw a sand tornado hit the monster. A few more followed
it.
 
“It doesn’t make sense!” Honda said. “The tornados are local and…”
 
“They seem to be aimed at the God of Sun Dragon!” Yugi completed Honda’s
sentence. “If the card monsters are real…could it be?” Yugi paused
thoughtfully. “Could it be that Magic Card Spells are also real?” In a normal
situation, the others would have laughed at Yugi’s chain of thoughts, but
watching the way those tornadoes attacked the monster, it seemed to be the only
possible explanation.
 
“First Otogi and Malik, then the God of Sun Dragon and now Magic Spells…Where
did we get ourselves into?” Jounouchi dejectedly said.
 
“It is all very odd indeed.” Yugi agreed.
 
 “Maybe we should go down there, just in case. We might be able to help.” Honda
said.
 
“WHAT? And be burned by that thing?” Anzu yelled terrified at the thought.
 
“We will be shish kebab!” Jounouchi whined miserably.
 
“We have to help them. It’s the only way to break the cycle and help Yami!”
Yugi reminded. With these words Anzu and Jounouchi seemed to regain a bit of
their courage and downwards they rode, to meet the mystical God of Sun Dragon.
 
The heat was unbearable. The beast kept spitting flames of fire against the
city walls. Yugi and his friends noticed the walls remained unaffected by the
hot flames; they probably were protected by a magic shield. The monster moved
around restlessly, releasing horrible grunts of fury. Dumuzi and his men
surrounded the God of Sun Dragon, each one holding a black sword.
 
“Special Hurricane!” The friends heard a voice yell.
 
A powerful wind circled the monster so it could not move for some brief
moments. But the God of Sun Dragon proved to be resilient and quickly enough he
shook his wings so madly that the wind was turned back to Dumuzi and his elite
group, who were mercilessly thrown to the ground. Yugi and his friends advanced
a bit more so they could see who was casting the spells. Once again, they were
shocked to see this person, who too, was very familiar to them. Way too
familiar.
 
“Ryou!” Anzu screamed with her hands on her face.
 
Ryou Bakura, or better, his past life, was dressed in a long white garment,
similar to the one he had when he embodied the White Magician’s card, when they
played their first game together, long ago. The material was stained by dust
and ash. He stood with great effort, his body weight supported by a long white
rod with a half-moon topping it. The boy looked pale and sweat drops ran down
his face, gluing his long bangs to his temple. They could see he was breathing
with difficulty, taking long deep breaths. He looked exhausted, like if he was
about to pass out. But they recognized the same determination Ryou’s brown eyes
showed the first time they confronted Yami Bakura. It had been the moment the
boy was willing to sacrifice his soul to save his friends. Now, his past life
was engaged in a fierce magical battle. 
 .
“Lightning Vortex!” He yelled. He raised his free arm to the air and it shook
intensely, like if he was holding an immense power. Lightning hit several times
the monster, hardly hurting him. But while the beast was startled by the
nature’s force, Dumuzi and his men placed the black swords on the ground,
around God of Sun Dragon. The white-haired teen gestured his arm. A sharp while
light came out of his rod and sprung right into the swords.
 
“Swords of Revealing Light!”
 
Yugi and his friends stared in awe as they recognized the magic from the card
that demonstrated to be very useful more than once. The golden beast roared
madly at the realization it was trapped.
 
“Reinforcement of the Army!”
 
Suddenly Dumuzi and his men’s swords and shields grew stronger and bigger, but
felt lighter and easier to move. A magical armour of impenetrable material
protected now the warriors. They attacked the monster, trying to wound and kill
it. But after a while, the Swords of Revealing Light started flickering, like a
lamp coming to its end. Yugi and his friends looked at the white-haired boy. He
looked completely worn out. He barely could remain standing, he’s knees were
bent; all his weight was resting on the rod.
 
“The spells are controlled by him. Could it be that he sacrifices his life
energy to make the Magic Spells work?” Yugi wondered. Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda
held their breaths while they witnessed the white-haired boy almost stumble.
The sword lights flicked more intensively this time.
 
“Immaru! Nooooo!” Dumuzi yelled from behind the monster. He came running
desperate to aid the boy but the monster blocked his way with a sun blast.
Dumuzi stopped and looked shocked at the beast. It shrunk its eyes
threateningly.
 
“Dumuzi, I cannot hold it much longer!” Immaru shouted, his voice sounding
weak. The white-haired boy was feeling dizzy; the world was becoming blurry
before his eyes. He shook his head, he had to hold on. For the sake of his
city, of his people, of his brother.
 
“The God of Sun Dragon is coming loose!” Anzu screamed horrified.
 
Immaru’s eyes widened.
 
God of Sun Dragon?  
God of Sun?
Sun?
 
He looked at Dumuzi. He looked just in time to see him protecting himself
against a fire blast with the magical shield. He was doing everything in his
power to reach Immaru.
 
 God of Sun Dragon... could it be the mystical Egyptian Winged Dragon of Ra?
 
The white-haired boy took a deep breath and summoned all the little strength
his broken body could still offer. Everything hurt. His muscles were burning,
his head was spinning. And still, he managed in one last effort to stand
straight.
 
“Oh-mighty God of Sun Dragon, loyal servant of Ra!” he eloquently called, his
voice unexpectedly strong and determined.
 
Everybody turned to look at the boy. Dumuzi nearly had a heart attack when he
saw the teen standing in front of the colossal beast, showing an
uncharacteristic determination and willpower. Dumuzi recognized this kind of
strength. He witnessed it before. It was when somebody was in the end of their
life forces and desperately assembled all they still had left in them, to give
one last fight, just before they would collapse dead. He turned around to look
at the beast. Immaru had somehow captured its attention. Dumuzi swallowed dry
when he realized he was standing exactly between the beast and Immaru.
 
“Behold! Standing before you, is the child born from the first sun rays,
blessed with life by Ra’s will!!!” Immaru solemnly shouted.
 
The beast’s eyes twitched. Everybody gasped when they saw Immaru’s eyes roll
back and his body fell on the ground like an old rag doll. The swords’ light
surrounding the God of Sun Dragon vanished and returned to their original dark
colour. Dumuzi and his men’s weapons shrunk and their armours dissipated. The
soldiers stood paralyzed in fear. The beast too was motionless. There was a
threatening pause, a deep silence.
 
“Nooooooo! IMMARU!!!!” Dumuzi desperately screamed. He ran fast to the white-
haired boy and held his body close to his. “Please, be alive!” He begged.
Dumuzi rested his ear on the boy’s chest. His heart was beating and he could
feel him breathing too. He laughed of joy, while tears cascaded down his
cheeks. He kissed the unconscious boy’s forehead. “You’re alive, you’re still
alive!”
 
 The God of Sun witnessed the scene silently and stared strangely at the two
teens. It approached them slowly, its head close to the ground. Dumuzi shrugged
when he felt the warm breath behind him. He turned around and realized in
terror that the beast was only a few inches from him. The golden dragon stared
observantly into his lilac eyes and made a small grunt, without releasing any
fire. Dumuzi could feel all the blood leave his face.
 
I’m sorry Immaru. It will be all over soon.
 
He closed his eyes, pressed the other boy closer to him and prepared to receive
the death blow. But then, the monster instead of attacking, laid down on the
ground in a submissive way. Dumuzi slowly opened his eyes and blinked stunned,
just like everybody else. The beast was lying in front of him inoffensively.
Dumuzi suddenly remembered Immaru’s words before he fainted. He did not
understand the meaning of them, but it clearly changed the monster’s behaviour.
The young king with sandy hair took a deep breath. He could feel his blood
pumping in his veins too rapidly, his heart beating in a mad rate. But he had
to risk. He slowly stretched his trembling arm in the monster’s direction.
Everybody held their breaths. Time moved very slowly. Dumuzi stretched his
fingers and very gently touched the God of Sun Dragon’s nose. The monster
closed its eyes, looking satisfied. Nobody could believe what they just
witnessed. The monster that had fought so aggressively became suddenly as
mellow as a kitty.
 
“Please, do not harm us.” Dumuzi begged in a gasp. He had held his breath
during the tense moment. The golden dragon opened his eyes for a moment and
then closed them again with a soft grunt. “Will you be our ally?” The young
king whispered.
 
The beast suddenly lifted up and spread out his wings, shaking them. The wind
blew the remaining fire away. It then lifted itself in the air and flew to the
mountain standing by the city’s foot. The God of Sun Dragon roared mightily.
Dumuzi had the feeling it was trying to tell him it would protect the city from
danger. The beast curled in a resting position and closed its eyes.
 
“It’s going to sleep! We must attack him now!” The general yelled.
 
“No!” Dumuzi shouted. The general and all the men stared in surprise. “I don’t
think it wants to harm us anymore. I don’t know how, but my brother pulled that
one off.” He explained. “Quickly, help me get him into the palace. He needs to
rest, he’s exhausted.”
 
The general shouted out something and a pair of large iron doors opened
themselves. Yugi and his friends noticed that there were guards standing on the
wall. They had been witnessing the whole thing from the very beginning. The
four friends watched in awe as the doors revealed the entrance of the
magnificent city of Akkad. The first thing they saw were two colossal statues
of men with the bodies of lions. They had stern faces, long curly hair and
beards. The bodies were strong build, muscled with great claws demanding
respect. The statues looked so real that Yugi and the others almost expected
them breathe life and start talking. Behind the statues, a long passageway in
shinny blue tiles, decorated with images lions and bulls, lead to the city. 
 
“I’m heading to the palace. Send news of the happening to Nigiku .” Dumuzi’s
voice awoke them from their awe as he further instructed his general. His gaze
turned then to Yugi and his friends. They blinked surprised. “You, follow me.”
 
 
Chapter End Notes
     God of Sun Dragon and the Winged Dragon of Ra are the same creature,
     the first is the orignal Japanese name while the second is the
     English version. I'll be using both names in this story.
     Immaru (Ryou's past life) means Light in Akkadian.
***** Time travellers *****
Chapter Notes
     NIGIKU (Lord Bright-Eyed) = Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin)
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
See the end of the chapter for more notes
CHAPTER FIVE
 
Jounouchi and Honda followed the two kings and found it even more difficult to
keep the horses steady when they hastily rode in the streets of Akkad, between
houses and shop tents. The Akkadians, seeing the kings pass by, kneeled with
their heads bowed. They all looked concerned when they realized that young king
Immaru was unconscious and all prayed he would recover fast.
 
They rode fast until they reached the palace. Yugi and his friends gasped
marvelled when they saw the complex. It was like a city within another city. It
had a massive gate and was surrounded by strong walls. They rode past several
low houses belonging to the many king’s servants, and admired colourful hanging
gardens surrounding the main building, the palace itself. It had a pyramidal
shape and was made of stairs platforms. They saw many white balconies and
galleries between the green gardens that hung in the several layers of the
construction. Never in their lives had they seen such an impressive and
beautiful place. They rode further inside the palace complex until they reached
the main courtyard. Several bald men dressed in white linen garments came
running to meet the kings.
 
“He fell into unconsciousness while we were fighting the monster.” Dumuzi
explained.
 
“Our king survived the fury of the sun ray’s beast.” The eldest of these men
spoke. “We will initiate the healing procedures immediately.”
 
“When shall I be able to see him again?”
 
“In about four hours. We will leave him in his royal chamber.” The man answered
and bowed with respect. The men took hold of the unconscious young king’s body
and carried him inside with great care. Dumuzi looked heartbroken, his eyes
shone of worry.
 
“I’m sure he will be alright.” Yugi said trying to console the young king.
Dumuzi turned around and his expression changed completely. The four friends
took a step behind and their blood ran cold. He gave them a dark look that
reminded them of Malik when he was about to do something really bad.
 
“We need to speak.” He merely stated.
 
He gestured them to follow him. They stepped into the palace’s interior and it
was magnificent. The roof was decorated with colourful shiny mosaics, made of
thousands of little stones, forming geometric figures. The walls showed
beautiful reliefs with images of mighty kings in fierce battles and exciting
hunts. They noticed the several people working in the palace stopped their
tasks to greet the king with a respectful bow as they passed by. They reached a
large door and Dumuzi opened it.
 
“Akbishu, please leave us alone.” Dumuzi coldly ordered as he entered. Yugi and
the others were surprised to see a man looking just like Pegasus, talking in
the middle of the large chamber with some servants.
 
“Lord Dumuzi.” He graciously bowed. “I am very pleased to see that you are
well.”
 
“Yes, thank you. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about my brother.”
 
“Oh dear! Is he…?”
 
“Dead?  No. Just very tired. The priests are taking care of him as we speak.”
 
“Such marvellous news!” Akbishu spoke with an overly enthusiastic voice.
 
“I need to be alone, can you please leave us. I will talk to you later.”
 
“Of course my Lord.” Akbishu bowed courteously and left the room. Yugi and his
friends stared suspiciously at Akbishu as he walked away. He sounded overly
kind and happy to hear the recent news, but they were sure they could trace the
falsity in the sweetness of his speech. Dumuzi gestured the servants to leave
too. The young king walked to the centre of the room where two thrones stood at
the same level, next to each other, one made of golden and the other of silver.
They weren’t a bit surprised to watch Dumuzi sit on the golden one.
 
“Who are you?” he went straight to the point.
 
“My name is Yugi Mutou and these are Anzu Mazaki, Jounouchi Katsuya and Honda
Hiroto.”
 
“Tell me what you know about the monster that almost killed my brother.” They
sensed the anger and pain in his voice. It was clear Immaru meant a great deal
to him.
 
“It’s the God of Sun Dragon, also known as Winged Dragon of Ra. It’s an
Egyptian mystical God...monster”. (Yugi had almost said ‘card’).
 
“Egyptian, you say. But you don’t look Egyptian at all.”
 
“Oh no, we come from Japan.” Dumuzi looked perplexed at Yugi’s answer.
 
“I’ve never heard about that kingdom.”
 
“It’s very far away, actually it’s practically in the other side of the world.”
 
“I see. Does everybody wear such strange outfits there? What are your shoes
made from, anyway?” Yugi smiled for Dumuzi’s curiosity.
 
“Yes, everybody dresses up like us. And these are sneakers…Ehm, I think they
are mostly made of leather and rubber…” Yugi looked at his friends for help,
but they looked as clueless as him.
 
“Rubber…” Dumuzi murmured at the new word, staring with wonder at Yugi’s feet.
Then he seemed to remember the real reason he wanted to talk to them and looked
stern again.
 
“I find it a big coincidence you accidently bumped into my cousin while he
travelled to reach me. (They all made a mental memo that Nigiku was Dumuzi and
Immaru’s cousin). The region he was travelling is remote and far from any
village. So what were you guys doing out there?” Yugi looked at his friends for
backup. They nodded at him, encouraging him to tell the young king the truth.
 
“It’s going to sound really strange. You may not believe us.” Yugi warned.
 
“Try me.” Dumuzi challenged while he straightened his back against the throne.
 
“Well, ehm, where should I begin?” Yugi realized he hadn’t prepared for
anything like this. “We are friends of the Pharaoh in Egypt. There is an enemy
luring down there. His name is Bakura. He wants to start the Ultimate Shadow
Game.”
 
“What does that have to do with the Akkadian Empire?”
 
“Well, the Shadow Game will decide not only the Fate of the Pharaoh, but also
of Mankind. We don’t know how but Bakura wants to release a creature of
ultimate darkness to dominate the world. We believe that, somehow you and your
brother are supposed to play an important role fighting this dark power.”
 
“What makes you think that?”
 
“The God of Sun Dragon did come all the way from Egypt to attack the city while
it was vulnerable.”
 
“Are you implying that this creature was sent to kill Immaru?” The young king
sounded shocked.
 
“I don’t know. Maybe. Probably... Look, all I know for sure is that we had to
find you and stop Immaru from being killed.”
 
“You speak as if you knew which events were about to take place beforehand. I
still think it’s very strange you just happened to be in the right place and
the right time to stop a chain reaction that would have led to my brother’s
death. Are you spies?”
 
“No, we are - as I said before, we are the Pharaoh’s friends and- and, ehm...we
were sent with the mission of, ehm...” Yugi had no idea how to explain the king
without sounding crazy.
 
“It was Shaddi!” Jounouchi suddenly interrupted.
 
“And who may this Shaddi person be?” The young king was starting to feel
annoyed.
 
“He’s some kind of weird Egyptian ghost! He helped us come here after we
dwelled in the fragmented memories of the Pharaoh inside the Millennium Puzzle
and in there we found an Meso-thingy inscription about a Sun and a Moon king
and it said the Moon king had died and we think you two are connected to the
solution of breaking the always repeating cycle of events, so we followed the
door to the past so we could stop the Moon king’s death and help us find a way
of changing history!!!” Jounouchi madly ranted in one single breath, his voice
echoing in the ample room.
 
 Yugi, Anzu and Honda looked pale and outraged for their friend’s recklessness.
Dumuzi looked sincerely astonished,  paralyzed for moments, with the exception
of the blinking of his eyes, which expressed his utter confusion. Suddenly he
burst into laughter. Yugi hit his hand on his temple, Anzu crossed her arms and
shook her head irritated, Honda hit Jounouchi’s head.
 
“It’s all true! We know this because we came from the future!” Jounouchi
yelled, only aggravating the king’s laughter.
 
“Ha, ha,ha,ha!” Dumuzi was bent over, his arms wrapped around his belly. “You
guys are hilarious! So, from when do you come from?”
 
“About 5,000 years from now.” Yugi spoke defeated, his head down. Jounouchi
really screwed things this time.
 
“And you dwelled in the fragmented memories of the Egyptian king?” Yugi, Anzu
and Honda sadly sighed and nodded. Dumuzi laughed the rest of his fit and
slowly recomposed himself.
 
“Well, after what I just saw today, it might even believe it. Otherwise you are
or liars or completely mad.” Dumuzi said, his tone suddenly changing to scarily
serious, his look on his face dark and grave. The four friends swallowed dry.
“You’ll remain in the palace under my vigilance. Don’t even try to escape. When
my brother recovers we will go to the bottom of this.” He stood up, indicating
that their alone time with him had ended. “Whoever you may be or come from, is
right now irrelevant for me. I’m just glad you appeared. Apparently, we owe our
lives to you today. I will not forget that.” Dumuzi called some names out.
“Please take these four to guest rooms and give them clean clothes.” He turned
to face Yugi and his friends again. “I will see you during tonight’s banquet.”
At this he walked away and left the room. The servants bowed towards Yugi and
his friends, gesturing to follow them.
 
“Well, at least he seems to be a good guy. Less crazy and hostile than our
Malik.” Honda spoke as they walked down the corridors.
 
“Let’s not forget Malik was full of grudge and desire for revenge, not to
mention he had a dark split personality possessing him.” Yugi reminded.
 
“True.” Honda agreed.
 
“I don’t know if I like very much the idea of being his guest-prisoner.”
Jounouchi complained a bit, remembering the time Malik controlled his mind.
 
“I’m not upset at all with the thought of having to stay here. This palace is
amazing!” Anzu cheerfully said.
 
“Let’s just hope Immaru will get better soon. We have no time to lose. Only the
gods know if we’ll be on time to stop Bakura.” Yugi reminded. The four were
silent for a while.
 
“Dumuzi probably went to see his brother.” Anzu broke the silence, wishing to
change of subject. “It must be difficult for him.”
 
Jounouchi nodded quietly. It’s horrible.He thought. When the life of your
sibling is in danger and you can do nothing but wait.He could fully understand
Dumuzi’s worries. All his attention would go now to his ill brother.
 
The servants stopped and presented them to their rooms. Four doors, one room
for each one of them. They agreed to meet in one hour to explore a bit more of
the palace and discuss what to do next. As each of them entered their room, all
their worries dissipated momentarily. The rooms were luxurious, decorated with
beautiful colourful curtains and carpets, a large bed in the middle full of
pillows with pretty patterns on it and a fantastic view over the gardens and
the city. It was the perfect holiday resort. If only they weren’t there for an
important mission.
 
Chapter End Notes
     Sorry for the short chapter, will try to develop more in the next one
     So Akbishu is Pegasus past life. More about his character will be
     told and developed in the next chapters. The word BISHU means EVIL in
     Akkandian. I added the AK, it sounded better.
***** The tale of the Sun and Moon kings *****
Chapter Summary
     Yugi and his friends learn about Dumuzi's real intentions. More is
     told about the Akkadian kings. And what are Akbishu's plans for the
     kings?
Chapter Notes
     NIGIKU (Lord Bright-Eyed) = Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin)
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     AKBISHU / Main Royal Advisor (Evil) = Pegasus
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Please, get well soon.
 
Dumuzi thought while he looked at his sleeping brother. The priests gave him a
ritualized healing procedure to restore his spiritual wounds and renew his
bodily energies.
 
“This fight with the beast of sun rays almost killed your brother. He was
already weakened by sending his energy to the battlefield. He sacrificed his
energy for invincible strength. Not foreseeing what was to come, his energy
transfer was quite a generous one. The creature appeared during the morning,
when the sun was still halfway to noon. You understand he used all his energy
reserves.”
 
The priest’s words echoed in his mind. Dumuzi was overwhelmed with the inner
strength his brother possessed. It was an indescribable willpower that seemed
to challenge all logic of human endurance. Immaru didn’t have his full strength
when he faced the golden dragon, and yet he fought a good two to three hours
against fire and wind. Sure the priests were backing him up and sending him
spiritual energy and life-force from the Ishtar temple, but still, it was
amazing.  Dumuzi smiled proudly at his brother.
He looked outside and saw the stars and an almost full moon. He knew the fact
the moon was starting it’s Waning Gibbous cicle, would diminish the benefits of
his healing. He sighed worried.  If Immaru hadn’t said those words to the
beast, he probably would have died. Dumuzi shivered. The thought that he could
return home triumphant from war and come to the discovery that Immaru was dead
made him feel desperate. He took Immaru’s hand on his. It felt warm. He looked
lovingly at the face of his sleeping sibling, so peaceful and innocent.
 
“I swear I will never leave you alone again. Should you ever need protection, I
will be there for you. With you. Always. This I swear.” Dumuzi whispered
solemnly.
 
He wiped the tears off his face. The Sun King tried to imagine his life without
his brother and concluded it would be too empty, too lonely. He’d rather die.
 He bent over his brother’s body, kissed softly his temple, and left the room,
closing the door behind him gently. “Nobody, except for me, is authorized to
enter this room. In no any kind of circumstance!” He ordered two guards
standing by the door. “Nodoby.” He stressed and departed to the banquet hall.
 
* * *
 
The four friends could not believe their eyes. They were guided by servants to
a huge hall, with three rows of very long tables, completely crammed with all
kinds of food. Meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, sweets, you name it. All
displayed artistically only to stimulate the appetite.
 
“I see you made it.” Dumuzi’s voice was heard behind them.
 
He looked really handsome now that he was cleaned and his hair fell in a silky
manner. Yugi and his friends noticed he wasn’t wearing the black uniform he had
before. He was dressed with a warm yellow long robe, open in a V manner till
the waist and held by a golden wide band. It was a beautiful piece of clothing.
Its whole texture and borders were decorated with embroideries made of golden
dread, creating vegetative patterns. Underneath they could see a lighter yellow
shirt and wide pants, closed by the ankles. He also wore jewels, pointy
earrings, and golden plates in the same fashion as Malik, around the neck and
wrists. “You all look much better.” He honestly said.
 
They all had garments according to the Akkadian fashion, a humbler version of
Dumuzi’s costume. Yugi, Jounouchi and Honda felt rather uncomfortable and silly
in these outfits, but Anzu loved them. She was also the only member of the
group who didn’t feel ridiculous in them. She was dressed up in a lovely purple
dress with silk ribbons and a transparent veil on the back of her head. Yugi
thought she never looked so beautiful before.
 
“Please, come sit with me.” The young king invited.
 
They happily took a place next to the king and several people stared with
admiration. The four friends noticed Akbishu looked quite discontented but gave
an overly kind smile. How faker could this man be? They were invited to eat
whatever they wanted and their table was crowded with all kinds of delicious
stuff. Honda and Jounouchi stuffed their mouths like real barbarians, realizing
they didn’t eat practically anything since lunch the day before. Musicians and
dancers animated the banquet. People laughed and chatted cheerfully. Jounouchi
and Honda truly believed they died and came to heaven. At the end of the
banquet king Dumuzi stood up. Quickly enough, everybody silenced and the music
and dancers stopped.
 
“Thank you so much for being present here tonight. We celebrate our glorious
triumph from yesterday’s battle (men roared loudly) and for the combat we won
this afternoon against the golden monster (everybody fell silent again). I have
good news. My brother, Lord Immaru, king of Akkad, light of Nanna the moon god,
will be fine. His health is improving as we speak; all he needs is a good rest
(everybody cheered and applauded relieved). I want to make a toast in honour of
these four strangers (people stared curiously at them wondering who they were).
Dumuzi held his beaker in the air. Everybody else followed his example. “To
Yugi, Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda, who saved Lord Nigiku yesterday night from an
enemy attack, while he travelled to bring me an important message from my
brother. It is thanks to them that the Moon King Immaru is still alive. A toast
for these heroes! May they live a long and happy life!”
 
Everybody toasted, screaming words of good fortune at the four strangers.
Dumuzi sat down with a grin on his lips. The members of the court understood
clearly the message hidden under the cheerful tone. The king had stated there
was a traitor among them.
 
“Yugi, I want to ask you guys a favour.” Dumuzi turned to the spiked haired
boy. “Will you join me and guard my brother?” Yugi was surprised by Dumuzi’s
request. “I have my reasons to believe somebody in my court wishes my brother
dead. I cannot trust anybody, not even the guards. Do you understand?” Yugi
nodded. 
 
“Why do you trust us?” Yugi asked.
 
“Why do I have the feeling you did everything today to save my brother’s life?”
Yugi smiled. He was starting to sympathize with the king.
 
…
 
They all sat in the dark room and looked at the sleeping king. It reminded them
of the time Malik appeared under the alias Namu and brought them a wounded
Ryou. The boy had been very sick, having lost quite some blood from the deep
cut on his left arm. Dumuzi opened the curtains so the moonlight fell on
Immaru.
 
“We must make sure that he receives as much moonlight as possible. It will help
him recover faster.”
 
“How is that?” Yugi asked. Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda were equally curious.
 
“When our mother was pregnant, the physicians failed to notice she was carrying
two babies.” Everyone gasped. “Yes, Immaru and I are twins. Mother went into
delivery in a night of full moon. The delivery had some complications and the
baby could die. So the priests gathered in the Isthar temple. There they prayed
to the moon god Nanna for the birth of a healthy child. After a long night, my
brother was born under the last light of the moon, just before the break of
dawn. That’s why he was called Immaru, which means Light.The priests said
therefore he was a gift from god Nanna and, believe it or not, he does get
stronger as the moon becomes fuller.”
 
Yugi and his friends stared at the sleeping figure with awe. “I think I
understand now why he spoke those words today at the monster.” Yugi and the
others looked surprised at Dumuzi. “He said: Before you stands the child born
from the first rays of sun. I think Immaru realized the creature was connected
with the Sun god and understood that it wouldn’t harm me. When Immaru was born,
everybody was surprised to see that another child was still in my mother’s
womb. They say I was very small and weak. According to the physicians, I was
born dead. But when they laid me down, the first sun rays touched me and I
started breathing. That’s why my name is Dumuzi. It means Son who is Life.The
priests agreed my life was a gift of sun god Shamash. The priests call me
therefore the child of the Sun god, just like they call my brother the child of
the Moon god.”
 
“Wow, that’s quite an amazing story.” Yugi spoke.
 
“Yeah, almost as amazing as yours.” The king said almost giggling. “But I
believe you, at least in certain things.”  They all gasped surprised but were
contented and quite relieved to know they had earn the king’s trust. “You know
by now that my brother is powerful. As a little child he was tormented by
things he would see and feel, things he could not explain nor understand. It
frightened him. But the priests quickly realized he was a special child and
brought him under their training. He might be only 17 years old, but he’s the
White Magician, the highest rank in the priest’s hierarchy. Even the High
Priest must bow under his religious authority.”
 
 Yugi and his friends looked at the white-haired boy with great admiration.
“Since about two years he’s been having these dreams about destruction. He
calls them the rise of darkness. He keeps talking about a dark energy rising in
the south and lately has sensed it growing and becoming more threatening. Your
story about Bakura and the Egyptian pharaoh makes perfect sense now that I
think about it.” The four friends switched looks. Yugi felt relieved now that
they had the king on their side.
 
“Ehm, Lord Dumuzi…” Yugi started.
 
“Oh please, no need of all that formality. Just call me Dumuzi.”
 
“Dumuzi, about Akbishu…”
 
“You don’t trust him either.” Dumuzi spoke darkly, his eyes fixed on his
brother. Yugi blinked surprised. The young king let out a small laughter. “You
guys are too transparent. I saw the way you all stared suspiciously at him when
he left the room this afternoon and I was observing you during the banquet. You
kept staring hatefully at him and switching accomplice looks. At least, between
the pauses of your devour.” He gave a reproving look at Jounouchi and Honda.
They both looked caught and embarrassed. “My brother hates Akbishu. And believe
me, hating is something that doesn’t fit Immaru’s character.”
 
“What makes you suspect Akbishu?” Anzu asked. Dumuzi remained a moment silent,
probably considering the answer.
 
“Akbishu has been the King’s main advisor for many years. He was our father’s
right hand. But my brother and I believe he’s involved in our father’s death.
Mother died short after our birth, so our father married again and Akkad got a
new queen. Her name was Aiht-Nyc,  a loving and caring lady. She was beyond
doubt a perfect mother, wife and queen. Everybody loved and cherished her.
Especially Akbishu.  My brother and I suspect he and Aiht-Nyc had a secret love
affair, but we always kept it between us. Alas, Aiht-Nyc suffered of an
incurable illness. Despite everybody’s efforts in making her feel better, she
passed away three years ago.” Dumuzi looked down, his face sad at the memory.
 
“I’m sorry.” Anzu spoke. Dumuzi nodded in understanding and continued.
 
“Akbishu changed since them. He used to be a spontaneous and carefree man, but
after Aiht-Nyc died, he seemed to gain a hatred for the royal family members.
He started coming with strange stories to put us against each other and his
behaviour became increasingly fake. I guess it became more and more difficult
to pretend. Most of his advises were turn down. He became a man of extreme
measures. I know our father was becoming discontented by Akbishu’s behaviour
and I think he was considering in replacing him. But then, seven months ago, he
died in a horrible accident while hunting.”
 
“You think Akbishu has something to do with your father’s death.” Yugi
concluded and the king nodded in confirmation.
 
“But we don’t have any proof. And because we are kings only very recently, plus
the fact of being so young, well let’s say we have to build up a reputation
before we can displace him. He’s a very influential man in the court and plays
an important role in our politics.” He sighed.
 
“I think you and your brother won many points with the winning of the battle
and the fight against the God of Sun Dragon.”  Yugi spoke.
 
“I guess.” Dumuzi said without any enthusiasm.
 
“Don’t worry Dumuzi! We will investigate Akbishu and if he’s up to something,
we will discover.” Jounouchi spoke determinately. The young king looked a bit
surprised but smiled.
 
“Thank you. I really appreciate it. I feel lucky to have met you. I never
received so much spontaneous help from complete strangers.” He spoke with
sincerity. “I’m tired. If you don’t mind, I’m going to sleep. Who will take the
first watch?” Yugi and Anzu raised their hands in the air.
 
“We are going to sneak on Peg-Akbishu and try to discover what that scum is up
to!” Jounouchi enthusiastically announced. He and Honda said they goodnights
and exited the room. “We’ll come back in some hours so you can sleep.” Honda
told Yugi and Anzu before leaving the room.
 
The two friends sat on the fluffy cushions with their backs to the door. They
weren’t a bit amazed to see Dumuzi lay down next to his brother. They remained
silent the rest of the night, staring at the stars shinning next to the
brilliant moon, listening to the kings’ soft breathing. Yugi couldn’t imagine
how difficult it must be; being orphans and having to bear the weight of a
whole Empire’s crown. He remembered the wall inscription inside the Millennium
Puzzle. He understood now the reason for the Sun King’s disappearance. And he
was glad they were able to stop Immaru’s death. Not just for the sake of Yami
and the world, but because they managed to keep these siblings together. Yugi
thought a long while about the events since their arrival, about Dumuzi’s story
and about Bakura. In the mist of his thoughts, weariness swept over his mind
and body and, just like Anzu, slowly succumbed into a dreamless sleep.
 
Chapter End Notes
     I was not feeling so creative in searching for a name for Pegasus'
     past life's lover so I just called her Aiht-Nyc, which is actually
     Cynthia backwards.
***** What's up with Akbishu? *****
Chapter Summary
     Jounouchi and Honda go in search of the suspicious Main Advisor
     Akbishu, who's nobody else but Pegasus' past live. What secrets is he
     hidding? And what will be consequences of his actions? Meanwhile,
     Yugi and Anzu spend some time with Nigiku (Otogi's past live) and
     discover some more things about the Sun and Moon kings.
Chapter Notes
     NIGIKU (Lord Bright-Eyed) = Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin)
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     AKBISHU / Main Royal Advisor (Evil) = Pegasus
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Jounouchi and Honda explored the Akkadian palace in search of Akbishu. It was
not an easy task, since the palace complex was enormous, leading to endless
divisions, galleries, and court yards. The fact it was dark didn’t help much
either. The building was like a labyrinth. Orientating at day light was already
hard enough. And now, shadows played tricks under the torches’ lights, creating
a whole new world. The two tough guys walked silently, staring at the wall
reliefs. During day, they looked impressive and beautiful, displaying majestic
images of glorious kings. But now, the shadows misshaped the sovereigns
transforming them into demonic images. Both shivered and gulped hard.  The
palace was completely silent and, for the occasional presence of guards, it
looked abandoned. Jounouchi and Honda walked for what felt like hours. Their
legs were tired and they were slowly succumbing to the weariness of the past
day.
 
“I’m sure we already passed here.” Jounouchi said as they took a new corner.
 
“No, it doesn’t feel familiar to me.” Honda looked around.
 
“I’m telling you! I recognize that…ugh, figure over there!” (more like a
monster, he thought)
 
“I give up. We are definitely lost.” Honda admitted. “Maybe we should change
shift with Yugi and Anzu and search for Akbishu another time.” He dejectedly
suggested.  He felt a hard blow on his face. Jounouchi punched him right on the
eye. “Idiot! Why did you do that for? Now I’m going to have a black eye!”
 
“Suits you well.” Jounouchi said, his fist in the air. He shifted brusquely and
grabbed on Honda’s collar. “You’re going to give up? Just like that? You forgot
why we are here? If we don’t help the kings, we won’t be able to help Yami!” He
hissed furiously.
 
“I guess you’re right. I’m sorry.” Honda took a deep breath and raised his arm
in the air. “Let’s go!”
 
“Let’s go!” Jounouchi imitated Honda. They remained a few moments, standing in
an attack position, with the creepy king’s relief behind them.
 
“Euh…which side?” Honda asked, without moving. Jounouchi had his eyes closed,
his eyebrow twitching and a new vein appeared on his temple. He had no idea.
 
…
 
Meanwhile, Nigiku travelled back to the city of Akkad, leading an army of
thousands of men under the starry sky. The moonlight illuminated their paths,
facilitating their nocturne voyage. The soldiers had rested enough and made
sure there were no survivors among the enemy’s corpses to live to tell their
tale. Nigiku had followed his king’s instructions. He kept Immaru's urgent
message secret and departed already late in the morning. The soldiers had had
time to mourn, heal their wounds and rest their bodies after the exhausting
battle. Everybody was still tired and travelled in a slow pace. But they were
ready to return home, to their families and friends. As for Nigiku, his heart
was heavy. He was worried sick with his cousins and wished only for their
wellbeing. His mind had many questions, all concerning their safety. He had
only one answer to his many questions.
There is a traitor among us.
 
…
 
Jounouchi and Honda ran from gallery to courtyard, from garden to defensive
walls, back to a gallery again. They stopped at the entrance of one of the many
open areas with a magnificent garden and panted exhausted.
 
“It’s hopeless*pants* Akbishu is probably asleep and we are running like two
total douches!” Honda moaned. Jounouchi didn’t reply. As bad as he felt about
it, his friend was absolutely right. He was about to suggest and return to
Immaru’s room, when both teenagers froze. They heard a sound outside.  The boys
waited expectantly in silence and heard again a soft rustling coming from the
garden. They remained paralyzed for a while and their eyes caught a movement by
the roses’ bushes. Both friends held their breaths, hoping it was no kind of
ferocious animal hiding between the plants. They repressed a gasp when they
recognized the figure appearing from behind the bushes. Akbishu!
 
Thanks to the blue light of the moon, they could see the man with silver hair
holding a rose on his hand, bringing it to his nose and inhaling its scent.
 
“Aiht-Nyc...Oh my love...I am so sorry.” The man whispered. “Fate tricked me
today.” He breathed the rose’s perfume again. “But don’t you worry Aiht-Nyc.
I’m not giving up just yet. I know I can fix things.” At this he placed the
flower in his robe and put a hood on his head. He moved on, taking a path in
the garden.
 
Jounouchi and Honda stared at each other, barely believing their luck. They
made a silent agreement and nodded. They quietly followed the man, hiding
between the different exotic plants. Akbishu walked tranquil, unaware of his
stalkers. He crossed the whole garden and followed a path along the palace’s
defensive wall. At a certain point, he reached a small door, probably a minor
exit of the complex. He left the palace’s domain to proceed his nocturne walk
between the city’s houses. He walked a while and only stopped when he reached a
temple, looking like a stair pyramid. It was much smaller in comparison with
the city’s main temple they saw from the palace earlier today. Akbishu took the
straight staircase upwards and entered a small building on the top of the
temple.
 
Jounouchi and Honda looked at one and other. They carefully advanced to the
entrance and peeked inside. It was dark as a pit, but they could hear the sound
of footsteps inside, distancing from them. They ventured inside and followed
the sound, their hands glued to the walls, guiding them in the total blackness.
Eventually, they saw a dim light in the end of the division.  As they walked
closer, the light became brighter. They reached an ample division illuminated
by many torches. Its walls were covered with scary reliefs showing demons,
fantastic creatures eating and killing warriors. The boys shivered at the sight
and hid behind a wall. From there, they saw Akbishu take his hood off and kneel
before five hooded and faceless men. They sat behind a U-shaped table.
 
“Akbishu, main advisor of the twin kings. You have failed your part of the
deal. Not only King Immaru still lives, he's proving to become more powerful!
If his mastery in magic continues growing like this, nothing will be able to
defeat him.”
 
“I beg for your forgiveness, oh mighty ones, but highly unexpected occurrences
happened and…” Akbishu’s words were cut by the man sitting in the middle of the
table. He stood up and pointed at the kneeling man.
 
“We sent our men to kill the messenger and summoned the mighty God of Sun
Dragon! You had everything on your hands to assure your victory.”
 
“I-I know but…” Akbishu started in a begging tone, but was interrupted by the
man sitting on the right from the first one that had spoken. He too stood up.
 
“You had your chance and you spilled it up. The kings’ latest conquests shall
result in the increase of their power!” A third man stood up, on the left side
of the first one.
 
“It will be a matter of time and the kings will dispose you!” The two remaining
men spoke as they stood up simultaneously.
 
“Akbishu! You failed the Order of the Black Priests. Your punishment will be a
cursed long torturous and solitary life!” The five of them spoke
simultaneously, all pointing accusingly at the silver haired man.
 
“No! You mustn’t! Aiht-Nyc! I must bring her back to life!!! Please, give me
another chance! I beg you! All I need is just one more chance!”
 
“You are wrong Akbishu” The first man spoke. “You missed your chance!” At this
the five men spoke an enchantment in a strange language and a wind with black
clouds covered the room. Akbishu screamed and begged desperately but in no time
the mysterious wind ceased. All that the torches illuminated now was an empty
and stripped division. The five strange men were gone, the tables disappeared
and the walls were barren. Akbishu succumbed in this misery and burst into a
dramatic and sorrowful cry. Jounouchi and Honda, having seen enough, exited the
building as quietly and unnoticed as they entered it.
 
...
 
Nigiku smiled when he saw entrance in the mountain leading to his city. He had
met halfway the messenger sent by Dumuzi. The messenger told him succinctly the
story of the Golden Dragon, how Immaru held it away of the city and how it
became submissive to Dumuzi.
Nigiku galloped faster; the expectation and anxiety were still killing him. His
heart rejoiced when his green eyes met an unharmed city under the break of
dawn. For him, this was the most beautiful sight he ever saw.
The guards on the wall, seeing the arrival of the Akkadian army leaded by
Nigiku, opened the great city gates and the soldiers were greeted by the
population with cheers of joy. They rode straight to the palace, followed by
running children and a sound of great rejoice behind them.
 
…
 
 Dumuzi’s eyes opened tiredly and then blinked several times. He woke up from a
sound that was growing closer. He sat up and looked down at his sleeping
brother and listened more carefully. He realized the sound came from outside.
He stood up and his eyes met the sound asleep Yugi and Anzu. So much for
watching over us. He thought. Dumuzi quietly reached the balcony and couldn’t
help but smile. He came just in time to see Nigiku leading his men into the
palace’s main courtyard.
 
Shortly after, both cousins greeted merrily. Afterwards, Dumuzi spoke some
praising and comforting words to the army of tired soldiers. Everybody was
anxious about the well-being of young king Immaru and the Sun king guaranteed
his brother was sure to recover quickly and would be happily walking around in
no time. Yugi and Anzu watched it all from the background. When Dumuzi was
finally ready he gestured them to follow him, accompanied by Nigiku.  They
didn’t switch one single word until they entered the Moon king’s room. Dumuzi
was cautious and wanted to be sure that nobody overheard their conversation.
The sand haired king was about to say something when they heard shouting and
complaining sounds behind the door.
 
“I’m sure that was Jounouchi’s voice!” Yugi said as he pressed his ear against
the door. The Sun king opened it. They were a bit surprised to see two boys
with dark circles under the eyes, looking very, very tired, standing beside the
guards.
 
“Morning Sun Lord!” Jounouchi spoke wearily. “They won’t let us in!” He moaned.
 
“Of course not, I ordered not to.” Dumuzi spoke casually. He gestured the
guards to let them in and smirked as he noticed them eying Jounouchi and Honda
suspiciously. “What happened to your eye?” The king asked Honda when he noticed
a dark circle around his left eye. The tall teenager merely glanced upset at
Jounouchi, causing an amused chuckle from both Dumuzi and Nigiku.
 
 The young king closed the door, feeling reassured with the knowledge the
guards were doing their work accordingly his will. He gestured the others to
sit down and retold the happenings of the past day to his cousin. Jounouchi and
Honda yawing from the lack of sleep, proceeded in recounting the strange
meeting of Akbishu with the Order of Black Priests. Once they finished,
everybody stared with some concern at the dark look Dumuzi had on his face.
 
“My father banished them ten years ago!” The Sun king explained, anger and
bitterness staining his voice. “They were becoming dangerously powerful,
poisoning people’s mind with superstitions, curses and dark magic. My father
was a great man and didn’t let himself be intimidated by them.  So, he
condemned the existence of the Black Order in our Empire. They were exiled from
Akkadian territory. Of course, I’m not surprised they’ve been seeking revenge
and waiting patiently to make their move.  They obviously used Akbishu’s
weakness to reach their goal. ”
 
“Yeah, Akbishu buried himself in such a depression after aunt Aiht-Nyc died.”
Nigiku spoke.
 
“I haven’t seen him today. He wasn’t present during the army’s arrival.” Dumuzi
spoke thoughtfully. “I wonder if he will be present during the speech.”
 
“What speech?” Yugi asked.
 
“It’s my duty as king to talk to the people of Akkad. I have to bring them news
about the war and my brother’s condition. And Akbishu, being the main advisor,
is obliged to be present during the speech.”
 
“Well, if he doesn’t show up, then you have a good reason to question his
loyalty to throne.”Nigiku spoke sternly.  Dumuzi nodded in agreement. He looked
at Immaru. The boy slept so peacefully, unaware of the intrigues that were
revolving around them.  Rest while you can. Dumuzi had a feeling difficult
times were ahead of them.
 
...
 
“People of Akkad. Today is a great day. Today we receive our sons and brothers
as winners of a mighty battle!”
Dumuzi spoke from the palace’s balcony, directed to Akkad’s main square. People
cheered and applauded of joy.  “The enemy has been defeated!”
Thousands of voices became one, cheering in unison. “Yes, today is a great day.
Just like yesterday. When my brother, your Lord, the Moon king, mastered his
magic protecting our city from the great God of Sun. This same beast that
wanted to destroy our city is now our ally and will listen to my commando.” 
Dumuzi looked at the direction of the highest mountain top and saw the golden
creature watch over him. It seemed to nod in agreement and Dumuzi sighed hoping
the beast would truly answer to his orders. The cheers grew and the people of
Akkad looked at their Sun king with great awe “The Moon king is now resting and
regaining his strength. Soon he too will stand here to greet you, beautiful
people of Akkad.”
 People cheered ecstatic, relieved that the silver-haired king was out of
danger. “Yes, today is a great day. We won a great battle, but no battle is won
without great loses.” Slowly a silence grew among the population. “I mourn for
the brave soldiers who gave their life to protect their beloved ones. They died
for you. They died to protect their parents, their children, their wives and
their friends. Travel safe my brave men.”
He bowed in respect and some sobs were heard. “We live on but must remember the
dead. Today we will celebrate and rejoice the return of our beloved ones.
Tomorrow we will mourn and honour the memory of those who passed on. May Ishtar
always shine upon you, people of Akkad.”
 At this, Dumuzi bowed respectfully and slowly paced away from the balcony. The
High Priest took his place and spoke a prayer that was repeated devotedly by
the people down below. Dumuzi passed by Nigiku. They switched looks.  Akbishu
had failed to be present during the speech.
 
….
 
During the afternoon, king Dumuzi had to attend some matters, boring king’s
duties as he himself said. It was Jounouchi and Honda’s turn to watch over the
young sleeping king and have some rest themselves, after their long busy night.
Yugi and Anzu stayed in the company of Nigiku.
 
The kings’ cousin toured Yugi and Anzu though the palace and brought them to
the twins' favourite garden. Anzu stared at him the whole time with shinny eyes
(for much of Yugi’s displeasure) for he looked absolutely stunning in his
Akkadian garment of warm red and black tones.
 
“We used to play here often as children, me, Immaru and Dumuzi.” He smiled at
the memories.
 
“They are really very close, aren’t them?” Yugi asked, trying to ignore Anzu’s
obvious drooling over Nigiku.
 
“Absolutely. Those two are impossible to separate. Where one is, the other is
surely to be close by. You should see when one of them is away for a day! They
act like if they were apart for years. Especially Dumuzi.”
 
“Really?”
 
“Yeah.” A hint of sadness was present in his voice. “I think Dumuzi is
completely traumatized with the deaths of his parents.  He looks strong and
fearless from outside, but I know better. He’s possessive and overprotective
around Immaru. Terribly scared to lose him too. Immaru was always the weaker
and frailer one. You see, the magic -  well, let’s say it consumes a great deal
of mental and physical energy.” Nigiku paused and then grinned amused. “You
know what’s funny? That Dumuzi was the weak baby when they were born.  He grew
so strong, much to his brother’s irritation. He keeps rubbing it on Immaru.”
 
“How are they? I mean, their personalities. Are they alike?” Yugi asked, filled
by curiosity. Anzu remained silent, too enchanted in following Nigiku’s
gracious movements while he spoke.
 
“Oh, much by the contrary. There are more like complete opposites!” Yugi, and
even Anzu, stared surprised. “Dumuzi is the warrior, dominant, hot headed and
sometimes he can be quite imprudent. He’s not the Sun king for nothing. Fire is
truly his element. Immaru, on the other side, has a very peaceful character.
He’s patient, always caring and helpful. It’s impossible not to like him.”
 
“So I guess water would be his element.” Yugi concluded. Nigiku nodded.
 
“You know, it’s actually a perfect arrangement made by the gods.” Nigiku
continued. “I’m sure they intended them to rule as a team, as One Sovereign.
While one king has the power of strength and authority, the other one has the
spiritual and diplomatic influence. Where one lacks in something, the other
complements it. Together they form the perfect ruler, but separated they are a
complete disaster. If Dumuzi was the sole ruler, he would be a tyrant and a war
king. If Immaru was to be the king, we would be completely manipulated by
others. They bring balance to each other and rule in perfect harmony.”
 
“Wow, that’s impressive. I’ve never heard about an empire or kingdom ruled by
two sovereigns.”
 
“Well, actually, that’s the interesting part. Originally, Immaru was decreed as
the throne’s heir, because of being the first born. But when he was five years
old, the priests discovered his magic abilities. He was introduced to the
spiritual life and started with his magic training. The court then declared
Dumuzi to be the heir to the throne. So Dumuzi was trained since early to
become a king, learning all about the politic system, the laws and economics of
the empire. He also received an intensive military training. The court intended
to have Immaru as Dumuzi’s main adviser, especially regarding religious
matters. But also for more diplomatic matters. It became clear since early on;
Immaru is the only person who knows how to deal with Dumuzi’s hot temper.
One day, when we were around ten or eleven, Dumuzi announced his brother would
become king the same day he would. I remember that day. The members of the
court laughed at him, uncle too and everybody put very little thought into his
decision. Until the day uncle died and Dumuzi was named king. His first deed
was to change the royal heritage law, allowing the ruling of two kings
simultaneously, with the conditions that they were both male and children from
the same father and mother. Dumuzi wouldn’t dream in ruling alone. He needs his
brother by his side as a ruler and not as an advisor. He needs him as an
equal.” Nigiku concluded.
 
Yugi found himself lost in his thoughts. The Akkadian inscription gained now a
completely new meaning. It all made sense now. The death of his twin would have
killed Dumuzi from inside.
 
Together the kings ruled as one
Together they were gods
Never to be divided
Alone they’ll lose by all odds
 
And so the Sun King too vanished
 
Yugi wondered. Vanished. Could it be that Dumuzi left his Empire and travelled
to Egypt, becoming the first Tomb Keeper? He asked himself why would the king
would do such a thing. But he was happy this one question would never have to
be answered. They succeeded in changing history by saving Immaru’s life, the
White Magician. He had the strong feeling the boy was to play an important role
in the fight against Bakura. It was no coincidence the Millennium Ring had come
to Ryou Bakura. They are probably destined to confront each other. The dark and
light forces battling each other. Yami and Hikari. He shivered.
Chapter End Notes
     I know Akbishu is a traitor, but I kind of felt sorry for him after
     writting this chapter. Wasn't really my intention, it just happened.
     Next chapter will be really interesting! I'll try to update as soon
     as possible :))
***** Immaru's awakening *****
Chapter Summary
     Immaru, the Moon King, finally wakes up and the guys get to talk with
     him for the first time.
Chapter Notes
     NIGIKU (Lord Bright-Eyed) = Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin)
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     AKBISHU / Main Royal Advisor (Evil) = Pegasus
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
CHAPTER SEVEN
 
It was Jounouchi and Honda’s turn to stay for watch. They had a good nap in the
morning, sleeping against the Moon king room’s door, each one holding a sharp
weapon in case someone appeared. Now it was just after lunch and they were
feeling rather drowsy with their overfilled belly.
Nevertheless, the two friends were determined not to fall asleep again and
decided to duel (yes, they did bring their cards with them) to distract and
kill time. After about one hour (Honda being disgracefully beaten by Jounouchi
twice in a row) they noticed the young king started stirring in his bed for the
first time. They switched looks and decided to ignore. After all, the boy had
been lying in the same position the whole time. His body probably needed a
change. They continued battling, mocking and insulting each other and became
increasingly louder. Once again, Immaru moved in his bed, this time adding a
painful moan. Jounouchi and Honda froze. They stared at each other and decided
to approach the bed. They bend slightly over the sleeping king, each one taking
one side of the bed. Immaru’s eyes were moving under his eyelids.
 
“This guy is a real creep.” Jounouchi murmured.
 
“Shhhh!” Honda protested. “He’s dreaming you idiot. That’s normal. You do that
too when you are sleeping.” He whispered.  Jounouchi gave an angry look, but
kept his mouth shut. Immaru’s distress seemed to disappear as quickly as it
came and he slept quietly again. The boys stared a short while at the young
king.
 
“Well, it must have just been a short bad dream.” Jounouchi commented while he
looked one last time at the boy.
 
They decided to stop playing cards and instead started plotting against
Akbishu, deciding all various kinds of punishment for his treason against the
throne. Once again, Immaru started moving from one side to the other in his
bed, this time moaning and protesting afflictively. Jounouchi and Honda rushed
to the boy and shook him a bit in the hope of waking him up. But instead, the
young king became mellow again.
 
“He’s starting to freak me out.” Jounouchi complained as he looked closer at
the peaceful face. Suddenly, Immaru gasped and his eyes opened wide, revealing
their big chocolate brown orbs. Jounouchi jumped backwards from the fright with
a scream. Immaru sat strait, his face pale but with a very awaken expression.
He looked very quickly around and after recognizing his bedroom he stared at
the two boys who were, at their turn, looking back at him with great amazement.
 
“Who are you?” His voice sounded surprisingly high and clear, certainly for
somebody who had been asleep for so long. “Who are you?!” He repeated, fear
imprinted in his voice.
 
“We are friends of your brother Dumuzi.” Honda spoke softly, not wanting to
scare the young king. He remembered the few times he hung out with the real-
non-possessed-Bakura, the boy was very quickly frightened.
 
“My brother!” His voice came out hastily, in a gasp. “Where’s my brother?”
 
“Calm down, he’s fine. After you spoke to the Winged Dragon of Ra, it became
all sweet and friendly. Your brother has been taking care of you the whole time
and we’ve helping him.” Jounouchi spoke with a surprisingly calm tone (Honda
was staring with great unbelief at his friend) and rested his hand of the boy’s
shoulder.  Immaru looked into Jounouchi’s eyes and seemed to calm down. He took
a few deep breaths until his breathing normalized.
 
“How long have I been out? And what happened with the God of Sun?” The king
asked with a more serene voice.
 
“You’ve been asleep for about a day and a half. The God of Sun became an ally
and he is now watching over the city from the top of the mountain.” Jounouchi
explained. Immaru looked surprised but sighed relieved. Suddenly they heard a
loud grumbling sound. Immaru’s eyes widened greatly, he blushed furiously and
pressed his hand against his belly.
 
“I need food!” He spoke weakly. Both Jounouchi and Honda switched looks.
 
“We’ll send somebody to get you something to eat.” Honda said.
 
“No, I need food now!” Immaru insisted and out of nothing, he pushed Jounouchi
to the side, jumped off his bed and ran to the door. The two friends stared in
shock. The boy had been so fast and lean that they didn’t even have time to
react.
 
“This guy is not normal! Where did he get that energy from?” Honda asked still
stunned.
 
“I dunno, but I think we better follow him.” Was Jounouchi’s answer.
 
They passed the two guards who were staring surprised at the running king. They
remained stunned as they watched the other two boys run down the gallery to
catch up with the white-haired boy.  People gasped and bowed hastily as they
saw the king pass by them in haste. Everybody remained a while staring
perplexed. Why was the king, who supposedly was ill, running in the palace in
his nightclothes with two of king Dumuzi’s new friends chasing him down?
Honda and Jounouchi were taken aback by the boy’s speed. Nobody, who had been
ill for so long, had eaten nothing the whole time, could run this fast, right?
They gasped as they saw him go through a door and disappear behind it. They
opened it, and for their great amazement, realized they stood in the middle of
the palace’s huge kitchens. They looked around and everybody was working, busy
with their tasks, as if nothing strange had just happened.
 
“Ehm, ma’dam. Did, by any change, king Immaru enter here?” Honda asked at a
woman passing by.
 
“Oh yes, his majesty came in running as usual. You’ll find him at that end of
the kitchen, by the left.” She merrily answered.
 
“…as usual?” Honda and Jounouchi repeated in unison, admired with the causality
the woman had answered them. They shared surprised stares and walked to the
place the woman had indicated. They stopped when they saw the boy, sitting at a
wooden table, stuffing his face with an impressive collection of different
kinds of food. A middle aged large man brought a tray with several kinds of
fruit, smiling at the king. The white-haired boy smiled back and served himself
without any ceremonies.
 
“If you desire anything, your Majesty, just let me know.” The man kindly said
and bowed politely at the boy, who nodded in agreement, his mouth full of food
and looking very contented. Jounouchi and Honda noticed the middle-aged man and
some other members of the kitchen staff switched happy smiles with the young
king as they went on with their tasks. They seemed to be completely at ease
with the presence of their ruler. Suddenly the doors snapped open. Jounouchi
and Honda turned around to see Dumuzi enter the division hastily, the two
guards from Immaru’s room behind him. No doubt, they had called the king.
 
“Immaru!” Dumuzi yelled as he stepped in the kitchen. Everybody bowed solemnly
as the king made his way to his brother.
 
“Dumuzi!” The white-haired boy wiped out his mouth and stood up from his place,
his arms stretched out to meet his twin. They hugged in a warm fraternal
embrace. Dumuzi and Immaru hugged, kissed and laughed of joy. The kitchen staff
members looked at the scene with emotion and some women wiped tears of their
eyes.
 
“I’m so glad that you are fine!” Dumuzi spoke as he cupped his brother’s face
in his hands. “You really frightened me. I thought I was going to lose you.” He
said teary.
 
Jounouchi and Honda could see the compassion in Immaru’s eyes. He whispered
something only his brother heard and they hugged one more time before sitting
together by the wooden table. The white-haired boy then resumed his meal with
all naturally, while Dumuzi ordered the staff to continue their work. Jounouchi
and Honda noticed the people weren’t as relaxed now as when Immaru was alone.
They had the feeling that the Moon king was a humbler ruler while the Sun king
was probably more of an authorial figure. “You shouldn’t eat here.” Dumuzi
whispered. “It’s not fit for a king.”
 
“Why not? A king should be allowed to go anywhere he wishes for in his palace,
whenever he wants, right?”
 
“Immaru, you know what I mean.”
 
“Look, I don’t care what people say or think or gossip around. I was starving
and was not going to wait for somebody to fetch me something. I come here and I
can eat whatever I want. I mean, what’s the better place to find food if not in
the kitchen?”
 
“You do it every time.” Dumuzi was not about to give up. He had lost count of
the times they argued about this. Their father had given up scolding Immaru
when he was twelve, a time in which the boy’s appetite spoke mightier than any
protocol, rule or royal command. But the Sun king had hope he could persuade
his brother to change this bad habit of his.
 
“Do you have any idea what my magic does to mybody?” Immaru questioned and gave
a very serious look at his brother. “It consumes it. Every single part of my
body sacrifices its energy to a magic spell. If I don’t refill my body quickly,
I might as well die of hunger!” Dumuzi sighed. He knew that there was no sense
in discussing further with him. No wonder their father gave up this fight.
Nothing spoke mightier than Immaru’s demanding stomach. “Who are they by the
way?” The silver haired boy asked while he gestured with his head at Jounouchi
and Honda. 
 
“I’ll explain once you are ready.” Dumuzi spoke gravely. Immaru looked a bit
surprised at the serious tone and stared at the two boys for a moment,
wondering.
 
“Ready!” He announced once he was satiated, stretching his arms contented.
 
“You’re changing clothes first. You guys gather the others and Nigiku. We’ll
meet you at the Eastern Gardens’ entrance.” Jounouchi and Honda nodded and left
the kitchen. Immaru still stared in wonder at his brother, understanding
something serious was going on, but followed him without further questions out
of the kitchens. He knew the gardens were the place they could speak at ease,
for they were private and exclusively for the use of the kings. There was no
safer place to discuss secrets than there.
 
“Thank you for the food. It was great!” He cheerfully thanked before leaving.
The staff waved him goodbye happily as the young man left the room.
 
“Such a special child.” The middle-aged man murmured.
 
…
 
Yugi and his friends waited by the entrance of the Eastern Gardens, which were
extra guarded. Nigiku sat on a bench nearby looking quite expectant. It was
obvious he too was anxious to see his cousin recovered. He smiled fully when he
saw the young kings appear, descending the small staircase that gave access to
the gardens.
 
“Immaru! It’s so great to see you well!” He merrily spoke. The cousins hugged
each other laughed, both happy to see each other.
 
“And I am so glad you made it to Dumuzi in time.” Nigiku smiled proudly,
remembering how Immaru had stressed urgent when he gave him the letter. “And
you must be Yugi and Anzu.”
 
Immaru was dressed in the same fashion as his brother, but instead of golden,
his robe was light blue and the embroideries were made of silver dread. He wore
identical jewellery as Dumuzi, but in the silver version. The youngsters passed
the guards and walked deep into the centre of the gardens. On their way, they
chatted about daily stuff. They stopped when they reached a beautiful clearing
place surrounded by trees and colourful flowers. There they had all the needed
privacy and could talk at ease.
 
Yugi and his friends told their story about the Millennium Puzzle, the Duel
Cards, the City Battle and how they were sent to the past to change the set of
events. Unlike Dumuzi, his brother Immaru listened with a patient and serious
expression. Nigiku switched looks of incredibility with Dumuzi, who often
limited himself in shaking his shoulders in response. They both had a hard time
in believing the whole future thing and restrained from chuckling. But as
Yugi’s account developed, the name Bakura and Evil Spirit were spoken more
often, just like the connection of his person with Egypt became clearer. Their
initial amusement was slowly being replaced by concern. Finally, Immaru was
informed about Akbishu and the five members of the Order of Black Priests,
which disturbed the young ruler greatly.
 
“The Order of Black Priests was not just exiled.” Immaru spoke apprehensively.
“Father discovered the five Highest Priests were plotting against him and the
Court. They were going to spread destruction and death through dark magic.
Father wanted to make sure that they could not hurt anybody ever again so he
sentenced them to soul wandering.”
 
“I thought that was forbidden!” Nigiku sounded exasperated.
 
“It is. That’s why we never told anybody. It’s a secret that never left the
temple. Only the people that were present during the ritual know about this:
the High Priest, father, Akbishu, Dumuzi and I.” There was a profound silence.
 
“So what is this soul wandering?” Yugi asked, already fearing for the answer.
 
“It’s a ritual condemned by our ancestors for its irreversible consequences.
The soul of the victim is reaped. It’s not allowed to pass over, but it also
doesn’t die. The soul is then trapped between two worlds, trapped in the Shadow
Realm.” The friends shivered at the explanation. “The souls are condemned to
wander around for all eternity and slowly become one of the shadows, losing all
their memories. Thanks to this ritual, the High Priests were weakened and their
magic powers were sealed away. They cannot harm anybody directly. But I
suspect, when they became wandering souls, they made an alliance with the
darkness itself. They served the darkness all their lives, so it would be a
logic choice.
They must have wandered immediately to Egypt to learn new secrets about dark
magic. Egypt is known for its ancient knowledge and secrets of many great
things, including dark magic. And from there they must have plotted and
prepared their revenge against the Royal Family. Their first step was to
control Akbishu of course. It must have been easy, since his mind was already
corrupted by anger and sorrow. They used him to achieve their own selfish
goals. Akbishu is actually nothing more than a pawn in their scheme.”
 
“What about the God of Sun Dragon?”
 
“Surely the five High Priests have a role in that one too, but I’m not sure
how.”
 
“So resuming and concluding.” Nigiku stated. “The five High Priests of the
Black Order became wandering souls. They departed to Egypt to learn more about
dark magic and after ten years they allied with Akbishu. He created the right
circumstances for a war between Akkad and Argo. Meanwhile the Five wandering
High Priests found a way of getting God of Sun Dragon to attack Akkad. So tell
me, now that they failed, what’s going to happen?”
 
“Akbishu will be punished and the White Priests will have to protect the city
from the wandering soul’s attempts.” Immaru explained.
 
“The White Priests? What about you? After all you are the White Magician?”
Nigiku inquired. Immaru released a sorrowful sigh and Dumuzi looked at him
apprehensively, already foreseeing his brother’s will.
 
“I’m afraid my White Magician powers are more needed elsewhere.” Immaru spoke.
“I’ve been having dreams and visions of this rise of Darkness coming from the
south for a long time. This story about Bakura, as unreal as it might sound,
fits perfectly in them. I must travel to Egypt.”
 
“I will go with you.” Dumuzi immediately spoke, while he majestically stood up.
“No discussions.” He added before anybody could argue against him. He looked at
the four time travellers. “We will prevent whatever Bakura wants to do,
together.”
 
“We will have to leave as soon as possible.” Immaru agreed, glad his twin would
come along. “Time is scarce and our departure is urgent.”
 
“Of course. We will go in a couple of days, as soon as all needed preparations
are ready.” The Sun king reassured his brother.
 
 “We cannot have both our kings away for an uncertain time! Who will rule the
Empire?” Nigiku questioned exasperated.
 
“And that’s when you come in.” Dumuzi told, while he rested his hand on his
cousin’s shoulder. “You’ll have to stay here and replace us. I don’t trust
anybody else to be Akkad’s regent.” Nigiku looked truly shocked and became
instantly pale.
 
“But – But I want to go with you!” He complained upset.
 
“Akkad needs you, Nigiku.” Immaru’s calm voice was heard. “Akbishu acted
against himself and proved to be unworthy of his position. Tonight, he will be
condemned by his actions and you will be named the new Throne’s Main Advisor.
You have royal blood, enough experience and have what it takes to become a good
regent. Please do understand that your part to play in this quest is not in
Egypt but in Akkad.” Nigiku opened his mouth, but closed it again, not finding
any words to go against his cousin. “I know it’s difficult, but believe me,
this role is more important than you think.”
 
“Of course. I understand. I would love to go with you, but I will take care of
Akkad until your return.” Nigiku bowed politely and the cousins smiled in a mix
of contentment and sadness. Separation was going to be hard. “The priests and
advisors will have a heart attack when they hear about this!” He added with a
pained smile. The twins nodded in agreement, knowing this would be their next
great political challenge.
 
“Dumuzi, I would like to try and see if it’s possible to strengthen our
alliance with the God of Sun Dragon.” Immaru suddenly changed of subject. His
brother blinked surprised. “I want to seal his soul into a tablet so we can
travel with him unnoticed. But for this, I will need his acceptance and I have
the feeling he will accept this easier from you than from me.”
 
“Seal him in a tablet?” Dumuzi asked astonished. His brother nodded with
determination with a rare look that didn’t allow any further discussion. “Okay.
I’ll do anything you ask for, but for Ishtar’s sake, do be careful.”
 
“You know I will.” Immaru cheerfully reinsured him. “Tomorrow, at day break.”
 
Dumuzi stared a bit warily at his overly optimistic twin but eventually let go.
Magic was Immaru’s terrain and he knew his sibling would never take unnecessary
risks. It did not mean he enjoyed the idea of approaching the beast, but his
twin’s strategy made sense. He decided to focus on that matter tomorrow, for
now they needed to request an urgent reunion with the court. He sensed a storm
was coming.
***** The Council Meeting *****
Chapter Summary
     The kings bring the news of their decision to travel to Egypt to the
     Council of Akkad. How will the the Council members react, and, most
     important, what will they decide? Meanwhile, Immaru takes a dangerous
     risk by aproaching the Winged Dragon of Ra.
Chapter Notes
     NIGIKU (Lord Bright-Eyed) = Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin)
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     AKBISHU / Main Royal Advisor (Evil) = Pegasus
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
CHAPTER EIGHT
 
The twin kings had insisted in the presence of the four time travellers during
the urgent meeting with the Akkadian Court. The tensions were high and
palpable. The Court members had been discussing during the last few days the
strangeness of the last events.
 
First there was the out-of-character move from King Argo. He had been an old
ally and a loyal friend of Akkad for many years. Yet, his most recent behaviour
and decisions had been both rash and unprecedented. He declared war against the
Empire for trivial reasons, mere pretexts to forge a conflict that ultimately
led to the battle Duzumi and his troops fought just three days ago.
 
Then the strangest event was followed. A mystical monster attacked the city
during the absence of the Sun king. The city had only a small fraction of the
army, so it was vulnerable to any attack. The two events seemed to be linked,
the battle and the monster, but all theories seemed too far-fetched.
Fortunately, the Moon king had saved the city from total disaster. Afterwards,
the monster went to the mountains and guarded the city, since then. Nobody
could understand its sudden change of heart. Just like nobody could understand
the reason for its attack in the first place.
 
The new friendship the kings demonstrated towards the four strangers was also
unusual. Especially Dumuzi, who was by nature a wary person, seemed to deposit
a great trust on these youngsters. It was confusing. But more worrisome was the
absence of the main-adviser Akbishu today. Nobody missed the fact he didn’t
appear during King Dumuzi’s speech or to the urgent Court meeting. Actually,
nobody saw him since the previous day and wondered what this meant. Wondered
how far all the last events were connected with him.
 
The Court members’ tension culminated with the shocking news and last-minute
decision made by the Sun and Moon Kings to travel to Egypt. There was a lot of
clamour and commotion, and many angered voices echoed in the ample hall.
 
“My Lords. You cannot leave the city of Akkad!” A high-ranked General
protested.
 
“Surely the Egyptians can resolve their own matters.” These were the words of a
Priest from the Ishtar Temple.
 
“The empire cannot risk losing any of its kings. This is a too dangerous
travel!” Another voice rose in the room.
 
A confusion of mingled protests installed, filling the ample division with an
unbearable noise of many revolted voices. Nigiku looked extremely
uncomfortable, probably already imagining how ruling would be like. Immaru
caressed his temple with his pale fingers, his brow knitted in an annoyed
expression. He looked weary and obviously was upset with all the noise and
commotion. As for Dumuzi, he looked appallingly furious. While the voices of
protest grew louder, his eyes narrowed, more and more, until they were small
and dangerous. Dumuzi looked truly scary.
 
When he finally could not stand it anymore, the Sun king got up and with a
furious shout, ordered silence. All faces turned towards him and silence indeed
fell in the room. He glared irate at the priests, militaries and advisors. He
looked like a lion that was about to attack. And then he felt a soft weight on
his right shoulder. Immaru pressed his fingers gently on his brother’s shoulder
and gave him a reassuring look. Dumuzi stared at his brother bewildered for a
few moments, but visibly relaxed short after. He took a deep sigh and nodded.
The Moon king took a step forward. Yugi and his friends were surprised to see
the frail-looking king demonstrate the same majestic and powerful aura as his
brother. All eyes were on him and he showed no traces of fear, hesitation or
shyness.
 
“This is not a matter of Egypt. This is something that involves the whole
world.” Immaru’s clear and firm voice echoed in the room. The sound of his
voice was calm and pleasant, yet it expressed authority and respect. “Priests
of Isthar.” He addressed a group of bald men dressed in white woollen garments.
“Have you forgotten I’ve been receiving warnings from the gods about a danger
that is rising in the south, in the land of Egypt? Have you forgotten what the
sacred waters have shown you?
A terrifying dark energy, slowly rising and growing stronger. A power once
unleashed, it will become unstoppable. A power with only one will. That of
destroying everything on its path. Including the lands of our Empire. Including
our home, Akkad. Ignoring these warnings will be our doom.”
He turned to the group of militaries and advisors. “And you, faithful
counsellors of the court. You too thought it strange when King Argo defied us
so suddenly. You all witnessed the God of Sun Dragon attack the city. A
creature from Egypt that only can be summoned by the mightiest priests! Do you
truly believe this is just a coincidence? Akkad has been under attack already
twice! Not by enemies of the Empire, but by the making of this dark force! It
consumes and manipulates the hearts of people. Do not underestimate it.”
 
The young king lowered his voice in the last part, the warning being emphasized
by the weight of its words. A heavy silence invaded the space. Priests,
militaries and advisors looked distressed at the young king. His words seemed
to sink into their minds, for none dared to reply. Dumuzi, who seemed to have
cooled down during his brother’s speech, stepped forward so he stood next to
his twin.
 
“My good people. It’s most unfortunate we must come to this decision but, - if
Lord Immaru and I don’t travel to Egypt and find this source of dark power,
find a way stop it, - then the world is lost and, Akkad too, will eventually
fall.  It’s inevitable. Our departure is necessary.” 
 
Displeasure was written all over the men’s faces. A soft murmur started
developing among them again. Yugi looked anxiously at the two young kings. They
stood straight and powerful, determined and unwavering. But he knew, they too,
were worried about the outcome of this meeting. What would happen if the Court
of Akkad didn’t accept the kings’ decision.
 
“What about Lord Akbishu?” One asked. “And these four strangers? Who are they?
”
 
“They are informers sent by the Pharaoh of Egypt himself.” Dumuzi answered.
“Their mission was secret, their message exclusively reserved for the rulers of
Akkad. Not only they brought the news about this danger rising in Egypt, but
they also proved to be trustworthy and loyal to us. It were they who saved Lord
Nigiku from hired assassins. It were they who revealed the golden monster’s
identity, aiding Lord Immaru to save our city and all lives within the walls.
It were they who discovered the treacherous plotting between the Order of Black
Priests and Lord Akbishu.”
 
“My brother and I therefore declare that Akbishu is deposed from his position
and titles due to his treachery.” Immaru followed.
 
“The Order of Black Priests?!” One of the Priests questioned appalled.
 
“Active within our empire?!” Another Priest spoke.
 
 “How dare they return from their exile?” These were words spoken among the
white priests of Ishtar.
 
“Akbishu a traitor?!” One militair commented shocked.
 
“Plotting with the enemy.” An advisor murmured dazed.
 
“The war was a setup.” These were words spoken among the militaries and
advisors.
 
Everybody was outraged. The many interrogations from the past days were being
answered with shocking revelations. Yet, it all made sense. The kings sat down
sat on their golden and silver thrones, while the Court members processed the
disturbing information and discussed loudly among themselves. The young kings
whispered to each other.
 
“Sacred waters? What in Earth were you talking about?” Dumuzi asked his
brother.
 
“It’s a ritual. When we assemble 20 priests and surround the temple’s pond, I
can summon the gods and request them to show us an important message. Images
form themselves on the water.” Immaru explained
 
“So what did you see?”
 
“It didn’t have a shape. All we saw was a dark shadow in a desert land
spreading its arms to all directions. The priests saw it as an important
warning and were quite worried about it.” The Moon king said with a grimace.
Dumuzi shifted uncomfortably on his throne. Why on Earth did his brother had to
have all these weird and creepy visions was something he would never come to
understand. After an awkward pause, he went on in satiating his curiosity.
 
“So why 20 priests?”
 
“Because with me included it gives the total of 21.”
 
“So???” Dumuzi asked clueless and Immaru fought the urge of rolling his eyes.
 
“So 21 is 3 times 7, the most perfect mystical number you can imagine, not to
mention it’s a lot of people using their spiritual energy.”
 
“Interesting.”
 
 “Not as interesting as “informers” sent by the pharaoh. When did you come up
with that?”
 
“Yeah, that was a good one, if I may say so. I guess I was inspired.” Dumuzi
proudly stated. He grinned mischievously and Immaru threw him a you-are-
unbelievable look. “You didn’t expect me to tell them that they travelled in
time, coming from the future, did you? They would think I’m crazy!”
 
“Jezz, and there I thought they had come to that conclusion long ago.”
 
The brothers quickly exchanged fake angry looks, which were followed by almost
silent giggles. But then they quickly returned to their very serious and regal
pose. The loud clamour was starting to diminish. When silence finally settled
itself in the room, a tall and strong looking man took a step forward in the
kings’ direction.
 
“This will be a dangerous travel.” The High-commander spoke. The four time
travellers and the kings of Akkad stared at him with great expectation. “You
will need an escort to Egypt.”
Yugi and his friends breathed of relieve, Jounouchi and Honda cheered silently,
jumping and throwing fists into the air. Immaru and Dumuzi both smiled, for
their initial concerns faded with the commander’s words.
 
“Of course. Preparations for the travel shall be made.” Immaru agreed with a
nod, his silent command given. The high-commander bowed with great respect.
 
“My Lords. A regent will have to be named.” One of the advisors stated the
obvious. Yugi and his friends witnessed the triumph in Dumuzi’s eyes.
 
“It shall be Lord Nigiku.” The Sun king spoke and gestured his cousin, who
humbly bowed to the Court. It was clear the members were pleased with the
choice as they respectfully bowed in return. “My brother and I hereby declare
Lord Nigiku of the House of Ishtar, the new Main Advisor of the Sun and Moon
kings.” Dumuzi eloquently spoke, initiating the official ceremony of
transference to the kingdom’s regency.
 
“Lord Nigiku, your first task is one of great challenge and responsibility. Do
you accept the regency of the Empire during the absence of the Sun and Moon
kings?” Immaru solemnly asked his cousin, who grimaced before swallowing dry.
 
“I humbly accept, my Lords, my Kings. I will honour your trust in me and
perform all demanded duties with great responsibility.”
 
“Behold! Lord Nigiku, Main Advisor of the twin kings and regent of Akkad!”
Immaru and Dumuzi declared in unison. The words were repeated over and over by
the different priests, militaries and advisors of the Court. “May the gods
protect all the people of Akkad and the world where we live on.”
 
With these final words, the meeting had come to its end. The twin kings came
out victorious with their goals. Yugi and his friends rejoiced noisily. They
finally had a chance of stopping Bakura going forward with whatever evil plan
he had in store. They finally could start their quest to help and save the
Nameless Pharaoh. To help their friend Yami. Today fortune smiled at them, for
it gave them the chance to change the history, to break the never-ending cycle.
 
…
 
While the world was still asleep, a small group of horsemen rode towards the
mountain towering the city of Akkad. The sky was dark but the horizon was
becoming lighter. On the highest peak, slept the powerful God of Sun Dragon. It
had stayed there since the Sun king pleaded for alliance. And now, this very
same king rode side by side his twin to meet the mighty creature. Nigiku, Yugi
and the others had insisted to accompany the kings in their secret and risky
mission.
 
Dumuzi was reluctant about this plan and seriously wondered if it was a wise
thing to do. Just before they departed, Immaru had failed to hide some
hesitance and this worried him. Dumuzi knew the source of his brother’s
uncertainty. The White Magician did not doubt his magical powers, by the
contrary. The problem was the God of Sun Dragon. Immaru had explained earlier
that the ritual was a simple one, despite requiring quite some magic. Alas, the
ritual can only be performed if the creature consents it. And considering their
last meeting, the God of Sun Dragon was probably not very keen in seeing
Immaru, let alone, allow him to seal his soul into a tablet. Immaru had put all
his faith in the tiny connection between the monster and his brother through
the Sun God. According to his own words, Dumuzi was the only person who had the
slightest chance in persuading the powerful Egyptian monster in agreeing with
the ritual.It was the word slightest that bothered Dumuzi the most.
 
The group arrived at the top of the mountain when night and day meet each other
and become one during a brief moment. They could see the sky gaining a lighter
shade of blue. Little by little, the stars faded away. Dawn was announcing
itself. Immaru smiled. He had timed it perfectly. This was the moment of the
Sun god’s daily rebirth. But this happy moment was short-lived.  All at the
sudden, the horses became restless and refused to advance.
 
“They sense the golden monster!” Nigiku yelled when the horses persisted in
refusing to advance. “They won’t go further than here. We have to leave them
behind and walk the last part.”
 
With no other choice, everybody unmounted, unhappy with the situation. A quick
escape was out of question now, not that it would have made a great different.
They were at the mercy of destiny. Dumuzi looked over at his brother. Immaru
walked strait and firm, but he was paler and his eyes denounced fear. Dumuzi
was about to ask him to give up his crazy idea when a fire was blasted just
above their heads. It missed them by an inch.
 
“Oh my God! That was a close one!!!” Jounochi yelled terrified.
 
A loud terrible groan filled the air, making the ground tremble. The friends
watched in terror as large golden body grew taller and taller against a blue
background. Fear paralyzed their bodies. The mighty monster eyed them with its
ruby orbs. It didn’t look happy at all for being disturbed.
 
“Maybe we should go back, real slowly?” Honda whispered scared. The beast heard
him and grunted of protest. It stared at the tall boy dangerously. Honda
shuddered from fear and dared not to move another inch.
 
The God of Sun Dragon studied each of the members of the group. Jounouchi,
Anzu, Yugi, Nigiku, Immaru. It froze.  Its eyes widened at the sight of the
White Magician. They shrunk threateningly. Memories of the fight returned to
the monster’s mind. Memories of this human that dared to try to hurt him with
his magic. The creature remembered how the boy had hurt him with spells. It
remembered how scared it felt and fought for its life. In a mix of fury and
self-defence desire, the fierce creature straitened its back, pushed its head
behind and revealed a lump in its neck, filled with furious fire. It was about
to spit a wave of fire when Dumuzi jumped right in front of his brother.
 
“No wait!” The mighty creature widened its eyes. It froze at the voice, blinked
when it recognized the child of the Sun and swallowed the fire trapped in its
throat with a loud gulp. Its eyes were now fixed on Dumuzi.
 
 “He is my brother. My twin! He is the child of the Moon, as I am the child of
the Sun.” Ruby eyes flickered a moment and glanced over at the white-haired boy
in surprise. “You cannot hurt him, I will not allow it!”
 
The great creature looked at the brothers, confusion marked in its eyes. It
looked at the one who had dared to defy him a few days ago. The boy stared back
with his big chocolate eyes filled with fear. The beast grunted upset and
exhaled some hot air from its nostrils. It studied the powerful sorcerer with
great suspicion. It was clear the creature was pondering what Dumuzi had just
told him.  Immaru, petrified at the way the monster eyed him, and fearing its
rejection, softly elbowed his brother. But Dumuzi failed to react, his brave
moment was apparently short-lived. Immaru elbowed again, but nothing.
 
“Dumuzi, for the love of the gods, say something!” Immaru whispered with his
teeth clenched. The Sun king stared dazed at his brother but quickly redirected
his gaze back to the monster, remembering he needed to convince the creature to
accept his twin.
 
“Oh great God of Sun Dragon.” Dumuzi cursed internally for denouncing fear in
his shaky voice. The ruby eyes slowly shifted from the White Magician to the
Sun King. They softened a bit. “The reason I, my brother and my friends came
here is to make you a request. My brother Immaru, the White Magician, wishes to
become allies with you.”
The creature lifted its head, ever so slightly and bowed it to the side,
staring in a mix of wariness and curiosity at the child of the Moon. “Please.
Immaru is very important to me. He’s, my twin! Please, do accept his
friendship.” Dumuzi’s pleaded and held his brother’s hand on his. The giant
creature stared marvelled at the brotherly gesture and grunted softly. Immaru
finally gained enough courage to verbalize anything.
 
“Oh mighty Winged Dragon of Ra.” Immaru bowed graciously before the golden
beast, never leaving his brother’s hand. “I never wished to hurt you. I fought
you as powerfully as I did, only to protect my city and my people. Please
understand that. You would fight for those you love too, wouldn’t you?”
 
The monster blinked twice, hearing the boy’s words. It moved heavily and took a
step forward, making the ground tremble under its weight. Everybody stepped
back, terrified of what the creature might do next.
Dumuzi and Immaru held their hands tighter and waited for the worse. The golden
beast came closer to look better at the silver haired boy. The boys dared not
to budge. It exhaled hot air and grunted. Ruby eyes were locked on brown ones.
And then something amazing happened. The windows of their souls were opened.
Immaru felt his mind, his spirit be sucked into the ruby orbs. He landed in a
place where time and space didn’t exist. The godly creature and the son of the
Moon faced each other as spiritual beings, as energy forces in an immaterial
dimension. There they met each other’s soul, their essences, their being.
Immaru witnessed the terrifying power of blinding light and burning fire. But
he also saw the warmth of life that the sun emanates. The source of life to all
living beings. Immaru also recognized loyalty and bravery in the creature’s
soul. And some loneliness too, something he could understand and relate to. 
 
The Sun Dragon saw the essence of pure white light in the boy’s soul. It was
the first light born in the world, the guidance in the darkness of the night.
The pale light irradiated by the moon, which grows and shrinks in an eternal
earthly cycle of birth and death. The White Magician possessed a power given by
the gods. The creature recognized the ancient power of creation and of
destruction. Only the chosen ones received such a mighty, overwhelming and
dangerous power. Only the ones with a pure soul, filled with innocence and
unconditional love could receive these powers. A soul like Immaru’s. If the
Winged Dragon of Ra could smile, it would have.
 
The connection was suddenly broken. It felt like ages, but Immaru knew it
probably had taken only one second. He knew the others didn’t even notice what
had just happened. The reason for their surprise when the golden beast grunted
softly and rested his chin on the ground before Immaru. Everybody stared
amazed, incredibility imprinted on their faces.
 
Immaru, still trembling from the recent out-of-body experience, lifted his
fingers and touched the hard skin of the golden dragon. The creature breathed
out of contentment and closed its eyes. The boy, seeing the dragon’s reaction
felt a bit more confident and dared to give larger strokes. After a while he
was hugging the dragon’s nose lovingly and the creature was grunting of
happiness. Dumuzi breathed out of relieve and giggled at the sight. It was like
his brother had found himself an oversized pet.
 
“Great God of Sun Dragon. We came here you ask you an important favour.” Immaru
whispered. “There is a dark force emerging in Egypt.  If this darkness
develops, it will spread throughout the world and everything will be destroyed.
We need your help. Will you help us?”
Immaru released the creature, which blinked softly. The boy concluded it was a
yes. “My brother and I are travelling in disguise to Egypt to stop this force
from rising. We will need your power to find and defeat a man called Bakura,
but you cannot travel with us in your actual form. You would attract too much
attention. That’s why I want to ask your permission to seal your soul into a
clay tablet.”
The creature stared sternly the White Magician. “This is the only way we can
travel with you unnoticed and be able to ask for your help in any occasion.”
Immaru explained. “Dumuzi and I will be the only ones able to summon you. If
the tablet falls in wrong hands, nobody else will be able to call you out. Also
the tablet cannot be destroyed by any instrument or mighty force when your soul
is resting in it. It will be like if you were asleep. Yet, you will not lose
any of your powers once you are awakened.” The creature listened to Immaru’s
words and looked again into the boy’s eyes. He recognized an endless
determination in protecting the world and all its living beings.
 
The Winged Dragon of Ra groaned and grunted and roared so mightily that
probably whole Akkad woke up. The friends thought it became angry and screamed
of terror. The golden beast slapped its wings wildly, creating great currents
of air. And then it did the one thing nobody expected. It shrunk its body and
transformed into a perfect and round golden sphere.
 
Yugi and his friends recognized this form. They looked at Immaru expectantly.
The boy only hesitated for a second and quickly kneeled and started writing
symbols and drawing a magic spell on the ground. He murmured some words nobody
understood and presented the clay tablet. A bright white light came out of the
tablet and pulled the golden sphere into it. It resisted a bit at first but
suddenly the light drew the sphere inside the tablet and all became quiet
again.
 
Everybody stared with curiosity at the small clay tablet on Immaru’s hand. The
image of the Winged Dragon of Ra was imprinted in it along with a text in
cuneiform writing. The spell had worked. Now the twins could summon the
creature whenever they needed.
 
 
***** The leave to Egypt *****
Chapter Summary
     Yugi and his friends finally leave Akkad and start their travel to
     Egypt with the company of the twin kings. During they have an
     unexpected encounter.
Chapter Notes
     NIGIKU (Lord Bright-Eyed) = Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin)
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     AKBISHU / Main Royal Advisor (Evil) = Pegasus
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
The day to leave the beautiful city of Akkad came too swiftly. Men, women and
children embraced in a last goodbye. Children cried, while their parents fought
the tears back. The soldiers, bearing scars from past wars; were barely back
home and were already leaving again. The worst part was that nobody knew when
they would be returning home. Yugi watched the twin kings pay goodbye to their
cousin. Their separation was as difficult as everybody’s else. The short
teenager looked around and couldn’t help feel saddened by the emotional sight.
He thought it was unfair so many people were dragged into this mess because of
one madman. His hate for Bakura had no limits.
 
Yugi sighed heavily. On one side, he felt sorry for the Akkadians, who were
unfairly being dragged into this situation. On the other side, he was becoming
restless, because his desire to depart was growing more impatient by the
minute. More than anybody else, Yugi had waited for this moment with great
anticipation. The sooner they left, the sooner they would reach the Pharaoh and
the sooner they could help him. Besides, he missed Yami terribly. Now and then,
his hands would search for the ghost of the Millennium Puzzle hanging on his
chest. He wondered how Yami was, if Bakura had already made his first move, if
they would arrive in time. Shaddi’s words didn’t leave his head. Every time the
Pharaoh’s and Bakura’s souls end in the Millennium Items the whole thing starts
all over again.The never-ending cycle. Nobody’s soul could ever rest until this
cycle was broken. Not Shaddi’s, not Yami’s, not even his.
 
He watched the escort of 500 strong men gather to start the march out of the
city. Little did they know their mission would end at the border of the
Akkadian Empire. From there on, the twin kings would travel alone, only with
the company of the time-travellers. They agreed it was better to travel
unnoticed, in a low-profile. An official journey would only slow up their
travel and they would lose the surprise element. This was the kings’ secret
plan, one only Nigiku and the time travellers knew about.
 
“Promise you’ll come back.” The green-eyed teenager pled.
 
“Of course we’ll come back!” Dumuzi replied with a stained voice.
 
Immaru only nodded, unable to verbalize anything. Yugi felt a chill run down
his spine.  He knew the Sun king’s words were nothing but an empty promise. The
outcome of this battle was unknown. History had already changed and events were
developing in a new way. But hope must never dye. So everybody else pretended
to believe in Dumuzi’s comforting words.
 
“Men! We leave!” The high commander shouted after the rulers’ consent.
 
Women and children watched the kings and the soldiers leave with resentment.
The great city gates opened. Yugi switched glances with his friends. They
nodded in encouragement. They were finally going to help Yami.
 
I hope we’ll arrive in time.
 
…
 
The first long day’s journey was finally reaching its end. Yugi and his friends
had travelled for too many hours in an Akkadian carriage, which was an
excruciating experience. The compartment was barely large enough for four
people and it wobbled immensely the whole way. It was far from being
comfortable. Every break was a blessing, allowing to stretch and relax the sore
muscles.
The general’s experience guided the escort to a sheltered valley in the
mountain range. A soldier informed the four friends they would stop for camp in
less than an hour. This news lifted the 21st century friends’ spirits. They
were still cheering and celebrating the prospect they soon could rest, when all
at the sudden, the carriage halted. Yugi and his friends switched startled
glances. Anzu pulled out the drape to look outside.
 
“They are all still, but I don’t know why.” The girl said. Then her eyes
widened a bit. “Oh, Immaru just stepped outside. There comes Dumuzi too.”
 
Yugi immediately opened the carriage’s door and exited it. Jounouchi and Honda
followed him but, wanting to exit at the same time, got stuck in the carriage’s
doorway. Anzu pushed them with a kick, making them fall on the floor with their
faces on the ground.
 
“What happened?” Yugi asked Dumuzi, ignoring his friends’ revolted shouting and
cursing.
 
“Immaru sensed danger.” The sandy-haired king explained.
 
They watched Immaru take a few cautious steps, while he scanned his
surroundings. All the soldiers were tense and alert, their swords and spears
ready for attack. Yugi and Anzu looked around apprehensively while Honda and
Jounouchi swung hits in the air, warning they wouldn’t allow anybody to hurt
them. The boys flinched and quickly hid behind Anzu for cover when some peddles
fell from the mountain slide.
 
“Quite the brave ones.” Anzu mocked for the boys’ dismay.
 
More small stones feel down and the soldiers turned around. They pointed their
spears angrily when they saw movement coming from above. Some soldiers were
already preparing to attack, but Immaru stepped forward. He gestured them to
wait. His brow furrowed uncharacteristically while he waited for a man to
carefully descent the steep slope.
 
“Please, do not hurt me.” The man begged. The four friends from the future
stared surprised when they recognized the voice, for the man was very much
changed. “I only wish to speak to the kings, that’s all.”
 
“What could you possibly wish to tell us, Akbishu?” Immaru gravely questioned.
Dumuzi stepped so he stood next to his sibling. He clenched his teeth at the
sight of the traitor and took off his sword.
 
“I doubt you have anything relevant to tell us after the things you did,
serpent!” The sandy-haired king threateningly said.
 
The former Main Adviser finally reached level ground. He immediately dropped to
his knees and bowed till his head met the ground in a very submissive manner.
Akbishu looked awful. His flawless hair was unkempt and dirty. His clothes were
covered by a layer of the desert dust, the material was ripped on the edges of
his sleeves and pants. His face and hands were red from too many hours of
burning sun exposure. Small cuts and bruises were everywhere on his exposed
skin. It was a truly sad and degrading sight for somebody who had been, just a
few days ago, so elegant and gracious.
 
“Forgive me! Please forgive me for my sins!” The men begged in a choked voice.
 
“Forgive you?! How dare you?!” Immaru’s voice sounded outraged, stained by
emotion. Dumuzi glanced over from Akbishu to his brother a bit surprised, for
normally the Moon king was compassionate and forgiving. But in Akbishu’s case,
the man had simply crossed the line too many times.  Everybody was silent and
watched the anger and revolt swell up in the young king’s eyes. “You betrayed
us! You betrayed father and killed him!”
 
“I was desperate!!!” Akbishu yelled in a begging tone, helplessly trying to
defend himself from the boy’s accusations. “When Aiht-Nyc d- died… All I wanted
was to bring her back – back to life! I-I…I can’t live without her! The pain –
is too great!!!” Tears cascaded down Immaru’s face while Dumuzi turned a shade
paler. He looked appalled at the man, his grip around the sword strengthening.
 
“She was our mother!!!” The Sun king yelled infuriated. He let out a roaring
scream while he lifted his sword in the air. Akbishu’s eyes widened of terror
when he looked up and saw the sun rays reflect on the metal.
 
For a moment, it blinded him and the traitor shut his eyes painfully, releasing
a startled yell. Immaru shouted his brother to stop. When Akbishu opened his
eyes again, he was surprised to see Immaru gripping his brother’s arms,
preventing him from slaying him. “What are you doing!? He deserves to die!!!”
Dumuzi screamed revolted.
 
“Yes, he does. But he will not.” Immaru said and his voice had an unfamiliar
coldness to it. Dazzled, Dumuzi let his sword drop and stared confused at his
twin. The silver-haired boy turned to look at their former Main Advisor.
“Because death would be a too soft punishment for him.”
 
Even the soldiers gasped at their king’s words. Immaru was a person who always
gave second chances, who always believed in the best of people. He was
compassionate and forgiving. To hear him speak such words was both strange and
unsettling. Akbishu stared shocked at the boy he had seen grow up into a young
tolerant and caring sovereign. He was shocked he had been able to pierce the
boy’s heart so deeply and so badly, it reached a cold and hard place that was
solely reserved for people like him.
 
“I-Immaru?”
 
“How dare you act like she loved you the most?” Immaru questioned with a shaky
voice, anger and pain reflected in his eyes. “She was our mother, our light in
the darkness, our guide and our protector! She loved us like if were her own!
Her love for us was unconditional!”
The silver-haired boy took a step closer, his voice slowly rising. “You! You
dare to act like you are the one to suffer the most with her death! You were so
selfish in your grieving that you failed to see how others too suffered with
Aiht-Nyc’s death!”
Fresh angry tears sprung from the chocolate brown eyes and Immaru’s voice rose
more powerful, as his revolt grew stronger. “You joined the Darkness because of
your egoism and betrayed everybody you loved and everybody who loved you
back!!! You betrayed our father! Your king! Your friend! He was like a brother
to you and you killed him!!! You betrayed us all! Sending Dumuzi to a war and
sending a magical monster to kill me!!!”
By now the Moon king was towering Akbishu, who stared at him pale and scared.
Immaru’s hands were in fists and a strange sudden wind blew around him. “But
you know who you betrayed the most? By doing all of this? Aiht-Nyc! Yes, you
betrayed her when you hurt the people she loved!”
 
Akbishu threw himself on the floor with a miserable howling. Like a desperate
animal, he crawled and tried to grab Immaru’s feet. The boy took a step
backwards in disgust, losing his balance but Dumuzi caught his brother in a
quick reaction. The soldiers run to the former Main Advisor and pointed their
spears and swords towards him in a warning manner. The man sobbed hysterically,
screaming the kings’ names and begging them forgiveness.
 
“Only the gods can forgive your sins!” Immaru yelled back furious, his voice
chocked from the emotions.
 
“Shall we arrest him, my Lords?” One of the generals asked. Immaru couldn’t
answer, too disturbed to talk anymore and choked in a sob. Dumuzi, held his
brother close to support him, as his legs weakened from the emotions. The Sun
king faced the general with watery eyes.
 
“No. Let him go. Let the desert take care of him. I doubt he’ll survive even a
week.” The sand-haired boy spoke.
 
Dumuzi guided his weeping brother back to their carriage. Akbishu was still
shouting out the twins’ names while he sprawled on the ground in a miserable
display. Soldiers grabbed the maddened man under his arms and threw him down a
hillside. He painfully rolled down between stones and dust, his skin becoming
red from new cuts. The soldiers gave a last disgusted look when the man finally
hit the base of the hill. He moved his limbs in pain, before he curled himself
and sobbed sadly under the desert dust and a setting sun.
 
Yugi and his friends switched sorrowful glances. It had been quite shocking to
witness Akbishu’s desperation. After all, the man was banished and condemned to
a lonely existence. But then again, it had been his actions that led him to his
own demise. The 21st century friends felt bad for the twins. They had witnessed
their pain in Immaru’s discourse, in Dumuzi’s murder attempt. Their hatred for
Akbishu was more than justified. It was because of this man’s grieving they had
lost their father and become orphans.
 
…
 
That night the four friends sat with Dumuzi’s company around a camp fire,
cooking their meal in sticks. The Sun king had explained his brother had been
very upset with the encounter of Akbishu. Dumuzi had only left the tent when
his twin was finally sleeping. The sandy-haired king had confessed how life had
become empty and sad since Aiht-Nyc died. He talked about her and they could
sense the love he felt for her, they could hear how badly he missed her.
 
Aiht-Nyc had been, during her too short life, a beautiful person. Her smile was
always an easy one and she was always optimistic and cheerful, even when she
suffered of great pain in the last stage of her disease. The queen had a golden
heart, always caring and ready to help others. She was well-known for her
humanitarian side. Her elegance and joyful nature marvelled many, was much as
it caused envy by those who wished to be like her or to have her life style.
There was not one day Dumuzi wouldn’t think of his mother.
 
Dumuzi opened his heart by telling them how he and Immaru had to support each
other when their father, too, passed over. Because his brother is the White
Magician, Dumuzi was immediately named Ruler of the Akkadian Empire. He
admitted being scared with the responsibilities he received in such a young
age.
 
“I could not rule the Empire. Not alone.” The sandy-haired king admitted, while
he cleaned some stubborn tears from his eyes. “It was too much pressure, too
many demands. All my life, all my training, has been in preparing me to become
king. But when the moment came – I wasn’t prepared at all. My freedom was
suddenly gone, taken away, from one day to another. I needed Immaru by my side,
because he gives me strength.” The Sun king sighed and then smiled sadly.
“Sometimes I think I am really selfish. I mean, Immaru already has so many
duties as the White Magician and then I go and throw my part of
responsibilities to him too.”
 
“I don’t see it as something selfish.” Jounoushi said in a serious tone. “You
chose your brother to be your equal. You chose to have him stand side by side
in power and share the throne with you. I think that was very noble of you to.”
Yugi, Anzu and Honda were positively surprised at the blond’s words and
switched amazed looks. Dumuzi, by his turn, smiled and thanked the boy.
 
“Dumuzi…” Yugi started and paused before he continued. He simply couldn’t stop
thinking about the text they found inside the Millennium Puzzle. “What do you
think would have happened to you if Immaru had not survived the Winged Dragon
of Ra’s attack?” The Sun king’s face dropped, while Jounouchi’s eyes grew as
large as two footballs.
 
“Wow Yugi! Real subtle!” The blond scolded. Yugi apologized while he scratched
the back of his head uncomfortably, for Anzu and Honda were too sending him
murderous glances.
 
“It’s okay.” Dumuzi said, his smile returning. “I guess I…” He shook his
shoulders. “I guess I would have gone mad. Probably would have done the same
thing as Akbishu.”
 
“You mean you would have joined the Order of the Black Priests?!” Anzu and
Honda asked at the same time. Duzumi let out an amused giggle.
 
“No! I mean, I probably would have tried to bring Immaru back to life again. By
all means.”
 
“Do you think you would have gone to Egypt?” Yugi asked and his friends stared
at Duzumi expectant, understanding where their friend was heading to. He was
trying to find out the connection between the Sun king and the Tomb Keepers
from the Ishtar family.
 
“Probably.” The young king confessed. “Immaru is always telling me a great deal
of knowledge and secrets of magic are hidden in Egypt. Yes, I suppose I would
have done that.”
 
“And then Akbishu would have had what he wanted. He would have become Emperor.
Your Pharaoh would have been defeated by Bakura and the world would have fallen
into darkness.” All heads turned around when they heard a familiar voice.
Immaru had appeared from nowhere in the darkness. Apparently, he managed to be
as sneaky as their friend Ryou. “Good thing events are changing. We have a good
chance in stopping Bakura.”
 
“Immaru! How long have you been standing there?” Dumuzi asked a bit startled.
He hated when his brother did this kind of creepy entrances.
 
“I just arrived now.” He innocently said while he sat down. He picked up one of
his brother’s spits with meat and stuck a piece into his mouth. Dumuzi pouted
while his eyes shrunk, upset with his twin’s obvious lie and his bad table
manners. “Akbishu will live much longer than one week.” The silver-haired boy
added. Dumuzi stared at his brother confused. “Remember the Order of the Black
Priest’s curse? He’s having a long live. In suffering.” Immaru spoke in an
impassive tone, but they all knew it was the cold surface pain had created.
 
“A fit punishment for a traitor?” Dumuzi asked finally understanding what his
brother meant.
 
“A fit punishment for a traitor indeed.” Was Immaru’s answer.
 
Nobody talked about Akbishu for the rest of the evening.
 
***** Better than TV *****
Chapter Summary
     The travel to Egypt continues. More interaction between the twins.
     And what has just happened to the soldiers? Why are they acting so
     confused? Read the chapter and you'll have your answers :)
Chapter Notes
     NIGIKU (Lord Bright-Eyed) = Otogi Ryuji (Duke Devlin)
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
The four friends from the future had been travelling for 11 days since they
left the city of Akkad. Never had they missed cars, trains and planes this much
as during the past week. The travel through the desert landscapes of dry
mountains and valleys was long and tedious. Being personal friends of the
kings, protocol forbade them to travel on horse. So they were carried in the
small uncomfortable carriage, which was horribly exhausting, leaving their
backs and limbs sore from the many hours sitting in the same position. The only
thing that alleviated their journey’s pain were the nights. When they camped,
the tents were transformed briefly in miniature palaces, decorated with soft,
silky and colourful carpets and pillows. All the cosiness of home was
reproduced each evening, allowing their bodies and minds to have the perfect
rest.
 
“We’ll reach the border tomorrow.” Duzumi whispered once they were gathered
around their camp fire.
 
“So, we’ll proceed with the plan?” Yugi whispered back. The Sun king nodded.
 
“Immaru will make sure they won’t be able to follow us.” The four friends
looked over at the Moon king. He was quiet and staring at the burning flames.
His eyes looked distant, his thoughts far away.  “Daydreaming again, brother
dear?” Immaru’s eyes shifted from the fire to his brother. “You know Nigiku
will be fine, don’t you?” The sandy-haired teenager asked, guessing the topic
of his brother’s worries.
 
“Of course he will. I don’t expect any differently.” Immaru told in a fake
nonchalant manner so his twin grinned amused. “He’ll just have a bit of a hard
time explaining the high-commander what happened.”
 
“Oh-it will be the greatest prank ever!!! And then coming from you!” Dumuzi
blurted amused while he giggled, imaging the soldiers’ faces.
 
“It is not a prank!” Immaru protested while Dumuzi laughed manically (reminding
the four friends from the future of Malik when he was completely out of his
mind). The Moon king sighed heavily and closed his eyes. A vein appeared on his
temple and twitched under his white bangs. “Sweet innocent Immaru is going to
engender the greatest scam ever!”
 
“Stop it! It is nothing like that and you know it!” The silver-haired teenager
told in clenched teeth, but his brother only laughed louder and more
uncontrolled, bending double, his arms around his belly. “Gods, you are
impossible! Sometimes I really wonder if we are brothers.”
 
“Oh, come on, loosen a bit.” Dumuzi said while he playfully shoved his sibling
to the side. “You are always so stern about these things.”
 
“Well, somebody has to be. Look at you!” Immaru said in a reproving tone. “You
think everything is one great joke. Honestly, it’s time you grow up!”
 
“Time to grow up. Just because you were born twenty minutes before me…”
 
“Here we go again.” Jounouchi mumbled while he pinched a grape between his
fingers.
 
Every evening Dumuzi and Immaru would have a fight.  The four time travellers
watched the siblings in silence wondering if this time things would end badly
for one of the kings. Because every evening the Sun king would find a pretext
to tease his brother. It was like a strange ritual that existed between the
two. It was like if they did not have their little feud, their day was not
complete.
 
 Yugi and his friends had often the feeling Dumuzi was testing Immaru’s abysmal
patience to see till where he could go. Because it was so obvious that Dumuzi
wasn’t really making fun of his sibling. Just like was clear the Moon king
wasn’t really angry with his twin, despite of what he said.  Still, they would
insult each other, calling names and accusing each other of all sort of stupid
things. Despite his apparent irritation, Immaru would never lose his temper.
Most of the times, the Moon king would simply let the matter drop. Often, the
boys ended giggling because of the absurdity of their discussing. However,
there were times they would become physical and the friends had to struggle to
separate them. The Akkadian rulers were beyond doubt unusual siblings. The love
they shared was pure and unconditional, but their contrasting characters often
led them to silly trivial fights. They were beyond doubt unpredictable. After a
short session of scolding, shouting names at each other and sharing harmless
hits, the twins finally calmed down and ended their senseless fight.
 
“How far before we reach Cairo?” Yugi asked the kings when they finally calmed
down.
 
“Well, we are more than half way. Depending how fast we go, we should be there
in around 5 days.” Duzumi answered while he counted his fingers.
 
“That means it will be about three weeks since we got here!” Yugi spoke in
concern. “What if we arrive too late? What if Bakura already defeated the
pharaoh!”
 
“He didn’t.” Immaru said in such an unwavering confidence that Yugi and his
friends stared at him surprised. “I already would have known.”
 
“Have you picked up anything yet?” Dumuzi asked. He took a piece of meat from
the spit and licked his fingers loudly afterwards.
 
“Manners, brother.” Immaru reprehended.
 
“Speak for yourself. You’re the one who forgets all about etiquette when your
stomach rumbles.” The Sun king accused in a teasing tone and his sibling glared
at him, not without blushing ferociously. “You didn’t answer my question, oh-
lord of the occult forces.”
 
“No, I haven’t picked up anything. Things seem to be pretty calm in Egypt.”
Immaru answered while he rolled his eyes at his given title.
 
“Maybe your supernatural senses are not working properly.” Dumuzi continued in
his teasing mood, making a spooky voice and moving his fingers to reproduce the
movement of spider legs. His brother gave him a look of unbelief.
 
“What is the matter with you tonight? And should you know, my supernatural
senses are working perfectly fine.”
 
“How can you be so sure? All you do is sit down for a long time.” The sandy
haired king mocked while he poked Immaru’s waist with his index, making his
brother twitch at each poke. The Moon king’s eyebrow twitched. His brother was
pushing his buttons this time.
 
“Stop it!” Immaru scolded, while he slapped his sibling’s hand. The sandy
haired king grasped his smacked hand with a hiss. It was glowing. When he
wanted, the Moon king had a quite heavy hand. But the small hit did not
discourage Duzumi from his mischief.
 
“I bet you are sleeping the whole time, you sleepy-head!” Dumuzi say in a
childish singing tone and the four friends saw a flash of irritation cross the
chocolate eyes, although very briefly. “I wouldn’t mind to sit lazily long
lovely hours under the shade of a tree dreaming with honey and milk while
everybody else works hard building camp.”
 
“That’s enough!” Immaru shouted annoyed while both his hands hit the floor. In
that very moment, Duzumi flew a few meters high, vertically, like if an
invisible force had thrown him up on a chair, and then landed immediately
after, right on his butt, on the same spot he had been sitting the whole time.
 
“Auch!” The sandy haired king groaned while he caressed his tingling buttocks.
 
“I’m so sorry!” Immaru apologized sincerely, looking guilty. “Are you hurt?”
 
“Oh, riding will be a pain in the ass tomorrow!” Dumuzi complained
dramatically.
 
“Quite literally.” His silver haired sibling agreed while he hid a sigh. His
brother was okay. “Well, it’s your own stupid fault.”
 
“I was only playing!”
 
“You were asking for it.”
 
“You’re no fun!”
 
“You’re childish!”
 
“You’re boring like a dried out senile old priest!” Duzumi yelled. Immaru
stared at his brother with his eyes widened and started snickering after a few
seconds. The Sun king chuckled amused. Then the siblings switched accomplice
glances before they bust into a fit of laughter.
 
“One thing is certain.” Jounouchi said. “They sure offer a lot of
entertainment. With these two around I don’t even miss a TV.”
 
The blond’s friends agreed with a nod, while they laughed along with the royal
twins, for their giggling was a contagious one.
…
 
A group of Akkadian soldiers rode boldly and gracious despite the hot sun.
Their shadows stretched themselves against a dry rocky background. The high-
commander announced their arrival by the borderline, which was recognizable by
a natural depression on the ground. A few meters further and they would leave
the Akkadian Empire.
 
The Sun and Moon kings exited their carriage and ordered to call the time
travelers. When Yugi and his friends stepped outside, the king twins were
already talking to the leader of the escort. They could see by his expression
and gestures that they had just informed him they were travelling from this
point onwards alone. They watched a few soldiers bring horses while they
switched hesitant and awkward glances with the sovereigns. Dumuzi gestured his
friends from the future to mount their horses. Once everybody was ready, the
sandy-haired king nodded to his brother.
 
“I will not allow it. My Lords, please. You must understand, we made an oath to
protect you!” The high-commander insisted while Immaru wrote something on the
floor while he whispered words of incantation.
 
“We appreciate your loyalty and thank you for it. You will perform your tasks
for Nigiku from now on.” Immaru explained. He grabbed a bit of dirt and allowed
the dusty grains fall from his hand. Yugi and his friends could see the panic
grow in the man’s face.
 
“My Lord! You cannot!”
 
“I’m not giving you a choice.”
 
Yugi and his friends watched confused and perplexed as the soldiers all became
agitated at the same time, like if they reacted simultaneously to something
shocking. They watched the men gasp, point and act disoriented. And then the
high commander and the generals started calling for the kings. Yugi and the
others looked over at Dumuzi, who smiled at them, while Immaru climbed on his
horse.
 
“Let’s go.” The Moon king said, while he turned the opposite way of the
soldiers, ignoring the way the generals kept calling out for them.
 
“What happened?” Jounouchi asked. The twins had not specified what Immaru was
going to do when they left, but seeing the way Dumuzi was snickering, this was
it.
 
“They cannot see us.” Dumuzi said. “We just vanished before their eyes.” The
blond and his friends switched surprised stares. The soldiers were still acting
completely confused.  “But it’s not all.”
 
“There’s more?” The blond asked perplexed and Dumuzi grinned madly.
 
“Oh yeah. When they’ll start riding again, it does not matter what direction or
path they’ll take, they’ll end up in Akkad.”
 
“How’s that possible?”
 
“It’s an illusion spell.” Immaru clarified this time. “It’s harmless, really.
The consequence is that they will be completely confused. But it’s for their
own safety.”
 
“We really don’t want to be on your bad side!” Jounouchi blurted while Immaru
grimaced uncomfortable.
 
“No. you don’t.” Dumuzi said with an amused giggle, while the blond gulped
intimidated. He looked at Yugi and the others and they simply shook their
shoulders.
 
The friends proceeded riding further till the day was reaching its end and they
were following a beautiful red sky with orange and purple glows. It was clear
they had covered much more miles in one afternoon by horse than a whole day on
a carriage. The journey was still exhausting and far from being comfortable,
but at least they were moving faster now.
They spotted a small village and headed there to spend the night. The group was
kindly welcomed by the villagers, who were used to see travelers coming from
the east. Yugi had mixed feelings about their journey. He was on high spirits
at the knowledge they were finally in Egypt and each day that passed by was a
day they were closer in reaching the Pharaoh. But each day that they didn’t
reach their friend, was another day that Bakura could use to do his evilness.
Each day was another change for danger. And all this worried Yugi greatly. Yet,
he didn’t share his worries to his friends.
 
Everybody was happy, glad they had travelled so many miles today, glad not to
have the soldiers slowing them down, glad for the villagers’ hospitality and
glad they could eat and rest properly. Everybody was cheerful and Yugi did his
best to hide his concerns with a happy smile. He laughed and joked along with
his friends. But there was one person who did not let himself be fooled by him.
Yugi noticed, during the hours of dinner and joyful conversation, that Immaru’s
eyes rested on him. The Moon king was alert and wise. He spoke not one word
about Yugi’s fears, but before going to sleep, the silver-haired boy nodded at
him and smiled. The teenager understood the unspoken words. Immaru was telling
him everything was going to be all right.
 
***** The village *****
Chapter Summary
     The group learns an important news that urges them to travel faster.
     A disturbing event takes place in a village where they stop on their
     way.
     Answers will be given, while new questions will be asked.
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     PHARAOH AKHENAMKHANEN (US - Aknamkanon) = Gozaburo Kaiba's past life
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
“Guys, Guys!!!”
 
Jounouchi and Honda yelled while they came running fast and shaking their arms
all over the place. Yugi and Anzu stood up alarmed.
 
“What happened?” Yugi asked worried.
 
“You won’t believe the news we just heard!” Jounouchi and Honda yelled in
unison.
 
“What is all the commotion about?” A sleepy Dumuzi came out of his tent,
followed by his equally sleepy twin.
 
“The Pharaoh! The Pharaoh died!” Jounouchi blurted. Yugi went pale and Anzu put
her hand over her mouth.
 
“Yami is dead?!” Yugi asked in an unnaturally high-pitched voice, wearing a
devastated expression, tears already forming in his eyes.
 
“You idiot!” Honda scolded Jounouchi while he hit the blond on his head. “No,
Yugi. Yami’s father, Pharaoh Akona… Akeno…”
 
“Akhenamkhanen.” Immaru said.
 
“Right, Akonamo –his name.” Honda quickly said embarrassed and cursed for the
unpronounceable name. Yugi and Anzu both breathed of relieve and the girl
quickly pulled an ear from Jounouchi.
 
“You idiot!!! You got us all worried! Can’t you just bring the news like any
normal person?!” Anzu scolded and the boy screamed in agony.
 
“This is bad. We still have a four-day journey ahead of us.” Immaru’s voice
broke the momentary agitation and Anzu let go of her friend, very much for his
relieve.
 
“We will never make it in time! Yami will be Pharaoh soon! Then Bakura with
make his move.” Yugi said while he dropped to his knees. “We are too late.”
 
“Don’t be so dramatic. We don’t know when it will be his coronation. If we are
lucky, they will make burial ceremonies before the official crowning.” Dumuzi
told optimistically, but the four friends still looked demoralized.
 
“We should leave immediately. Travel faster and longer hours, win some time.”
Immaru spoke. “Later at evening, I’ll try to see if I can catch a glimpse of
your friend.” Yugi and the others looked immediately more hopeful.
 
“You mean, leave without breakfast?” Dumuzi asked with a smirk, already knowing
what his brother would say.
 
“Well, no. Not without breakfast! First we eat, then we go.” Immaru quickly
said while his stomach already grumbled greedily.
 
“Then eat fast, Moon king! We have a Pharaoh to save!” Jounouchi told. Both
Dumuzi and Immaru lifted an eyebrow, suddenly looking very much alike. They
were not particularly used to this kind of daring and disrespectful boldness.
 
“We’ll prepare the horses.” Honda said and quickly pulled his friend with him,
while he scolded again in a muffed tone.
 
After a quick breakfast the four friends and twin kings rode away towards
Cairo. Yugi’s heart bounced from anxiety. It didn’t matter how fast the horses
ran, because he felt like they were never fast enough.
 
Wait on, Yami. We are on our way!
…
 
The group had travelled long hours and made few stops, so they covered quite
some miles and probably won a half a day journey. The sky was becoming darker,
for the sun was already setting. Soon it would be too dark to carry on.
Besides, everybody was exhausted. The horses, especially, needed a good night
rest. Duzumi smiled at the site of a village in the distance.
 
“Look, there are houses over there. We have shelter for the night.” The Sun
king happily announced for everybody’s relief. As they rode closer, it became
clear that the village was actually in ruins and abandoned. There was a sense
of disappointment, but everybody was contented with the idea of rest. Everybody
except for the Moon king.
 
“Not sure it’s a good idea to stay here.” Immaru said. There was something
unsettling about this place that he couldn’t quite pinpoint.
 
“Why, scared the village might by be haunted?” Dumuzi teased. “Besides, it’s a
perfect hiding place.”
 
“I guess…” His twin murmured dispassionately.
 
“Oh, I can’t wait to sit down on something that doesn’t move under me!”
Jounouchi said, while they entered the village.
 
The last sunrays hid behind the tallest houses and shadows creeped on the walls
and streets. The Moon king could not help but think there was something eerie
about this place and that something was wrong.
 
“I really think we shouldn’t stay here.” Immaru insisted while he looked around
apprehensively. He could feel the hairs behind his back rise and chills run
down his spine. “There is something wrong with this place.”
 
“This is a great spot! Let’s camp here.” Dumuzi cheerfully said, ignoring his
sibling. He was tired and not in the mood to look for another place just
because his brother was spooked out.
 
“It’s probably because of the ruined state of the houses. They do look a bit
spooky in the dark.” Anzu said feeling solidary for the young king, while she
wrapped her arounds around herself, more from the cold than fear.
 
“Yeah, you’ll see how the place will cheer up with the warmth of a camp fire.”
Honda added, while he dropped some wood he and Jounouchi had found. Yugi was
standing next to Immaru and looked hesitant. The white-haired king understood
immediately what the boy wanted.
 
“I’ll be over there, where it’s quieter. See if I can pick up anything about
Yami.” Immaru kindly told and Yugi gave a thankful smile, although he failed to
hide his concern.
 
Immaru sat a bit further away, next to a tree. He shook the persistent
uncomfortable feeling away and did his best to ignore the negative energies
around him. He looked up and smiled at the sight of the moon. It was in its
First Quarter, which was perfect. It would enhance and facilitate his magic.
The young king sat down and ignored the sore muscles from the too many hours
traveling. He crossed his legs, closed his eyes and concentrated.
 
Inhale. Exhale
 
He concentrated in his regular breathing. Soon, it became the only sound he
heard and slowly faded away until it was lost in the background. He
concentrated in listening.  His ears picked up the merry chatting from his
friends and brother. Slowly the words dissolved themselves in the air until
they became nothing but a blur of distant sounds.
 
Inhale. Exhale.
 
His senses expanded beyond the common hearing and he picked up sounds carried
by the winds, sounds brought by the soft vibration under the earth. His hearing
revealed him the world around him. The whisper of the wind, the singing of a
night bird on the roof of a ruined house, three mice running in a street behind
him, the fire cracking wood, a horse tail shooing a fly. 
 
Inhale. Exhale.
 
The wind whispered him secrets of a world beyond the ruined village. It brought
the sounds of the nocturnal desert. A snake sheltering in a hole, a battle
between two scorpions, the sands grains being softly swept on the ground, miles
and miles of a sandy dead world lying silently under pale moon light.
 
Inhale. Exhale.
 
Immaru ventured willingly into a state of trance. He no longer felt his body.
He no longer sensed the world around him. His mind was empty. His mind was
open. He focused in Yugi’s friend, the new Pharaoh to be.
 
How is him?
 
His mind travelled along the streets of the abandoned village. It climbed
stairs, crossed streets, went through straight alleys. Immaru subconsciously
furrowed his brow. He needed to leave the village and cross the desert in
Cairo’s direction. Instead, his mind was taking him deeper into the labyrinthic
streets of the ruined village. He forced his focus.
 
I want to see Pharaoh. The Pharaoh.
 
The moon and the stars travelled fast in the sky until it became day again. The
sun and clouds travelled fast until it became night again. The moon shrunk
quickly and the stars became shinier. The sun set down and set up. Immaru felt
his heart beat increase as he watched the sun and the moon move backwards,
faster and faster, until everything became a blur and he could not tell apart
what was day and what was night.
 
No! I need to go back. I need to stop! I want to stop.
 
Immaru could feel his control over the trance state slip through his fingers.
Something else was overpowering his mind, his soul. The Moon king was scared
but knew he could not panic, or he would risk to lose himself in a limbo.
 
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
 
He breathed too fast and too short. The sky became black and then blue and then
black again in a dizzying manner. And then suddenly, everything stopped. It was
night again, with a full moon and it was quiet. The young White Magician
breathed out relieved. He heard voices, but it weren’t the voices of his travel
companions. He saw people, walking in the streets, sitting at home. He saw
mothers put their children in bed, lovers share kisses, men drinking and
gambling.
 
Immaru knew he had landed somewhere in the past. He was still in the same
village. He could recognize the houses and the streets, only they weren’t
abandoned and ruined anymore. Suddenly, he realized it were old unfinished
matters, memories of this place, that had pulled him into the past. There was a
vague familiarity about his surroundings. He had the alarming feeling he had
seen this place before. Then the recognition hit him suddenly. His heart beat
accelerated in despair when he understood where he was.
 
I don’t want to see it!
 
It was deep in the night. Everybody was sleeping peacefully in the small
village.
 
Don’t want to see!
 
A cloud of smoke grew larger in the desert. The noise of hundreds of horse
hoofs hitting the ground sounded in the air. Hundreds of men entered the
village uninvited. Their swords shone under the moonlight.
 
Wake up! I want to wake up!
 
Screams. The soldiers invaded the homes. Men woke up with a startle and were
killed while trying to protect their families. Women ran in the streets with
their children wrapped against their chests. Children yelled and cried of fear.
Swords and blood. Nobody was spared.
 
Please, make it stop! Please, stop!
 
Red blood became black and shiny under the pale moon light. The festering
metallic smell of blood spread like a plague in the air. It was nauseating. The
soldiers gathered the bodies of dozens of innocent people. Men, women,
children, babies. Nobody had escaped the senseless massacre.
 
Wake me up! Dumuzi, please wake me up!
 
A giant dark cauldron. The bodies were thrown inside of it with no respect,
with no care. They fell lifeless like rag dolls. A sickening smell of burned
flesh rose in the air with the black smoke. A hooded man stood in front of the
cauldron. He raised his hands in to the sky. His light robes contrasted
disturbingly with the dark nocturne surroundings. Something shone on his face.
Something golden. An orb. It was an eye. His eye.
 
His eye!
 
“Dumuzi, something is wrong with Immaru!” Anzu yelled alarmed.
 
Everybody ran towards Immaru and Dumuzi almost fainted at the sight before him.
His brother was lying with his back to the floor. He was covered in sweat, his
hair was stuck to his temple. His face had a ghostly paleness. But what
frightened Dumuzi the most were his eyes. They were open but had rolled back so
two disturbing white orbs stared back at him. Suddenly Immaru’s body started
convulsing, shaking uncontrollably.
 
“He’s in trance and lost control! I must wake him up!” Dumuzi quickly grabbed
his sibling under his arms and shook. “Wake up! Immaru, come back! Follow my
voice! You must wake up”
 
Dumuzi stared petrified because his brother’s face changed to an expression of
pure agony. Immaru’s mouth opened and a horrible sound was released, a sound
not belonging to his brother, a sound not belonging to this world. It grew
louder and louder.
 
“What’s happening?!” Yugi yelled shocked, while he covered his ears with his
hands, just like his friends. Dumuzi’s words were muffed by the horrible noise.
Many human voices escaped the boy’s throat. They were screaming madly. Tears
cascaded down Immaru’s face. The many screams became increasingly louder.
Immaru’s body shook violently. Dumuzi cried in despair when he saw a large
black shiny liquid spread itself around his brother. He knew it was blood and
panicked. Where did all that blood come from? This never happened before. He
didn’t know what to do. The screams kept increasing. Then he realized, there
were words in the awful screams. The five listened with horror to the sound
that never seemed to stop. The screams finally became intelligible words.
 
Kill him!
 
Kill him! Kill him!
 
KILL HIM!
 
Dumuzi had had enough. He was desperate and hopeless. He slapped Immaru’s pale
face. Once, twice.
 
“Wake up! Immaru, come back!” Dumuzi shouted desperate. He was losing it. He
grabbed his brother by his collar and shook him madly. “Shit! Wake the fucking
up!!!  COME BACK!!!”
 
Suddenly the Immaru’s body went numb. There was a moment of petrifying silence.
Dumuzi stopped breathing and thought his brother had died. Then suddenly Immaru
gasped for air and his brown orbs returned to their right place. Dumuzi
breathed out of relieve and held his twin close to his chest. Immaru having his
consciousness back, grasped his brother’s back, shaken by the horrible
experience, terrified for losing control and for being in danger. He released a
few loud sobs and started weeping uncontrollably, while his sibling cradled
him.
 
“I-I lost control!” Immaru stammered between his sobs. “I lost control and I
couldn’t get out!!!”
 
“Shhh, it’s okay.” Dumuzi whispered, while he fought his own tears back.
“You’re fine now.”
 
“It was horrible! It was so horrible!”
 
“Did something happen to the Pharaoh?” Yugi asked scared. Immaru shook his head
and took a few breaths.
 
“I didn’t see him... Instead, the memories of this village, they – they pulled
me back to the past and – and showed me what happened here…” Immaru spoke with
a trembling voice. He was slowly calming down, but he was still very much
disturbed, his body was still trembling from the terror.
Dumuzi shushed him softly and brushed his fingers in the thick white hair,
soothing his brother little by little. He accidently looked at the floor and
noticed all the blood from earlier had disappeared. Had it been an illusion? “I
saw the massacre. Dumuzi, it’s the massacre I kept dreaming as a child.” His
brother stared shocked at Immaru.
He remembered, as a child, waking up countless times with his brother screaming
in his sleep because of a recurring dream that no priest knew to explain what
it meant. That was how they discovered the heir to the throne had uncommon
magical powers. “Every single villager was killed.”
 
“Why?” Jounouchi asked perturbed by the thought of it, while he looked around,
almost expecting to see a ghost confirm his friend’s words.
 
“Dark magic. The most immoral, depraved kind of dark magic.” Immaru explained
and finally seemed to compose himself a bit. He wiped his tears away and looked
at the others seriously. “It was a human sacrifice. Dozens of people, from
babies to elders were killed and thrown into a black cauldron. There was this
man – I think he was saying some sort of enchantment. Whatever was created that
night, in this village, was pure evil.”
 
“Did you see his face?” Honda asked after an awkward silence, when everybody
swallowed dry and looked around at the ruined houses and streets.
 
“Yes. I would recognize him if I would see him.” The Moon king said with a nod,
meanwhile having fully calmed down. “He had a particularity. He had a golden
object in the place of his left eye.”
 
“Could it be, the Millennium Eye?” Yugi whispered while his friends stared at
him with apprehensive looks. “Could the Millennium Items, Bakura and this
village be all interconnected?”
 
“But that would mean the Pharaoh too is involved with this massacre!” Anzu
deduced appalled.
 
“Not necessarily.” Immaru contested. “I’ve been seeing glimpses of this
massacre since I was a small child. And Akhenamkhanen’s son, the heir to the
throne, your friend; was born in the same year as we were. So, I doubt he
played any part on this. As for his father, that’s a totally different case.”
 
“Yeah. The problem is that the guy just died.” Jounouchi reminded. “We’ll never
be able to ask him, will we?”
 
“Surely there are others to ask. There must be somebody that participated in
this bloodbath that can tell us what it was all about. Shed some light in the
connection of between the Millennium Items and this village.” Dumuzi spoke
sternly and his brother sighed heavily.
 
“We might not like the answers. This massacre could be related to the darkness
that’s brewing in Egypt and with this fellow Bakura you fear so much.” Immaru
said. Yugi switched worried glances with his friends. Despite his heart wishing
for the contrary, the white-haired king’s supposition made a lot of sense.
 
“Best we get out of here and rest somewhere in the desert.” Dumuzi finally said
after a few moments of a heavy silence.
 
Everybody agreed wordlessly, gathered their stuff and hurried themselves to
leave the haunted village. They rode tirelessly, the recent events giving them
a renewed energy. The village’s silhouette became smaller and less visible in
the landscape behind them, until it vanished in the horizon. After a couple
hours orientating through the stars, the travellers finally saw lights far
away. It was a small village, one with life. They camped in its outskirts.
Everybody was feeling completely exhausted for the many long hours of travel
and the most recent event. Immaru looked at the growing moon one last time
before entering the tent with a heavy heart. His last thought before falling
asleep was his mourning for those people and worries for their souls.
 
***** Brotherly love *****
Chapter Summary
     After the events in the village, everybody is still shaken.
     Dumuzi feels guilty; Yugi wants to leave to Cairo urgently.
     There is some tension in the group, but all this dissapears after a
     new tribulation appears.
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
Dumuzi had a hard time in falling asleep after last evening’s event. He
listened gratefully to his twin’s rhythmic breathing. He could not understand
how Immaru was able to sleep so profoundly after what happened to him. The only
explanation he could come up with, was it had been such an extenuating
experience that Immaru simply succumbed to exhaustion. The Sun king resisted
the urge to caress his sibling’s face and had to fight the tears back. He felt
terribly guilty for not listening to Immaru’s instincts. He should have
understood. The moment his brother started having a bad feeling about the
village. He should have listened the moment Immaru felt it was not safe to
stay. But he had been selfish and impatience, because he was tired and didn’t
want to travel for another hour. For this reason, Dumuzi could not forgive
himself. His regrets had no boundaries. His mind was plagued with the image of
Immaru convulsing during his trance. It haunted him and refused to leave his
mind. It could have ended badly. So badly. Dumuzi wrapped his arm around his
sibling’s back and wept silently, begging the gods to protect his brother
against his imprudence.
…
“Good morning.” Immaru whispered when Dumuzi’s lilac eyes opened themselves.
The sandy-haired king was surprised he had managed to fall asleep during his
turbulent thoughts.
“Uhm, morning…Did you sleep well?” The Sun king asked in a drowsy voice.
“No nightmares. No dreams I can remember.” Immaru said with a gentle smile.
“Best to get up. I heard Jounouchi’s voice a while ago. I think he’s fighting
with breakfast.”
Dumuzi unconsciously retributed his sibling’s smile. He was amazed with the
fact that, despite knowing Immaru all his life, he still could feel surprised
by his twin’s endless good disposition. Then the memory of last evening
returned to his mind and the wave of guilt was back. He sat up and the Moon
king’s smile faded when he saw Dumuzi’s grave expression. “What’s the matter?”
He asked concerned.
“I’m really sorry for yesterday.” Dumuzi apologized in a whisper.
“Please, do not chastise yourself, Dumuzi.” The Moon king immediately said,
knowing his sibling way too well. He could already see the tears form in his
brother’s eyes.
“I should have listened to your warnings!” The Sun king insisted, unable to
forgive himself. Immaru shook his head compassionately and embraced his teary
brother.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I am fine.”
“Immaru, I am scared.” Dumuzi said in a cracked voice and the Moon king
immediately released his twin, so he could look at his face. He was shocked to
hear his brother admit such a thing. The Dumuzi he knew was always fearless. He
was the warrior. The one always ready to face any danger. To listen to him
speaking such words was absolutely unexpected. “I am so scared that something
might happen to you.”
“Oh Dumuzi, nothing is going to happen to me.” Immaru said in a sweet smile,
his heart filling with warm tender love for his brother.
“Can you promise me that? Can you really guarantee me nothing bad will happen
to you?” Dumuzi questioned upset his brother wouldn’t drop his endless optimist
and see the reality as it is. “You’ve always been haunted by these creepy
dreams and visions. But now things are becoming truly dangerous! We don’t know
what this Bakura person is capable of doing! What this Darkness you keep
talking about will do! I cannot lose you, Immaru! I just cannot!”
Immaru stared a bit taken aback, not expecting his brother to be so scared
about his safety. And yet, he should have known. The Moon king hugged his
brother, holding him tightly. He too was in the brink of tears, but refused to
weaken. Dumuzi was always the strong one, the brave one. Dumuzi was always the
one to make him feel safe and protected during the dark frightening nights of
terror. Now he was vulnerable and Immaru felt it was his duty to be the strong
one this time.
He allowed his brother to sob against his shoulder and ignored the pain of
Dumuzi’s nails digging desperately in his flesh. He lullabied a wordless melody
while he caressed his frightened brother. The Moon king was lost for words but
he understood his brother. He too was scared of the dangers ahead. Afraid of an
unpredictable future. And the outcome of it.
But now that he held his sibling close to him, Immaru realized there was
something that frightened him even more. More than losing his own life. Immaru
was scared for his twin. Afraid for his future, should something bad happen to
him. What would happen to Dumuzi if he died? Knowing his brother, he would
become either depressed or insane. Probably both things. He took a deep breath.
He needed Dumuzi to hope. He needed Dumuzi to believe in a happy future. For
his own sake. For the sake of both of them.
“You know I cannot guarantee you such a thing will not happen.” Immaru
regretfully whispered. “But I promise you, I will be careful and I will do
everything in my power to protect us all, including myself. I won’t go down
that easily Dumuzi. I won’t allow that, ok?” Dumuzi took a few deep breaths
before releasing himself from his sibling, feeling somehow comforted by his
twin’s words. His wiped his face with his hands and released a silent giggle,
feeling a bit embarrassed for his little break-down.
“I love you.” The Sun king whispered and kissed his brother’s forehead
afterwards. He knew Immaru’s words had been truthful. Just like he knew the
Moon king was the wise one of the two. He trusted his twin to keep his promise.
“I know, silly brother of mine.” Immaru said with an amused smile, his heart
warming from tender and unconditional love for his sibling. “Now, shall we see
what we are having for breakfast today?”
“You go first. Let me calm down properly first.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Go before Jounouchi eats everything.” Dumuzi giggled at Immaru’s
frightened look at the prospect of missing breakfast. He quickly exited their
tent, leaving his brother alone to his own thoughts.
I know you are the White Magician. A god walking on Earth. I know you are more
powerful than I’ll ever wish to be. Yet, I promise you this, brother. I will
not let you get hurt! I will not let you die! Whatever this Darkness is, I
promise I will fight it! And I will win it!
…
“Time is becoming urgent.” Yugi said during breakfast. “I just can’t push aside
this increasing fear that our travel will take too long. Especially now that we
know the Millennium Items are probably related to this rise of Darkness. I’m
pretty sure Bakura’s Ultimate Shadow Game is connected somehow with the
village’s ritual.”
“We overheard some people, this morning when we went to buy supplies.” Anzu
continued. “They were saying that today will be the deceased Pharaoh’s burial
and tomorrow will be the coronation of the new Pharaoh.”
“So, we only have two days before Yami becomes Pharaoh and knowing Bakura, I
bet he’ll come right away as soon as Yami becomes king. Is there no an
alternate route to Cairo? A shorter way perhaps?” Yugi anxiously asked. Dumuzi
and Immaru switched concerned looks.
“There is another route.” Dumuzi told, but it was clear in his voice and facial
expression that he did not enjoy the alternative option he was about to
present. “To continue travelling through the desert. It’s half the distance
than the coast line route.”
“But that is perfect! Why weren’t we taking this route from the very beginning
them?” Yugi questioned excited with the idea he could reach his friend sooner
than predicted. Jounouchi and Honda cheered joyfully behind the short boy, but
Anzu noticed the look of apprehension on the twins’ faces.
“Well, from here on, the desert changes. It becomes even more inhospitable. It
is the «Desert of No Return» we are talking about.” Dumuzi told for the four
friends’ desolation. “It is told nobody survives this part of the desert.”
“Immaru’s magic can help us bend the extreme temperatures, right? I mean, he is
the White Magician after all.” Jounouchi asked hopefully.
“I’m afraid my magic has limits. It is not like I can bright rain to a desert.
Besides, magic weakens me physically. It would be unwise to use it carelessly.”
The White Magician spoke a bit upset. He hated when people thought his magic
was an unlimited resource, something easy to achieve and always available at no
cost. “It is out of question. We are taking the coastal route.”
Jounouchi wined like a little child, Yugi begged on his knees with tears in his
eyes, while Anzu and Tristan shouted revolted words. But nothing was would
budge the Moon king’s result. Apparently, when Immaru said «no», he really
meant «no» and there were no tears, no words and no any kind of force that
would change his mind. And after the previous night’s events, it was not wonder
that Dumuzi told them his brother was right. So, they finished breakfast
quickly, packed their tents and made their way to the nearest village, which
had a small harbor. From there on, they would take a ship that would leave to
Cairo. At least they had covered many miles the day before.
The journey to the harbor village took almost the whole day and was made in an
unusual silence. Yugi, in particular, was angry with the Moon king. He had
never expected the teenager to be so stubborn. Anzu tried to talk with the
short boy, supporting Immaru’s point of view by telling him «what for good
would it be if we died in the desert during your way to Yami? Besides, how are
we supposed to fight Bakura if we arrive in Cairo sick from exhaustion?» Yugi
knew deep down, the girl was right and Immaru’s decision was probably the
wisest one, but it did not stop him from feeling frustrated and powerless.
Although they had won a lot of travel hours already, he still could feel time
slip between his fingers. There was nothing he could do about it. His hopes
only lifted a bit when the contours of a village against the blue of the sea
appeared before his eyes.
“The sun is already setting, but if we are lucky, we can make a deal with a
fisherman or a merchant and depart tonight.” Dumuzi said while he dismounted
from his horse. “Jounouchi, Honda, you two come with be. Just in case we need
to force a deal with some brawn.”
The two boys smiled horrendously, their faces deformed by the way their chins
twisted unnaturally, while they lifted their arms and proudly exhibited their
muscles. Both Dumuzi and Immaru blinked shocked at the display.
“Yeah… good luck with that.” The silver-haired boy told his brother. “I’ll go
with Yugi and Anzu to get some supplies for the journey, then. We’ll meet you
here in one hour.”
Dumuzi nodded in agreement and walked towards the ships with some distance of
the two tall boys, still a bit freaked out by his 21st century companions’
weird reaction. Immaru, on the other hand, smiled happily at Yugi and Anzu
before turning around to walk in the market’s direction. He failed to see the
look of anger on the short boy’ face.
“I think we should split. Like that we can buy more variety in less time.” Yugi
told. Immaru turned around to nod with a contented smile, completely oblivious
to the boy’s grudge. He did think it odd that Anzu looked anxious, but shook
his shoulders clueless. These people from the future acted strangely very
often.
While Yugi and Anzu (who reprimanded the boy for his rancor) went to the right,
Immaru took the left side of the market. He allowed himself to forget
momentarily his worries about saving the world from the rise of Darkness and
delighted with the colors and smells of all kinds of varieties of food. During
his shopping, Immaru took the rare opportunity of talking with the local
vendors, which he loved. It was refreshing to meet people that were spontaneous
and genuine, unlike many members of the high court. He also enjoyed the feeling
of being anonymous. Despite it being obvious he was rich, he was treated like
any regular customer. The Moon king was so entertained that he failed to notice
two men followed him for a while. He walked by another food tent and a short
old man called him out.
“Young fellow. Kind foreigner. Would you like to taste a refreshment from our
land?” The elder man said with a wide smile, revealing his almost toothless
mouth. Immaru resisted a giggle and nodded happily.
“That is very kind of you, mister.” The young king said while he accepted the
mug. “Hum! It’s delicious.” Immaru added before drinking the fresh contents.
The man watched him nervously, glancing from the boy to a corner, rubbing his
hands agitated. The silver-haired boy suddenly felt strange. He felt unwell,
weak and strangely sleepy. The world around him was becoming a foggy blur.
“I am so sorry! They made me do it!” The old man’s voice was the last thing
Immaru heard before the world became black before his eyes and he collapsed
unconscious.
…
The first star was already visible on the darkening sky when the group reunited
at their meeting point. Dumuzi was quite pleased with Jounouchi and Honda’s
help in persuading a merchant in taking them to Cairo as soon they had gathered
all their supplies. His smile, however, slowly dissipated when he saw Yugi and
Anzu waiting for them alone.
“Where is Immaru?” The sandy-haired king immediately demanded.
“We don’t know. We split one hour ago.” Anzu said, hiding her embarrassment for
Yugi’s behavior.
“That fool. Probably is stuffing his face somewhere and forgot the time.”
Dumuzi complained upset, already imagining his brother eating a pile of
delicious snacks.
“Did you have any luck in finding a ship?” Yugi asked expectantly, ignoring the
glare Anzu was throwing at him. They had argued a while ago because of his
insistence in being upset with Immaru to a point the girl thought it had become
more of a childish stubbornness than anything else. Yugi could read the
accusation in her eyes for the young king’s delay.
Dumuzi told the good news, followed by Jounouchi and Honda recount. They told
with great pride, the way they intimidated the merchant with threats and their
muscled looks into giving in to their demands. They chatted and laughed
together for a while, and before they knew it, half an hour had passed by.
Night had already fallen and the vendors were starting to close their shops.
Dumuzi looked around, searching for his brother and was starting to feel
restless.
“It’s not like Immaru to be this late.” The Sun king said, the hint of
apprehension present in his voice.
“Maybe he got lost.” Anzu suggested, although she knew it was a ridiculous
thought, since the village was quite small.
“I’m going to look for him. Something is wrong.” Dumuzi said decided, while he
walked in the streets of the now almost empty market.
The four friends of the future shared worried glances and followed the king’s
example. They searched the whole market space and there were still no signs of
Immaru. By now Yugi was feeling really guilty. He was starting to share
Dumuzi’s fear that something bad had happened to the boy and it was his fault.
He was the one who wanted to split up, because he was angry. Each time they
crossed path with somebody, they gave Immaru’s description. Fortunately, some
people had seen the young king and told how they even shared a pleasant small
chat with the teenager. They would point out the last place they saw Immaru,
but again, there was no sign of the white-haired teenager.
Dumuzi was panicking, imagining the worst scenarios. His heart was racing
dangerously, as he ran from one side to the other, calling out his brother’s
name. The friends tried to calm him down, but it was no use. He refused to stop
looking for his brother and went to the point of aggressively knocking from
door to door and invading people’s homes, with the desperate hope of finding
his brother hidden somewhere. After many hours of frustration, Dumuzi finally
lost it. He dropped to his knees and screamed his brother’s name.
The streets were empty for the exception of five teenagers. The world was dark,
only illuminated by an almost full moon. The Sun king looked at the pale white
orb hanging on the sky. It reminded of his brother and he wept uncontrollably.
He could never forgive himself. He should have taken his brother with him, he
should have never left him walk alone in the streets. Now Immaru was gone and
he had no idea what to do.
The four friends tried their best to comfort and calm down Dumuzi. They decided
to restart their search for Immaru in the hope there could be a place they had
somehow missed. Eventually, the sky became lighter and a new day was born.
Dumuzi watched the sun rise with tired puffed eyes. There were no tears left to
cry. His heart refused to grieve and give up hope. Immaru had to be somewhere.
But how would he find his brother. If only he had some magic. Dumuzi’s lilac
eyes followed the red orb travel higher in the sky. His eyes widened while his
heart skipped a beat.
“I do have a piece of magic with me!” Dumuzi said out of nowhere, while the
friends from the future stared perplexed at him. “I know how to find Immaru!”
***** Guess who's back? *****
Chapter Summary
     What happened to Immaru and...Guess who's back again!
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
The Spirit of the Millennium Ring felt the magic working. He knew the Pharaoh’s
soul was being transported to the past and, as he was being ripped of his
host’s body, he knew he was destined to travel to the very same place. The evil
spirit transformed into a bulb of light and travelled fast. Nobody noticed the
bright glow entering the Tablet of Memories. Bakura smirked as he fell in the
strange tunnel and merged with the part of his soul he secretly had hidden
inside the Millennium Puzzle. He welcomed the brisk travel in the void of time,
where nothing existed but his desire to revenge the Pharaoh. Soon he saw the
end of the dark tube.
 
“Come on, move on burglar!” A man in the Royal Guard uniform yelled. He pulled
harshly the chains attached to a young man. Feeling completely exhausted the
prisoner collapsed.
 
“He fainted, again!” The other guard said. His colleague was about to reply
when the sky changed and a lightning fell right next to the guards.
 
The first seconds were painfully confusing. Bakura felt unwell. He felt
extremely warm and his legs were numb. He slowly got up. His whole body ached.
It felt like he was carrying a heavy weight. He looked at the floor and saw
golden grains of sand mixed with brown dirt. He looked up. His lilac eyes met
the blue sky and scorching sun he grew up with. He grinned. He was back home.
 
Bakura lifted his hands and gasped surprised at his skin’s colour. The Evil
Spirit of the Millennium Ring stared with wonder at his hands and arms. They
weren’t pale anymore, but bronzed by the Egyptian sun. But this revelation was
quickly overshadowed by the sudden realization that he was handcuffed.  All
right! He returned to that moment, when he was being dragged hours under the
hot desert sun.
 
 Great timing!
 
Then he saw something in the corner of his eye. Bakura smirked triumphantly
when he saw seven hooded figures in the distance. They were about to advance,
when suddenly, they all stared simultaneously at the same direction. Without
any notice, the mysterious figures simply vanished into thin air. The Spirit of
the Ring was puzzled. Then he felt a dangerous rage grow inside his chest. But
before he could express any of his anger, he heard some voices nearby and was
distracted by them. The watched confused as another two guards on horses came
in his direction.
 
“Hey, don’t stay behind and delay us!” One of the horsemen shouted. “I still
want to see part of the festivities!”
 
“Did you see that?” One of Bakura’s captors yelled bewildered while stood up.
 
“See what?”
 
“That big light!”
 
“What bright light?  You obviously have been too many hours in de desert!
Already hallucinating.”
 
“I saw it too! It fell right on us!” The other guard confirmed. The horseman
switched looks with his companion who shook his shoulders. He too had seen
nothing. Suddenly, both men turned to look at a large brown bag hanging on the
horse of the first horseman, as an enraged muffed complaining rant was heard.
 
 “Let me out! Let me out you barbarians!!!”
 
There was a person in the large bag and he was stirring wildly, hitting madly
with his feet in a vain attempt of freeing himself from his confinement. Bakura
became intrigued and forgot all about the hooded figures.
 
 I don’t recall any of this happening.
 
His curiosity grew when he listened better to the prisoner’s voice. It sounded
oddly familiar. 
 
“I told you already! Let me loose!”
 
“Put the kid down.” The first horseman commanded his colleague impatiently. “I
thought you said he’d be unconscious for another few hours.”
 
“I gave him enough to put a camel to sleep!” The other horseman argued.
 
“Never mind. Let’s take a look at this jewel and see how much he’s worth.” The
first horseman stated, mischief all present in his voice.
 
Bakura’s curiosity had just doubled after hearing the magical word “jewel”. 
After all, he was the King of Thieves and any object or person of value was
interesting to him. The second horseman placed the squirmy prisoner on the sand
and took the bag off.
 
Bakura gasped.
 
Yadonushi !
 
Bakura was completely taken aback. His brains seemed shut down for moments,
unable to process what his eyes were seeing.
 
What...What is he doing here?
 
The Spirit Ring stared open mouthed at his host. Not only was he unable to
understand Ryou’s presence here, but he failed to understand why he was dressed
in a somewhat Egyptian fashion, instead of his regular T-shirt and jeans. He
watched paralyzed as the first horseman grabbed the boy by his arm to take a
closer at him.
 
“Who are you? What do you think you are doing? Do you have any idea who you are
dealing with?” The boy yelled furious at the large man, trying to release from
the strong grip. Bakura was quite impressed with the kid’s rage. He never knew
the twit actually had a backbone.
 
“Wild little thing.” The tall horseman amusedly said. He grabbed the teenager’s
chin to examine the young face side to side. He pressed his strong fingers on
the boy’s jaws, forcing him to move them. The boy groaned of protest.  “Very
nice teeth.” The horseman let go of Immaru’s face to proceed in examining his
hands. “Clean nails. And look at these hands, smooth like a girl’s.” He stroked
his rough hand on the king’s soft skin. The boy pulled his hand back, looking
completely violated, giving the guards material for mockery laughter.
Meanwhile, Bakura, who stood the whole time watching at the scene, was starting
to feel nauseous by the way the tall horseman handled the boy.
 
“No doubt he comes from a good house.” The shorter horseman said. “Some rich
boy, surely.”
 
“You’re going to win us a good price with that beautiful head of yours.” The
first horseman said, while the other three guards were snickering.
 
“What are you talking about?” Immaru asked bewildered.
 
“Well, let’s say there are plenty of men that will pay a high price for a boy
with your looks.”
 
“Pay? Men?! You are... selling me as a slave?” Immaru asked outraged, his heart
jumping of both anxiety and anger. It was unbelievable how some people were
lower than scum. “You cannot do that!”
 
“Why not, my little prince?” The tall horseman grabbed the boy by his hair,
pulled his head back and licked under his neck. Immaru’s eyes widened greatly
and failed to scream, too shocked to produce any sound. The other guards
laughed amused. “Uhm, you taste like honey.” The man said while he licked his
lips.
 
“Let him go, you filthy pervert!” Bakura shouted furiously while he attempted
to jump at the tall man.
 
The Evil Spirit of the Ring was quite possessive about Ryou. The boy was his
host, so only he and nobody else had the right to lay a finger on him. He would
have gotten the large man, if he wasn’t weak and chained. The first horseman
let go of Immaru, throwing him down on the hard floor. He took a few steps
closer to the thief and hit him right between the ribs. Bakura gasped for air
and fell shocked. It had been a very long time ago since he last felt pain. He
had a habit of always letting his host deal with the less pleasant bodily
ordeals.
 
“What is this? Our kleptomaniac friend doesn’t agree? Hahahaha!” The tall guard
sadistically laughed with his hands on his sides. 
 
“Venom Shot!”
 
The large man instinctively turned around and let out a scream of fright. He
and the other guards were petrified, frozen on the spot. Bakura lifted his head
feeling slightly dizzy and he too paralyzed. He could not believe what his eyes
were seeing. The white-haired boy had two large snakes around his arms, their
heads were aimed at the men. The snakes opened their mouths threateningly
exhibiting their long fangs. As far as he knew, Ryou would never in his life
come close to a snake, even less, hold two highly poisonous ones.
 
“W-Where the hell did you get those snakes?” The tall horseman asked shocked.
Immaru stretched his right arm and the snake stretched altogether, like if it
was an extension of his limb, almost biting the man. The guard paled horrified
and took a step backwards. “Shit! We have to surround him!” The other guards
prepared to entrap the boy.
 
“Snake Rain!”
 
At this, snakes from all kinds of colours and sizes came falling from the sky.
First a few, but then more and more. The men screamed and yelled frightened.
 
“He’s a sorcerer!” One of them shouted out.
 
The snakes kept tumbling on the men, only missing the boy and the bandit that
was still lying on the dusty ground, frozen from the shock. Soon the men
started running away, absolutely terrified by the boy’s magic. Immaru watched
the men disappear in the hot landscape.  He let out a deep breath, shook his
arms and all the snakes vanished transforming into little shinny dust
particles.  He let himself fall on the ground, on a sitting position, and
sighed of relief.
 
“H-How in hell did you do that?” Bakura finally managed to articulate. Immaru
looked at him a bit stunned, like if he hadn’t noticed the thief had been there
too the whole time.
 
“It’s just a trick I know, nothing special.” He spoke with the most innocent
tone he could to cover up his lie.
 
“Nothing special? Only the mightiest magicians can do what you just did!”
Bakura sounded horror-struck. Immaru felt a bit guilty for lying at the
obvious, but he needed to keep his abilities unknown. He decided to change the
subject.
 
“Why are you chained?” He casually asked.
 
“Eh? Oh, these…I was imprisoned because I stole one little stupid bread!”
 
Immaru looked suspiciously at the man. One thing was sure. He was not the only
one lying here. The scar on the man’s face alone didn’t make him look very
trustworthy. Immaru also thought he was too strong-built to be a poor hungry
thief. He decided not to discuss and instead got up. The Moon king started
searching the bags the guards left behind on the horses, ignoring the bandit
for moments.
 
“Hey, you didn’t answer me. What are you?” Bakura demanded.
 
Immaru ignored him. He found a carafe, drunk enough water to satiate some of
his thirst. He saw the prisoner from the corner of his eye and decided to
share. He walked closer to the thief and Bakura could read the wariness in the
boy’s eyes. The reason why the Spirit Ring was surprised when Immaru gave him
the carafe. After staring perplexed at it for some moments, he remembered how
thirty he was and greedily drunk the rest of the contents empty.
 
“Ah! Much better.” He wiped his mouth with his eyes shut, enjoying the
freshness. When he opened his eyes again he almost flinched. The boy was
crouched very close to him, looking at him curiously. Bakura grinned evilly,
this closeness was going to the brat’s doom. He suddenly jumped on the young
king and Immaru fell on his back, pinned under the thief. Bakura quickly
grabbed the kid’s fists to block his movements. “HOW DID YOU COME HERE?”
 
“I-I was kidnapped! By those guards!” Immaru answered confused and frightened
by the other man’s sudden aggressive behavior.
 
“Wrong answer! You’re telling me why you are here! And how the Hell did you
just do that? Did you use holograms?”
 
“Hollow-what? What are you talking about?”
 
“Don’t play me the fool. Answer my questions! What are you doing here?”
 
“You’re hurting me! Let go off me!”
 
“Look boy, I’m not releasing you unless you give me some kind of explanation.”
Bakura spoke threateningly and savoured the panic in the boy’s eyes. Immaru
shut them tightly and frowned. In that very moment Bakura felt his body be
swiftly lifted in the air and be thrown away just a few meters nearby. He saw
Immaru get up, looking at him flustered.
 
“Nice way of thanking somebody!” Immaru accused, as he pointed at the empty
carafe. “You know, I could have drunk it all and let you die of thirst!”
 
“Then why didn’t you?”
 
“That’s not who I am. But you! You clearly deserve to be in those chains.”
 
“How dare you speak like that to me, you little brat?” Bakura angrily stood up.
The little twit was acting too rebellious for his taste. He was already
planning to attack the boy again and teach him a lesson of good manners.
 
“Don’t you even try to hurt me! I’m warning you. You’ll regret.” Immaru warned
in a threatening tone.
 
Bakura was taken aback by the amount of determination and threat in the boy’s
voice. He could sense he wasn’t bluffing. And something told him the boy could
actually hurt him. He decided to change his strategy.
 
“Okay. You’re right. I apologize. It was rude of me jumping onto you.” He spoke
in a clearly fake sweet tone. “Let’s start all over, okay?” He smirked as the
boy stared suspiciously at him. He was sure Ryou hadn’t recognized him. After
all, he did look very different in his original body. So he decided to win the
brat’s trust and try to figure out what he was doing here. “Let me introduce
myself. I am Thief King.” He proudly announced. Immaru lifted one eyebrow. He
didn’t look impressed at all and didn’t back down his defensive stance either.
“Well, aren’t you going to tell me your name and occupation?”
 
“Thief King is far from being a proper name. Why should I tell you mine?”
 
“It’s the name I’m giving you twit, so just...” But Bakura stopped, closed his
eyes and breathed deep. He had to repress his anger if he was to gain some
trust from the kid. “It’s the way I want to be addressed. So please, will you
be so kind in telling me who you are?” The boy looked still warily at the man
but relaxed a bit after some seconds. He decided to take the risk.
 
“I’m Immaru.”
 
The King of Thieves stared amazed. Not Ryou? Was he using an alias? Then
suddenly, realization fell upon him. It all made sense now. This boy wasn’t
Ryou, but his past life. Yet it was still strange he could not remember
anything about this encounter. Was it somehow wiped away from his memory?
 
“Immaru...It doesn’t sound Egyptian.”
 
“It’s not. It’s Akkadian. It means Light.” The boy casually explained and the
thief felt a strange chill go through his body.
 
Light...Hikari...
 
How in hell could I forget this?
Why can’t I remember him?
 
“As for your question about my occupation: I’m a merchant.” The boy continued.
“And a magician apprentice in my spare time.” 
 
“Apprentice? You sure looked quite high levelled when you attacked those
fools.” Bakura joked, but the boy didn’t seem to share his amusement. He was
still staring suspiciously at him.  Bakura knew he had to continue pushing on
if he was wanted to get somewhere. He still had too many unanswered questions.
“Soooo, you were kidnapped. Where?’”
 
“In this little village by the coast…” Immaru started and suddenly he
remembered. He became instantly pale and put his hands on his head.  “My
brother! Oh gods, he must be hysterical by now!!! I- I…I need to get back!”
 
“Pfffff. That’s quite a journey. Best is to take a boat in Cairo and travel
back on the Nile.” Bakura said carelessly. “Unless you enjoy travelling under
the hot sun while you cross the desert again during what? 10 long hours?”
 
“I’ve been out for 10 hours? That long? Oh gods, he must be completely
desperate!” Immaru agitatedly said. He made a mental note to never accept any
drinks or food from strangers. He was in trouble now. How was he finding his
brother, now? He looked around anxiously at the dry wasteland. “Wait, I crossed
the desert with those guys? I thought nobody came  out of it alive.”
 
“You mean the «desert of no return»?” Bakura asked amused. “It’s actually the
easiest part to cross the desert. The nomads made that one up to drive other
merchants and caravans away, so they could have full control of the fastest
trading route.”
 
“Oh dear. Oh no. I can’t believe we fell for that one.” Immaru murmured
distressed and embarrassed at the realization he and his brother had been
fooled by a rumor. Worst of all, he had no idea where those guards had
kidnapped him to.  “Just my luck. How far is it from here to Cairo?”
 
“See for yourself.” Bakura pointed. Immaru only needed to take a few steps to
look down and see the immense city developing right beneath his feat.
 
“I am in Cairo...” He whispered with unbelief.
 
***** Bad company *****
Chapter Summary
     Bakura and Immaru get to know each other better.
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
“I am in Cairo...” Immaru whispered with unbelief.
 
“Yeah, the great city of the pyramids and the mighty pharaohs. Oh, and did I
mention already today is the coronation of our new great pharaoh?” The thief
spoke with great sarcasm.
 
“The new pharaoh?” Immaru almost shouted from shock, unable to hide the
incredibility in his voice. He remained thoughtful for a moment and then turned
around, full of determination. “I must go.” He smacked his fingers and Bakura’s
chains were instantly broken. “It was nice meeting you, Thief King but I must
leave now.” The boy said while he was already mounting one of the guard’s
horses.
 
“Wait!”
 
Bakura needed the boy to stay a bit longer. He needed to figure out what
Immaru’s role was in the past and why he couldn’t recall anything from this
encounter. The teenager turned around to face him. Only then did he see the
black hole in the sky with the upside-down pyramid sticking out of it. Immaru’s
eyes widened in horror.
 
“What is that?!!” Immaru yelled terrified while he pointed to the sky. Bakura
looked up and back to the boy.
 
Nobody is supposed to be able to see that besides me and the Pharaoh. Could
this be Ryou after all? No, how would he travel here in first place? Not like
he would need or want to. Besides, this brat doesn’t behave like him at all.
Maybe he sees it because of his magical powers. Any way; I need to get to the
bottom of this.
 
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you are talking about.” Bakura spoke as
innocently as he could.
 
The boy stared with unbelief at him. He looked at the sky one more time and
then looked around, scanning the surroundings. His eyes rested on the exact
spot Bakura had seen the seven hooded men earlier. The thief noticed and didn’t
like it.
 
Do I have the impression this brat can actually sense the presence of Zorc’s
men? I cannot lose him from my sight now. He might be a threat to my plans.
 
“You must be exhausted after being kidnapped and travelling in a bag for who
knows how long. Let me accompany you to the city. It’s the least I can do for
you, after releasing me.” Bakura kindly offered, acting with all the charm he
could find within himself.  The boy stared a bit surprised and seemed to ponder
this for a few seconds. For the thief’s relief, all the suspiciousness from
earlier disappeared when the boy smiled happily.
 
“I thank you.” Immaru politely thanked and waited till Bakura had mounted a
horse too. 
 
“And you are okay with stealing the guard’s horses?” Bakura inquired.
 
“Considering their deeds today, I’m not even sure these are actually their
horses.”
 
“Touché.”
 
They gave the horses the commando to ride on. Bakura thanked the gods for the
boy being so naïf and planned to make the travelling time a productive one. He
would question the boy until he had all the answers he needed.
 
“So you said you are Akkadian?”
 
“Yes. I come from the city of Akkad, Crown of Fire, hometown of Ishtar, the
brilliant goddess.” Immaru spoke proudly. Then he paused. He realized he
shouldn’t reveal too much about himself. He didn’t really trust the other guy.
On the other side, the young king wasn’t looking forward to an awkward silent
journey. Especially with a criminal. He decided to continue engaging a
conversation, but he should pick the subjects carefully. “My father was a rich
merchant. My brother and I took the business over after his death. We decided
to expand our contacts in Egypt.”
 
Bakura observed the boy while he talked. He looked exactly like Ryou. The same
hair, the same eyes, the same smile. But he acted very differently, though.
Immaru was more self-confident and there was something gracious in his whole
posture. His eyes fell on Immaru’s robe’s material. 
 
“Are those embroideries made of silver dread?” He spoke almost hypnotized.
 
“Uh?” The boy looked at his clothes. “Yes, I guess.” Then, seeing the glow in
the bandit’s eyes - “You’re not really considering in stealing my clothes, are
you?” Immaru asked completely scandalized, while he tugged his robe closer to
his skin.
 
 Bakura blinked for a moment. He imagined the teenager half naked in the
desert, while he ran away, laughing madly with the boy’s clothes under his arm.
He shook his head at the thought. He was a thief, sure, but there were limits.
 
“Of course not! Don’t be silly.” The bandit said for Immaru’s relieve. “I don’t
believe you, though.” He continued. Immaru stopped his horse and so did Bakura.
 
 “Excuse me...What?”
 
“I said I don’t believe your story. Well, at least a part of it. I’m sure
you’re telling me the truth about being Akkadian, but you are way too...I
dunno. Too classy to be a merchant.”
 
“Classy?”
 
“Yes. Classy, refined, regal. Get it?” Immaru fell silent. He was now scared
that his cover might be blown away.
 
“What makes you think that?”
 
“Well... Your hair is too silky.” The thief said while he stretched his arm and
grabbed hold of a lock of the boy’s long hair. Immaru immediately commanded his
horse to move away from the bandit, who smirked with mischief. “Your skin is
too white and looks way too smooth to be from somebody that travels a lot. Not
to mention you’re wearing highly expensive clothes.”
 
“Wow, quite a persons’ judger.” Immaru tried to say in a playful tone. He
looked calm from outside, but was totally freaking out from inside.
 
“I know what I steal.” The thief teased back.
 
It was true. Living years as a criminal, Bakura had learned to identify the
social condition of people by their clothes, accessories, manners and behavior.
He could very well differentiate a true nobleman from somebody that tried to
look rich, and the other way around.
 
“Well, as I said before, my father was a rich merchant. He died rather
recently, so this is my first travel. I’m sure within time all my classy looks
will fade away.” Immaru forced himself to speak in a nonchalant way, hoping the
bandit would buy his story. He commanded his horse to pace faster, Bakura
followed him with a large smirk on his face.
 
“I sure hope not.” Bakura said too softly for the boy to hear. “I doubt you can
get rid of your elegant manners, though.” He shouted.
 
“My - What... Excuse me? Are you hitting on me?” The boy shouted back looking
absolutely incensed. “What’s your people’s problem? Bunch of perverted
Egyptians!” Bakura laughed heartily at the boy’s indignation. 
 
“I was just making a point. If you ask me, I can understand why those guys
kidnapped you. I bet you would have earned them a fortune!” Bakura said and
laughed loudly when Immaru gave him a furious look. He’s face was flushed,
making the bandit even laugh harder. He slowly composed after a while himself.
 
“Enough making fun of me?” Immaru asked upset.
 
“Oh, come on. Did you ever look at yourself in a mirror?” Bakura spoke with a
lusty tone. He smirked as the boy gained a pink shade on his cheeks. “Its best
I accompany you till you are somewhere safe, before somebody tries to snatch
you again.” Bakura spoke darker this time.
 
He was not blind neither dumb. The boy was truly beautiful. His creamy skin was
a rarity in these regions, just like his silky white hair and large brown eyes.
His frail appearance only made him more attractive and the thief knew there
were enough ill-intentioned people that would like to take advantage of such an
exquisite boy. Plus, he had the bad feeling this boy was as innocent and
lacking survival experience as Ryou. In short, he an easy target.
 
“I can take care of myself. Thank you.” Immaru sounded clearly offended.
 
“Yes, I can see that. Your very first travel outside your land and you get
yourself kidnapped.”
 
“That’s not fair! They caught me by surprise!”
 
“No, you’re too naive and trust people too easily. You do realize you are
travelling with a criminal and know nothing about me. I could be leading you
into a trap.”
 
“I do not trust people too easily! I know you wouldn’t dare to do anything to
me because you’ve seen me use magic and you don’t know what else I can do. You
aren’t willing to take any risks.” Immaru retorted infuriated by the
accusation. Bakura groaned at the truthful words and cursed internally. The
twit was smarter than he thought. “Besides, you did try to defend me earlier.
If you were such a bad person, you wouldn’t even bother to try to help me.”
 
“Oh, so I am Bad Person.”
 
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
 
“No?”
 
“No. Look. I know you are an outlaw, after all you insist being called Thief
King. But that doesn’t make you automatically a bad person. I do not know
anything about your background. I do not know what made you live in the
marginality. Maybe you steal because you are greedy or because you enjoy it.
Maybe you steal because you never had any other options and it became your
survival and is the only lifestyle you know. There are so many possibilities.
I’m not judging you or anybody else without knowing the whole picture.” Immaru
spoke solemnly and Bakura stared at him truly amazed. The more he knew this
boy, the more he surprised him.
 
 So much like Ryou and yet so different.
 
“Wow, words worthy of a king.” Bakura said in a sarcastic tone. Yet he meant
it. The Evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring had to admit the brat was quite
noble hearted. He waited for Immaru’s reaction but he simply remained silent.
Little did the Thing King know the boy was not wishing to return to the royalty
subject. “I like you.” Bakura said after a while. “You’re not judgmental, like
everybody else.” Immaru allowed a small smile form at the compliment, the
Spirit Ring’s satisfaction. It seemed he was starting to gain some of the boy’s
trust.
 
“So…, Thief King. What kind of bandit you are, anyway? I mean, do you work
alone or in group?” Immaru asked and Bakura chuckled at the boy’s obvious
curiosity.
 
 “I work alone. Always did. And it’s the best way, because in this world of
stealing, you cannot trust anybody but yourself. I know enough thieves who
worked together and ended up killing each other for treachery.”
 
“Must be a solitary life, though.”
 
“Solitary? Not the way I see it. It’s a life of freedom. I steal when I want;
I’m not attached to anything or anybody. No compromises, I just do whatever I
want to. And if I want company, I know how to find it.” He grinned
mischievously and Immaru blushed fully understanding what he meant with the
last part.
 
 “And what about you? I already know your father died recently and you have a
hysterical brother. Do you have more relatives?”
 
“A cousin. My mother died some years ago.” Bakura recognized the hint of
sadness in the boy’s voice. The same sadness Ryou tried to hide behind his
happy smile when people asked him about his family.
 
“And now you inherited your parents’ riches. Must have been nice to grow up in
a rich house. Fancy life full of luxury.”
 
“I guess.” Immaru didn’t sound enthusiastic at all, by the contrary.
 
“What is it? The boy is saddened for having a pretty material life?” Bakura
asked with an overly fake sweet voice.
 
“Stop it! You don’t know anything!”
 
“I know spoil kids tend to be real brats.”
 
“Look, I may have grown up in a wealthy situation, but it doesn’t mean it’s all
a sea of roses!
 
“Oh, what did our little prince miss? A golden toy?”
 
“Enough! You are a very rude person! I’m continuing alone. In my land we have a
wise saying: Better off alone than with bad company!” The boy scolded upset.
Bakura rolled his eyes. This Immaru kid was a sensible as Ryou.
 
“Okay, I’m sorry, your highness.” Bakura apologized while he bent bowed his
head in a mocking courtesy. Immaru was already giving him one of his rare angry
looks. “Please, tell me, what’s so bad about growing up in luxury?”
 
“There’s nothing wrong about it. Actually, it’s quite comfortable.” Immaru said
awkwardly. Bakura was now the one glaring at him. “Okay, I’ll admit it. It’s
easy when you have everything you need. I was just... - I was thinking about
what you said about freedom, that’s all.”
 
“Let me guess. You had overprotective parents and they didn’t let you do
anything? Bu-hu.”
 
“You are truly an extremely unpleasant person, you know that?” Bakura grinned
maliciously at the comment. “And must you know, my parents weren’t
overprotected! It were the priests!” Immaru told frustrated. “As soon as the
priests discovered my… As soon as I…” Bakura stared expectantly while Immaru
broke his discourse and looked lost in his own thoughts.
 
The Moon king had often wondered how it was to be a normal child and have a
normal life. How it was to have total freedom and leave his home, his city
whenever he wanted. But he always pushed these thoughts aside, reminding
himself of his duty as prince and sorcerer. And when Dumuzi named him co-ruler,
he gave extra importance to his role as king and White Magician, willing to
give everything for his people and for the gods. But since they left the city
and started their journey to Egypt, Immaru had started to question more about
his life privations.
 
 It felt like if his childhood and youth had been stolen. Because of his
special powers, all prospects of leading a normal life were taken away from him
at a very young age. “I never was allowed leave Akkad, to go anywhere. Since a
child, my life was dedicated to the learning of magic and spirituality.  I grew
up protected inside the walls of temples. All the pampering was nothing but a
luxurious incarceration, a golden cage.” Immaru spoke with a resentful but
defeated voice.
 
“How old were you when they found out you had magical powers?”
 
“I was five.”
 
“And you were since then completely confined to the temples?” Bakura asked
shocked. That was indeed a very young age to join the priesthood.
 
“Gods, fortunately, no. My family insisted I lived at home, but I ended
spending most of my time in the temples. The priests believed I shouldn’t be
too exposed to the outside world. They were scared I’d be corrupted by society.
They never really liked my brother and cousin. Often accused them for being a
bad influence.” Immaru said in an amused tone, as the recollections returned.
He smiled a sad smile. Bakura recognized that sad smile. It was regret for
missing chances in life. Ryou used to smile that way when he turned down
invitations to go out with “potential” friends. This boy wasn’t that different
from his host, after all.
 
“What did you do in the temples?”
 
“It was all about learning to use magic. Learn to understand my instincts,
canalize my energies, learn to know my powers to their very core.”
 
“Quite the school you had there. I’m glad I don’t have any of those weird
powers. At least I get to do what I want.”
 
“It appears you do have some kind of luxury, after all.”
 
Bakura didn’t really know what to say after that. It kind of sounded like a
punch line, leaving no space over to explore the topic. So, they rode a while
silently, both gazing at the city they slowly approached. Bakura was pondering
the next move to gain the boy’s trust. He needed to find out what Immaru was
truly doing in Egypt. His instincts told him the brat was not telling
everything. He was lost in his deep thoughts when, unexpectedly, Immaru started
riding downwards in a crazy speed. Bakura stared perplexed and wondered why the
boy had only decided to run away now. But then he saw to where the boy was
heading. A well.  The thief was reminded of how horribly thirsty he was. In no
time, he reached Immaru, who was already drinking a great amount of water from
a wooden bucket.
 
“Oh salvation!” Immaru exclaimed absolutely relieved.
 
He lifted his eyes and saw the way the thief stood opposite him with a wild
expectantly look in his eyes. The teenager handed over the bucked still filled
with water. Bakura greedily drunk it and he emptied what was over on top of
him, so he was soaking wet from head to toes.
 
“Ah, that feels good.” Bakura smiled thankful for the coolness. He blinked when
he saw Immaru staring at him with his hand covering the mouth, his eyes
denouncing amusement. The boy was clearly repressing his laughter. “Ha! Laugh
all you like. You should try it too. It’s refreshing.”
 
He threw the bucked into the well, pulled it back full with water and gave it
to the boy. Immaru hesitated first but then smiled and turned the bucket over
his head, so the water dropped down his entire body. The bandit laughed
heartily and so did the young king.
 
“Hey, what are you guys doing there? This is not a public well! (Why does
everybody think they can just use my water?)” A little fat man came running
towards them. Both Bakura and Immaru startled. Before anybody could react,
Bakura grabbed the boy´s wrist and pulled him into a run.
 
“Quickly! To the horses!” The thief commanded.
 
“But...”
 
“No but! Just mount it and ride!” Immaru, not having any time to rethink,
obeyed the man.
 
“Hey! Come back! Thieves!” The angry fat man shouted, waving his fists in the
air.
 
“I deeply apologize...” Immaru started but was cut by Bakura, who slapped the
boy’s horse. The animal immediately responded and rode quickly away.
 
“You’re a very selfish little man! Lucky for you we didn’t take anything else!”
Bakura maliciously shouted at the angry man, who was left behind utterly
frustrated and forced to listen at the Thief King’s mad laughter as he got
away.
 
 
 
 
***** Ocult force *****
Chapter Summary
     The interaction between Thief KIng and the Akkadian Emperor takes and
     unexpected turn.
     Bakura makes a shocking discovery.
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
They kept ridding until they reached the city’s outskirts. Bakura stopped his
horse and dismounted still laughing at the scenario they left behind. Immaru,
by the contrary, seemed to find the whole thing quite distasteful. He too
dismounted his horse and stared at the bandit with an accusing and reproving
look.
 
“What?” The thief asked in between his laughter. “Come on! It was fun!”
 
“No, it wasn’t! It was inappropriate! Not to mention absolutely unnecessary! We
could have explained him.”
 
“Explain what, your highness?” Bakura seemed to be done with his laughter and
returned to his creepy tone. Immaru noticed the change and was starting to
believe this man was seriously mad.
 
“That we didn’t know he owned the well.”
 
“That man wasn’t interested in hearing our story. In his eyes, we were stealing
and that was all that mattered for him. If he would have had the chance, he
would have beaten us and brought us to the guards.”
 
“Well, I disagree.” Immaru pouted and crossed his arms.
 
“Disagree all you want! See if I care. The water was great and I had a good
laugh. That is all that matters to me.”
 
“You’re mean!”
 
“Really? Well, it looks like I brought you safely to the city.” The thief
gestured to the street and Immaru looked in its direction annoyed, because he
could not disagree. “Are you not going to thank me?” Bakura grinned maliciously
as he read growing frustration in the boy’s face.
 
“Thank you.” The boy murmured reluctantly.
 
“What? I couldn’t quite hear you.”
 
“I said - I am thankful for you accompanying me and guiding me safety to the
city!” Immaru shouted out this time, much for the thief’s amusement. The
teenager was glad they reached Cairo because this bandit was starting to
consume his patience.
 
“Won’t you pay me a token of your appreciation?”
 
“I would repay you, but alas I have no money on me. And don’t you dare and
think I’ll give you my jewels! They are a family heritage.”
 
“Who said I wanted money?” Bakura’s grin grew while the white-haired boy stared
at him clueless.
 
“What do you mea…“ But Immaru’s words were suddenly cut by Bakura, who grabbed
the boy by his shoulders and pushed him closer, so their chests were touching.
Immaru’s chocolate eyes grew while Bakura put one hand behind the boy’s head,
his fingers roughly gripping his silky hair. He grinned victoriously before
pushing the young king’s face closer to his and stole a kiss.
 
 Immaru’s eyes grew even wider, startled and shocked by the bold and rough
move. He wanted to fight back but he lost complete command of his body, which
seemed to be paralyzed. During the short seconds of the stolen kiss, his blood
seemed to boil up and travel too fast through his body, increasing his heart
rate madly.
 
When Bakura broke the kiss, he smirked satisfied at the shocked and flushed
angelic face of Immaru. The indecent thought of corrupting the boy’s innocence
became impossibly tempting. So he kissed Immaru again. Sensing the boy’s
numbness, he took advantage of his non-resistance to force his tongue into the
teenager’s mouth.
Immaru made a shocked protesting sound. The moment their lips touched, his mind
became foggy. He forced himself to think, but he could feel himself losing his
grasp of his thoughts. He tried to fight back and push the thief away, but his
limbs were too weakened. Part of Immaru panicked at the realization something,
a strange invisible force, had overpowered him. The other part of him wanted
the kiss, desired to be touched and was at lust’s mercy.
 
Bakura laughed internally as he felt the boy go limp under his touch. He easily
got inside his mouth. This is too easy,he thought. The Evil Spirit of the Ring
was a bit disappointed, having expected at least a bit of struggle. He wasn’t
complaining, though. If the boy was willing to give himself so easily, who was
him to turn down such a tempting offer. Bakura pressed the boy’s body against
his and moved his tongue greedily inside the boy’s warmth.Gods, he tastes damn
good!
                                                                                                                 
Suddenly he felt struck by something, like a lightning bolt hitting his body
and spreading its electricity all the way to his limbs, fingers and toes. His
heart started pumping blood faster as adrenaline ran hot and wild in his veins.
The feeling was amazing, like nothing he ever experienced before. He gasped
surprised and looked at Immaru’s shocked eyes, his swollen lips taking in air.
Somehow, Bakura knew the boy had felt it too. An uncontrollable wave of
tempting lust took over him and the Spirit Ring invaded the young king’s mouth
again, with extra force. The kiss was rough, greedy and maddening. Bakura moved
one of his hands down the boy’s body and squeezed a buttock. Immaru made a
sound that was unmistakably a moan. They both lost themselves in lust and
desire. The young king wrapped his arms around Bakura’s broad shoulders, while
the thief’s hands covered every inch of the boy’s back.
 
The bandit could feel Immaru’s heart beating madly against his chest. The Moon
king felt a crazy warmth grow in his own chest, a pleasant tingling spreading
throughout his entire body. He was sinking in a sea of desire. Bakura forgot
who he was, where he was, what his life mission was. All he wanted, all he
needed, was to connect with the boy.
 
Immaru had stopped thinking. His mind was overpowered by an unmeasurable desire
for the thief. A small part of his consciousness, though, warned him of danger.
He was lost in desire and kept sinking in it deeper and deeper. If he
surrendered to it, there was no escaping anymore.
He was reaching the dangerous depths of lust. Immaru moaned wanting more,
needing more. But the small part of his consciousness that was still alive,
urged him to stop. He needed air. He had to stop! Immaru broke the kiss and
pushed Bakura away, so their bodies weren’t touching anymore.
 
Both stared surprised at each other, panting, bodies tingling frustrated, their
crouches complaining painfully. Immaru stared at the bandit scared. There had
been a force, stronger than him, that had pushed him towards this stranger. He
had felt before a dark force luring in the desert. The upside-down pyramid was
still hanging in the air. And he almost surrendered to something he knew was
more than just desire and lust. With trembling fingers, he touched his lips and
suddenly another realization fell upon him. He felt both infuriated and
violated. The thief had ruthlessly stolen a kiss.
 
“What the Hell was THAT!” The flushed boy yelled desperate to release his anger
and fears at his offender.
 
Bakura stared at the boy and, for the first time in ages, was wordless. Never,
in his entire mortal life had he ever felt such an intense and impressive
amount of pleasure. There was no orgasm he ever reached that matched the waves
of pleasure this boy’s taste and touch offered him. He was confused, but above
all, he was greedy for more. His body longed for Immaru’s in an animalistic
way. He took a step forward, wanting to restart where they stopped, but the boy
pushed him away for a second time.
 
“You - You are despicable!!!” Immaru pointed accusingly, his eyes flashing in
an unfamiliar rage. “You have no right to go and kiss people around like that!”
 
Bakura blinked a few times and took a few deep breaths. The bodily tingling was
finally diminishing and his mind was becoming clear once again. The Spirit Ring
realized something odd had just happened. Wasn’t it for the kid’s furious
indignation, he would have said Immaru had put a spell on him. Yet, it had felt
great.
 
 “I must confess, that guard was right about you. You do taste like honey.”
Bakura maliciously said and his tongue licked his lips, tasting them. Immaru
gaped from disbelief and the thief grinned mischievously. “Oh, don’t act like
you didn’t enjoy it my little prince. You kissed back.”
 
“No, I didn’t!”
 
“Yes, you did.”
 
“No, I didn’t!!!”
 
“Really?”
 
“Yeah! You caught me out of guard! I would never allow you to kiss me like
that!” Immaru spoke determinately. Bakura, amused by the boy’s furious
embarrassment, and still wanting to touch him again, moved quickly and seized
the boy’s arms. The young king stared with disbelief and panicked at the strong
grip.
 
“Let’s see about that.” Bakura said with a malicious grin.
 
“Wha-“
 
Bakura kissed without permission for the second time. He wanted to make sure he
tasted the teenager before he would start struggling back, so the bandit put a
lot of passion right from the beginning. Immaru protested and tried to free
himself from Bakura’s grasp, but lacked effort. Their tongues met again and
this time the young king simply didn’t care anymore. It felt way too good to
stop. So, he wrapped his arms around the thief and pushed him closer, desperate
to feel. Bakura, intoxicated by pleasure, tightened his grip and managed to pin
Immaru against a wall. The full contact of their bodies pressed against each
other caused another wonderful electrifying sensation to travel under their
skins, maddening them with their senses.
 
Immaru felt himself sink again in the deep abyss of pleasure and this time
ignored all his mind’s warnings. Feeling the thief’s touch, his warmth and his
taste felt as urgent and as necessary as breathing. The young king released a
lustful moan and received a delicious bite on his neck. Bakura could feel his
body burn against Immaru’s, he could feel the blood pump inside his ears. While
he kissed him, he felt a wonderful weightless sensation hit his heart. His mind
was filled with a bright light that hypnotized him, compelled him to surrender
in it’s warm sweetness.  Immaru sensed a dark shadow travel from the bandit’s
heart to his. He could feel dark tendrils caress his chest. He felt something
cold and empty, hungrily trying to consume him. Immaru’s heart skipped a beat
when his mind woke up. It was the same threat, the same source of danger he had
sensed earlier in the desert. Immaru broke the kiss for the second time and
felt the chains of darkness break around his heart.
 
While he stared in pure shock at the thief, Bakura looked at him in utter
confusion, panting wildly, for his lungs desperately needed air. Bakura failed
to understand why this boy’s touch created such a reaction to his body. It was
a completely new sensation. It was both wonderful and addictive. The reason why
the teenager’s words sounded so strange to him.
 
“Stay away from me, you demon! I will not allow whatever darkness you carry
within yourself overpower me!” Immaru yelled in such a dangerously defensive
way that Bakura actually felt some respect for the boy. He grimaced. Just like
before, the physical separation made him lucid again.
 
 “I do not know of what darkness you speak of, but I sure know there was a
great deal of light coming out of you! What was that? Some kind of magic? A
spell? A curse?” Bakura yelled back.
 
The Spirit Ring was becoming quite apprehensive. From the moment he landed back
in Ancient Egypt nothing was making any sense. It was all related to this boy,
this Akkadian with magical powers that simply happened to be in Egypt the day
of the Pharaoh’s coronation. It could never be a coincidence. The brat sensed
Zorc’s pawns, just like he saw the upside-down pyramid. And now he was telling
he could sense darkness in him. This was not the way things played out the last
time. Sure he had lost many of his memories while he lived trapped within the
Millennium Ring, but he had recovered them all by now. And Immaru was not in
any of them.
 
Immaru stared at the bandit warily. His anxiety was increasing by the minute.
He failed to understand what was happening. Why did he become so helpless at
the touch of this man? He disliked the thief, but somehow, when they touched, a
strange impulse made him desire madly for the man. It made him forget the world
around him. Immaru bitterly realized that just a minute ago, he was willing to
surrender his body and soul to a stranger, worse, he was willing to give up his
virginity to this common bandit whose name he didn’t even know. Immaru would
never do anything this reckless in his normal state of mind, so what made him
lose his head like this?
And how was it possible that this man saw a part of his soul. Or had he a
glimpse of his white magic? Does this mean the darkness he saw earlier was in
fact dark magic? He had sensed a negative energy in the desert when the guards
were already gone. Was it related to this man? Who was he after all?
 
“Who are you? Tell me now! No more lies.” Immaru commanded and the other man
sneered.
 
“You are calling me a liar? Look at you, a part-time magic apprentice! You
expect me to believe that nonsense?”
 
Thief and king glared challengingly. None trusted or believed the other. Both
Bakura and Immaru were feeling disgusted at the mere thought a while ago they
had wanted to touch the other. This mutual aversion was probably their only
common ground. None was willing to tell the truth and none was letting the
truth escape either. Suddenly their glare contest was interrupted by a loud and
terrifying groan that filled the skies above them. Both Bakura and Immaru
startled and froze for moment. Another groan was heard, a bit closer, making
the floor tremble. The two males stared shocked at each other. Both recognized
the source of the sound, unaware the other knew it too. Immaru ran past Bakura
who was still stunned and watched the boy run down the street.
 
“My brother!” Immaru shouted, happiness all spread over his face.
 
“What?” Bakura stared in pure shock. Had the boy gone mad? He could not mean
that was his brother!
 
“Dumuzi!!!” Immaru yelled as he stumbled on the way, but persisted his running.
He followed the source of the repetitive groans.  Bakura too started running.
 
“Wait!” The thief shouted and cursed internally. The boy was a fool, a stupid
naive boy running right to the mouth of the lion. He gasped when he saw the
colossal shadow fly above his head and his eyes met a gigantic golden body.
Immaru was running on the street, laughing and shaking his arms to the
creature.
 
“Over here! Dumuzi! I’m over here!!!” Immaru shouted.
 
Bakura would have sworn he heard other voices, but he had no time to think
about it. They were on the main street. People had run away and hidden behind
houses and tents, fearing the mighty god monster. Immaru was the only person
standing in the middle of the street, fully exposed, still waving his arms
happily. The Spirit Ring gasped horrified, because the monster was now flying
in the boy’s direction. It was lowering itself, preparing for landing and
Bakura was now sure the beast was going to kill Immaru. There was no time for
thinking. Thief King made a run and threw himself at the teenager, pushing him
out of the monster’s way. Both fell on the ground and saw the monster land in
their closeness. The Evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring thought it was their
death. But the sight he saw next petrified him even more than the presence of
the Winged Dragon of Ra. What he saw was impossible, incomprehensible. Sitting
on the golden beast were - The midget, the bitch, the blond twit and the moron
with the idiotic hairstyle! What the Hell are those fools doing here? Malik,
you traitor!
 
He watched with fury as Yugi and his friends dismounted the beast. He was
fuming from loathing. How did they come here? And how were they able to tame
the real god monster? Immaru freed himself from his grip and ran to meet
Dumuzi. The King of Thieves quickly moved away and hid in the shadows, not
wanting to be seen by any of those fools. He was quite certain none of them
would recognize him, but he could not take any risks. He watched, hidden from
behind a tent, Immaru embrace Malik. They hugged and laughed and hugged again.
It was like if they hadn’t seen each other for several years. The name Dumuzi
was spoken again and then he realized. This was not Malik, but his past live.
He was Immaru’s hysterical brother!
 
“Thank the gods you’re all right.” The sandy haired boy said, while he stroked
his brother’s bangs. “What happened? I was so worried!”
 
“I’m so sorry! I was knocked out and kidnapped! When I came back to my senses I
was practically in Cairo. I was planning to find you, but you were quicker.”
Immaru explained, but his expression hardened a bit afterwards. “Good thinking
Dumuzi. I appreciate you coming to my rescue but our cover is now blown!”
 
“I thought you were in danger! Nobody saw you! We searched you everywhere. What
did you expect? This was the best and fastest way to find you!” Dumuzi shouted
back defensively. Immaru’s face softened and he looked a bit guilty.
 
“I’m so sorry! You must have been worried sick.” He apologized. Meanwhile,
Thief King stared stupefied, understanding less and less what was going on. The
presence of the four idiots only meant they were here to ruin his plans. And
the past lives of Ryou and Malik were obviously connected to whatever plan the
four fools had.
 
“It’s okay. I’m just glad I found you.” Dumuzi said almost in tears, but
suddenly he remembered. “You said you were kidnapped. By whom? A-Are you okay?
You’re not hurt, are you?”
 
“I’m perfectly fine. The kidnappers were the ones that got scared of me. I let
some snakes fall on them.” Immaru proudly said and Dumuzi grinned broadly.
“They were Egyptians. From the Royal Guards. The bastards wanted to sell me as
a slave! Can you imagine?”
 
“Uhg! The Pharaoh will hear off this!” Dumuzi sounded disturbingly pissed off.
He had just spoken these words when an eloquent voice was heard from the end of
the street.
 
“Stop right there! In the name of the Pharaoh!” Everybody turned to see who it
was. Yugi and his friends gasped from shock, Bakura’s eyes narrowed of
discontent. They all recognized the man riding towards them.
 
“Kaiba!” Jounouchi yelled bitterly. “You’ve got to be kidding me!!!”
 
Chapter End Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
***** Reunion *****
Chapter Summary
     Bakura and Priest Seto make some shocking discoveries.
     Yugi and his friends finally get an audition with the Pharaoh.
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
“Kaiba!” Jounouchi yelled bitterly. “You’ve got to be kidding me!!!”
 
“You know this man?” Dumuzi asked the blond.
 
“Yeah, he’s the biggest asshole from Domino City.”
 
“No, he’s Kaiba’s past live. Remember the stone tablet?” Yugi reminded. “It had
a picture of the Pharaoh and Kaiba’s past life. I think he was a priest or
something like that.”
 
“Whatever he might be, he’s heading toward us and really quickly.” The blond
whined. 
 
The Royal Priests Seto and Shada rode quickly towards the group and stopped
some meters away from the golden monster. The creature looked at them
suspiciously and his eyes met Dumuzi’s. The young king gestured the beast to
stay still. The monster obeyed remaining alert all the time. Bakura felt his
insides burn. So it was Malik’s past live who controlled the Egyptian god! It
somehow made sense.
 
“Who are you?” Priest Seto demanded, without mounting off his horse. “And what
are you doing with that mighty creature? All monsters can only be called by the
Pharaoh and his priests!”
 
“Curious. I’m not the Pharaoh or a priest, yet he answers to me.” Dumuzi spoke
vainly as he took a step forward.
 
“Stay back stranger!” Priest Seto warned, his Millennium Rod pointed at the
sandy haired king.
 
“Or else, what?” Dumuzi challenged, by taking another step.
 
“I don’t think you should defy him.” Immaru warned distressed. But it was too
late. Priest Shada had already started the Dark Magic within his Millennium
Item.
 
“Millennium Key, reveal!”
 
Dumuzi felt his body freeze on the spot. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He
wanted to move, but couldn’t, no matter how hard he tried. An invisible force
kept him rooted against his will. He was completely powerless. His eyes widened
as he watched impotent a golden light travel to him. It travelled inside of
him. It crossed his body, it travelled beyond his body. It felt like it was
invading the core of his soul. He witnessed something place itself between
himself and the golden light. He recognized his brother’s shape overshadowing
him. Then something changed in his soul. The invader was expelled. Dumuzi
realized Immaru was shielding him against the dark magic. The uninvited golden
light was forced to leave his soul. It was repelled by a white one, a stronger
and brighter, shooting it back to its source, making Priest Shada fall from his
horse. Bakura watched from the shadows the scene unfold itself. He could not
believe his eyes. Immaru had just overthrown the Millennium Key’s magic. No
ordinary magician could do this. Who was he truly?
 
“What...How?” Priest Seto mumbled confused. He came immediately to his friend’s
rescue. They were both amazed to see the Millennium Key glow by itself. Shada
stood up in shock and looked from the Key to Immaru.
 
“Show me his soul.” Priest Shada whispered afraid. His eyes grew wide as the
form before him revealed a great source of white light. It was the purest light
he ever saw, so pure and so bright it blinded him painfully. He covered his
eyes and screamed from the pain, dropping the Millennium Item on the floor. “I-
It’s not possible!” Shada shouted frightened.
 
“What did you see?” Priest Seto asked worried.
 
PSeto stared at the white-haired boy. He looked fragile. Could he hold such a
terrifying powerful monster inside of him that even Shada was afraid of?
Everybody else stared both in shock and expectation. People hidden behind tents
and houses carefully peeked. The Winged Dragon of Ra’s eyes shrunk and it
breathed hot air warningly. The people quickly shrunk back to their hidden
places.
 
“What do you people think you are doing?!” Dumuzi yelled outraged. The moment
his brother expelled the golden light from his soul, he regained full control
over his body. “First you attack me without warning with some evil force and
then you try the same spell on my brother?!”
 
 “H-His soul - Is made of light...Pure white light!” Priest Shada stuttered,
deaf to Dumuzi’s infuriated words.
 
“What?!” Seto stared alarmed at the boy standing before him. Bakura grimaced.
Yes, he had seen that light. He had felt it too. And how wonderfully good it
had felt.
 
“It’s pure light. Like the source of light in the world!”
 
“It’s not possible.” Seto coldly stated. “The only ones with such a soul are
White Magicians and those haven’t wandered in our world for centuries!”
 
“You fools!!!” Dumuzi shouted infuriated by the way he and his brother were
being treated. “You bet he’s the White Magician! You should bow to him for he’s
above you all, you sorry excuse for a priest!”
 
Seto, Shada and Bakura gasped. The priests could not believe the petite
teenager standing right before them was the incarnation of Life itself. A child
chosen by the gods, with the power of creation and renewal. As for the Spirit
Ring, he truly did not see this one coming. He stared open mouthed at the boy.
He had suspected him to be powerful, but never this powerful. The kid could
actually be a danger to Zorc.
 
This is not good. Zorc will not be happy when he hears about this. What am I
going to do now? The Pharaoh’s silly friends are here and Yadonushi’s past life
is the White Magician! Shit! I must gather all Millennium Items before it’s too
late. But how?
 
“Seto, I’ve heard about the birth of a White Magician years ago, but I thought
it was untrue.” Priest Shada started. “The Akkadians claimed he was born in the
very heart of their Empire, in the Royal Family of Ishtar.”
 
Priest Seto nearly fainted from dread. He was realizing by the second he had
made a colossal mistake and was going to be in great trouble soon. His brain
was already processing the seriousness of it all. The strong alliance between
Egypt and the Akkadian Empire could come in jeopardy.
 
“You didn’t believe the news our messengers send you from Akkad? You think we
would make up something like that?!” Dumuzi was beyond his normal fury. He was
so mad, he felt like he could explode. “You arrogant priests! Who do you think
you are?!” Shada and Seto froze as they stared at the wild intimidating king.
 
“I must agree with my brother.” Immaru intervened and switched looks with
Dumuzi. “It was not only rude but above all it was unconceivable! You cannot
attack people without knowing who they are, without knowing if they truly
present any threat! Do you always strike people this impulsively?” The white-
haired boy questioned is a disapproving tone.
 
“I was merely looking into the soul...” Priest Shada tried to excuse himself
but Immaru cut his words.
 
“You have no right to invade the soul of whosoever, for whatever reason!”
Immaru’s voice rose to an authoring tone that sounded alien to Bakura’s ears.
 
“I deeply apologize.” Priest Seto, hoping to smooth the Akkadians’ wrath,
kneeled before the White Magician. Priest Shada hastily followed his example.
“We were very troubled about the presence of the great Winged Dragon of Ra. We
acted incorrectly. Please forgive us.” Both Seto and Shada bowed their heads
submissively. The twins switched glances. Immaru sighed deeply and nodded to
his brother. Dumuzi took a step forward.
 
“We wish to speak to the Pharaoh.” Dumuzi demanded in a calmer voice. “He’ll
hear about this.”  Seto and Shada looked at each other apprehensively and
swallowed dry. Their apology didn’t have the results they aimed for.
 
“Who I may announce?” Priest Seto finally asked, his mouth dry.  Dumuzi smiled
triumphantly, lifting his head majestically while he raised his right hand to
Seto’s eyes level.
 
“The Lords and Emperors of Akkak, golden city of Ishtar.” Seto and Shada though
they were going to have and heart attack when the sandy haired boy exhibited
the ring with the Akkadian Royal Seal. They recognized the silver version on
Immaru’s finger. “Lord Dumuzi, the Sun King and Lord Immaru, the Moon King.”
 
“Those two are the twin kings of Akkad?” Bakura whispered -Yadonushi and the
Tomb Keeper past lives are - twins?! Kings?! Hikari as the White Magician?! I’m
sure this never happened! The past is different! What the Hell is going on? The
Spirit Ring thought, while he felt more troubled by the second.
 
“The twin kings!” Priest Seto gasped shocked at the realization. He bowed his
head submissively again and cursed internally for his bad luck. The Pharaoh
would have his head if things continued like this.  “Yes, of course my Lords.
Please, accompany us.”
 
“Just a moment.” Dumuzi requested and he turned around to the Winged Dragon of
Ra. “I’m sorry, but it’s time for a nap.” The Sun king said and the God of Sun
Dragon made a small protesting sound but laid his gigantic head on the ground
in front of the young king.
 
He took out the small tablet, read the incantation his brother wrote on it and
everybody watched in awe the mighty beast transform itself into a golden sphere
before disappearing into the clay tablet. Priest Shada was surprised with how
small the clay tablet was. He and the other priests only managed to place the
monsters in large tablets and even then it demanded a lot of effort in placing
such powerful creatures inside a stone object. The size of Dumuzi’s tablet was
a clear indicator of Immaru’s magnificent powers.
 
Meanwhile, Bakura had enough and decided to disappear unnoticed. He needed to
relocate Zorc’s men. He needed to think and figure out what to do with this
piece of information. All of this worried him greatly, because he knew he
wasn’t the one in control anymore. Somehow this was not the game he had created
to take revenge on the obnoxious Pharaoh. The Evil Spirit of the Millennium
Ring sneered upset. He didn’t spend 5,000 years living inside a cursed object
to watch all of his waiting and planning go down the drain because of his
Yadonushi’s past life!
 
The group proceeded in following the two priests of Egypt. Immaru looked
around, wondering where Thief King had gone. He was left with the unsettling
feeling that the man had chosen to hide. The question was, why was he hiding?
 
“Immaru, are you coming?” Dumuzi asked when he saw his brother wasn’t moving.
The others turned around and stopped. The priests wondered what was going on
this time.
 
“I have this bad feeling…” Immaru murmured while his eyes scanned his
surroundings. He noticed his twin and the others were staring at him in wonder.
“Never mind. I’ll tell you later on.”
 
The streets quickly filled up with curious people who slowly came out of their
hiding places and watched the Akkandian kings leave with the High Priests.
Whispers of wonders started to spread around. Questions were made and wild
speculations were the only answers.
 
….
 
Immaru walked almost automatically, following the two priests. The street
became a vague image of strange shapes and colours that meant nothing to him.
He heard voices nearby, whispered conversations he couldn’t follow and wouldn’t
care. His mind was too filled with questions. Thief King. He was sure the
bandit was going to be a problem. He carried a great deal of darkness within
him. And then there were the Millennium Items, these strange objects filled
with dark magic. The Moon king was becoming apprehensive. Were the bandit and
the Millennium Items connected? Could he be this Bakura guy the four friends
from the future keep talking about? He needed to talk with the others in
private, preferably with the presence of the Pharaoh.
 
While they walked to the palace, Yugi’s heart beat faster in anticipation. He
barely could suppress his excitement in meeting Yami after almost a month. He
missed his “other self” so badly. Since he solved the Millennium Puzzle, Yugi
had never been alone again. There was always this warm and kind feeling in the
puzzle, a being living there, encouraging and supporting him daily. Their
friendship, their bond, was so strong that Yugi had forgotten how it was to
have only his own thoughts, his own opinions, his own feelings. After four
years of sharing a body and mind, being just Yugi, being just one person, felt
quite lonely.
 
Yugi also felt nervous. He was worried to death for his “other self’s” well-
being. He was curious to see Yami as his original persona, the historical
Nameless Pharaoh, the boy he had been before he met Yugi. He wondered how the
Pharaoh was. He wondered if he was very different of the Yami he knew, of the
spirit with no memories that was modeled as a reflection of Yugi’s personality,
experiences and daily life. As much as Yugi longed to meet the Pharaoh, a part
of him feared to lose the Yami he knew.
 
The priests brought them to strong walls that protected the palace. They walked
through the gate and were marveled with the magnificent gardens, imposing
buildings and servants busying themselves with their daily tasks. While they
followed the priests along long galleries with tall columns and high ceilings,
many curious eyes watched them, wondering who they were. Priest Seto
disappeared during some minutes to announce them to the Pharaoh, while the twin
kings and the four friends from the future waited in a fore chamber with Priest
Shada.
 
“The Pharaoh will attend you now.” Priest Seto said as he returned and
courteously bowed to the twin kings. Yugi and the others switched glances,
while they followed the Akkadians. Yugi took a deep breath. This was it. The
moment he waited for so long.
…
The Pharaoh waited in his throne room, feeling the least excited to meet these
foreign kings.
The last thing he needed right now was to explore a political agenda that was
completely unknown to him. He could feel the start of a headache. Since he
arrived, he could not remember a single thing about this day or his past in
Ancient Egypt. He was barely an hour in this new strange world and had already
suffered a murder attempt. Then he watched the six priests use the magic of the
Millennium Items to release a monster from a man’s body and seal it in a giant
stone tablet. He had witnessed the origin of Duel Monsters, which was surreal
and quite disturbing. But nothing was as unlikely as the news of a golden
monster flying around over Cairo. He had wanted to seek to the matter himself,
but he was told otherwise and instead the priests Seto and Shada took over.
Apparently, his role as a Pharaoh was to give orders and remain peacefully
seated on his golden throne. He had pretended to enjoy the royal ceremonies,
which continued as if nothing had happened.
 
Yami felt completely useless. He felt displaced and wondered if this is how an
out of body experience was. He wondered if he was reliving his past or if these
were his memories confused and mingled with his experiences from the last four
years living in the 21st century. Because he was surrounded by familiar faces
and yet they were complete strangers to him.  Yugi’s Grandpa was not Grandpa
but Siamun Muran, his vizier. Ishizu Ishtar was a priestess called Isis,
holding one of the Millennium Items; just like Seto Kaiba, who had control of
the Millennium Rod. 
 
Worse of all, Yami still didn’t know his own name. The Pharaoh sighed and
straightened his back, wishing to hide any hints of anxiety. He could hear
footsteps echo in his direction. Just minutes ago, priest Seto had returned.
Despite bringing the good news that the monster situation was solved, Yami
sensed some kind of awkwardness and embarrassment while he spoke. And then he
announced the arrival of the Akkadian twin kings. If Fate had decided to mess
up his day completely, then this was the cherry on the top of the cake.
 
Yami froze and his eyes grew wide when he recognized Malik and Ryou, who walked
side by side, followed by Yugi, Jounouchi, Anzu and Honda. All his troubles
were instantaneously lifted while a wave of warm joyful and pure relief filled
his heart. A genuine smile spread on his face while he stood up.
 
 “Yugi!” The Pharaoh’s jubilant voice echoed across the ample room. The priests
and party guests stared surprised at their ruler.
 
“Yami!” The short teen shouted and, without thinking, made a run to the
Pharaoh, who met him halfway. They hugged while they laughed, glad to be
reunited.
 
“I’m so happy to see you!” Yami confessed, his hands resting on the shorter
boy’s shoulders. He pressed his fingers slightly, delighted to feel flesh and
bone for a change. The touch felt warm and much more real than all the previous
times he had done this gesture.
 
“So am I! I was so scared we would be too late.”
 
“Too late? For what?” Yami asked confused, his brow knitting slightly,
denouncing concern.
 
“Later, when we are alone.” Yugi said in an earnest tone. Yami’s eyes glanced
at the priests, guards and guests. He nodded in understanding.
 
“And how is our King of Games doing?” Jounouchi asked while he walked to Yami,
they too sharing friendly hugs and pats. The Pharaoh greeted Honda with the
same cheerfulness but when Anzu wrapped her arms around him he embraced her
back awkwardly. They shared a small shy smile after they departed and Yami hid
his discomfort by focusing his attention in somebody else.
 
“And you brought Malik and Ryou too.” Yami said, unable to hide his happiness
and amazement.
 
“Actually, these are their past lives.” Yugi explained and the Pharaoh’s eyes
widened a bit. “Meet Dumuzi, the Sun King and Immaru, the Moon King, from the
Akkadian Empire.” Yami looked in awe at the boys. Both placed their right hand
on their heart and bowed their head in greeting. The Pharaoh, figuring this
must be the ancient courtesy, repeated their gesture.
 
“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Yami politely said while the twins smiled in
return. He turned to Yugi, understanding something serious was going on.
 
“Would you like to take a stroll in the Royal Gardens? We have quite some
exotic specimens.” The Pharaoh invited knowing this shouldn’t sound strange to
the priests, who were staring at them with questioning looks.
 
“What about the coronation festivities?” The vizier Siamun Muran asked
distressed.
 
“Grandpa?” Yugi asked surprised.
 
“I need a pause. Please, proceed with the ceremonies without me.” The Pharaoh
spoke for his vizier and priests’ surprise. This was quite unorthodox.
Nevertheless, the celebrations continued unaffected by the ruler’s absence.
Siamun Muran watched the Pharaoh leave with the Akkadian kings and what he
figured out were members of their court.
 
“Why do they keep calling me Grandpa?” Siamun Muran murmured confused, his
question never to be answered.
 
…
 
Meanwhile, miles away, a crazy laughter filled the walls of the sacred tomb
belonging to the recently deceased Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen. This place was
supposed to be sealed into all eternity, ensuring the soul’s rest in in the
Afterlife. No living being was ever supposed to enter this chamber, and disturb
the deceased solitude, but Thief King Bakura did. Once he left the city of
Cairo and stepped onto the edge of the desert, the mysterious hooded men
reappeared. The Spirit Ring concluded they had hidden themselves from the White
Magician and waited for Bakura to return. The bandit had grinned victoriously,
remembering what he had done that day 5,000 years ago. He followed Zorc’s pawns
to the secret tomb of Akhenamkhanen.
 
He didn’t care if Yugi and his idiotic friends had come from the future to help
the Pharaoh. He didn’t care if Ryou’s past live was the freaking White
Magician. He had a mission to fulfil. He had waited long 5,000 years for this
day. Nothing and nobody was stopping him. Bakura was determined to join the
seven Millennium Items, resurrect the evil Zorc and finally destroy the Pharaoh
and all those felonious priests who dared to wield the objects created by the
souls of his village’s inhabitants. He would have revenge. Justice would be
made. He didn’t care for the consequences for Mankind. He didn’t care for the
collateral damage. He didn’t care for the price. If he was meant to die, if he
was meant to meet his doom, so be it. As long as his family was avenged.
 
***** Bakura's plan *****
Chapter Summary
     In which the Akkadians, Yugi and his friends update Yami to the
     Bakura problem.
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     PRIEST SETO = Seto Kaiba
     PRIESTESS ISIS = Ishizu Ishtar
     PRIEST AKHENADEN = Mr. Ishtar
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
The Pharaoh was forced to ask a few of his guards for directions. The palace
was so huge and labyrinthic that he lost all orientation. His servants thought
it odd and supposed their new ruler’s confusion was caused by the overwhelming
events of the past days.
“Wow! They are beautiful!” Anzu said when they finally reached the gardens.
“But I still think the ones in Akkad are more impressive.” She added, facing
Immaru and Dumuzi who smiled contented.
“Yeah…” Yami said as he took in his surroundings. He couldn’t help by being
impressed by everything he saw, because everything was so grandiose in this
world. He had wondered already several times today, if the palace and the
pyramids had been built by giants instead of mere mortal men. He turned to Yugi
remembering the reason they had come outside in the first place. “So, what is
it you wanted to tell me.”
“Best you sit down.” The shorter teen gestured and Yami obeyed while his
stomach sunk. This could only be seriously bad news. Yugi took a deep breath
before he spoke. “When your soul entered the Memory World, Bakura’s spirit
followed you.” At this Yami gasped horrified. “It appears he’s too a 5,000
years old Ancient Egyptian spirit and has returned to destroy you by doing
something called the Ultimate Shadow Game.”
“The Ultimate Shadow Game? But how?” The Pharaoh asked. Yugi shook his
shoulders.
“Frankly, we don’t know.” The boy answered.
“Yet…” Immaru’s voice was heard and Yami’s eyes turned to him. “I suspect the
Millennium Items are related to whatever plan this Bakura person has.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Do you know anything about the making of the Millennium Items?” Yami shook his
head clueless. “Well, recently we discovered a ruined village, miles away from
here. Years ago, a horrible massacre took place there, where all inhabitants
were killed as a sacrifice. During my most recent vision, I saw a man with a
golden eye leading the ritual.” The others, of course, remembered this recent
and horrific event. Just like Yami, who swallowed dry, they were already
anticipating the young king’s next words. “Today I saw this man again. I
recognized him clearly. He is one of your priests.”
“So you think…” The Pharaoh started and Immaru cut him to finish his thoughts.
“Yes, I think that was a ritual to create the Millennium Items.” Immaru spoke
with an undiscussable determinacy. “I felt their energy twice today. When two
of your priests used their magic on my brother and me today, and when we were
in the throne room. Actually, Pharaoh, I can sense the magic emanating from
that pyramid that’s hanging on your chest right now. It is filled with dark
magic. The darkest, most evil and most destructive magic that can exist.”
“Do you think Bakura is going to use the items to achieve his destructive
goals?” Yami asked after looking down at his item. It was hard to believe
Immaru’s words when the object looked so harmless.
“Yes. I think that’s the most probable scenario.” Immaru said with a concerned
expression. He took a deep breath. “Actually, I think I might have met him
today.”
“What?!” The others all yelled in unison.
“What the Hell have you been doing those hours you were away?” Dumuzi asked
exasperated.
“I was kidnapped…” Immaru started explaining. “…by members of the Royal Guard.”
He said while he gave a reproving look at Yami. “By the way, they wanted to
sell me as a sex slave. You might want to check your soldiers for their moral
conducts.” He added, while Dumuzi changed to all possible colours and almost
fainted from distress. Immaru had not specified earlier on what kind of slave
they wanted to sell him for. “Anyway, the soldiers had a prisoner with them. He
refused to tell me his name. Called himself Thief King. He kind of helped me
get to Cairo, although I must admit he’s all but a pleasant travel companion… –
Anyway, I sensed a darkness in him too. Oh, and I had sensed it already in the
desert when I woke up. Just like I saw an upside-down pyramid earlier hanging
in the sky. Oh look, it’s still there.” Everybody looked up and gasped of shock
expect for Dumuzi, who merely saw the usual blue sky.
“And I thought I was the only one who saw that.” Yami told.
“Ehm…I don’t see anything.” The Sun King awkwardly said, because all the others
were staring at the sky wearing expressions of shock, cursing and asking what
the Hell that thing was.
“Thief King told me he didn’t see it either. Although I think he was probably
lying.”
“Where is he? Where’s Bakura?” Yami asked clearly upset. He had the feeling he
had fallen in a dangerous trap created by the Evil Spirit of the Millennium
Ring. Immaru shook his shoulders.
“He disappeared when the God of Sun Dragon appeared.”
“The God of Sun …- wait, you mean the Winged Dragon of Ra? The golden monster -
it were you guys?” Yami asked stunned. His headache had just worsened and he
was starting to feel dizzy with all the disturbing revelations.
“Yeah, I have him kept in a clay tablet.” Dumuzi told while he showed him the
small seal and Yami gasped surprised. It looked just like a card from Duel
Monsters, only made of clay and with odd inscriptions in the text area. “Immaru
managed to put him there after he, only the gods know how; managed to tame it,
after the monster tried to destroy our city.”
“What? The Winged Dragon of Ra tried to destroy Akkad?!”
“It was a political conspiracy led by our main advisor. It happens.” Immaru
casually stated. The Pharaoh stared open-mouthed at Ryou’s past life. He then
looked at the floor, his heart racing from anxiety.
“So these never were memories. It did feel too real.” Yami murmured.
“We are in the past and we are here to change it. Together.” Yugi told his
friend and Yami smiled a bit more encouraged. He was glad he wasn’t alone.
“I don’t know what I would do without you guys.” Yami expressed his gratitude
while he stood up smiling.
“You would lose.” Dumuzi said in an obvious tone, receiving a slap on his head
from his brother. “Ouch! Damn, Immaru!”
“Forgive my brother for his bluntness.” Immaru apologized. “He was born with
the inability to filter any thought and shut his stupid mouth when necessary.”
This time, Dumuzi hit his brother’s arm. “Hey!” The white-haired king protested
and the brothers glared upset.
“How about we look for some food in those festivities. I’m sure I’m hungry!”
Jounouchi loudly suggested, gaining Immaru’s full attention.
“That is probably the best idea you ever had since you arrived here!” The Moon
King happily replied for the blond’s humiliation.
“Look who has no filter now.” Dumuzi accused upset. The twins walked back to
the throne room hitting harmlessly and insulting each other the whole way. Yami
stared at them perplexed.
“Don’t bother, Yami. It’s normal for them.” Yugi explained smilingly.
“Yeah, it’s their weird manner of expressing their sibling love.” Jounouchi
added, while the others laughed. Yami smiled too, but soon he grimaced
worriedly. They needed to come up with a plan before Bakura decided to strike.
…
If Yami hadn’t witnessed the way Ryou raided Kaiba’s refrigerator after his
soul was released from the Shadow Realm, he would have stared shocked at
Immaru’s capability of devouring every dish that was presented at him. The
Pharaoh’s priests watched with disbelief the boy eat calmly but efficiently a
quantity of food that was enough to feed him three times.
“Where do you think all that food goes to?” Priest Shada asked quietly.
“He’s eating more than Karim does.” Priestess Isis pointed out.
“He’s so petite.” Priest Karim added perplexed. He was a tall and muscled man,
but Immaru had a small frame.
“It’s because of the magic.” Priest Mahado explained. “He’s the White Magician,
remember? If regular magic already consumes a sorcerer, imagine what the
original Light does to such frail body.”
“I wonder if he’s that strong as everybody claims.” Priest Seto said clearly
sceptic. “I find it quite convenient for the heir of the Akkadian throne to
possess such powers.”
“Seto, I know what I saw in his soul.” Priest Shada reminded. “Besides, you saw
the way he countered back the Millennium’s magic!”
“Speaking of, my Millennium Balance started behaving strangely when he entered
the room.” Priest Karim told. “It went completely out of balance. But instead
of dark magic the Balance recognized white magic.”
“All and all, we must be cautious.” Priest Akhenaden warned. He is stronger
than any of us, possibly as strong as all of us combined. Besides, we don’t
want to endanger our diplomatic relations with Akkad.”
“Ah, the food was delicious!” Immaru exclaimed contented, while he stretched
his arms. “I praise the Egyptian cuisine!”
“Honda, remind me to never have a food contest against this guy!” Jounouchi
said in an intimidated manner.
“You’ve been using quite some magic today.” Duzumi spoke. It was not a
question, but a clear statement.
“What gave me away?” Immaru asked surprised. His brother simply raised his
eyebrow in disbelief.
“Well, best start planning a way to defeat Bakura.” Dumuzi said, this time
facing the Pharaoh. He nodded and walked to his priests.
“There’s a matter of urgency I must speak with you.” Yami told his priests, who
gasped surprised. “My allies and friends came to help me defeat a man called
Bakura. He wishes to destroy Mankind and immerge the world in darkness.”
“What?! How?” Seto asked.
“I think he wants to steal the seven Millennium Items to achieve his goals.”
The Pharaoh answered to his priests’ shock.
“The defenses must be fortified.” Dumuzi spoke determinably while he walked
towards the Egyptians. “And I don’t mean just with soldiers. You are lucky
tonight it’s full moon.” He said with a confident grin. All eyes fell on
Immaru, who gave a weak smile at the sudden attention.
…
Thief King rode under the light of the full moon in the capital’s direction. He
was covered in gold and wore an expensive red robe that had belonged to the
former Pharaoh. Behind him, seven dark and hooded men rode fast as the wind. He
stopped his horse at the edge of a cliff, where he had a clear view over the
city. He giggled excited. He was finally going to confront the Pharaoh and have
his hands of the seven Millennium Items. Tonight, he would have his revenge.
***** The attack *****
Chapter Summary
     Bakura and Zorc's henchmen attack Cairo.
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     PRIEST SETO = Seto Kaiba
     PRIESTESS ISIS = Ishizu Ishtar
     PRIEST AKHENADEN = Mr. Ishtar
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
The priests watched with awe as the White Magician, with the help of Mahado and
his sorcerers, protected the outer walls of the city. They watched a translucid
white light, as pale as the moonlight, immerse the walls like a morning mist.
It was quite an achievement, considering the size of them and the many miles
they covered to defend Cairo. After that, Immaru strengthened the soldiers,
giving them protective armors and shields. The Moon king exhaled deeply and
turned around.
 
“Okay, the defenses are secure.” The White Magician announced.
 
“Are you sure the main gate is the weakest point of the wall?” Dumuzi asked
Priest Mahado, while he walked towards them.
 
“Yes, my Lord. If Bakura will try to invade the city, it will be through here.”
Priest Mahado confirmed.
 
The sandy-haired king nodded satisfied and looked up. Soldiers were
strategically positioned to protect the main gate. The city was practically
impenetrable, yet he feared Bakura and his darkness would find a way to defy
his brother’s magic. The fact Immaru had been haunted by the village’s massacre
through horrible dreams and visions all his life only increased his concern. He
feared this Bakura guy and Immaru were fated to confront in a battle of good
and evil, light against darkness. His troubled thoughts were suddenly
interrupted by Isis’s voice.
 
“My Millennium Neckless senses an evil force approaching the Kingdom!” The
priestess shouted in an alarmed tone. “This being lurks just outside the city’s
wall and he bears great power!”
 
Everybody ran to their places and prepared for battle. Dumuzi stood next to
Immaru, ready for attack. He drew his sword out, ready to protect his twin’s
live. The soldiers positioned themselves, the priests formed a human shield
around their Pharaoh, who had insisted to be present during the defense
preparations and the possible confrontation. Dumuzi approved this behaviour.
The Pharaoh demonstrated to care for his men and not be just a ruler who shouts
out wishful commands. The Sun king looked over at his brother. Immaru grimaced.
 
“The Millennium Items are truly powerful. I could only sense the darkness now.
Yet, I do not sense Bakura. How strange…” The Moon king murmured.
 
Dumuzi had no time to respond because a soldier standing on the walls got hit
by a burning arrow. More arrows came flaming down, but this time Immaru was
prepared and he threw a spell that made them disintegrate into tiny particles
before they reached any man. The hooded figures on the other side of the wall
stared confused. They shot arrows a few more times, but witnessed them vanish
into thin air. Bakura shrunk his eyes and frowned upset. The brat and his
hocus-pocus were behind this, no doubt. He hit his horse to ride faster and
prepared himself to break the main gate. His men rode swiftly before him. He
suddenly pulled his horse back, which turned on its back feet wildly,
preventing a last-minute collision. Three of his hooded men had crashed and
were attacked by some strange white energy that made them fall in pain and
agony. Bakura watched them roll on the floor yelling, while the other four
turned their heads in his direction.
 
“My Lord. The walls are protected with magic. It’s too strong. It won’t let us
pass.” One of Zorc’s creatures spoke for Thief King’s irritation.
 
“So, the Pharaoh wants to play difficult. Ha!” Bakura replied with a mad look
in his eyes. “No worries. I’ll break the walls and the magic protecting it
myself!!!” He revealed his diadiank, making the Egyptian soldiers that stood on
the walls gasp.
 
“Pharaoh! The criminal has a diadiank!” One of the soldiers shouted, for
everybody’s horror.
 
“What!?” The priests exclaimed in unison. Yami switched confused looks with his
friends. They had no idea what the soldiers were talking about, but by the
reaction of the Egyptians, it was clear it was something very bad. The Pharaoh
and his 21st century friends ran up the stairs to the top of the wall and were
followed by the Priests of Egypt. From there, they saw for their great
surprise, a man holding an object that looked like -
 
“A Duel Disk!” Yami exclaimed exasperated. He couldn’t believe his eyes and
wondered again if he was witnessing the origins of Duel Monsters.
 
“Is that Bakura? He looks different.” Anzu noticed.
 
“Don’t forget he was possessing Ryou, using his body for his evil-doing.” Yugi
reminded. “This is his real human-form.”
 
Suddenly, Priest Karim’s voice called everybody’s attention. He was looking
disturbed at his Millennium Balance.
 
“My Millennium is completely out of balance! This man’s soul is filled with
darkness!” Priest Karim spoke horrified.
 
“We are in the presence of pure evil!” Priest Mahado agreed while his
Millennium Ring glowed. The priests looked down the wall and swallowed dry,
looks of incredibility and fear imprinted on their faces.
 
“He’s summoning a Shadow Monster!” Priest Seto shouted shocked while he pointed
at Bakura. “It can’t be! Only members of the Royal Court can do that!”
 
“Did I forget to tell you? Oh, how rude of me.” Thief King mocked while he
looked up to see his cowardly enemies standing on the top of the walls. “I paid
a visit to your old Pharaoh’s tomb. And while I was paying my respects, I
thought I could borrow a few of his toys. I am now in control of his personal
collection of shadow monsters!”
 
At that moment, a tall and intimidatingly muscled monster appeared. Zorc’s
henchmen made way for the creature that, at Bakura’s command, threw a mighty
energy blast at the main gate. The Evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring frowned
frustrated when the attack had no impact. An ethereal white light had activated
and protected the entrance during the attack. It was Immaru’s magic that had
guaranteed the safety of the city during the impact. But Bakura was not one to
give up easily and grinned maliciously. He summoned another two powerful
monsters, which gave a couple violent blows on the gate. Bakura groaned
irritated after several frustrated fruitless attempts.  He had not expected the
magic to be this strong. Thief King grimaced and decided to recoil the monsters
he had just summoned. The gate wouldn’t budge with violence or physical force.
This was an extraordinary powerful magic he was fighting. He had to use other
kind of monsters. Creatures that could weaken the magic just enough to force
the doors open.
 
Yami and his friends watched horrified as the bandit summoned new monsters with
magical powers. Priest Mahado ordered his team of magicians to prepare for
attack and hold their positions. Concentration. Then Bakura’s voice rose in the
sky and the monsters reacted to his command. They worked together and a
powerful magical blast hit the walls. Priest Mahado and his men fell back at
the impact. Bakura grinned when he saw how the walls vibrated, how a mist of
purples trembled, blurred and vanished. Yami swallowed dry, worried the
defenses wouldn’t hold for long. Priestess Isis and Priest Karim were helping a
dizzy Mahado to stand up, while the other magicians had been knocked down.
 
Down below, Immaru stood his ground alone. The blast had hit him too, but he
had resisted it, only faltering for a few seconds. On the other side of the
wall, Bakura groaned upset when he saw the white ethereal light still envelope
the walls and gate. Not for long now! He though with a smirk. He commanded
another attack and another. By each impact, an invisible force pushed Immaru
back. But the White Magician was both powerful and determined, so he stubbornly
stepped back to his former place each time. He focused all his energy in the
main target of the attacks which were the gates and begged the Moon God Nanna
to help him. Dumuzi, mounted on his horse and watched upset the way things were
unfolding. His brow was knitted with concern. He knew it was a matter of time
for the gates to give in.
 
“Are you idiots going to stand there the whole night doing nothing?” The Sun
King yelled angrily.
 
“He’s right. Immaru will not hold for much longer.” Priest Mahado spoke weakly.
“We placed very strong shadow monsters in Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen crypt.”
 
Mahado tried to summon some of his energy to help the White Magician. For the
first time in his life, he regretted having split his magic years ago, because
now he was needing it urgently. Yet, he succeeded in casting magic spells to
reinforce Immaru’s magic. Bakura’s attacks went on for a long time. The bandit
proved to be talented and creative in his choice of monsters. He was clever and
strategic. While everybody prayed for Immaru to be able to stand his ground,
the Spirit Ring kept changing his strategy in order to achieve his victory.
Each time he did it, he understood better how the magic worked and started to
figure out where the weak spots stood. Priest Mahado fell again at a mighty
blast and this time the gates shook. Duzumi drew his sword out and positioned
his horse for attack. Immaru was showing the first signs of fatigue.
 
“How is it possible?” Priest Mahado wondered perplexed while he weakly balanced
on his two legs, supporting himself between Priests Karim and Seto. “The boy
should be completely drained out by now!”
 
“I guess he is truly a powerful magician, after all.” Priest Seto, who had
doubted Immaru earlier, was forced to admit. The tall wooden doors trembled
again at a very powerful energy blast, the white light flickered but persisted
after some seconds. Yami ordered his soldiers to join Dumuzi and prepare for a
direct confrontation with the monsters.
 
“About time.” Dumuzi murmured irritated. His brother merely sighed relieved,
but still far from being comforted. Immaru feared he could not hold his magic
on the gates for much longer. Above all, he feared for what stood behind the
doors.
 
Another blast. Walls and gates trembled. The magic faltered. The magic
persisted. Immaru was stubborn, but Bakura was even more. A massive energy
blast finally broke the magical barrier. The gates flew open and Immaru was
thrown on the floor at the impact. The moment the doors opened, Zorc’s men rode
in shooting their flaming arrows.  Priest Mahado and his magicians blew some of
the fire away with their magic, but houses still burned up in flames, so people
left them screaming in panic. Dumuzi, being a skilled swordsman, succeeded in
wounding deadly two of the hooded men right after they entered the walls. The
rest of Zorc’s henchmen fought the Pharaoh’s soldiers.
 
Bakura coolly stepped inside the city, looking victorious. His eyes immediately
located the brat who was struggling to stand up in the mist of the chaos. When
Immaru stood on his feet again, he met Thief King. They locked their eyes.
Bakura could read the determinacy in the boy’s chocolate orbs and knew the
battle was far from over. This victory was just a small one. Immaru’s lips
moved and the bandit barely had time to command a monster to protect him.
Bakura was a surprised at Immaru’s sudden attack. He had not expected the boy
to defy him this boldly.
 
To avoid new surprises, Thief King created a protective shield with his
monsters. Once he was safe, he scanned his surroundings, searching for the
Pharaoh. He quickly found him. Yami and his friends were still standing on the
walls, from where they watched petrified the events unfold. Bakura smirked.
 
“Pardon the interruption, but apparently, someone left me out of the guest
list.” Bakura eloquently spoke and mockingly bowed in the Pharaoh’s direction.
Immaru stared from one to the other warily.
 
“How dare you, Bakura! You are bringing innocents in danger because of your
ambitions for power!” The Egyptian ruler shouted angrily.
 
“Now, is that any way to speak to an old friend, your highness?” Bakura replied
while he rested his hand on his chest, faking shock. Then he giggled amused and
grinned maliciously. “Now, if you don’t mind, hand me your Millennium Items.”
He darkly spoke. Yami’s eyes shrunk and Bakura opened his arms. “Oh, I didn’t
mean for free! I come bearing gifts!”
 
The King of Thieves threw jewels and small golden objects into the air, which
had been kept hidden under his robe, after he stole them from Akhenamkhanen’s
tomb. Bakura smirked triumphant at the way everybody stared shocked at him -
the four fouls from the future. The insolent priests. Ryou’s twit of a past
life. Most of all, he savoured the fury in the Pharaoh’s eyes. “I assumed these
trinkets wouldn’t be enough so I brought another token of my esteem.”
 
Bakura added and then whistled.  All eyes followed the source horse hooves that
approached the area. Shocked gasps filled the air when everybody realized it
was no other than the mummy casket of Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen itself! Thief King
waited till the golden chest reached him. He put a foot on it and looked at
Yami with a vile triumphant grin.  “Say hello to your previous king!”
 
“Now you’ve taken this too far! How dare you disrespect the tomb of a former
pharaoh!
Yami shouted infuriated.
 
“Ha! Respect!” Bakura said with a disgusted look and spitted on the mummy’s
casket. “I’m showing all the respect he deserves. None!”
 
“Vile creature! Thy shall be punished for this crime!” Priest Seto declared
passionately. “Akhenamkhanen was a great Pharaoh!”
 
“So you say. But I disagree! He was a tyrant.” Bakura retorted furious. “He
destroyed my village when he tried to fashion the Seven Millennium Items. A
selfish attempt to further his power!”
 
“You lie!” Priest Akhenaden accused and was about to say something when -
 
“Actually, he doesn’t.” The silver-haired king stated for the priests’ and
Bakura’s shock.
 
“What?” The eldest priest asked confused.
 
“He’s not lying about the village and you know it.” Immaru coolly continued.
The other priests stared from the young Akkadian King to Priest Akhenaden in
utter incredulity, unable to believe the horrible implications of those words.
 
“What kind of insolence is this?” The older man desperately feigned his
ignorance, unable to understand how the White Magician and this Bakura fellow
knew about the massacre. “Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen put an end to the great wars
that ravished our nation!”
 
“Oh yes. He did win the wars.” Bakura agreed darkly. “By ordering the creation
of Millennium Items with the blood of innocents!”
 
“Is he telling the truth?” Yami demanded for the priest’s horror.
 
“Pharaoh, you must believe me!” Priest Akhenaden dropped to his knees in a
begging tone. “Your father brought peace and prosperity. He then created the
Seven Millennium Items to ensure that harmony would reign forever in Egypt.”
 
“Correct. Then he gave those tools to us in order to keep the peace and help
rule the land with justice.” Priest Seto said in his master’s defense. “As well
as to port evildoers not unlike yourself, Bakura.”
 
“Evildoers?” Thief King questioned. “What do you think you are? The Items were
built to react with the inner darkness of the person that owns them. So the
fact that the seven of you wield these items makes each and one of you an
evildoer, just like your keeper of the peace King Akhenamkhanen. Your king
wanted power, that’s why he devised a plan to use the seven items to control
the entire world. The secret lies in the village Kul Elna!”
 
“That’s the village where the massacre took place!” Immaru understood and
looked urgently at the Pharaoh, who was shocked with these revelations.
 
“When did this massacre take place?” Dumuzi suddenly asked, for everybody’s
surprise. Bakura froze for moments and his eyes instinctively rested on the old
priest.
 
“17 years ago.” Thief King answered upset. “Why you ask?”
 
“Well, if my recollection of our national history is correct, Egypt asked Akkad
for military help 17 years ago.” Dumuzi clarified.
 
“Yes, and your father, the king, refused to help us!” The old priest accused
revolted.
 
“Our mother, the Queen, had just died and Akkad was grieving. The last thing we
needed were more deaths, above all, engage in a conflict that had nothing to do
with us!” Dumuzi retorted infuriated.
 
“Well, this only proves Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen decided to use dark magic with
powers he probably didn’t even understand in a desperate, but successful,
attempt to win the wars.” Immaru calmly concluded for the priests’ shock and
Bakura’s delight.
 
“What you speak is treason.” Priest Akhenaden accused, starting to panic. The
secrets of Kul Elna had been buried long ago.
 
“Are you sure youwish to speak about treason. Perhaps there is one or two
things you would like to tell your Pharaoh.” Immaru said clearly upset and the
old priest went pale, for Bakura’s glee.
 
“I must thank you, my Highness.” The bandit said. “I never expected you to help
me.”
 
“Help you? No. You misunderstand me.” Immaru said and Bakura stared perplexed
at him. “I’m here to make sure you don’t get hold of the Seven Millennium
Items.”
 
“And how do you plan to do that?” The thief asked in a sneer. Dumuzi and the
Egyptian soldiers sensed the threat and positioned themselves for an eventual
attack.
 
“By defeating you and destroying the Millennium Items!” This time it was the
Pharaoh’s powerful voice that was heard. “Priests of Egypt, purify this man’s
soul.” He ordered and all the priests gathered together, their golden items
glowing.
 
“What?! Are you seriously going to use Dark Magic to invade his soul?!” Immaru
questioned horrified. “Have you not listened to anything I told you today?!
These objects are cursed! Evil! They were created in the most malefic kind of
human sacrifice, from the darkest and most forbidden rituals!”
 
“Immaru, I value your ethic conduct, but extreme causes call for extreme
measures.” Yami told, while a giant stone tablet was placed nearby, ready to
take the monster that resided within Bakura’s soul.
 
“Like father, like son.” The thief mocked, while he freely allowed the
Millennium Items do their work, anxious to finally release his inner creature.
 
“Let the Millennium trial begin!” Priest Seto announced.
 
***** Clash between gods *****
Chapter Summary
     A great battle follows, with two great opponing forces, both as
     mighty as gods
Chapter Notes
     So sorry for the late update. Was a rather difficult chapter to
     write. But I'm quite satisfied with the results. Hope you share the
     same opninion :)
     ............................................................................
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     PRIEST SETO = Seto Kaiba
     PRIESTESS ISIS = Ishizu Ishtar
     PRIEST AKHENADEN = Mr. Ishtar
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
“Let the Millennium trial begin!” Priest Seto announced.
 
“Stop! You have no idea what kind of evil forces you are dealing with!”
 
Immaru yelled in a last but vain attempt to put sense in the Egyptian ruler and
stop the dark ritual. He helplessly witnessed the way Bakura succumbed to the
power of the Millennium Key, falling to his knees with a scream of agony. The
monsters that had been summoned earlier vanished instantly. Priest Shada warned
Bakura’s monster was too large and too powerful for the stone tablet they had
brought in, but Priest Seto ignored his warning. With the Millennium Rod he
released the monster from within Thief King and everybody gaped at the size and
mightiness of it. The ritual went swiftly and in a few minutes, the monster was
trapped in the tablet. Then Bakura started talking.
 
“Thank you. You saved my life. That horrible creature was controlling my mind
and now I’m finally free.” The bandit’s voice was different, sounding softer
and troubled. He slowly lifted his head, a wicked grin forming on his lips.
Yami realized, the last second, this had been a trap. “Free to annihilate you,
that is!”
 
 Bakura announced in his regular rough voice and Diabound broke itself free
from its stone prison. Everybody was in shock. The monster turned itself to the
priests, who were fully exposed to an attack. Diabound threw a deadly blast.
There was a clashing sound and dust raised in the air. Bakura and the Egytian
priests stared stupefied as Immaru stood between them and the monster. He had
protected the priests with a magical shield. The Evil Spirit of the Millennium
Ring sneered furious. Damn brat! Why is he so irritatingly powerful?! Why does
he keep interfering in my plans?! I must defeat him! I will kill him, if it’s
needed! But Bakura had little time to forge an attack, for Immaru was now
striking Diabound.
 
Wind and dust ran rapidly towards the monstrous Diabound. Something invisible
impacted with great force and the monster roared of pain. Although it still
stood strong and unharmed, it still suffered from the magical impact. This is
not good! If the brat continues like this, he will actually bring some damage
to my Diabound.Bakura lost no time in summoning a monster to protect Immaru’s
next attack, neutralizing it and striking back successfully with Diaboud’s
power right away.
 
“Immaru!” The Sun King yelled scared when the strong blast coming from Diabound
threw his brother on the ground. He tried to reach him, but Bakura’s monster
barred him.
 
“I urge you to stay out of this, your Majesty!” Bakura told Dumuzi. “This is a
fight between me and the White Magician. Anybody that is foolish enough to try
and interfere will have to deal with my Diabound, understood?” He warned the
Sun King and Yami’s court. The twins switched glances. Immaru nodded slightly,
indicating he was fine. Dumuzi stared from one to the other warily but
eventually sighed reluctantly while he stepped back, becoming a spectator. 
 
“You think you can defeat me that easily?” Immaru questioned Bakura while he
stood up again. The thief stared surprised at the boy. There was something
unfamiliar in his voice. When he looked at the magician, there was a smirk and
look in his eyes that was completely alien to him. Immaru was challenging him.
The boy was clearly overconfident about his magical capabilities. Thief King
would swear the brat was actually enjoying this confrontation, something he was
sure would never happen with sweet and innocent Ryou. “Do you know why they
call me Moon King?”
 
“I can imagine one or two things.” Bakura mockingly said and Immaru grinned
amused.
 
“The moon is my ally. She gives me power in a way you or anybody else could
never dream of. And unfortunately for you, tonight it’s a full moon.” Immaru
explained before he threw a magical attack to Bakura’s new monster,
disintegrating it. “You picked the wrong night to defy me.”
 
Thief King’s eyes grew wide while he watched his magical monster vanish into
thin air by the brat’s hand. Immaru’s words sounded strangely dangerous to his
ears but he could care less for the kid’s warnings. He had Diabound on his
side, a monster with an extraordinary power. He was ready to put the twit in
his right place. Bakura summoned another magical monster to replace the one
Immaru had just destroyed to protect his Diabound. He waited for the magician’s
next attack. What he witnessed next could not surprise him more. Before the
eyes of all, Immaru’s clothing glowed briefly to reveal a new outfit, made of
pure white garments decorated with golden patterns. Bakura recognized the Wise
Magician Card’s outfit. There also appeared a shiny white glow next to Immaru,
which revealed to be his magic staff.
 
“Cute outfit.” Bakura mockingly said and Immaru snorted.
 
The thief furrowed his brow when the boy uttered a foreign word, unable to
understand it. Suddenly, he felt something on his legs. Bakura let a startled
scream when he saw two great claws coming out of the ground, grasping his
monster’s limbs. Diabound released itself but more and more claws appeared from
under the earth. The strange monstrous hands scratched, punched and took hold
of Diabound so Bakura was forced to summon more monsters. The thief had
problems in predicting when and where the claws would appear next, as they kept
disappearing under the ground to reappear elsewhere, but after several attacks
of his monsters, the creepy hands finally vanished.
 
“Not bad - for an amateur.” Thief King victoriously said. He noticed how Immaru
panted after the defeat and realized something important. “You better give up
now, while you can, because tonight I shall win! You know why? Because, unlike
you, I’m not using my life energy to attack, so even if my monsters die, I will
remain unharmed, whereas you - well, you die a little each time you lose.”
 
Bakura’s cocky grin faltered when he noticed Immaru chuckle under his breath.
Well, the brat proved to be much more difficult to intimidate than expected.
The White Magician took a straight stance, redirected his staff in Diabound’s
direction and again, uttered a magical incantation in the foreign language. A
white glowing light formed the shape of a great transparent butterfly and the
Spirit Ring stared at it confused. The thing was beautiful and looked harmless.
But the moment the butterfly moved its wings, a cyclonic wind blew in the
Bakura’s direction. The butterfly then exploded and thousands of thousands tiny
glowing butterflies flew towards the monsters. They took the semblance of
shooting stars and pierced the creatures like lethal sharp knives. Three
monsters exploded so only Diabound remained. It groaned upset, shooing the
irritating beasts. Only after several furious blasts, did the plague dissipate.
 
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite hear you a while ago. You were saying?” Immaru
teased this time, infuriating Bakura. The kid was really starting to irritate
him with his insistence in ruining his plan. On the other side, he could not
help and feel some admiration and respect for his abilities.
 
“It appears I was wrong about you. You are as powerful as a god. I wouldn’t
mind having you as an ally.” Bakura proposed.
 
“Sorry, not happening.”
 
“Pity. It would have been fun.”
 
The battle went on. It was as impressive as it was frightening. Curiosity made
some civilians leave their homes and witness the clash between the two mighty
opponents. Just like the soldiers and the priests of Egypt, they were horrified
by their powers. It was like being in the presence of earthly gods and that
brought little comfort to their fears.  As for Yami and his friends from the
future, they watched the fight with bouncing hearts. They recognized in this
combat, all the monsters and tricks and tactics of Duel Monsters. It was
especially frustrating for the Pharaoh to be unable to do anything. Sure he
could intervene and use his diadiank, but he knew better than to interfere in a
duel, especially when it involved real monsters. His greatest fear was that
Bakura, being experiment and tricky in his strategies, could defeat Immaru with
an unexpected move. On the other side, the White Magician seemed to have his
own share of tricks and traps in his world of magic. One thing was certain – it
was impossible to tell who was winning and who was losing, for both were equal
in their strength.
 
As the battle went on, Dumuzi’s anxiety increased. This was the first time he
witnessed his brother in a real battle. He was both impressed and terrified by
his twin’s powers. He always had known Immaru to be powerful, but never to this
level. No wonder the White Magician had managed to challenge an Egyptian god.
Yet, the Sun King knew his brother had two major disadvantages. The first had
already been identified by Bakura. Immaru had to sacrifice his life energy for
each spell he used. No matter how strong or how much energy the Moon god Nanna
offered, he had limits. It was a question of time for Immaru to start tiring
and weakening, while Bakura’s energy remained untouched. The second
disadvantage was the lack of a military mentality. Immaru had been trained all
his life by priests for the wielding of his magic. He knew everything that was
to be known about spells, but his knowledge had been always aimed for peaceful
and humanitarian goals. The little Immaru knew about fighting, he had learned
in secret from his twin. Although Immaru knew the basics, he lacked the
experience. Dumuzi could tell Bakura was much more experienced than his brother
in dueling. He had a great strategic mind, he was creative in finding solutions
to defend and attack and he summoned the right monsters. Immaru needed more
time to figure out the best move, he hesitated too long, making sometimes
mistakes that costed his energy, giving too much space for his enemy. Dumuzi’s
fears became real when Immaru flew back and fell on the ground after a blast of
Diabound combined with the power of another two monsters.
 
“Careful Immaru!” Dumuzi warned his brother. “You’ve been already using a lot
of magic!”
 
“You lack confidence on me, brother.” Immaru retorted in an irritated tone.
 
Alas, the White Magician knew very well his brother was right. Immaru was the
first one to recognize his own limitations. As much as adrenaline ran in his
veins, as much as the moon enhanced his magical powers, Immaru could feel the
first symptoms of fatigue in his body. He needed to think fast. He needed to
figure out the right way to destroy that immense monster. But just like his
battle against the God of Sun Dragon, he merely managed to block the attacks
and afflict minor injuries.
 
It was both frustrating and painful, because he knew he was losing. He could
not lose, not against Darkness. The idea he had been chosen by the gods to be
the guardian of Mankind and he wasn’t able to protect people horrified him. He
could not fail. He would not fail. Immaru decided this time to use a trap and
chose not to attack Diabound directly, but instead the two monsters that
protected it. The White Magician cheered internally when he succeeded in
destroying them, leaving the main monster vulnerable long enough to hit him
with a mighty blast of burning meteorites. A cloud of dust lifted and everybody
could hear Diabound roaring in pain. Bakura cursed afraid the brat had
destroyed his monster.  Everybody gasped of horror, when Diabound was revealed,
still standing challengingly. It was clear the monster was in pain, but he was
far from being defeated. Bakura laughed loudly and savoured the desperate look
in the White Magician’s eyes. He could see by his fast breathing and unbalanced
stance that his energy was dropping quickly.
 
“It seems your energy is finally wearing down.” Bakura said with a malevolent
grin, while he summoned another powerful monster. “Best to surrender now,
before I kill you, sorcerer!”
 
“No!” Dumuzi called and galloped in his brother’s direction. Yami instinctively
ran after Dumuzi. Priest Seto was behind the Pharaoh calling and urging him to
return. All three stopped suddenly when a wall of fire blocked their path.
 
“This duel is only between me and the White Magician, remember?” Bakura angrily
said.
Dumuzi cursed furious, terrified for his brother’s fate. Yami and Priest Seto
begged him to calm down and persuaded the Akkadian to retreat. Only after they
put some distance between Bakura and themselves, did the fire die. Thief King
then turned to Immaru. “So, where were we?”
 
He froze when he only saw Diabound. The other monsters were all gone. Then he
noticed there were misty glowing lines converging around the White Magician,
entering his staff. They were like small ethereal currents that were being
sucked by the magical item. Bakura realized too late that the brat had taken
advantage of his distraction to dispose of his monsters and was now summoning
magical energy to attack his main monster. I cannot believe it! The brat
actually cheated! His plan. He could lose everything right now. There was not
time to waste.
 
“Diabou …-“
 
 Thief King’s command was muffed by the loud and shrieking noise created by a
ghostly monster with the torso of a man, the body of a lion and wings of an
eagle. It threw a bright light directly to Diabound while it ran towards the
monster. A great ball of white light was formed, followed immediately by a
mighty explosion. The earth trembled and strong winds travelled for miles.
Bakura fell painfully on the ground. All eyes stared with great expectation at
the smoke and dust that gently fell. That blast should have killed Diabound.
 
“It can’t be.” Immaru whispered deflated. He dropped to his knees helpless and
exhausted. He had given all he had in that final blast and yet, there it
stood.  Diabound was still standing before him. “I failed. I failed you all.”
 
He murmured softly while silent tears ran down his face. He closed his eyes and
bent his head knowing his end was coming soon. He was too weak to fight any
longer. He didn’t even have strength to stand up anymore. Bakura laughed
victoriously while Dumuzi shouted for his brother in agony. Yami and Priest
Seto had to struggle to hold him back.
 
“I told you, you would be powerless against the dark energy of my Diabound.”
Bakura said while his monster was already preparing to give the final blow.
 
The Evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring watched the way the boy quietly
surrendered, accepting his defeat on his knees, head down. He watched his
monster shoot an energy blast in the boy’s direction and at that moment, he
felt his stomach twist and his heart contract. Dumuzi’s scream of agony filled
the air. Then the world became still. Immaru opened his eyes and lifted his
head confused. He saw, right before him, a mighty magical shield protecting him
from the blast. He turned around and saw Priest Mahado and his magicians. They
had broken the duel’s rules to save him.
 
“Thank you.” Immaru whispered and smiled weakly at Mahado. The Magician ordered
soldiers to carry him out to safety.
 
Bakura watched as the boy was carried and brought to his sibling, who embraced
him tenderly. His heart skipped once and he bitterly realized, part of him was
relieved his murder attempt had failed. He shook his strange and offensive
thoughts away and turned to Priest Mahado and his men.
 
“You will pay for this. Dearly.” The thief spoke darkly.
 
“Mahado!” Priest Seto shouted while he and the other priests ran to meet the
magician. “We shall fight together in name of the Pharaoh.”
 
“I thank you.” Priest Mahado smiled satisfied.
 
“Ha! Your weak magic can never contain me!” Bakura said in a chuckle and then
spitted on the floor.
 
He knew these six fools would be easy to defeat. His predictions came true when
the priests’ monsters were destroyed one by one. Even when the priests combined
their strength and attacked Diabound together, they still were far from being a
match to the monster. During the battle, Bakura glanced once into Immaru’s
direction. The boy was sitting on the ground next to his brother. He looked
truly weakened and rested his head on Dumuzi’s shoulder. But despite his
debilitated bearing, his eyes were alert.
 
The thief turned his gaze back to the battlefield. He felt so bored with the
pitiful attacks from the priests that he actually missed the White Magician. He
didn’t understand the priests’ disbelief and incomprehension for their
collective defeat. He wondered if they were this stupidly arrogant to think
they could surpass Immaru’s power. Bakura had enough of the ridiculous duel and
was ready to take their Items, when suddenly the Pharaoh placed himself in
front of the priests. For everybody’s great surprised, Yami summoned the
Egyptian god Obelisk, the Tormentor. The Spirit Ring stared at the blue monster
wide-eyed and truly feared this was his monster’s end. A great collision. A lot
of light. And then, both monsters stood opposite each other, stubborn and
challenging.
 
“It cannot be!” Priest Seto shouted horrified. “They are equal in strength!”
 
Diabound groaned tiredly and Bakura decided this was his leave. As much as his
monster proved to be powerful, he was fully aware, wasn’t it for the power of
the Blue eyes merged in his Diabound, it certainly had died. He figured out it
was best to go now before his monster would weaken. The last thing he needed
now was the Pharaoh to strike again with Obelisk or summon another god.
Besides, he had lost four of Zorc’s henchmen, so he was more vulnerable. He
whistled his horse, while the remaining three hooded men galloped in his
direction.
 
“This isn’t over, Pharaoh!” Bakura warned while he jumped on his horse. “And
you, I believe it’s Mahado. Don’t grow too fond of that item around your neck.”
He added, looking directly at Priest Mahado. “I have a – what shall I say –
attachment to the Millennium Ring. At one time, it was mine.”
 
“This item was created for me! So you lie!” Priest Mahado contested upset.
 
“Yeah, but it’s destined to me. In fact all Seven Millennium Items have been
fated to fall into my hands. Just you wait!”
 
At these words, he turned away and jumped onto his horse. Bakura and Zorc’s men
galloped swiftly. Yami wanted to follow him, but his priests forbade it.
Soldiers persecuted the thief, but soon lost his trail. The sky was still dark,
the world was only illuminated by the full moon. There were still many hours
till dawn. Now that the fight was over, the damages caused by Bakura were
visible.
 
“I want those houses fixed. Their residences are to be fully refunded for the
damages they suffered. I want the gate’s doors repaired and extra secured. And
Mahado, protect the city walls with you magic again.” Yami commanded. He walked
to the Akkadian twins. “How are you, Immaru?”
 
“Really tired.” The silver-haired boy whispered. “I’m so sorry I failed.”
 
“No, don’t say that. You stopped him from getting the Millennium Items and
fought bravely.”
 
“He will strike back.” Immaru insisted.
 
“Go rest and let me do the worrying.” Yami advised. He looked up at Dumuzi, who
was supporting his brother and nodded. “Guards, bring the Akkadian kings back
to the palace.” The Pharaoh watched with a heavy heart as the twins rode away
with an escort.
 
“Please, your Highness. You should get some rest too.” Priest Seto spoke as he
came closer. “Leave the rest to us. We will find a way to defeat this outlaw.”
 
Yami nodded feeling weary. This first day in the past had been long and
confusing. There were too many impressions, too many events, too many
revelations and a too great problem to solve. He looked at his friends and
smiled gently. At least he had their support, just like the priests and the
Akkadian brothers.
 
“Yes. I’m try to sleep.” He said in a nod. “I’m sure tomorrow will be a better
day.”
 
***** Thief vs Magician *****
Chapter Summary
     Mahado leaves the palace and has his own agenda. How will it affect
     the Pharaoh and others when they discover his plan?
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     PRIEST SETO = Seto Kaiba
     PRIESTESS ISIS = Ishizu Ishtar
     PRIEST AKHENADEN = Mr. Ishtar
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
A new day was born. The early sunrays illuminated the land of the Pyramids with
their golden shades. People watched with awe and some concern, as a group of
Royal Guards leaded by one of the priests, steadily made their way to the great
gates of Cairo. About one two hours later, the group was riding in an unknown
road. Soldiers commented in confusion that they weren’t heading the robbed tomb
from the former Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen as instructed. It was true. Priest Mahado
had lied to his men. He had also lied to the Pharaoh.
 
Earlier in the morning, before he asked the Pharaoh’s permission to seal his
father’s tomb with protective spells, the Millennium Ring had sensed a dark
energy. It had pointed towards a mountain hill outside the city. Priest Mahado
had recognized one of Zorc’s men standing there. He knew Bakura wanted him to
follow the hooded horseman, but he wasn’t falling into that trap. It was then
he had decided to violate the Pharaoh’s command and made a detour.
 
He needed to return to the training grounds hidden in the mysteries of the
rocky mountain range. This place was like a sanctuary. It held the memories of
many magicians that learned their arts here. Above all, it held the half of his
magical power he had voluntarily separated from his body. Today he would
restore his true power and become the mightiest wizard in Egypt. His power
might even rival that one of the White Magician. He was confident because of
the earlier words from Priestess Isis. According to her vision, he would
return. It did not matter in what circumstances he would return, as long as he
was successful in his goal. Priest Mahado’s main priority was to protect the
Pharaoh.
 
 Soldiers wondered where the Magician was leading them for they weren’t
following the road to the King’s Valley. Yet, they obeyed him without
questioning and eventually reached an opening in the rocks. Priest Mahado
stepped in the entrance alone, while his men watched him merge with the
darkness.
 
May the gods protect me.
…
 
Immaru woke up with a start. He panted while shivers ran down his back. He
looked around panicked, unable to recognize his surroundings. A warm golden
light coming from his right side caught his attention. Curtains framed a
doorway to a balcony and moved along a soft breeze. The young king quickly
jumped from his bed and stepped outside. He stood on the balcony and when his
eyes recognized the city with pyramids, all the recollections from the previous
night returned. He bitterly remembered how Bakura managed to defeat him. But he
had learned a lot during their duel and afterwards, while he watched the
priests fight the monster with their creatures. Immaru had been unprepared for
Diabound’s magnificent power. Now he knew the creature was as strong as an
Egyptian god. This piece of information was valuable. Should there be a second
encounter in the future, he would be prepared.
 
The White Magician breathed the morning air. Its warmth announced the beginning
of another hot day. He had rested well during the night and felt quite
restored. And famished. He returned to his room and dressed quickly.  He heard
a gentle sound and turned startled to its origin. He sighed relieved while his
lips involuntarily drew a smile. Dumuzi was sleeping opposite the bed on a
mountain of pillows. His hands were still holding his sword. The Moon King
chuckled, knowing his sibling had guarded him as long as he could keep his eyes
open. Not wanting to disturb his brother’s rest, Immaru moved quietly and
exited the room unnoticed. Once outside, he paced down the gallery, hoping to
find somebody who could indicate him where the food was. A passing servant gave
him directions to the dining hall, where the court was already having
breakfast.  Feeling the urgency of his impatient stomach, Immaru broke into a
run. He suddenly collided with somebody when he turned a corner.
 
“I’m so sorry!” Immaru apologized deeply embarrassed when he saw a girl sitting
on the floor, caressing her back with a painful expression. He quickly helped
her to stand up again. When the girl lifted her head and saw his face, her eyes
widened greatly.
 
“You are the – the White Magician!” She exclaimed in an almost squealing voice,
clasping her hands together in an effort to contain her excitement.
 
“Have we met before?” Immaru asked trying to jog his memories.
 
“No, but I saw you yesterday with the Pharaoh.” The girl explained. “Everybody
is talking about you. They say you have magnificent powers and did incredible
things during your fight against Diabound.”
 
“Ah, really?” Immaru asked embarrassed, unable to hide a blush while he
scratched the back of his head.  No matter how often he heard how great his
powers were, he was always embarrassed, for he had in truth a timid and humble
nature. “Well, my powers weren’t strong enough to defeat the monster. I lost.
It was the Pharaoh’s intervention that saved us from certain catastrophe.”
 
“Don’t be so hard with yourself! Everybody is entitled to fail once in a
while.” The girl dismissed. “I mean, take me as an example, I’m Mahado’s top
student and I still make many mistakes!”
 
“Well, when you are the White Magician and are battling pure evil, there is no
space for errors, for it can be fatal. Yet, I thank you for your kind words and
effort in encouraging me, …  -I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.“
 
“My name is Mana.” The girl said while she made a courteous bow.
 
“Mana, the magician apprentice. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am…”
 
“Lord Immaru, Moon King and co-ruler of the Akkadian Empire.” Mana promptly
completed for the boy’s surprise.
 
“Yeah, that would be quite accurate.” He said surprised and then greeted
according to his customs, a slight bow with his right hand resting on his
heart. Mana smiled and made a small jump, feeling proud with herself.
 
“So, were you heading to with such a hurry?” She asked.
 
“Oh, I am heading for the dining hall. Let’s say I need nourishment to restore
my energy.” He said while his blush deepened.
 
“Tell me about it! I’m always hungry after practice!” She said and Immaru
smiled amused. It was nice to finally meet somebody who understood his sudden
appetite impulses.
 
“Would you like to join me?” He kindly invited and Mana smiled, but it faded
quickly afterwards.
 
“I can’t. I need to find Mahado.” She said. When Mana spoke the priest’s name,
Immaru immediately felt the same shivers running down his spine as when he woke
up. A dreadful feeling of doom invaded his heart.
 
“What is it with him?” Immaru asked concerned.
 
“I heard he was leaving the city to seal the deceased Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen’s
tomb. I’ve been practicing my magic. I can help!”
 
Without adding another word, the girl ran quickly down the gallery. Immaru
hesitated in following her but his stomach protested loudly. He knew he was too
weak to do anything without eating first. He probably couldn’t even accompany
her pace for longer than a few minutes. He grimaced. The shivers still
tormented him, spreading goosebumps on his skin. The White Magician sighed
sadly, while he resumed his walk to the dining hall. He knew what these
warnings meant. There were times that being the White Magician and having a
highly developed Sixth Sense were a curse. For there were things not even he
and his magic could change. The shadow of death was hovering over Priest
Mahado. It was his fate to succumb today. And Fate was something nobody, not
even the gods could change.”
 
…
 
“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” A dark and mocking voice was heard in
the depths of the dark cavern. Priest Mahado grimaced when the bandit’s form
became visible under the dimmer light. “Let the festivities commence”.
 
Thief and Priest finally met in the interior of the cave. Their first
confrontation was one of words. Mocking sentences against eloquent phrases.
Bakura expressed his murderous ambitions and vile ideas, wanting to intimidate
Mahado. The Royal Priest was not afraid, but sickened by Bakura’s arrogance and
overconfidence. His discourse clearly revealed Bakura’s conviction he would win
this battle and gain possession of the Millennium Ring. But the Egyptian
priest, who was both brave and loyal to the Pharaoh, refused to waver to a
common thief. Besides, he had now a great advantage. He was united with his
original and full potential energy.  Never had he felt so powerful as now.
Priest Mahado was sure he could defeat Diabound, while Bakura was certain he
would come out victorious. The duel was inevitable. And so, the duel commenced.
 
When Bakura summoned his monster, Priest Mahado gasped shocked at Diabound’s
sight.  The monster appeared to be bigger, taller and stronger. And then the
chamber was filled with the odious mad laughter of Thief Bakura. The bandit was
delighted in explaining Diabound had become more powerful after his fight
against the White Magician. Mahado had not counted with this. Diabound’s new
strenght would make matters more difficult. Still, the Royal Priest believed he
had a good chance in defeating the beast. Priest Mahado decided to give Bakura
his share of unpleasant surprises. Because Diabound was not the only one that
had become stronger.
 
Bakura watched with amused curiosity Mahado glow in a strange new energy. He
did not know this was the manifestation of the Royal Priest’s true power. He
became the more perplexed when he noticed Mahado’s change of strategy during
the duel. The Priest was now sacrificing his personal energy to his monsters in
a similar way as Immaru did when he used his magical powers. Bakura smirked.
Just like the White Magician, each time a monster was attacked, Priest Mahado
became weaker. Only, in comparison to the Moon king, his energy dropped very
quickly. He fought boldly and he fought cleverly, but just like the previous
night, Thief King had the advantage of not spending any of his life energy. A
crazed laughter filled the air in the cave each time Diabound resisted Mahado’s
powerful attacks. The Royal Priest started to doubt his earlier convictions.
After another ferocious blast, Mahado fell to his knees. Perhaps he was not
that strong enough after all.
 
Thief Bakura watched contented Priest Mahado pant on his knees, his hand
pressed over his chest. He didn’t understand why the priest suddenly chose to
use his own energy in the duels, but he could care less. He could sense his
victory was near and grinned maliciously. “Now hand over the Millennium Ring
and you may make it home with your soul intact”
                                                                                                                
 
“I shall never hand it over to the likes of you!” Priest Mahado retorted
disgusted at the proposition. He still had some energy left to fight. He was
not giving up. He could not give up. He had made a vow long ago to protect the
Pharaoh. He was ready to pay his debt to his ruler, to his friend. “In fact it
is I who will see to it that your soul is sealed away!”
 
“You couldn’t even defeat me with your six friends at your side.” Bakura
reminded amused.
 
“Yes, but now I am more powerful than you can imagine” The priest said in a
confident manner and Bakura wondered for moments if Mahado and Immaru were
somehow related, because they displayed the same stubborn determination. “Long
ago I buried a mighty force upon these grounds and now I gained it back”
 
“Nonsense!” Thief King shouted upsed, sure Mahado was bluffing.
 
“Generations of Egypt’s Royal Magicians were trained in this very sanctuary and
it is here that I locked my true power.” Priest Mahado said with confidence and
Bakura frowned.
 
So according to the priest, this was his true power. A power he had detached
from himself and sealed away all these years because he was afraid of its
mightiness. Bakura snorted the least impressed. For what he could see, Mahado’s
new power did not even come close to Immaru’s. He would defeat him. Kill him.
Easily.   “Then let’s see you use it” Bakura cruelly challenged.
 
…
 
The Nameless Pharaoh was pacing from one side to the other in the throne room,
deep in thought. Siamun Muran observed him in silence and with concern. Since
daybreak that the young ruler has been pondering all kind of scenarios and
strategies to defeat the mighty villain Bakura. The vizier had insisted he
should leave the worrying to the priests, but the King of Egypt would not
accept a passive role and remained restless. Suddenly, the Pharaoh flinched,
like if he was hit by an electrifying force.
 
“Siamun! Did you feel that?” The Nameless Pharaoh asked shocked.
 
“Feel what, my Lord?” The old man replied, his concern growing by the minute.
 
“I-I sense great danger.” Yami said feeling disturbed by an unseen and unspoken
premonition. “It is as if my sacred guardian is in jeopardy.”
 
Before his vizier could say anything, Mana stormed into the chamber and dropped
to her knees before her ruler, before her friend.
 
“Pharaoh!” The girl chocked breathless, tears forming in the corner of her
eyes. Yami, sensing her distress, bent slightly over and held her hands in his
to comfort her. It felt strangely natural. “I was looking for Mahado, I wanted
to help him. I-I could not find him in the Palace, so I went to the shrines
area and -and…” Mana’s voice cracked as tears finally ran down her face.
“Mahado’s tablet shrine is activated! It means he’s engaging his creatures in a
Shadow Game!”
 
“Oh no. Could it be he went to face Bakura alone?” Yami wondered out loud.
 
Priest Mahado had demonstrated to be quite disturbed and unhappy with the way
things developed the previous night. The Pharaoh knew he had not accepted their
defeat well, the reason he had been positively surprised with Mahado’s calm and
compliant behavior this morning. The Nameless Pharaoh realized too late, his
loyal priest and friend had lied to him, tricked him into believe he was going
to seal his father’s tomb when in reality, all Mahado wanted was an excuse to
leave the Palace to fight Bakura singlehanded.
 
“He’ll never be able to defeat him alone!” Mana cried lamentably.
 
“No. Not alone. But with our help, yes. Mana, stand up. We must haste!” Yami
commanded and the magician apprentice stared surprised for a few moments,
before smiling hopefully. She quickly wiped her tears away and followed her
leader.
 
“Wait, Pharaoh! You must not leave alone! It’s too dangerous. You need and
escort!”
 
Siamun Muran urged while he tried to run after them, but his old heart and legs
could not keep up with the youngsters.  He sighed miserably when he heard his
sovereign’s voice at the end of the hall telling him there was no time to lose.
He knew his Pharaoh was right and that this was an urgent matter. But he feared
Priest Mahado’s time had already expired. It was unwise to act rashly and
imprudently. The consequences were unpredictable. He suddenly missed his former
Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen.
…
 
People on the streets jumped to the sides and gasped surprised when they saw
their Pharaoh ridding away with Mana’s company. They watched alarmed as their
ruler and the girl they knew to be a magician apprentice, leave the city walls.
This could never be a good sign. And so they prayed to the gods to protect
their king and Egypt from evil. Yami followed the tracks Priest Mahado’s group
had left mere hours before. He hoped he would reach his friend before it was
too late. Little did the Pharaoh know, Immaru watched him leave unnoticed.
 
After he had breakfast, the White Magician pondered well his options. He
avoided crossing paths with anybody he knew, mainly his brother. The young king
knew this situation with Bakura would probably be his greatest challenge in
this lifetime. This was the reason he was born with his powers. To stop
darkness and evil from contaminating the world. This was his mission and, as
much as he loved and cared for his brother and friends, this was something he
had to do alone.
 
Immaru paced without destination along the palace’s galleries. He felt the
urgency to forge a plan in his mind. He knew he had to be strategic and deal
this matter with extreme caution. His main goal was to make sure Bakura
wouldn’t assemble the seven Millennium Items. Since Priest Mahado was fated to
die today, it was obvious the thief would get his hands on the Millennium Ring.
When Immaru saw the Pharaoh leave, his concerns doubled, because now the
Millennium Puzzle was in risk too. The White Magician pondered what to do next.
He wasn’t surprised his feet led him to one of the palace’s stables. The Moon
King locked his eyes with a beautiful white stallion and smiled. Providence had
just given him the solution.
…
 
Not so far away, the duel between two great opposing forces proceeded. Things
weren’t looking too good for Priest Mahado who, attack after attack, was
confronted with the bitter realization that even his power in full potential
was no match for Diabound. The monster simply was stronger and survived each
trick, each blast, each attack unharmed. And then something incomprehensible
happened. Diabound appeared behind the priest and, in a surprise attack, killed
another monster.
 
“How is it possible? Only my Shadow Goul can pass through walls!” Priest Mahado
shouted shocked. The thief could only be cheating. Only his monster had this
ability. Was Diabound somehow copying his monsters’ power?
 
“Oh, I must have forgotten to mention this, my Diabound has the unique ability
to inherit the powers of every monster it defeats in battle.” Thief King
proudly said to Mahado’s horror.
 
Bakura laughed madly. He watched the despair and disconsolation on the priest’s
face. It felt so righteous. This man claimed to be good willed, to be pure and
altruist. Yet, he wielded the dark forces of the Millennium Ring. An object
fruit of a horrific massacre. For the thief, Mahado’s soul was as dark as the
Millennium powers created by the blood of his own people. He deserved to be
punished. He deserved to die.
 
With a final blast, Diabound hit the Royal Egyptian Priest. Bakura’s crazed
laughter once more filled the cave, knowing he had finally defeated his rival.
A golden object flew in the air. It seemed to be called by its real owner,
because it came in the thief’s direction, who caught it in midair.
 
“Ah, the Millennium Ring is mine!”
 
“Bakura, you are trading down a dangerous path.”
 
Bakura stared surprised as the last clouds of smoke dissipated. He was confused
to see the Illusion Magician standing before him, while he knew he had defeated
the Royal Priest. Speaking off, where was Mahado? And then he recognized. The
Illusion Magician was Priest Mahado! They had united, they had become one. And
were stronger than ever. Bakura barely had time to dodge from the mighty full
blast that came in his direction. The earth trembled. Stones started to fall.
The impact had been too powerful and now the cave was collapsing.
 
***** Souls revealed *****
Chapter Summary
     Immaru and Bakura meet again. What secrets lie in their souls?
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     PRIEST SETO = Seto Kaiba
     PRIESTESS ISIS = Ishizu Ishtar
     PRIEST AKHENADEN = Mr. Ishtar
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
Rocky walls trembled with great power. Thief King ran swiftly, between blocks
of falling stone. He found a small lake in the cavern and could see the waters
were deep. If he was lucky, it would lead him to the exterior. He dived, while
the chamber’s walls collapsed. Bakura swum as fast as he could through a dark
tunnel. His eyes widened when he saw a large opening and a bright light behind
it. He swum faster, his lungs burning from needed oxygen. With a great impulse,
he emerged and broke the wall of water, taking an urgent gasp of air.
“One down. *pants* Six more to go. *pants*” Bakura told himself between gasps
of needed air.
He moved easily in the water until it reached his waist. His smirk expressed
his double contentment. He finally had the Millennium Ring and the tunnel he
followed took him to the grandiose waterfalls, which were conveniently located
on the far opposite side of the mountain formation. If anybody even remembered
to search him over there, it would take at least a couple hours to travel
around the mountain. He was ready to take his next step in his plan and already
knew which item he would take. It was time to visit an old acquaintance.
Bakura snickered at the thought. He lifted his head before he took another step
and froze. He stood for moments perplexed and had truly no idea what to do or
say. On the stony shore, stood nobody else, but the White Magician. Immaru, in
his immaculate beauty, was like a mirage under a radiant sun. Bakura shook away
his lusty desires for the boy, which apparently persisted after their making
out from the previous day, and instead tried to figure out what had just
happened. Thief King grimaced. It was clear the White Magician had recovered
from his ailments during the night. He took another few steps. He was mystified
for his presence here, above all, wondered how he knew where to find him,
because it was obvious the brat had waited for him.
“How you knew where to find me with such accuracy is beyond doubt astonishing.
Even I didn’t know I would end up here. But after yesterday, I shouldn’t be too
surprised.” Bakura finally managed to speak. Immaru tried to ignore the way the
drops of water ran down on the Egyptian’s bronzed skin, or how the predator’s
grin on Bakura’s face made him look absolutely hot. His hormones immediately
stirred up, but Immaru forced himself instead to focus in what he came for.
“You killed Mahado.” Immaru coldly said and the Evil Spirit of the Millennium
Ring understood clearly this was not a question.
“More like a suicide. If you ask me, he wanted to die so he could be confined
in a stupid stone tablet to serve his precious Pharaoh for all eternity.” Thief
King grinned at Immaru’s knitting on his brow. This was obviously new to him.
So the brat did not know everything. “You see, he merged his powers with his
Illusion Magician monster becoming the Dark Magician. I can tell you in the
future, when the Pharaoh is the other Yugi, this will be his favourite Duel
Monster.”
“The Illusion Magician is part of Mahado’s soul.” Immaru whispered
understanding what had just happened to the priest’s soul. “When it was
defeated, Mahado died and his soul went into the tablet. Fate is truly an
unpredictable thing.” Immaru stated perplexed. No matter how much he knew about
magic, there was still so much he still didn’t know. But he could not allow
himself to be side-tracked and reminded himself of his task today. He lifted
his eyes to lock them with Bakura’s. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to retrieve
that item from you.”
“And how are you planning to do that?” Bakura asked in a menacing tone, while
he stepped out the water and climbed on the stone bed where Immaru stood on.
“You are nothing without your Diabound.” Immaru boldly told.
Bakura laughed amused at the threat. The adrenaline from the duel and escape
from under the water were still running fast in his blood. The sense of victory
was overwhelming, so he felt a sudden urge to celebrate his success. And now
Immaru stood defiantly opposite him, his eyes challenging. He was a vision of
beauty and temptation with his silver hair shining under the sun, his flawless
skin, and his lips that were as smooth as they looked. Thief King felt an
intense desire to overpower the boy to his own lusty desires.
“Such cruel words.” Thief King said stepping closer to Immaru, who
instinctively gave two steps back, sensing something of a predator in the man’s
eyes. “Too cruel for such a lovely face.”
Bakura added while his rested his right hand on the boy’s cheek. Immaru’s eyes
grew and he tried to budge, but his body froze at the soft touch. Just like the
first time, he was unable to resist when the bandit bended slightly to kiss
him. Unlike the first time, he didn’t want to fight back. He closed his eyes
and relished the feeling of a gentle kiss. One could even call it a romantic
kiss. Bakura was delighted with the sweetness of Immaru’s soft lips against
his. He pecked another few times, never separating their lips, before he
inserted his tongue in Immaru’s mouth.
He was marveled by the electrifying sensation that, like the first time, sent
waves of tingling pleasure through his body. Immaru felt it too and, drunken
with the lovely sensation, put his arms around the thief’s shoulders to engage
eagerly in the kiss, moving his tongue to meet Bakura’s. The Spirit Ring was
surprised but pleased with the boy’s reaction. He wanted more and needed more,
so he wrapped his arms around the delicate frame possessively and gave more
passion to the kiss.
Immaru released a soft moan when their bodies were pressed against each other.
His mind warned him again about danger. The voices of the priests of Akkad
scolded him for his inadequate behavior, for his bodily weaknesses and his easy
surrender. Tendrils of dark energy travelled on his body, teasing him with
desire. They invited him to pleasure and Immaru accepted them. He had given up.
Immaru wanted Bakura. He desired him in a way he never desired anything before.
He needed to feel the other man like if it was a question of survival. Immaru
was tired of fighting his own needs, of contradicting them. The tendrils of
darkness travelled to his heart and whispered wishes of independency, of
freedom, of doing whatever he wanted. The tendrils found his only source of
darkness – the desire to own his own life.
Immaru kissed hungrily and then pulled back his neck to allow Bakura to indulge
him with kisses, licks and little nibbles on his skin, across his neck and
collarbone. Feeling those lips again, oh and that skillful tongue, his taste,
his touch, his scent; simply drove him mad. It was not fair he could not enjoy
the same pleasures others were entitled to. Immaru was tired of being chaste,
of repressing his hormones, of being somebody the priests wanted him to be.
Because the young king wanted to be himself. To make his own choices, to make
his own mistakes. To be free to commit his own sins and crimes. The dark
tendrils giggled as they travelled deeper to his soul, releasing his darkest
wishes.
Bakura was intoxicated by the touch of the king’s soft skin and its sweet
scent. He was going mad with the little cute moans Immaru released once in a
while. He was losing his mind at the way the boy collaborated ardently. He
needed to feel more of the young king’s body and there was simply too much
material between them. He hurried in dispensing of the boy’s robe, the thin
silky tunic and the cotton pants. He pressed the boy’s bare chest against him
and cursed because the Millennium Ring stood in the way. Without thinking,
Bakura took off the item and carelessly threw it on the stony bed. Their skins
collided, their nipples met, Immaru moaned excited.
Bakura felt a warm and sweet sensation take over his whole body. A translucid
white glow settled under his skin and travelled inside his veins, travelled
through his organs and limbs. The thief felt dizzy at the wonderful feeling.
The white glow whispered him words about love, about caring, about being happy
with the other’s happiness. Motivated by the overwhelming sensation, he bit
Immaru’s nipple, who moaned of pleasure. Immaru felt crazed by lust and rushed
to dispose of the red robe that covered the thief’s back. Bakura chuckled at
the boy’s bold move. The white glow told him, the other’s pleasure was his
pleasure. Sharing was completion. He felt the urgent need of bonding physically
with Immaru. He guided the boy to lie down on the stone bed and took off
Immaru’s underwear.
Immaru released a moan of surprise and unexpected pleasure when Bakura’s tongue
met his entrance. His body was helpless at the touches and he collaborated
eagerly when the thief inserted a finger in his opening. Soon his body was
moving at his own accord, his ass taking two and even three fingers with
excitement. The tendrils of dark energy coached him to free himself from his
fears, from taboos, from the cruel restrictions he had been accepting all his
life. Immaru revolted at the knowledge he had been passive at all demands,
behaving like the good boy he was expected to be. The young king was tired of
being a model to priesthood and wanted to be stained. Wanted to sin so badly.
He yelled from pleasured pain when Bakura’s erection entered his body.
Bakura thought he was going mad from pleasure when his cock entered the
straight and tight tunnel. He thought he was coming at the surprised yell
coming from Immaru, because it was such a torturously animalistic sound, that
the thief thought this was his most erotic moment he ever experienced. He moved
in and out, observing Immaru’s knitting on his brow denouncing his discomfort.
Another sound of pleasure filled his ears when he found the prostrate and the
young king’s face became the purest image of love combined with temptation.
Sharing happiness is being happy. Sharing pleasure is to feel pleasure. Sharing
love is to be loved. The white glow whispered to him while it nestled softly in
his heart and his soul.
Being alone is solitary! Being independent is empty. Bakura thought while he
banged Immaru crazily.
I am free to feel! I am free to surrender! Immaru’s mind yelled over and over
while the pleasure increased by each pounding. I am free to be me!
“Is this good?” Bakura asked while he lifted Immaru’s hips slightly in the air
so he could pound easier, deeper and faster.
“Oh! Yes, ngh, it feels good. It feels very good.” Immaru confessed between his
heavy breath. He shut his eyes with force. Darkness was enveloping quickly
around his heart.
Free…Free to sin…Free to be me
“Come for me.” Bakura begged in a chocked voice, sensing his orgasm nearing.
“Come for me Immaru!” The white glow sunk in his lonely heart, merged with his
solitary soul.
Share…Bond…Love
Immaru lost all of his senses at Bakura’s words. They were too powerful. Too
stimulating. His body reacted madly at the words and the young king moaned
loudly, while his legs contracted and milk was spilled from his erection. He
pulled his head back, while his body trembled at the superb sensation. His eyes
were shut. Darkness enveloped his heart. Darkness invaded his soul. Immaru
opened his eyes in a shot and saw a great monster, black as the moonless night,
colossal as the mountain, eyes red like blood. Around the creature was a world
of destruction. Fire and smoke erupted from countless houses. Helpless screams
filled the air. A putrefying scent of blood, smoke and something toxic invaded
his nostrils. Immaru screamed involuntarily when the dark tendrils were
violently expelled from his soul and heart.
Bakura came at Immaru’s final scream, his climax never been his intense and
powerful before. The white glow filled the empty space of his revolted soul
with love, tenderness and caring. It warmed his heart with all the sweet and
pleasant feelings he had once felt long ago and had forgotten their existence.
The memory of his mother’s voice lullabying him, the feeling of his father’s
strong hand around his small one returned to his mind. Bakura groaned a chocked
moan and collapsed on top of Immaru, feeling shocked. Tears ran down his
cheeks.
Both remained lying quietly for a while. Bakura resting on top of Immaru. Their
hearts banging wildly against each other. Their fastened breathing easing
slowly. Both were shocked by what was revealed to them. Immaru understood the
meaning of this passionate moment, the need of the physical desire. This had
been the gateway to discover the secret plans from Darkness.
Bakura didn’t understand what he felt, didn’t understand the white light he saw
in his mind and was confused. An ancient pain and longing to feel something
else than rage, desire for revenge, cruelty overflooded him. He wanted to feel
the love, protection and security he once had felt. He wanted to feel the
carefreeness and happiness he felt as a little child. And wondered if Immaru
was the one to remind him what those feelings were like.
Long minutes stretched by. Their heartbeats slowly returned to their normal
rate. Their breathing slowly regularized. None dared to move. None dared to
speak. Immaru was paralyzed by fear, having realized this man was carrying a
hidden Darkness inside his soul that would destroy the world at its first
change. He wondered if Bakura knew he had this darkness inside of him. The King
of Thieves kissed the boy’s cheek without thinking. This caused a reaction.
Immaru turned his face to look at him and their eyes met. The bandit was
confused because of the shock reflected in the chocolate brown orbs. The young
king was surprised because of the gentle look in his enemy’s eyes. It was all
too much and he moved, gently shoving Bakura from on top of him. With trembling
legs, Immaru walked to the water, while lilac eyes followed him.
“Having regrets already?” Thief King asked, while his heart panged from
disappointment. A strange sorrow settled in it and seemed to steal away his
strength. He watched silently as Immaru entered the water but gave no answer.
Bakura sighed annoyed, while his cold heart cracked a bit. The silence was the
answer itself. He stood up and decided to follow the young king. Immaru stood
with his back to him, washing his arms with the water. He obviously was decided
to ignore him. Thief King exhaled loudly. Immaru’s behavior was bothering him,
but something else was bothering him more. “I think I saw your soul a while
ago.” At this Immaru froze. He seized his movements, his hand resting on his
arm. “A white light. Very bright.” Only then did Immaru turn around. It was
hard to tell what the boy was thinking because he was expressionless.
“What happened after the massacre in your village? What did you do?” The young
king asked and Bakura gasped from surprise. That was not what he had expected
to hear. The more he got to know Ryou’s past live, the more mysterious he
proved to be. He wondered to what extends the White Magician powers went. The
tension in the chocolate brown orbs gave him the shivers. And came to one
single conclusion. They both needed to understand what was going on.
“I-I… I dunno know. I don’t quite remember. I guess I left the town and went
into the desert. I remember crossing paths with a caravan and travelled with
them for a while.”
“I mean before that. When the priests left. When you were left alone in the
village. You did something, didn’t you? Some kind of pact.” The teenager
insisted and Thief King’s memory unwillingly returned to the past.
Bakura, of course, remembered every detail. That night remained imprinted in
his mind forever. His memories were as fresh as if they had just happened, the
emotions as raw as 17 years ago. He remembered he stayed hidden after the
priests and soldiers had left the town. He remembered he didn’t dare to leave
his hidden place for many hours. He cried of fear and sorrow till the moon was
gone and the sun was born, till his tears had run dry. He felt afterwards
tired, numb, dead. The only sound he could hear was the wind carrying the sand
under the warm morning sun. The only sound he heard was a whisper calling his
name. Bakura remembered stepping out of his hiding place and…
“I walked to the cauldron. I didn’t really want to go there, but my legs – I
remember I reached the cauldron. It was so large. I touched its surface and it
burned my fingers. It was still hot.”
Bakura could still hear the whisper calling his name. “Then I saw a stone
structure near it. The Millennium Stone. The mould to shape the Seven Items.”
Thief King paused. He remembered the sadness mingled with fear. The despair and
absolute loneliness. He remembered the pain of grief mingled with revolt and
anger. The desire to avenge his people. “I made a promise that day. I promised
I would kill those who hurt my family, my community. I promised I would avenge
them and bring suffering to the Pharaoh and his monstrous priests!”
“Did – you receive an answer?” Immaru asked and his voice was so faint that
even Bakura felt the boy’s fear. He remembered the whisper talking to him. Soft
and comforting. Answering his desires. He nodded and witnessed tears swell in
the boy’s eyes. Thief King felt the boy’s pain and knew what Immaru feared for.
“Don’t worry. I won’t get hurt.” He said, a strange compassion for this boy,
who was as vulnerable as he was mighty. And something else, that was filling
his hard cold heart. He rested his hand on Immaru’s face, his thumb wiping a
tear away. “Hidden deep under the sands of Kul Elna, lies the structure known
as the Millennium Stone. Place the Seven Items in this stone and ultimate power
will be yours.” He added and Immaru’s eyes widened. “That is what he said.
Zorc.”
Zorc!
The colossal monster, darker than night, covering the world with fire and
smoke! That was Zorc. Immaru finally had a name and a form to go by the
darkness that has been haunting him since young age. He finally understood.
Zorc was the Darkness born from the horrifying crime committed in Kul Elna! He
was the result of the Dark Magic to create the Millennium Items! He was forged
with the Millennium Items! He had gained life but needed the Millenium Items to
gain a physical body. He had manipulated a scared and hurt child to do his
bidding. Bakura didn’t know he had been fooled by this evil creature. He did
not know he would be the sacrifice to give a body to the monster. He did not
know that Zorc will destroy the word and fill it with darkness.
“I know now what I must do!” Immaru said. He quickly jumped out the water and
dressed himself. Thief King knitted his brow and made a scoffing sound.
“And what may that be?” He said while he followed the Akkadian and approached
Immaru. The young king turned to look at the man. Bakura would not understand.
Because the Pharaoh was his escape goat. Revenge had become his way to survive
the pain and loss he suffered as child. He would never accept the reality as it
is. That Zorc must never be born. Immaru knew the King of Thieves would try to
stop him.
“I am sorry.” Without a warning, Immaru gently placed his hand behind Bakura’s
neck, his fingers pressed just under his head and released a small amount of
energy. Thief King had no time to react and felt a jolt of pain in the back of
his head. The teenager watched the man’s eyes roll back, before he collapsed
unconscious. “I am not allowing Zorc to leave your body. He will destroy you.
Just like he will destroy many others. Because that is what he is.
Destruction.”
Immaru picked up the Millennium Ring that was lying on the floor. He watched as
the sun shone of its golden surface. It felt cold and heavy. The young king put
it around his neck and felt Darkness protest. He climbed on his horse and
swiftly rode away.
***** Convergence *****
Chapter Summary
     The paths of Destiny are converging. Each character must fulfill
     their part in the final battle between good and evil and are called
     to their duties.
Chapter Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     PRIEST SETO = Seto Kaiba
     PRIESTESS ISIS = Ishizu Ishtar
     PRIEST AKHENADEN = Mr. Ishtar
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
Dumuzi was crazed. First, he overslept and then, he woke up to find his
brother’s bed empty. He immediately went to search him. He was nowhere in the
kitchens or in the dining room. People had seen him having breakfast, but after
that, the Moon King seemed to have vanished. The knowledge Mahado had gone to
fight Bakura disturbed him greatly. To hear the priest was was followed by the
Pharaoh, who left the Palace without an escort, only helped to increase his
worries. Everybody was acting impetuously. Rushed decisions would only lead to
chaos. And the Sun king had the bad feeling his twin was somewhere in the
middle of this chaos. Beholding, for the second time, to Dumuzi’s panic mingled
with mad rage; Yugi and his friends saw no other options than to aid him with
his search. They had already witnessed his hysteria the day Immaru was
kidnapped, but this time, the Sun king was blazing in fury.
 
“How is it possible nobody saw him!” Dumuzi shouted.
 
“The palace is huge. He could be anywhere.” Anzu said in a vain attempt to
soothe him.
 
“Don’t speak nonsense! We would have found him by now!”
 
“My Lord.” A guard appeared and bowed in humility. “There is a horse missing
from the stables.” Yugi and the others switched concerned looks.
 
“That idiot!!! He went away to do something alone!!! A dangerous thing!”
 
“How are we going to find him?” Yugi asked.
 
“I know somebody that can help you.”
 
The five teenagers turned around to the source of the voice. It was Karim, the
priest that guards the Millennium Scales.
 
…
 
“Mahado!!! No!!!” Mana shouted in tears, while she fell to her knees.
 
In front of her, stood a great stone tablet with the Illusion Magician
represented on it. It had Priest Mahado’s face. The Pharaoh clenched his teeth
in anger and promised to avenge his loyal friend. He would take down Bakura,
even if he had to go down with him. Killing the remaining obscure three hooded
men had given him little comfort, but at least his enemy didn’t have back up
anymore. Yami decided it was time to return to the Palace. He would gather the
remaining priests, he would call for the Akkadian Kings and with the help of
them he would start a war against Bakura. Together, they would find that evil
soul and kill him once and for all. 
 
…
 
“Ever since Bakura arrived, my vision of the future has been clouded. It is as
if the kingdom is shrouded in a blanket of shadows. But I will continue my
efforts to see through the darkness.” Priestess Isis kindly explained Dumuzi,
while she prepared herself to focus in the magical waters of foresight, for the
countless time.
 
Dumuzi’s eyes darted nervously from the priestess to the magical waters, from
Priest Karim to Yugi and the others. The Sun King was edgy to the extreme and
had to make an enormous effort not to demand immediate answers from the young
woman. She needed concentration and making a racket would certainly not achieve
anything. “Please, Millennium Neckless, I besiege thy, heist the shadows and
show me the light of the future. Wait, what is this? I see something. Jungle of
pieces of events yet to come. I sense a great evil!”
 
“What did you see?” Dumuzi asked desperate, his heart racing from fear for his
brother’s safety.
 
“I saw your brother, my Lord.” Priestess Isis said with a concerned face. “He
is in a ruined village, far out in the desert.”
 
“Kul Elna.” Yugi spoke. “That’s Bakura’s village. That’s where Immaru had his
last vision.”
 
“Why would he want to go back there?” Jounouchi wondered.
 
“It’s where everything started.” Dumuzi darkly spoke, finally understanding his
brother’s actions and final goal. Everything was suddenly clear. Everything was
coming to a full circle.  Immaru had been having visions of Hell since a small
boy. Visions of the bloodshed of innocents, visions of the rise of Darkness,
visions of the destruction of the world. It all led back to Kul Elna. “It’s
where the Millennium Items were created. It’s where Darkness will rise. And
Immaru is there to stop it.”
 
…
 
Lilac eyes shot open. There was a gasp followed by a groan. Bakura sat up while
he rubbed the back of his head. He looked around and quickly understood what
had happened. That brat of a sorcerer had used his magic to knock him down when
he least expected. He cursed his own stupidity for letting his guard down. It
was becoming clearer by the minute that Immaru was not to be trusted. The Moon
king was as determined to stop him and Zorc the same way the bandit was
determined in having his revenge.
 
Thief King scanned the ground around him and bitterly confirmed his suspicions.
That fool had taken the Millenium Ring. He cursed furious, more to himself than
anything else for letting himself be tricked by the innocent looking king. For
allowing his heart, which for long had rejected love and other wonderful
feelings; to warm up to the teen. For falling so easily for the boy’s
seduction. Immaru would pay dearly for this, above all, Bakura would make him
regret snatching the Millenium Ring from him.
 
Bakura stood up and dressed himself. Those idiots of Zorc’s henchmen were not
to be seen anywhere. How helpful! He sarcastically thought. He also had no
horse. This time Immaru had really set him up. But Bakura was not one to give
up that easily. He had gone too far, he was too close to his goals to stop now.
Hatred and the desire for revenge made his blood run hot in his veins.
Adrenaline made his limbs run fast and swift. He followed Immaru’s horse’s
tracks. He would find him. He would have the Seven Millenium Items. He would
have his revenge! Even if this mean he had to kill the White Magician.
 
…
 
People screamed and ran all directions when a gigantic shadow flew over the
city of pyramids. Those who looked up were momentarily blinded by the
reflection of the sun light hitting the golden body. A loud roar filled the sky
and people panicked. Dumuzi had finally lost it. Realizing his brother was
putting his life in risk, he summoned the Winged Dragon of Ra without thinking
twice.  For the second time, the golden monster flew above Cairo. Yugi and the
others barely had time to climb up the Egyptian god. Priestess Isis and Priest
Karim joined the group after a short hesitance, not sure they wanted a ride on
the mystical beast. But Destiny called them to their duty, and so they pushed
their fears aside and climbed on the creature. As they flew away, Priests Seto,
Shada and Akhenaden watched petrified the monster leave city.
 
“What is happening?!” Priest Seto questioned confused.
 
“Strange happenings are occurring.” Priest Akhenaden answered. “The Pharaoh has
left the Palace in search of Mahado. Something bad must be going on.”
 
“Bakura!” Priest Seto darkly spoke. “We must follow them! If the Pharaoh or one
of the twin kings are in danger, it is our duty to help them.”
 
“What about the city? Who will protect it?” Priest Shada asked.
 
“You will stay. You will be the guardian of the city.” Priest Akhenaden
solemnly spoke while the younger priest gasped surprised. “Use your Millenium
Key to lock it away from evil.”
 
“But that will bring me and all the people within the city walls to another
dimension. How do I know when to unlock the city and return to this realm?” The
priest asked shocked.
 
Priest Seto stared mystified at his companions. He had heard about the secret
power within the Millenium Key, but he always believed it to be a myth. It was
said it has the ability to transport entire regions to a world where time and
space have no meaning. The entire city would be protected in a kind of bubble,
where time stopped for everybody, except for the guardian of the Millenium Key.
Shada would be alone in a world where the notion of time did not exist. Minutes
on Earth could mean centuries in the Shada’s world, and yet he would not age.
Seto could not imagine a more frightening task. To have to wait without knowing
when he would return to his world. Worse, without knowing if he would ever come
back to Egypt.
 
“You will know when.” Priest Akhenaden assured while he rested his hand on
Priest Shada’s shoulder. “Remember, it was the Millenium Key that chose you.
This is your Destiny. Do not be afraid to embrace it.” Priest Shada nodded, a
new light of courage and determination shone in his eyes, while a part of him
was still very terrified. “Seto, let’s get some horses and follow the Winged
Dragon of Ra. We must haste.”
 
“I will wait until you leave the city.” Priest Shada said. The older priest
nodded and urged Seto to follow him suit.
 
“May the gods protect you, Shada.” Priest Seto said before turning around and
make a run to the stables.
 
“May the gods guide you too, my friend.” Priest Shada whispered while he
watched the other two men disappear behind a corner.
 
…
 
The Nameless Pharaoh rode fast as the wind. His heart beat from painful anger.
It was strange to feel such an intense agony for losing somebody he barely
knew. Maybe it were his suppressed memories that caused this grieving, hidden
memories from a boy he saw grow up into a young and brave man who sacrificed
his life for his ruler and his country. Because, despite having no memories of
Mahado, he felt like he had known him his whole life. He felt an unexplainable
bond with the deceased priest, a trust that was rare, one that only existed
between real friends. A trust that only exists among family.
 
Behind him sat Mana, her face glued to his back, weeping silently, tears still
running down her cheeks. This was the first time she ever lost anybody close to
her. Mahado was her friend, her master, her guardian. And now he was gone. His
soul was cruelly sealed in a rock. The young apprentice strengthened her grip
around the Pharaoh’s waist at the thought she could lose somebody else. At the
thought she could lose him too. If her childhood friend would die today, Mana
was sure she would die too. The reason why she made a silent vow. She promised
to Mahado’s soul she would do everything to protect the Pharaoh. She would
fight for him fearlessly. She would die for him, if that was what the gods
wanted from her. This much was her loyalty and her caring for the Pharaoh.
 
Suddenly, Yami stopped his horse and both looked up shocked. A large mass came
towards them, the sun light reflecting its evening’s golden rays and before
they could react, a colossal body landed just before them. Both the Pharaoh and
Mana were speechless, terrified and awestruck for they were in the presence of
a mighty god.
 
“Hey! Yami!” Jounouchi yelled while he waved at them. “You and your girlfriend
must join us.”  Yami and Mana switched confused looks and both blushed
ferociously at the word girlfriend. Nobody missed Anzu’s furious look while she
hit the blond’s head with force.
 
“Immaru is in Kul Elna. He wants to stop Bakura from destroying the world, but
he is alone.” Anzu explained, ignoring Jounouchi’s dramatic whining. “We
brought Karim and Isis with us.”
 
The Pharaoh nodded and quickly dismounted the horse. He helped Mana to get down
and they shared an awkward look, when their bodies briefly met. Still blushing
horribly and not daring to look at anybody, they headed to the Egyptian god.
Only when they stood right in front of it did both realize on what they were
about to ride on. Yami hesitated.
 
“Come on! The God of Sun Ra will not bite you. I don’t have all day! Immaru
needs us!” Dumuzi said upset and his demand was enough to shake the Pharaoh’s
intimidation towards the creature. Mana summoned her courage, took a deep
breath and followed him suit. Before they knew it, they were in the air.
 
“Oh gods! We are – flying!” Mana shouted while the realization of the
impossible hit her. Yami looked at her and smiled. He looked down and had to
admit, it was quite the experience to ride the Winged Dragon of Ra.
 
 Meanwhile, and down below, the friends missed the presence of the one person
they feared the most. Bakura, breathless, had seen the figure of the golden
monster fly not so far from him while he followed Immaru’ tracks. He stopped
exhausted from the running, sweating and panting, and groaned furious at his
impotence. Where was Zorc and his men when he needed them? How was he supposed
to summon Zorc if that distasteful Pharaoh and his obnoxious friends had the
Egyptian god on their side? But as he continued jogging in the direction of the
setting sun, watching how the monster mingled with the fire star, he grinned.
It appeared Fate had some providence reserved for him, after all. Right on the
spot where the Winged Dragon of Ra had landed, stood a horse, alone and
abandoned. Bakura giggled amused.
 
“The Pharaoh’s stallion. Now this is what I call quality.”
 
The King of Thieves mounted the horse and made haste to follow the Egyptian
golden beast. He had to stop the Pharaoh and his despicable friends whatever it
cost him. There was no way he had waited 5,000 years to see his plans go down
the drain. The battle was on and he was determined to be the winner.
 
…
 
Immaru reached the Village of Kul Elna by dusk. He had ridden for many hours
without stopping. His horse had been fueled by his magic, so the beast never
got tired or thirsty. The young king, in the contrary, felt his energy drop
because of the use of magic. He knew he should have thought better things
through, but he had the feeling he was racing against time. He stopped the
horse at the village’s entrance and descended it with a painful groan. His
whole body ached. He stretched his back and ignored the unpleasant sore
sensation between his buttocks. Intercourse with the thief that been great, but
the repercussions were horrible, especially if you planned to ride a horse the
whole day. He dug his hands in the bags hanging by the horse’s saddle and ate
some bread with honey and fruit he had taken before he left the Palace. He
sighed relieved, feeling quite restored. He could feel the strength return to
his muscles. He could sense the magic flow easily in his veins again.
 
Immaru turned to face the road that led to Kul Elna’s interior. The ruined sand
coloured houses looked eerie against a sky of orange and red shades. He looked
up and grimaced. Today he would fulfil his life’s purpose. He would risk his
life by fighting the creature of Darkness, but he had at least the moon on his
side. The great yellow orb slowly rose behind the dark houses, while the sun
lowered in the horizon. It was time to answer to the gods’ challenges, it was
time to embrace his role of White Magician and protect the world from all that
is evil.
 
He took one step. A step closer to the village. A step closer to Destiny. A
step closer to the edge of the world’s Fate. And while he slowly advanced into
the interior of Kul Elna, he could feel the heaviness of the past’s tragic
memories crush him, haunt him, demand him. Immaru swallowed dry when a large
group of men and women, elderly and children stared at him from the village’s
central square. They were waiting for him. Waiting for their revenge. Waiting
to be freed.
…
 
Twilight coloured the skies with a pallet of fresh blues. The first starts
appeared and prepared for their celestial nightly journey. The God Sun of Ra
landed on the dry ground making sand particles lift in a cloud of dust. King
Dumuzi was the first one to jump to the ground. Without a word and without
waiting for anybody, he ran into the deserted village, calling out his
brother’s name. Yami, Yugi and Jounouchi too jumped from the monster to the
ground. They switched worried glances when they saw a white horse resting at
the entrance of the village. It was clear it was the missing horse from the
Royal stables, the one Immaru had used to travel to Kul Elna.
 
“Something is wrong!” Priest Karim, still sitting on the Sun God, suddenly
shouted. His Millennium Balance was shaking madly between his hands. “This
never happened before, not even with Bakura’s presence.”
 
“What does this mean?” Anzu asked worried, while her hand rested on her heart.
 
“It means there is a very dark energy residing in this place! We must act with
caution.”
 
The Egyptian priest had just spoken these words when they heard a horrible
scream. The Winged Dragon of Ra roared loudly while it fluttered its wings
wildly, so Karim and the girls quickly jumped to the floor scared by the
creature’s reaction. In just a few seconds, the Egyptian god flew high until it
disappeared in the sky.
 
Yugi paused for a moment and wondered why the beast had decided to fly away,
but he had no time to think about it.  He had to go after the Pharaoh, because
Yami and Jounouchi had just turned a corner. The short teenager ran through the
dark streets and alleys of the haunted village, only stopping when he reached
his friends. Yugi noticed Yami was staring with a worried expression and
followed his gaze. The boy recognized Dumuzi’s dark silhouette contrasted by
the pale moon light. Jounouchi finally called out for the Sun king, who turned
around. The three friends froze at the expression of pure hopelessness and
anguish in his face. Two silent tears ran down the young king’s face.
 
“We are too late.” Priestess Isis said breathless, when she, Anzu and Karim
finally reached the two sovereigns. She turned to Dumuzi, her face denouncing
concern and compassion. “The White Magician – he’s under the control of
Darkness.”
 
All friends turned their eyes to a higher point of the village. On the top of
the highest hill, there he stood, Immaru. He was dressed in his White
Magician’s attire and was a pleasant bright sight against the nocturnal
background. But something was very amiss with the Moon king. Anzu and Mana both
suppressed a scream when they saw his face. The other’s gasped of shock. Isis
and Karim sensed the unbalance created by Darkness in their items and switched
worried glances.
 
Only now that they saw the Moon king, could they understand the meaning of
Isis’ words. Only now could they understand the reason behind Dumuzi’s lost
look. The moon illuminated the young king’s eyes enough to see his orbs were
completely rolled back. Just like the time he lost control during his trance.
Only this time he wasn’t convulsing and instead was standing on the hill,
staring down at the group with his unnatural glare.
 
“Immaru, please! Snap out of this!” Dumuzi shouted in a cracked voice. Immaru’s
head turned to face the Sun king. An unfitting cruel grin was drawn on the
angelical face, making the Moon king look scary.
 
“The one called Immaru is not here now.” A multitude of voices left Immaru’s
throat and spoke in unison.
 
“God! This guy is a real creep!!!” Jounouchi yelled horrified by the unnerving
sound.
 
“He is possessed by something dark.” Priestess Isis said. She closed her eyes,
while her trembling fingers surrounded her Millennium Neckless. The item glowed
and Yami, who was still looking at Immaru, would have sworn the young king’s
white eyes had glowed too. “I see… many people, a multitude of people – they
have all ages, from infants to elderly…” The young priestess added. She
suddenly opened her eyes. “They took control of his body. He is possessed by
dozens of souls!”
 
“The villagers! Those are the people that were sacrificed to create the
Millenium Items.” Yugi shouted at the realization. Dumuzi dropped to his knees
helpless and desperate, while the others stared at the White Magician with
great fear.
 
“Souls of Kul Elna! I am the Pharaoh of Egypt! Tell me, why are you doing this?
What do you want?” Yami asked revolted at the way his friend was being used by
the haunted souls. He felt chills run down his back when Immaru’s grin changed
into a cruel frown.
 
“Revenge!” The many voices clamored. “Your death.”
 
***** Vengeance *****
Chapter Summary
     Immaru is possessed by the villagers of Kul Elna. How will they use
     his body and his powers? What will his brother and friends do? And
     what will happen when other characters arrive the scene?
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Yami clenched his teeth angrily. He was not going to allow these ghosts hurt
him or any of his friends. Then he sensed somebody moving closer to him. It was
Dumuzi. He had woken up from his initial state of shock and now stood side by
side the Pharaoh. He looked in his twin’s direction, his eyes filled with
unwavering determination.
 
“How dare you use Immaru?! You vile spirits! I will not allow you people to use
my brother to hurt the Pharaoh! I will free him from your power!” Dumuzi spoke
fearlessly, while he raised his sword. He was decided to fulfill his vow to
protect his twin, no matter the cost. He was ready to protect the Pharaoh and
the priests too. He would not dare to allow these haunted souls to harm any of
his loved ones during his wake. Immaru’s possessed form stared aloofly at the
Sun king.
 
“Your love and loyalty for your brother are truly touching, but I am afraid it
will not be enough!” All heads turned around when they heard the too familiar
voice behind them. A maniac laughter was followed and Yami felt his anger be
fueled by Bakura’s presence.
 
“You!!! You will regret being here! I will stop your evil plan!” The Nameless
Pharaoh shouted enraged.
 
Bakura continued to giggle amused. He loved the chaos, he loved to see the fear
in everybody’s eyes. He enjoyed watching Yami’s fury. Above all, he was
thrilled with what happened to Immaru. That brat of his Hikari’s past life may
had fooled him earlier, but now he was being justly punished. Now, Bakura had
the boy’s powerful magic at his side. And with this power, there was nothing
that could stop him. Not much longer now, and he would release Zorc. Thief King
licked his lips, savoring his nearing victory. He walked passed Yugi and his
friends, then Mana and Dumuzi and stopped to stare greedily at the Millennium
Items that Isis, Karim and Yami carried.
 
“Ha! I’d love to see that.” Bakura retorted darkly and then turned to the
figure of Immaru, whose white eyes followed all the movements down below. He
grinned satisfied when he understood his people were using the boy’s immense
powers. Immaru being the White Magician was proving to be quite handy after
all. “People of Kul Elna! The time has come! The time to claim your revenge!
The time to free Zorc!”
 
Everybody gasped scared when Immaru instantly reacted to Bakura’s words. He
slowly raised both arms and a strange warm desert wind swept the earth swiftly.
Then suddenly, the ground started shaking. Karim and Isis watched horrified as
their Millennium Items stated glowing and behaving erratically. Fearing the
fate of their Pharaoh, they quickly joined him and stood ready to protect him
from any danger. The moon’s light illuminated Immaru’s white orbs, giving them
an even more unnatural look. The possessed White Magician continued rising his
hands to the sky and two objects started to emerge from under the ground next
to him.
 
Bakura grimaced when he witnessed the oversized cauldron arise. An ancient pain
hit his heart, while the memories from many years ago returned fresh as if they
had just happened. He swallowed dry when another object too raised from under
the dried earth. It was the Millenium Items’ mold. The different engravings
were revealed on the sarcophagus shaped stone, where 17 years ago, the golden
mixed with blood of the innocent, was forged. Today, it would receive the seven
Millennium Items and Zorc would be finally freed. Bakura and his community
would finally have their revenge.
 
“By Ra’s name! What is going on?!”
 
Once more, everybody turned around, at the sound of another familiar voice.
This time it was Priest Seto, who was accompanied by his master, Priest
Akhenaden. The two priests of Egypt had arrived in Kul Elna shortly after
Bakura entered it. They both looked shocked at Immaru when they saw him in his
possessed form. Priest Akhenaden then saw the cauldron and became even more
disturbed by the events.
 
The memories of his greatest mistake in the past took hold of his mind. For
many years, Priest Akhenaden had been haunted by the screams of the murdered
people. Often had he woken up in cold sweat, watching the look of fear in the
victims’ eyes in the darkness of his comfortable room. After living years with
guilt and regret, the eldest priest could no longer understand what drove him
to his sickening actions in the past.
 
 Sure he had been desperate. His home, his family were in danger and he had
wanted to protect them by all means. No matter what. But, had it truly been the
fear of losing his loved ones in a war that made him do the things he did, or
had it been something else? Something much more intimate, much more selfish and
perverse? Had it been ambition that had guided him to the darkest secrets of
magic? Had it been thirst for power that made him discard 99 lives and instead
consider them nothing but a way to achieve this power?
 
Fear or greed, it did not matter, because nothing could justify the atrocities
he did that one night. A normal person would immediately reject the idea of
killing somebody to have more magical power. Priest Akhenaden had killed 99,
including little babies. It was sickening and it was disgusting. So revolting
that even language had not enough words to describe this atrocity. Although he
regretted it terribly, the truth was, he had done it. And nothing could ever
change that.
 
“Priest Akhenaden.” The multitude of voices called the oldest Royal priest.
Akhenaden flinched from shock and stared horrorstruck at the empty white orbs
of the White Magician. “How kind of you to grace us with your presence
tonight.”
 
“W-What?” Priest Akhenaden stuttered confused.
 
“It’s your fault!” Dumuzi suddenly accused, rage glinting in his eyes. “You did
this! You sacrificed all those people in the past and now their souls took over
Immaru’s body!!!”
 
Bakura’s laughter rose in the air. Dumuzi’s heated fury could eventually turn
him into an ally. Priest Akhenaden was compromised. Just like the other priests
and the Pharaoh for using the Millennium Items, the fruit of his people’s
sacrifice. Thief King was delighted with the whole situation. Despite wishing
to kill Akhenaden himself, Bakura secretly desired watching Dumuzi strike him
down.
 
“Please! It was a mistake. At the time, I did not think! But I swear, I
regretted it all my life.” Priest Akhenaden defended and Thief King frowned
upset, appalled by the man’s words. He was about to yell something at him, when
the people of his village used Immaru to vocalize one single word.
 
“LIAR!!!” The voices accused. Priest Akhenaden stared bewildered at Immaru, his
beautiful face contorted by crude rage.
 
“I-I…” Priest Akhenaden stuttered shocked. Tears accumulated in his eyes and he
stared into the young king’s white orbs. “Sorry! I’m so sorry!”
 
“You? Sorry?” The voices asked in a mocking voice and then laughed a bitter
laughter. Immaru frowned enraged. “You didn’t care about our lives! We were
just a community of outlaws in the outskirts of the Kingdom, weren’t we? We
were a problematic issue that needed to be dealt with. And that is exactly what
you did, didn’t you, old man?”
 
Priest Akhenaden opened and closed his mouth unable to say anything that would
defend his actions. What could he say to defend himself anyway? So, instead he
revolted himself against these cursed people, these felons that even after
death continued to hurt others. He felt revolted they had possessed the
planet’s most powerful wizard, a child with a pure soul, to do their biddings.
Even after death, these wrenched souls carried on committing atrocious crimes.
He clenched his teeth and looked directly at Immaru.
 
“What choice did I have? The war was going to destroy us! And you people were
always trouble. We needed to get rid of you! You were disposable! Nobody would
miss you! That’s why I chose Kul Elna! And thanks to your sacrifice we won
peace and have the power of cleansing bad people’s souls! Can’t you see? Your
lives were used for a greater purpose!”
 
Priest Akhenaden shouted for everybody’s shock. Yami and his friends stared in
disbelief while Dumuzi and Bakura were disgusted by his words. The priests
stared bewildered, Priest Seto in particular, felt his stomach twist from
nausea. Never did he expect to hear his teacher utter such vile words.
 
Suddenly, out of nothing, Priest Akhenaden started screaming in panic. His face
was an expression of pure agony. Everybody stared confused at him. The eldest
priest was looking at the ground, lifting his feet fretfully, like if he was
stepping on something he could not escape from. Nobody understood what was
going on, because they could not see what Akhenaden was seeing.
 
After he had spoken, an unbearable heat came from under his feet. When he
looked down, he saw the ground had become a glowing red. It shifted as it
became liquid, in a dance of flaming reds and yellow. A small fire started
consuming his feet, first slowly and then it crept upwards rapidly. He watched
horrified his skin boil to the point of bubbling. His skin melted like wax and
the red of blood and tissue were exposed. The flames burned his limbs and
travelled to his waist, to his arms and hands. He watched horrorstruck his
flesh become black, charred. The priest screamed from pain, terror and
desperately called for help.
 
“What is happening?” Priest Seto asked horrified. Dumuzi turned to look at
Immaru and understood the souls were using his magic to create an illusion.
 
“Immaru! Stop this!” Dumuzi shouted. “Immaru! You must return! Listen to my
voice! Listen to my voice and come back!”
 
Everybody gasped from surprise, when Immaru moved in an unnatural speed,
crossing the space between the hilltop and Priest Akhenaden in a matter of
seconds. The old priest had only enough time to perceive the boy standing right
in front of him, white orbs staring soullessly back at him. Immaru smirked
cruelly. Akhenaden was petrified and unable to move.  He watched with a
bouncing heart the Moon king lift his right arm. He watched under cold sweat
the boy’s hand travel to his face. A new hollow pain followed. Black dots
covered his eye, while he heard screams of horror around him. The pain was so
great. Too great. He could think of nothing else but the pain. And then
suddenly, he was blind, the world was completely black. Suddenly he was deaf
and the world was silent. And the pain was gone.
 
Everybody watched horrorstruck Priest Akhenaden’s body fall numb on the floor.
His remaining eye was glazed, while blood streamed from his left eye’s socket.
Immaru stood immobile, holding the Millennium Eye. The red blood dripping from
it contrasted disturbingly with his immaculate white skin. The teenager stared
down at the dead man with an impassive look on his face.
 
“Immaru! Please! Snap out of it! Please! Listen to my voice!” Dumuzi shouted
while he ran to his brother. He grabbed him by his arms and shook the boy. The
Sun king expected his possessed brother to strike him but he was willing to
risk. He had to give it a try. “Follow my voice, Immaru! Follow my voice!”
 
Dark.
 
                A pitch of blackness.
 
Numbness.
 
No feeling of a body at all.
 
Sleepiness.
 
No thoughts.
 
 Nothing.
 
 A sound.
 
Very far away.
 
A sound of a voice.
 
A voice that feels familiar.
 
But why? Why does it feel so familiar?
 
                Darkness. Weakness. Drowsiness.
 
A voice. A familiar sound. Becoming louder. Coming closer.
 
From where? Where is where? Where am I?
 
Blackness.
 
Where is my body?
 
Cannot feel my body.
 
 So sleepy.
 
The voice.
 
So familiar.
 
 I recognize it!
 
 Its calling me.
 
 Why is it calling me?
 
    * «Immaru!!! Follow my voice! My voice!» -
 
Dark. Where I am?
 
A pitch of blackness.
 
Why can’t I see anything?
 
Numbness.
 
Where’s my body? Why can’t I feel it?
 
Sleepiness.
 
Feel so weak, feel so tired.
 
    * «Come back!!»
 
The voice! I must wake up. It’s calling me. He’s calling me back home!
 
White eyes rolled and two chocolate brown orbs replaced them. Dumuzi released a
relieved laughter when he witnessed his sibling’s return to conscience. He
prevented Immaru from collapsing, holding him under his arms. Immaru gasped and
his fingers wrapped themselves around Dumuzi’s strong arms. He felt weak and
drowsy, like if he had been in a deep sleep and had woken up too suddenly.
 
“Oh, thank the gods you are back!” Dumuzi exclaimed with watery eyes. Immaru
stared at him confused. When had his brother arrived? The last thing he
remembered were the spirits of the village circling him, so he could not leave,
could not move.
 
“What happened?” The White Magician asked in a hoarse voice, like if he had
slept for many hours.
 
“The villagers, they possessed you. They – They used your magic.” Dumuzi
explained and Immaru felt the blood leave his face.
 
This could only be serious. Immaru forced himself to stand on his own feet. His
legs were still shaking from the lack of strength. He looked around and was
surprised to see his friends and some of the priests. He read the unbearable
sadness in their eyes, Priest Seto was pale and looked paralyzed from shock.
Priest Karim held priestess Isis in his arms while she muffed her sobs behind
her hands. Immaru, still feeling weak took one step. He stumbled but did not
lose his balance and gestured Dumuzi he was fine. He took another step and his
foot hit something. He looked down and saw something large lying on the floor
next to his foot. The Moon king felt his breathing increase when he recognized
the body before him. He stared shocked at Priest Akhenaden’s pale face. His
expression still screamed agony. The hole of his eye socket was disturbing, red
dripping out it blackness.
 
Horrified, Immaru took a step back, his stomach turning around, while his heart
raced madly. The terrible realization hit him. He slowly turned his eyes to his
right hand and gasped shocked.  He dropped the Millennium Eye and stared
sickened at the crimson red staining his skin. The golden eye hit the floor
with a hollow thud and rolled down until it hit Bakura’s foot.
 
“I thank you, my lordship. For your assistance.” Thief King said in a mocking
way. He bent over to pick up the object and when he stood up, grinned
victoriously. Immaru stared at him completely dazzled and then looked at his
brother, his watery eyes translating his trouble.
 
“The villagers – I - They…Shit.” Immaru said once his mind finally connected
the dots. Dumuzi gave his brother a compassionate look and was about to tell
him it was not his fault, that he had been used; when he heard Bakura’s maniac
laughter. The Sun king felt his blood boil from anger.
 
“Okay, I had enough! I am killing you – you evil soul!” The Sun king
threateningly yelled while he took off his sword. Meanwhile, priest Seto and
the Pharaoh had too recovered from their initial shock.
 
“Thy will be punished by Ra’s will!” Priest Seto shouted enraged, only
worsening Bakura’s crazy laughter.
 
“We will defeat you! Together!” Yami joined for the thief’s growing amusement.
 
“No.” Immaru’s voice followed and everybody was silent from shock and surprise.
Even Bakura ceased with his crazy laughter and stared confused at the Moon
king. “This is the doing of Darkness. Bakura is being influenced by it too. He
is nothing but a toy in Zorc’s claws.”
 
“How dare you, twit!” Bakura spat in a sneer. “I’m not being controlled by
anything! You know what happened in my village. You know what happened to my
people, to my family! I chose to take revenge! I’ve been waiting all my life
for this moment! I will summon Zorc and everybody that was in that mad ritual
and everybody that wields these cursed items will be punished by him!”
 
“I will not allow you to summon Zorc.” Immaru said in an unwavering
determination and ignored the angry whispers of ghosts disperse throughout the
village.
 
“You know how the Millennium Items were forged! You saw how the priests wield
them for their own benefit! Will you allow that to continue?”
 
“No, I will not allow this to continue.” The boy said determined and Bakura
stared at him perplexed, just like the others. “That is exactly why I want to
destroy the Millennium Items.”
 
Chapter End Notes
     DUMUZI/Sun King (Son Who is Life) = Malik Ishtar
     IMMARU / Moon King (Light) = Ryou Bakura
     PRIEST SETO = Seto Kaiba
     PRIESTESS ISIS = Ishizu Ishtar
     PRIEST AKHENADEN = Mr. Ishtar
     Enjoy the story
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ITS CHARACTERS
***** Critic point *****
Chapter Summary
     Immaru is as determined in destroying the Millennum Items as Bakura
     is in joining them to summon Zorc. How far will they go to achieve
     their goals?
Chapter Notes
     I am so very sorry for the horribly long hiatus. I got so damned
     caught up in work that I didn't have the time and energy to write. I
     believe I'm back in a normal daily rhythmn, so it should be possible
     to update again in a regular basis. I'll try my best.
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS
“Destroy? Ha! Over my dead body! I’m getting the Seven Items and I’m summoning
Zorc! The Pharaoh, his evil priests and whole Egypt will answer for their
crimes!!”
 
“Don’t you understand?! This vengeance of yours will destroy much more than
just Egypt! The whole world will fall under Darkness! Millions of innocent
people will die and suffer because of Zorc! He’s evil incarnated! He’s fooling
you. He has been manipulating you all your life, feeding you with rage and
thirst for revenge! He’s using you so – ugh”
 
A strange pain hit his chest. Immaru’s words became silent, while the world
around him screamed of horror. The Moon king stared down to his chest and felt
air leave the lungs. The Millennium Ring, which was still hanging around his
neck, was glowing and it’s five elongated points had just pierced his chest.
The White Magician could feel the metal pierce deeper and break his body with
its dark magic. The pain was so excruciating, that Immaru wrapped his fingers
around the Ring and ripped the five points from his chest in one strong yank.
His ears were buzzling insanely, but he could hear his brother’s voice shouting
his name far away. Five small red dots appeared on the white garment and
quickly expanded until they met each other. Immaru dropped the Millennium Ring.
It hit the ground with a dry clank. A strange pressure on his chest made him
lose his strength and his legs gave in. Dumuzi immediately caught his brother
to help him lay on the ground. Immaru looked up to his twin with an expression
of shocked confusion.
 
“Can’t - breathe…” The Moon king said in a gasp. He felt panic hit him when he
lost control of his lungs. The Millennium Ring had pierced them and blood,
instead of air, was filing them. His fingers dug in his brother’s arms, while
his body fought back for survival.
 
“Oh gods, no! Gods no!” Dumuzi whispered in panic, as he watched Immaru’s face
become whiter, while his garment became redder. Tears cascaded from his face at
the realization his twin would die in a few minutes. He turned to the
Egyptians. “Help him! Please, somebody help him!”
 
“Mana!” Priestess Isis turned to the girl, who flinched from fright. “You can
save him with your magic!”
 
Dumuzi looked from the priestess to Mana with hope in his eyes. His arms were
growing numb from the pressure of Immaru’s fingers. He was taking shorter and
shorter breaths, he was struggling to stay alive. Mana looked frightened from
Isis to Immaru.
 
“I-I’m just – an apprentice.” The girl feebly said.
 
“You are Mahado’s top student, aren’t you? You can heal Immaru with your magic.
Do it in Mahado’s honor!” Priestess Isis stated with determination.
 
She held Mana’s hand and guided her to Immaru. Isis nodded to encourage the
apprentice and Mana nodded back, a new light of purpose filling her eyes.
Priestess Isis’ encouraging words succeeded in freeing her from her insecurity
and her fears. The young apprentice kneeled next to Immaru, whose breathing was
becoming more and more shallow. Dumuzi watched her with large scared eyes while
she summoned her book of spells and frenetically went through the pages.
 
“Healing of flu, no – healing of headache, no - healing for diarrhea, no,no,no!
Ah! Healing for deep wounds!” Mana victoriously announced after a short
frustrating search.
 
“Hurry up!” Dumuzi urged, when Immaru’s strong grip started loosening, a sign
his body was finally succumbing to death. His eyes too were shifting from
terrified to cloudy.
 
“Sekhmet fadlan, waan ku baryayaaye, xiro nabrihii qoto dheer oo ninkaas
dhallinyarada ah.”
 
Mana spoke these words with will and reverence. She hovered her hand just
inches above the wounded chest. A bright blueish light emanated between her
fingers and Immaru’s body. The Moon king gasped and took one long deep breath.
His face and muscles visibly relaxed afterwards. His lungs quickly restored the
air and the boy breathed normally again. Dumuzi laughed blissful, witnessing
the colour return to his sibling’s face. The twins locked their eyes and
wordless words of relieve and happiness were switched. The Sun king kissed
Immaru’s head, while a few stubborn tears insisted in springing from his eyes.
 
“Thank you.” Dumuzi said first to Mana and then to Priestess Isis. “Thank you
so much.”
 
Both Mana and Isis smiled, while everybody else sighed from relieve, including
Bakura. He had stood rooted when he witnessed the Millennium Ring’s dark magic
attack Immaru fatally. He had been petrified and a strange unfamiliar fear
settled itself in his heart. The king of Thieves bitterly realized that moment
he did not desire the boy’s death. He even stopped breathing for a while, when
he watched the boy desperately gasp for air. So when Mana cured the White
Magician with her magic, a wonderful sensation of glee and relieve swept over
his body. He watched for a moment, Yugi and his friends cheer loudly in their
stupid manner. He watched the Pharaoh switch some words to the twin kings. The
Pharaoh! He suddenly remembered.
 
Thief King remembered his mission. He saw the Millennium Ring lying on the
floor forgotten and at his hand reach. He grabbed it and grimaced at the five
points stained in Immaru’s blood. Then he shook away any thought related to the
boy. He needed to focus. He needed to summon Zorc. He was so close to his
revenge. Bakura grinned wickedly and made a run to the hill, where the Seven
Millennium Item’s mold laid.
 
“Hey! Bakura is busy with his evildoing again!” Jounouchi yelled while he
pointed at the hill.
 
Everybody turned to watch Bakura place the two Items on the mold. They had been
so shaken by Immaru’s close encounter with death, that had been distracted for
moments. The Nameless Pharaoh, disgusted by the bandit’s coldness and
wickedness, ran in his direction. Bakura grinned maliciously, seeing his
chance. He ran towards the Egyptian ruler, who was already waving his sword in
the air, and took a knife he had hidden under his robe. Yami realized too late
his disadvantage and watched in horror the blade shine under the moon light
before it would strike him. He shut his eyes in dreadful anticipation and
instead of feeling pain, he heard a clash of metal against metal. He opened his
eyes and gasped. Priest Seto was blocking Bakura’s attack with his Millennium
Rod.
 
“Fear not, Pharaoh! I vowed to protect thy.” He eloquently said, before he
pushed the thief back.
 
“I thank you, Seto.” Yami spoke sincerely.
 
But before he had time to add anything else, Bakura struck back the Egyptian
Priest and Seto barely had time to defend himself. Yami went into his aid and
they engaged in a fierce battle.  If only Kaiba could see himself fighting
boldly at my side. The Pharaoh thought. He was surprised with Bakura’s combat
skills, proving to be not only strong, but also swift and lean. In a cunning
move, the bandit managed to make a cut on Seto’s arm. The priest released a
yell of pain and dropped his Millennium Rod. Thief King, quickly caught the
object and hit the Pharaoh on the way of his escape.
 
“Excuse me, I’m not done with shopping yet!” The thief mockingly said while he
pushed both men out of his way, so both fell on the floor.
 
“Seto, are you all right?” Yami asked worried, seeing some blood dripping from
under the priest’s hand, where he was pressing the wound.
 
“It’s only a superficial cut.” The priest reassured. “Don’t let him hurt the
others, Pharaoh.”
 
The Nameless Pharaoh nodded and ran down, back to the place where his friends
were. He gasped when he met on the way Jounouchi and Honda, who were clearly
injured. They were being helped by Anzu and Yugi.
 
“Are you guys okay?” Yami asked worried. He had to stop Bakura. The man was
becoming wilder and more dangerous. He could not understand where all that
strength came from. He could only figure the desire for revenge was so great
that it fuelled the man’s adrenaline.
 
“We’re fine.” Jounouchi said, while he rubbed his head. “That guy sure is
strong.”
 
“I have to stop him!” Yami muttered and ran down the road again.
 
Yugi called for him and, since he was ignored, chased the Pharaoh ignoring too
his friends’ pleas to stay. Then a woman’s scream filled the air and both teens
ran faster. When Yami and Yugi finally caught up with Bakura, Priest Karim was
lying on the ground unconscious, some blood dripping down his forehead. Thief
King was now in the possession of the Millennium Rod and the Scalles. And he
was moving threateningly in Priestess Isis direction.
 
The young woman, terrified, ran away. Bakura grinned amused and started a
chase, ignoring Yami’s commando to stop. The bandit followed Isis through dark
alleys and narrow streets. Yami and Yugi followed suit through the labyrinthic
streets. Their pursue was difficulted by strange shadows of ghosts that creped
out from the darkness. They would cross paths and try to block their way. After
some hesitance, Yami decided to ignore the ghosts and simply run through them,
frustrating their attempts in preventing him from reaching Bakura. The Pharaoh
and Yugi accelerated their pace when they heard the crazy laughter rise in the
air, echoing in the streets.
 
“Fly, little bird, fly or you’ll be caught!!!” Thief King yelled and continued
to laugh manically.
 
His laughter stopped abruptly when they finally reached a square. Priestess
Isis stared at him wide-eyed, her chest moving up and down rapidly from
accelerated breathing caused by the mad chase. The king of thieves frowned
upset when he saw Dumuzi standing in front of his prey, shielding her. His
stance was firm, his sword ready to strike.
 
“Ha, you defending her. How appropriate!” Bakura mocked, referring to their
reincarnations as siblings. Dumuzi lifted an eyebrow.
 
“What do you mean?” The Sun king asked clueless, wondering what the thief was
trying to imply.
 
“Never mind. You wouldn’t understand, anyway.” The thief replied upset.
Sometimes, being the only one to know the future was boring.
 
Bakura’s frustration grew when he heard the footsteps of the Egyptian ruler and
his dwarf friend stop right behind him. There was a tense moment. A cool breeze
swept the square. All parties stood still, like they were frozen in time.
Bakura quickly studied his position. The Pharaoh was easy to defeat, but Dumuzi
was a different story. That stance alone screamed military experience. If he
was not careful, the Akkadian could hurt him. Or worse, slay him to death.
 
“Give up, Bakura! You are in disadvantage.” The Nameless Pharaoh commanded and
Bakura grinned. The ruler’s arrogance would be his downfall.
 
“Come and get me, Pharaoh.” Thief King whispered.
 
Dumuzi’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to warn the Egyptian king, but it
was too late. Yami fell in Bakura’s trap and made the move to strike. The
attack failed and the was fight short-lived because the bandit easily dominated
the Pharaoh. Yami was hit by the heavy golden rod and fell on the floor half
unconscious. Yugi, terrified, ran to him and lifted his head slightly.
 
“Pharaoh!” The boy yelled. Yami let a small groan escape, his eyelids half
open. Bakura laughed loudly.
 
“That fool knows nothing about combat!” The thief told and then turned to
Dumuzi. Unlike you, apparently.
 
Now he could focus solely on the Sun king. All he had to do was defeat him and
both the Millennium Neckless and Pyramid were his. Without a warning, he made a
short run to close the space between himself and Dumuzi. His biggest chance in
winning was to strike first. Thief King made a run, madness all spread on his
face, on his crazed eyes and crocked grin.  
 
Bakura’s eyes widened of shock when the Sun king lifted his sword in defence
and it suddenly grew considerably in size. Their weapons collided and Bakura
was thrown back by the impact. The king of thieves stared confused at the
Akkadian, because his garments were changing into a strong dark coloured
armour. Before he had time to understand what was going on, Dumuzi launched at
him and the bandit managed to defend himself with difficulty from several
deadly strikes.
 
Bakura finally managed to put some space between himself and the Akkadian. He
panted annoyed. The young king proved to be quite the warrior. He was both
strong and fast. Actually, he was too strong and fast for a normal person,
especially with such heavy armour and sword. Then he sensed a movement coming
from his right. The White Magician silently stepped out of the shadows. It
became clear to the bandit that the boy was using magic to enhance Dumuzi’s
strength. The cheaters! Thief King grimaced while he watched Immaru approach
them. His walk was steady and he seemed to have recovered fully from his
injuries. Yet, he was no longer wearing his White Magician garments. Instead he
was back in his Akkadian outfit. Bakura hoped this would be an indicator his
powers were weakened.
 
“Two against one? It seems quite unfair.” Bakura spoke in his mocking way,
never revealing his concern, which was growing by the minute. The situation was
becoming quite critical.
 
“Considering you have a whole haunted village backing you up, I would say it’s
more than fair.” Dumuzi said and threw another attack.
 
Again, Bakura managed to survive, more by dogging than attacking, since the Sun
king proved to be both skilled and vigorous. Meanwhile, Yami slowly regained
his senses. His vision was blurry, but he could make out the forms of the two
fighters. He tried to speak, but a sound closer to a moan was all he could
utter.
 
“Rest for a while, Yami. It looks like Dumuzi has the upper hand. I’m sure soon
it will be over.” Yugi reassured the weakened Pharaoh. But the boy spoke too
soon.  Bakura, for a second time managed to create some space between himself
and his enemy, but this time he drew out his diadiank and –
 
“Looks like I need some assistance of an old friend of mine!” The thief said in
a dark tone, his grin growing malicious, his eyes shining from insanity.
“Diabound! Come forth!”
 
The monster, which had become larger and stronger after his last duel against
Priest Mahado, immediately attacked and hit Dumuzi directly.
 
“Dumuzi! Are you okay?” The Moon king, who had run to his brother after the
attack, asked while he helped him to stand up.
 
“Yes, it’s more my pride that got hurt.” The Sun king reassured with a smirk,
gaining back a smile. He then redirected his gaze to Diabound. “Look, Immaru.
His monster is stronger.”
 
“It has the ability to gain the powers from defeated monsters. It will not be
easy to defeat him.” The Moon king told.
 
“Okay then. Let’s do this.” Dumuzi said while Immaru nodded.
 
***** The final battle *****
Chapter Summary
     Diabound is back and stronger than ever. Will Yami, his friends and
     the Akkadian kings manage to defeat it?
Chapter Notes
     Sorry again for the hiatus, again longer than expected. Still having
     very busy days and little time to write.
     Enjoy this chapter!
     I do not own Yugi-oh or any of its characters
The Sun king made a run to attack Diabound. Bakura smirked. He commanded his
monster to strike the sandy-haired king with a blast. Dumuzi’s heart skipped a
beat when a moment of hesitance took hold of it, but the warrior king surpassed
his fear, because he trusted. He trusted his brother and his powers. And so, he
felt his body lift unnaturally while jumped in Diabound’s direction. A great
shockwave came in his direction. A translucid fog surrounded him, protecting
him like a cocoon. Dumuzi pierced the blast and continued flying in the
monster’s direction. Closer and closer. Until sword met flesh. The creature
protested and the Sun king quickly jumped back, in the same strange speed, to
stand next to his twin.
 
A cloud of dust lifted. Bakura frowned angrily. The sandy-haired king had
survived the blast untouched. As long Immaru was around using his magic, his
revenge would be delayed. He wasn’t feeling like toying anymore. The bandit was
becoming impatient. His revenge was so near. He could already taste it, but the
twit of his host’s past-life just wouldn’t give a break. Thief King was
confident it was a matter of time before Diabound defeated the Akkadian duo. So
he summoned new monsters. He was going to finish this duel quickly.
 
“You focus on Diabound. I’ll take care of these creatures.” Immaru told,
looking apprehensively at the two new monsters roaring angrily.
 
“Watch out. You lost a lot of blood.” Dumuzi warned. He, better than anybody
else, knew how magic consumed his sibling.
 
“As long as I have the power of the moon, I’ll fine.”
 
Thief King had not expected Immaru to strike first in a daring attack. His two
monsters were caught by surprise, weakened but not destroyed. But the moment
they wavered, Dumuzi struck Diabound again in his incredible superhuman jump.
Yami and Yugi watched the duel unfold with awe and concern. The Akkadians were
beyond doubt courageous and persistent, but they were clearly in disadvantage.
The Pharaoh tried to stand up, only to fall back in Yugi’s arms. He was still
weak and this frustrated him immensely. He wanted to help, he needed to help.
 
Meanwhile, Bakura decided to end this duel once and for all. He gave his two
surviving creatures the command to strike the Akkadian kings. Immaru watched
with horror as two yellow-red blasts came in his direction. It was too sudden.
He wasn’t prepared and made a desperate last-minute attempt to create a defence
shield, which was instantly disintegrated by the energy. Dumuzi grabbed his
brother and barely dodged them from the attack. The twins switched terror-
struck glances when they heard Bakura’s voice giving a command to Diabound.
They joined their hands, understanding this could be their end.  While an
intense bright blast came in their direction, Immaru shouted for protection
from the Moon god. A loud explosion followed and the bandit stared expectant as
the cloud of dust dissipated. He gasped shocked. A long scaled red body stood
in front of his targets. It’s large serpentine body rose high in the sky and
roared mightily.
 
“Sly, the sky-dragon!?” Bakura exclaimed shocked. He turned around and his face
twisted in pure rage. Standing on shaky legs, but defiantly, stood no other but
his nemesis, the Nameless Pharaoh.
 
“Now it’s three against one! I believe these are not the rules of the game.”
The bandit scolded infuriated and Yami smirked confidant.
 
“It is not you who decide the rules.” Yami retorted, his smirk widening. “Have
you forgotten, Bakura? I am the King of Games.”
 
“Bah! Not even your Egyptian god can defeat my Diabound!”
 
“No, not alone, anyway.” Yami said and nodded to the twins.
 
“It is time.” Immaru said, understanding the Pharaoh’s silent words. “Summon
him.”
 
“What?” Bakura asked while he watched Immaru make a flowing dancing gesture
with his arms, a misty white haze form in front of him. Then his eyes shifted
to Dumuzi, who called with a loud and clear voice for his great ally.
 
“God of Sun Dragon! Please come in our aid!!!”
 
A sound was heard in the distance. Like a thunder far away. Bakura could feel
his heart accelerate. If he was lucky, Diabound could survive a combined blast
from the two Egyptian gods. He listened with alarm the hard sound of giant
wings flapper in the night sky, coming closer and closer. With a final loud
roar, the Winged Dragon of Ra descended to stand right behind Dumuzi. Thief
King could feel himself grow pale. He summoned more monsters for protection. He
would fight back. He still had a change. A thin chance. But then something made
his blood freeze.
 
“Lamassu, Protector of the Akkadian homes, Genie of the Royal Empire, I beseech
you for your aid.”
 
Bakura gasped as the fog created by Immaru formed a figure he had met not so
long ago. It was the creature with a man’s head, lion’s body and eagle wings
that the White Magician had used as his final resort in their last battle. His
eyes widened, his heart pumped wildly, while cold sweat drops ran down his
temple. There was no way his Diabound could survive these creatures, three gods
combined. This was his doom. His revenge was slipping away from his fingers.
Frustrated tears cascaded down his cheeks when the three kings ordered their
simultaneous attack. The minor monsters disintegrated in seconds when they were
hit by the triple energy blast. Diabound roared of pain. It bravely tried to
resist the attack. And went down in an honourable way. Bakura fell to his feet.
He was in shock. He had not expected this. His revenge. So close. So near. Was
slipping away. Things could not get worse, could they?
 
“Immaru!!! Oh Lord Immaru!!!” All eyes turned to follow the voice of Mana. The
magician apprentice stood on the hill next to the Cauldron and the Seven Item’s
mold. She was waving in glee. “I did it, just like you asked for!”
 
Bakura thought he was going to have a stroke, when he noticed there was fire
under the Cauldron. Just behind the girl, stood Priest Seto holding the
Millennium Ring and Eye on each of his hands. The thief realized too late that
the fight with the Akkadians had been nothing more than a distraction. Killing
Diabound had never been their priority. He realized the twins had been prepared
to risk their lives to make sure they bought enough time. Precious needed time
to heat up the Cauldron to the right temperature. Bakura turned into a pale
ghostly shade to face Immaru.
 
“I told you I would destroy the Millennium Items.” The boy spoke, his voice
holding a sweet compassionate undertone.
 
 It broke Bakura to hear those words. Furious tears sprung from his eyes as he
stood up. His legs shook, his hands trembled with fingers closed in fists. The
thief clenched his teeth in fury and panted like a wild bull. The White
Magician, Ryou’s past live, the Akkadian ruler had dared to step in between him
and his revenge.
 
“I am going to kill you!!!” He furiously shouted, while Dumuzi was already
lifting his sword.
 
“Pharaoh! Take Isis with you. Quick, you must haste!” Immaru pled, witnessing
the blinded rage in the thief’s eyes. Yami grabbed the priestess hand and made
a run towards the hill. They headed to the Cauldron. They needed to destroy the
Millennium Items. It was the only way to defeat Bakura, to avoid Darkness from
swallowing the world.
 
“How dare you!” Bakura shouted and attempted to chase the Pharaoh and Isis, but
Dumuzi stopped him by blocking his way. An uncontrolled rage took over the Evil
Spirit of the Millennium Ring mind. He saw red, quite literally. Everything was
turning red.
 
“Immaru!” Dumuzi called out, feeling quite intimidated by the display of fury
in front of him. He would swear Bakura’s face was morphing, misshaping. He
would swear his eyes grew and blood-red painted them. He would swear the
thief’s teeth had become sharper like a tiger’s.
 
“Now!!!” Immaru commanded.
 
Priest Seto, who stood on the hill, walked closer to the great Cauldron. He
took the few steps that allowed him to stand just above the mouth of the
Cauldron. He looked into its interior and felt the unbearable heat wash over
his face. A blubbering red liquid was enflaming the Caudron’s interior. He
heard a desperate cry of anger far away. He sensed the ghosts around him,
moaning displeased. He ignored all of this and did exactly as Immaru had
instructed him. He took the Millennium Ring and raised it to his eyes’ level.
He looked at it and the memory of Priest Mahado invaded his mind. His friend
had died because of this piece of golden. Many more would if it wasn’t
destroyed.  A sense of cold anger invaded his heart. Priest Seto dropped the
Millennium Ring.
 
“NO!!!” Bakura had yelled when he saw Priest Seto stand by the edge of the
Caldron’s mouth. “Stop!!!” The thief pled while he violently pushed Dumuzi out
of the way and ran up in the hill’s direction. Immaru, Dumuzi and Yugi followed
him immediately, afraid he would hurt somebody in his despair. “NOOOOO!”
 
The world stopped.
 
Bakura watched the Millennium Ring, his Millennium Ring, be dropped. He watched
the golden item fall from Seto’s hand into the Cauldron. The magical object
fell as if in slow motion, turning itself around in the air, in fear,
protesting, vainly trying to escape from its death. And it met the red liquid.
It sunk in it and short after a small golden stream surfaced.
 
Bakura was still running and screaming mindlessly when a horrible jolt of pain
hit his body. He stumbled and fell to his knees, panting in shock. He pressed
his hand against his rib cage confused. He took a few deep breaths and the pain
diminished a little bit. Enough for him to be reminded of his anger. Enough for
his murderous instincts to return. Now it was impossible to summon Zorc. His
revenge, his sole life mission, had been stolen. Bakura clenched his teeth in
maddening fury. Hatred fuelled his existence. He still could have his revenge.
He would have his revenge. He out took a sharp dagger from under his robe and
in a swift move, turned around to attack the first person he could find.
 
Yugi watched horrified as Dumuzi blocked Bakura’s attempt in murdering him. The
short teenager stared petrified at the way the thief yelled at him, barking and
spitting like a mad animal. “I’ll kill you!!! Yugi, I’ll finish your miserable
existence! I’ll cut your insides and spread them on the ground, so your dear
Pharaoh can mourn over them before I stab him too!!”
 
The Evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring made a move to strike again. His eyes
widened greatly, the dagger fell from his hand while he collapsed to his knees
again. For a second time, Bakura felt a horrible pain sting all his body cells.
This time it was worse. His heart contracted. His stomach turned in agony. He
rolled to his side while he released an involuntary scream. Priest Seto had
just dropped the Millennium Eye in the Cauldron and was already looking at the
Rod with a pensive look.
 
“What is happening?” Yugi asked perplexed while he and the Akkadian kings
watched Bakura stand up in agony, his arms encircling his abdomen, his fingers
clenching to his sides.
 
“The Darkness inside of him is dying.” Immaru explained in a clear concerned
look. Priest Seto had just dropped the Millennium Rod and Bakura was yelling of
pure agony, while rolling on the ground from one side to the other. The pain
was awful, excruciating, unbearable. The Moon king saw Priestess Isis arrive at
the hill, followed by the Pharaoh and Priest Karim, all three of them bearing
their Items. “Wait! Just wait a minute!” The Akkadian ruler shouted for the
others surprise.
 
“What are you doing?” Dumuzi asked upset.
 
“He needs some time to recover. If we destroy all the items in one time, his
body might not survive.” The Moon king explained.
 
“What if he dies? Who cares? He’s a dangerous criminal, a psychopathic
murderer.” Dumuzi said clearly annoyed by his twin’s endless compassion.
Sometimes his brother was simply too good.
 
“The man we have come to know these last days isn’t the real Bakura. He’s
influenced by Darkness in such a way, his real persona is eclipsed by this
evil.” The Moon king retorted. “Once the Items are all destroyed, he will be
free from Darkness.”
 
Dumuzi switched glances with Yugi, sighed and then nodded. They allowed the
Egyptian to slowly recover. His breathing became less fastened and he fought to
stand up on his shaky legs. He took a few steps, his endeavour in stopping all
the Millennium Items from being destroyed never dying. Immaru looked up at the
hill. The Nameless Pharaoh was looking at him expectantly. The White Magician
gave a sign to proceed and Yami quickly climbed the few steps on the Caudron.
He stared at the Puzzle that he was holding between his hands. Suddenly he felt
reluctant of letting it go. This object was the bond between Yugi and him. It
was what brought them together, it was the symbol of their friendship. It
pained him greatly to destroy it. Many memories of Yugi and him returned to his
mind and he hesitated.
 
“Do it.” Yami turned around abruptly, shock all written on his face. Yugi had
seen the way his “other self” lingered too long at the Cauldron’s mouth. He
understood the reason for his hesitance and ran up the hill.  “It’s okay,
Yami.”
 
The Pharaoh gasped surprised but nodded. With a sad sight, he let go of the
puzzle and immediately heard a horrible scream. He turned around and Bakura,
who had gained enough strength to reach the hill top during the Pharaoh’s
hesitant moments, was bent over on his knees, grasping his middle in obvious
pain.
 
“Isis, Karim, quick! Give me your Items.” The Pharaoh urged and his command was
immediately obeyed.
 
“No, wait! Please.” Bakura begged, while he stretched his arm. “Please! It
hurts so much!”
 
Yami stared surprised, not expecting his nemesis to beg him for anything. He
watched the way the thief breathed in and out with difficulty and took pity of
him. He saw Immaru and Dumuzi reach the hill too. The Moon king looked down at
Bakura and when he thought it good enough, nodded at Yami. The Pharaoh turned
around without any hesitation and promptly threw another item. He wanted this
to end as soon as possible. The Millennium Neckless’ gold mingled with the red
liquid and Bakura let out another loud scream. A burbling cough was followed
and a black liquid escaped his throat. The bandit stared shocked at the black
fluid on the floor. His whole body ached, he felt like his head was exploding
and he felt nauseous. But none of these indispositions matched the horror of
watching this alien substance being rejected by his body.
 
Another wave of pain. Bakura didn’t have the strength to scream this time. He
saw black dots in front of his eyes and contorted when his stomach twisted
around. He vomited a wave of black liquid and moaned terrified, feeling sicker
by the minute, cold chills running under his skin.
 
“We are missing one Item.” The Nameless Pharaoh realized. “Where is Shada?”
 
Mana and the priests wore looks of guilt, having completely forgotten their
friend. The time travellers were concerned his absence would prevent the cycle
from being broken. The Akkadians switched worried glances, while Bakura
released a soft mourning moan. Priest Seto was about to tell that Shada was
stuck in another dimension, when all heads turned to the source of a voice.
 
“My Pharaoh, I am here.”
 
Relieve washed over everybody (except Bakura, who was still dealing with his
excruciating agony) when they saw the priest walk towards them, holding the
final Millennium Item. He walked past Seto and switched glances. The taller
priest felt chill run down his spin when he looked into his friend’s eyes. They
were different. They held in them a new knowledge, a new wisdom, one that only
was possible to achieve by defeating the barriers of time. Seto instantly knew
that, a few hours for him, were years, perhaps centuries for Shada. His eyes
were old and mysterious, but they spoke of loyal friendship. Priest Seto
whispered “welcome back” and Shada smiled. He handled over his Key to Yami. The
Nameless Pharaoh looked down at the final item. Soon it would all be over.
Darkness would be defeated. His mission would be complete. He looked at Immaru,
who nodded again, encouraging him. Yami turned to the Cauldron. The
understanding that all the troubles of the past days, no, years, were about to
end was strange. He opened his hand and the final Millennium Item was swallowed
by the red glowing liquid. It started boiling insanely, so Yami quickly ran
down the few steps.
 
Bakura made a strangling sound while waves of black sticky liquid were rejected
by his body. The ground shook. The ghosts of the village flew around in
circles. Bakura coughed the last remains of the liquid and relieve washed over
his body. The pain was finally over. Then a blast followed and everybody gasped
shocked as the Cauldron shook violently, before a beam of red and golden light
burst out of it. The flash lasted only a few seconds and after that, the
Cauldron collapsed to the side and fell down the cliff side of the hill,
shattering in pieces as it hit the ground. The souls of the villagers continued
moving in circles, rising up in the sky’s direction until, one by one, they
transformed in a small dust particles and vanished like stars in the early
morning. Everybody stared in awe. The spirits were free. Darkness was defeated.
It was all over now. The priests sighed of relieve, the 21st century friends
cheered happily, the Akkadian brothers hugged in an uncoordinated dance.
 
Bakura was the only one to remain immobile. The man was still on his knees, his
hands on the floor supporting his weight. His eyes were fixed on the sky, on
the place dozens and dozens of little lights had shinned and departed. His
people, his friends, his family, were finally free. Tears cascaded down his
face while sadness and blissfulness invaded his heart at the same time. He was
thankful. They were finally gone. They could finally rest. He could finally
move on. He turned his head to look at his side and saw Immaru laughing along
the others. And then, Bakura suddenly realized. It was as if a misty fog had
blocked his vision for centuries and now the thin veil of illusion was finally
lifted. All the evil he did. All the crimes he committed. From his years in
Egypt, to the centuries he lived in the Ring.
 
The Moon king suddenly halted with his cheering. He saw the way Bakura was
looking at him. There was so much hurt in his eyes. New tears ran down the
bandit’s face when he looked at Immaru, because in truth, he saw Ryou. The
sweet, caring and vulnerable Ryou. The boy he abused, mistreated, hurt to no
limits during the last four years. An innocent good-hearted child, condemned to
lose everything – his family, his friends, his body and even his mind – because
of one insane spirit. Bakura was disgusted at himself. He stood up with
difficulty, stumbled in the process, his eyes never leaving Immaru.
 
“What have I done?” Bakura muttered in shock. “Oh gods, what have I done.” All
he memories, all the crimes, murders, evildoings returned to his mind in a
whole new perspective. “What have I done?”
 
“Bakura!” Immaru called, when the bandit made a run down the hill. He was about
to follow him, but Dumuzi held his arm.
 
“Let him go, Immaru. I believe he needs to be alone. For now.” The sandy-haired
king said and Immaru reluctantly agreed. He turned to look at the others and
smiled still a bit apprehensively. He was about to congratulate everybody for
their efforts when Mana’s voice raised above all others.
 
“We did it! Atem, we did it!”
 
Yami turned to Mana and stared at her shocked. Atem. Hearing that name, his
birthname, all his past memories suddenly returned, like if they never had been
lost. He remembered his days as a small child, playing with Mana under Mahado’s
vigilant eyes. He remembered his father teaching him about ruling a country. He
remembered Priest Akhenaden was actually his uncle and, often they had private
lunches in the palace’s gardens. He remembered meeting the priests for the
first time. He remembered meeting Seto and being impressed with his moral
conducts. He remembered everything!
 
***** Atem *****
Chapter Summary
     What will happen after the destruction of the Millenium Items. Will
     Yami remember his name? What will happen to the up to now unbreakable
     cycle?
     Enjoy another chapter
     I DO NOT OWN YUGI-OH OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Atem.
 
The Nameless Pharaoh was not nameless anymore. It was like some kind of curse
had been broken, like a thick fog was lifted from his mind. Remembering this
one short word, his birthname, was the key to regain his stolen identity. He
was Pharaoh Atem, son of Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen; ruler of Egypt, a god
incarnated in flesh, Horus reborn. Pharaoh Atem turned to Yugi feeling
blissful.
 
“Yugi! I re-“
 
Atem cut his own words when he saw Yugi’s face. The shorter boy wore an
expression of crude shock. His widened eyes were filled with an ominous fear.
Then, unexplainably, just like Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda, Yugi’s body became
translucid. Suddenly, their bodies seemed to be violently pulled by an
unnatural force, as they flew high in the sky. The four friends screamed
helpless while they were defencelessly sucked upwards in a fast speed.
 
 “Yugi!!!!”
 
 Pharaoh Atem’s shout was the last thing the 21st friends heard before they
were swallowed by the upside-down pyramid that hung weirdly on the sky. They
screamed disoriented during their unexpected and dizzying travel that lasted,
fortunately, only a few moments. They landed roughly on cold hard floor but
quickly stood up, completely alarmed.
 
“Where the Hell are we?!” Jounouchi asked loudly while the others looked around
apprehensively.
 
All was white. Their surroundings were completely white. The whiteness
stretched itself into eternity, where there was no beginning and no end.  They
were in nothing. Anzu braced herself protectively, while Yugi called out for
Atem in despair. Jounouchi and Honda joined him. Suddenly they froze. In the
mist of this strange whiteness a shape started forming itself. The four friends
silenced immediately and watched expectantly as the new shape slowly morphed
into a human form and walked towards them.
 
“Shadi!!!” Yugi shouted, feeling relieved. Surely, the man would explain what
happened, or at least, tell them how to get back to Atem.
 
“Thank you, my friends. You broke the cycle.” Shadi said in a smile. He joined
his hands and bowed in thankfulness. “I can finally move on.”
 
As soon as the words were spoken, the ghost of Shadi became quickly
transparent, until it faded in the whiteness.
 
“Hey! You cannot leave us here!” Honda shouted revolted.
 
He barely had spoken these words, when suddenly, the surroundings started
changing. The four friends turned into all directions, witnessing new shapes
and colors gaining life around them. Everything was becoming clearer and
clearer. They were finally somewhere. A solid place, with walls and floors,
with furniture and artificial lights.
 
“We are back in the 21st century.” Anzu realized. She flinched with a gasp when
a whole new set of memories invaded her mind. Memories of alternative events
that took place the last four years. Events in which Yami and Bakura did not
exist, events where there were no Millennium Items. No confrontations with
Pegasus, Malik or any other villain they had encountered the last years.
 
“I remember things that did not happen!” Jounouchi said perplexed.
 
“And yet, they happened.” Yugi added confused.
 
“Where are we in the first place?” Honda questioned while he scanned his
surroundings.
 
“There you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” A raven-haired handsome
teenager with green eyes walked in the ample division they were in.
 
“Nigiku?” Yugi asked.
 
“What?” The teenager asked confused.
 
“I mean, hi Otogi!” Yugi quickly corrected, while he rubbed the back of his
head nervously. The other three smiled awkwardly. Otogi raised an eyebrow.
 
“You guys are acting really weird today.” The green-eyed teenager mumbled.
“Anyway, our guide is waiting for us. We are so lucky! He speaks Japanese. Can
you believe that?”
 
“Yeah, indeed, what are the chances of finding anybody speaking Japanese in
these parts?!” Jounouchi joked, while he and the rest of the gang followed
their friend.
 
Soon they realized they were in a museum. One displaying ancient Egyptian
artifacts. They saw posters about temporary expositions and gasped when they
recognized the Tablet of Forgotten Memories on one of them. They were the more
dazzled by the minute. The friends switched confused gazes while they followed
Otogi. Suddenly they all froze. Waiting for them, were Jounouchi’s sister
Shizuka and Grandpa with the company of a white-haired teenager. He smiled
while he watched them come closer.
 
“Great, now that we are complete, we may start.” The silver-haired teen said
making a welcoming gesture. “Welcome in Cairo’s Ancient Egyptian Museum. My
name is Ryou and I’ll be your guide for your visit here. Please forgive my
Japanese. I’m a bit out of practice.” He excused himself and the group
dismissed, telling him his Japanese was perfect and followed him.
 
“What the Hell is going on?” Jounouchi whispered at his other three friends.
 
“I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure it has to do with the breaking of the
cycle.” Yugi apprehensively said.
 
“Is that why we have a set of new memories?” Anzu asked.
 
“Apparently.” Yugi said with a grimace and then sighed. “I hate we were just
pulled away from the past. I wonder what happened to Yami.”
 
…
 
Not so far from the museum, an alarm was ringing loudly. Wheels screeched as
two police cars stationed in front a Jewelry shop and four officers stepped out
of the vehicles. One went into assisting the robbed shop’s owner, who was
hysteric, shouting loudly and shaking his arms in all directions. The other
three started their pursuit. The jewelry thief ran swiftly, knocking people
over as he raced as fast as he could in streets, avenues and alleys. The three
police officers chased him, replicating his mad speed. At a certain point,
there was an intersection and they split. Two continued pursuing the thief,
while the third one entered a different street. The thief threw a few trashcans
in the policemen’s way, winning time. He made a quick turn into a straight
alley, snickering at his triumph. He turned into another dark alley and didn’t
even have time to see the fist that landed hard on his face. He fell back on
the floor from the impact and cursed when he brought his hand to his bleeding
nose.
 
“Hey! Never heard that crime does not pay?” The police that had punched the
thief asked with a cocky grin.
 
His smile only widened when the other two officers caught up with them. He
thief lifted his eyes and sighed defeated. There were three men pointing a gun
at him. Having no other choice, he lifted his hands in the air, while he cursed
internally for his luck.
 
“Great work, Tousoku!” The Senior police spoke to the officer with lilac eyes,
shoulder-length messy white-hair and a bad-ass looking scar on the right-side
of his face. “You continue like this and you’ll get promoted soon.”
 
After reading the criminal’s rights, Tousoku and his partner escorted the thief
to the car, while the other two officers remained in the crime scene. After a
short ride, they were back at the station, where the procedures for the arrest
followed.  Tousoku boasted proudly of his achievement to his co-workers,
retelling the chase with an overdramatic tone. The others laughed and teased in
a friendly way, amused by the way he always portrayed himself heroically in his
adventures. Nobody was bothered by his need to envy others with his successes.
Tousoku was popular, for he had gained their respect years ago, when he was no
more than a “greenie” and a boy coming from the shanty town. Once he was
finished with his tale, the white-haired officer went to get a coffee from the
vending machine. He took one sip from it and made a face. He heard an amused
chuckle behind him and turned to see his favorite trainee holding a bunch of
papers.
 
“If you dislike the coffee this much, why you keep drinking it?” The trainee
asked. Lilac eyes curved along with a grin, forming an expression of pure
mischief.
 
“I see they are giving you all the boring paperwork.” Tousoku retorted,
ignoring the boy’s comment. The kid, only a few years younger than himself,
sighed annoyed.
 
“They told me I need to understand the bureaucratics first before I can go to
the streets!”
 
“Ha! You believe that bullshit?” Tousoku said in a mocking tone. “You carry on
being this naïve and obedient and you’ll never see daylight.”
 
“So, what am I supposed to do?”
 
“Fill in the papers, of course.” Tousoku said matter-of-fact.
 
The trainee pouted in a way that made Tousoku bark an amused laughter. Despite
his crazy giggling having become something of the ordinary in the police
station, there was still always somebody who insisted in scolding him and
telling him to control himself. He sounded like a maniac, after all. The white-
haired Egyptian mumbled something unkind under his breath before he turned to
the vending machine. He needed another coffee. The trainee walked back to the
office, shaking his head.  Why Tousoku insisted drinking coffee he clearly
considered filthy was beyond his comprehension. The trainee entered the office
where he was assigned to do his paperwork and suddenly froze.
 
He quickly turned around, his face holding an expression of pure bafflement. He
stared at the back of Tousoku. He could see the tension on his too straight
back and broad shoulders. The white-haired man too turned around, holding the
same look of incredibility in his eyes as the trainee. Both opened their mouths
and the same words were spoken at the same time.
 
“I remember!”
 
 
Chapter End Notes
     Sorry for the short chapter
     I'm guessing you already figured out who's Touzoku. If not, go to
     google translater and write Touzoku-ou in Japanese and see what will
     appear in English. :D
     Did you also figured out who's Touzoku's favorite trainee?
***** Future meet Past *****
Chapter Summary
     So what happened 5,000 years ago, after Yugi and his friends were
     sucked into to the weird hanging pyramid?
Chapter Notes
     For those you guessed right (it was quite obvious, wasn't it)
     Tousoku is, of course, our favorite Thief, just like the trainee is
     our favorite Pharaoh :D
Yugi and his friends sat outside on the steps of the Museum’s entrance. They
needed air. They needed space. Grandpa and Shizuka had gone to eat a snack and
Otogi was still inside, chatting merrily with Ryou. The two of them got along
very easily (no wonder) and were still engaged in an apparent endless
conversation. It seemed they had millennia to catch up.
 
The four friends still could not understand what was going on. They were back
in the present, but in a world where the last four years they lived had never
happened. They had two sets of memories, the one from before their travel to
the past and the one they gained after their return. And had no idea which
memories were the real ones for both felt equally truthful.
 
They had toured the museum and visited the five rooms dedicated to the Egyptian
History of 5,000 years ago. The stele of Lost Memories stood there, in the
center of a chamber. It was unchanged with the exception that the once empty
cartouche had now the hieroglyph “Atem” inscribed in it. Also, the stele was
not about a battle between the Pharaoh and Priest Seto, but instead it was an
ode to their great deeds, achieved by their team work. The royal priest had
been named Main Advisor by his king during his fourth year of rule and an era
of prosperity in Egypt was followed. 
 
Yugi and his friends had seen personal objects of Pharaoh Atem displayed in
several vitrines. Pieces of cloths, jewelry, hygiene products, weapons. There
were beautiful statues of their friend, made out from wood or different kinds
of stones, all portraying him in his youth, his nobility and divinity. The most
disconcerting section of the exposition was the chamber reproducing his tomb.
There lay Pharaoh Atem’s mummified body. It hurt them to be confronted by his
death. It disturbed them to see the flesh dried and crimpled by the
mummification methods that survived time. He lay there, exposed in a vitrine
like a meaningless object, reduced to a fascinating curiosity for many eyes. It
felt wrong. Yugi had excused himself telling he felt suddenly unwell, which was
the truth. Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda volunteered to stay with him missing the
last part of the visit.
 
“I can’t believe he’s dead.” Yugi finally broke the heavy silence. “I mean, I
knew he was dead. It has been 5,000 years, after all. But…” The corner of his
eyes filled up with tears, as he choked in his last words. Anzu rested her hand
on his shoulder and gave a soft comforting squeeze.
 
“Can’t believe he only became 52.” Honda said in a sigh and missed Anzu’s
murderous glare.
 
“52 was ancient in those times. Yami – I mean, Atem, actually became pretty
old.” Jounouchi clarified. He gave a hurt smile and turned to Yugi. “He had a
good life. Thanks to us, he lived a long and fulfilled life.”
 
Two tears ran down Yugi’s face, as the pain became too great to hold back. He
smiled sadly and nodded, unable to utter a word. He knew the blond was right.
Still, he missed his partner greatly. What pained him the most was the fact he
didn’t even have the chance to pay farewell properly. A sob escaped his throat
when he wished he could see Yami’s face one last time.
 
“Hey, Yugi!”
 
The short teenager felt his eyes grow insanely, while he gasped, lost of air.
Just like his friends, he stood up in a jump. Not too far away from them, two
guys were running in their direction and one of them looked just like –
 
“Yami!!!!” Yugi shouted while his heart jolted of overwhelming joy. He could
not believe his eyes. He could not trust his ears. How was this even possible?
But then again, he had travelled to the past, witnessed magic and monsters,
possessions and ghosts. So, he didn’t care to know how this was happening. All
that mattered was that the boy running in his direction was his best friend,
his other self. Yugi shortened the distance between them by running down the
stairs and met his Egyptian friend half way. “Oh, I’m so happy to the see
you!!!” The boy merrily said and shared a tight hug with the Pharaoh. He could
feel fingers dig with the same strength as his in his back, a wonderous
sensation.
 
“It has been too long.” Yami whispered in his ear, before they released each
other, their eyes denouncing their overwhelming emotions.
 
 “I can’t believe you are here!” Yugi blurted overwhelmed with joy, while he
wiped the water that rested under his eyes. “How is it possible?”
 
“I don’t know.” Atem spoke, his eyes shining from the waves of emotions, his
smile never fading, his mind still not grasping the reality “I have no idea
what is going on. All I know is, I have this life here in Egypt, and just now,
a few minutes ago, my old memories from my life as a Pharaoh returned to my
mind.”
 
Yugi stared surprised at his friend and opened his mouth to say something, but
Jounouchi’s loud and shrieking voice rose above all other sounds.
 
“Hey! What the Hell is he doing here?!” The blond shouted infuriated. Atem
looked at Jounouchi who was pointing down, behind him with an expression of
utter horror. The Pharaoh then turned around, so he was face to face to
Tousoku.
 
“He’s a friend.” Atem said with a smile and the other four gasped horrified.
“We have been friends for quite a while, actually.” Yugi and his friends stared
with pure disbelief at the once king of thieves. Jounouchi fell backwards, but
was back on his feet two seconds later, rubbing his eyes and blinking
repeatedly, obviously not believing this reality. The Evil Spirit of the
Millennium Ring was standing arms crossed, looking as arrogant and confident as
ever, a mad grin on his lips reminding them not to trust him. He looked exactly
like the last time they saw him. Same age, same hairstyle. He even had the same
scar on his right cheek. The only thing that was different was…
 
“Is that a police uniform?” Anzu asked shocked and Tousoku’s grin grew wider.
 
“It appears I’m on the side of law, this time.” The former king of thieves said
to the bewilderment of the four time-travelers. It was all very strange and
disconcerting. They were confused and needed answers to their too many
questions. But Yugi could only think about one single question.
 
“Atem, what happened after we disappeared?”
 
The two Egyptians switched glances. Touzoku nodded. Atem’s eyes became grave
and wise, suddenly too old for his current age. The memories of his former life
returned to him mind, as fresh as it had just happened. He turned to his
friends. He was ready to tell them his story.
 
…
 
5,000 years ago, Kul Elna, Ancient Egypt
 
“Yugi!!! Yugi!!!” Pharaoh desperately shouted while he saw his best friend, the
boy that did everything in his power to help him regain his memories, be
swallowed by the creepy upside-down pyramid. “Nooooo!!!” The object disappeared
from the sky too, so that the dark starry cloth of night returned to its normal
state. “What happened?” The Egyptian ruler shouted scared and furious at the
same time. He turned to Immaru bewildered. The White Magician was staring at
the sky wide-eyed, mouth gaped. He turned his gaze to him. His face screamed
utter confusion. Immaru’s disoriented look only increased Atem’s despair. “What
happened?!!!”
 
“I-I’m sorry. I really have – no idea.” Immaru sadly admitted and Atem screamed
while he fell to his knees, tears cascading down his eyes. He had lost Yugi.
Again. And this time, he somehow knew, he wouldn’t be able to recover him.
 
The evil Bakura was defeated and Darkness prevented from rising. Egypt and the
rest of the world were safe from a danger that fortunately never evolved. The
curse was lifted. Good won. Destiny smiled to the world. It was an event worthy
of great commemoration. It was a happening that should be loudly cheered. But
there was no cheering or joyful laughter in Kul Elna. The general feeling was
of unbearable sadness, grief and misery. Yugi and his friends disappeared.
Nobody knew if they lived or if they died. And if they lived, what guaranteed
they were safe? What if they were caught in some kind of time limbo, cursed to
be lost between past and future for all eternity? And if they returned to their
time, was their world a safe place? Would they remember Atem or would their
minds erase everything, now that the Past was changed? There is nothing more
horrible than an open question mark, an unfinished chapter, for all options are
always open. Uncertainty survives to the end. The book is never closed.
 
But after a long dark night, the sun always rises again. While the group slowly
and mournfully left Kul Elna, a new day was slowly born. A warm golden light
chased dark shadows away and redesigned the world with colors. The caldron and
the Millennium’s mold had been buried. And with it, the tragic history of Kul
Elna. The once haunted and eerie village was now a quiet, silent and peaceful
place. Its streets were empty, their houses uninhabited. No grudge filled the
walls that once had witnessed so much pain. The group slowly left the ruined
village.
 
Atem led the way out of this once cursed place, his feet stumbling while his
mind was foggy. Yugi was gone. His friends were gone. His heart was heavy with
sorrow. Mana followed him, looking concerned. When they reached the end of the
road, she rested her hand on his shoulder. Their eyes met. She witnessed his
inner pain and gave a small squeeze on his shoulder. He read her unspoken words
in her sweet eyes and soft smile. And he smiled both sad and happy. Because
today he had both lost and won. He lost Yugi, Anzu, Joucnouchi and Honda. But
he won Mana, the girl he had a lifetime of memories. He remembered. She was his
childhood friend, his confident, his safe haven. Mana always had been there for
him and he knew she would always be. Their gazes were locked and spoke wordless
words like they always did. The intimacy was overwhelming. Atem awkwardly broke
the gaze and the fleeting magic died awkwardly.
 
The Pharaoh looked back and watched the priests. They too were his loyal
friends. They carried the lifeless body of Priest Akhenaden. Brother to his
father, his uncle, the Royal house’s second twin. He thought it funny to
suddenly remember this particular detail. Well, he now remembered everything.
What an irony. What a strange coincidence. His father became the ruler of
Egypt, while his uncle became the High priest. Many years later, in Akkad, also
two twins were born. Only, the firstborn was appointed to the religious life,
while the second born was to be the king. The rest was history. The Sun and the
Moon cannot rule the skies alone. One cannot exist without the other. And so
they ruled together as One. Many years later, Atem would be reminded of this
musing moment, when a messenger would bring the news that the Sun and Moon
kings died in their birthday at the age of 50.
 
They died together, like everything else they did in their life time, lying on
a bed side by side, old, ill and worn, under the watchful care of priests and
surrounded by their beloved family.
Both had died in their sleep. Dumuzi right in the moment the moon disappeared
behind the horizon. Immaru a few minutes later, the moment the first sun rays
illuminated the world with a new day. Their death had been the opposite of
their births. It was like they were summoned by the gods to be reborn in the
Afterlife.
 
Atem watched the young twin kings walk down the road. Immaru was leaning on his
brother for support, looking exhausted, pale and weak. The Pharaoh would have
sworn he heard him whisper “food”, followed by an impatient and exasperated
sound coming from Dumuzi. He resisted an amused chuckle and was glad some
things never changed.
 
When he finally reached the outskirts of the village, the Pharaoh saw the
Winged Dragon of Ra was patiently waiting for them. Its eyes watched the
brothers with mellowness. Priest Seto and Shada mounted their horses. Karim
took the white stallion Immaru had brought, for he refused to ride the monster
a second time. Priest Akhenaden’s body was placed on the Pharaoh’s stallion.
Pharaoh Atem, Priestess Isis, Mana and the Akkadians mounted the Sun Dragon and
together, they all headed to Cairo.
 
After that, days slowly passed and little by little, life started to return to
its normality. Atem soon understood ruling a great kingdom was no easy task. He
was therefore thankful for his Court, for his vizier who looked exactly like
Yugi’s grandpa; for his priests from which some would be reborn to meet him
again in the distant future; for his generals and for his counselors. Above
all, Atem was grateful for his father’s teachings, which remained imprinted in
his mind. The civilians were his priority. Streets, homes and shops damaged by
Duel Monsters’ rage were being rebuilt.
 
As for the Akkadian rulers, they chose to stay in Cairo for another couple of
weeks. This was the perfect moment to strengthen the diplomatic relationships
between the two great cities. A message was sent to Nigiku with urgency, to let
him know the Sun and Moon kings would return soon as winners. Yet, the twins
too did not savor the victory. They too missed their strange travel companions
from the 21st century. They too were worried with their safety. During the
first days, right after his recovery, Immaru started to try and pick any
signal, any hint of Yugi and his friends. But nothing. The same happened with
Priestess Isis and Mana. They even tried to combine their energy and focus
together, but it was all fruitless. The 21st century was a too distant future
for them to even catch the tiniest glimpse.
 
What nobody knew, was that Immaru did capture other glimpses. He saw flashes
from things that had already happened, like the three children he once saw
running around in the palace’s gardens; children he recognized as Atem, Mana
and Mahado. Sometimes he saw images of things that had not yet happened and saw
other children, sometimes around Atem, sometimes around Dumuzi. But most of the
times, Immaru caught glimpses of the present. His mind would travel to the
desert, not unwillingly, but also not premeditated. When Immaru meditated, his
mind somehow seemed to want to drift away to the barren landscapes of the hot
arid land. And there, he would see him. Bakura, the Thief King. It hurt him to
watch the man lost and disoriented in his own life. A man without a purpose
anymore. A man confused, trying to understand who he used to be and who he
wanted to be. Immaru witnessed Bakura’s inner turmoil and longed desperately to
aid him. But for some reason, something prevented him from doing so.
Eventually, Immaru’s mind would leave the desert and return to the palace.
 
“Drifting away in your thoughts again, brother?” Dumuzi’s cheerful voice was
heard behind Immaru. The Moon king turned around with an amused smile, but
failed to hide the sadness in his eyes for a fraction of a moment. “Is
something wrong?”
 
“No, I’m just having mixed feelings about leaving Cairo.” Immaru lied and
walked to a chair to sit down. Dumuzi watched his twin thoughtfully and then a
smirk formed on his lips.
 
“Going to miss Mana?” He asked teasingly. The white-haired teenager blinked
twice confused. Dumuzi’s smirk grew wider. “You have been spending quite some
time with her lately.” Immaru, understanding his brother’s intentions, chuckled
amused before he shook his head.
 
“She’s my friend, nothing else. Mana is quite enthusiastic about learning
magic.” The Moon king explained, but he could see by his twin’s face, Dumuzi
wasn’t buying it. “Besides, I don’t think the Pharaoh would appreciate if we
would take Mana away from Cairo.” Dumuzi snorted entertained and too sat on a
chair.
 
“That’s true. But still, Immaru. She’s very pretty.”
 
“Not as pretty as Priestess Isis.” Immaru retorted with an identic smirk and
the sand-haired boy blushed profoundly. The Moon king released an amused giggle
while Dumuzi tried to look cool. “I heard there was a last arrangement for her
to travel with us to Akkad.” The Sun king cursed internally for his brother’s
astuteness.
 
“The Pharaoh thinks it’s important for the relationship between the religious
members of our kingdoms to be reinforced. Karim will be representing Egypt’s
religious male population and Isis, well, as you said yourself, Atem is not
willing to depart from his precious Mana.”
 
“Of course, Dumuzi. I knew that. You didn’t have to justify.”
 
“You mean, I didn’t need to explain.”
 
Immaru released another amused giggle, while his brother’s eyes became darker
from shame and his cheeks redder from embarrassment. A pleasant silence
followed, in which none of the brothers felt the need to talk. An evening warm
breeze brought by the desert moved the curtains and played with their hairs.
The Moon king’s gaze automatically casted itself in the desert’s direction and
melancholy filled his eyes.
 
“You’re thinking about him again, aren’t you?” Dumuzi asked, breaking the
appeasing quietness.
 
“What do you mean?”
 
“Ever since we left Kul Elna, you often stare in the desert’s direction. You’re
worried with Bakura, aren’t you?” There was no teasing, no scolding or
judgement in Dumuzi’s tone. It was a legitimate question coming from a
concerned brother.
 
“Yes. I can sense him sometimes. When I meditate I have glimpses of him.”
Immaru sorrowfully confessed.
 
“That’s odd. I always thought once the evil and Darkness in Bakura would be
lifted, that you wouldn’t be connected to him anymore.”
 
“I think it’s more complicated than that.” The Moon king tiredly said while he
rubbed his temple. “I kept seeing his memory about the massacre. Later on we
bonded. I don’t think it’s that easy to break such a connection.” Dumuzi nodded
in understanding, his chin resting on his palm. Then, his brow knitted.
 
“You mean -  you were always bonded.”
 
“What?”
 
“Well, you said – later on we bonded. Weren’t you bonded from the very
beginning?” The Sun king innocently asked. Immaru’s eyes widened from shock and
he went from pale to pink. Dumuzi stared perplexed at his twin. “In what way
did you guys bond?” The sand-haired teenager slowly asked, while his eyes
shrunk from suspiciousness. Immaru looked trapped and then took a deep breath.
 
“We bonded – in all ways that’s possible to bond.” The Moon king whispered
embarrassed, his cheeks glowing. He didn’t have the courage to look into his
brother’s eyes and waited dreadfully for a mocking laughter or a furious
scolding. None of that happened. Immaru lifted his eyes and was surprised to
see his brother wearing his rare serious expression on his face.
 
“I always did think you were more into guys.” Dumuzi blurted after a torturous
stretching pause. He curled into a ball when a sudden hard wind swept the room.
Immaru looked quite upset and his brother looked up at him without fear. He was
already used to his sibling’s windy outbursts, which were always inoffensive.
“Guess we do are opposites in everything. I like girls and want to have a
family one day; you like guys and – well, unless you find a way to magically
impregnate yourself, will never have children.”
 
“You know very well I was never supposed to get married and have children. I’m
the High Priest and White Magician!” Immaru reminded irritated.
 
“The pure and chaste!” Dumuzi dramatically shouted. “How are you going to break
the news to the White priests?”
 
“Has nothing to do with them. Besides, I’m king too, aren’t I?” The white-
haired teenager spat while he crossed his arms.
 
“Yes, you are.” Dumuzi said in an appreciative tone. He realized, this trip to
Egypt, the adventures in the way, the fights against monsters and ghosts,
helped Immaru become more confident, more self-assured. Which was great,
because he hated the way his brother always accepted everything from the
priests with passivity. After contemplating this joyful realization, Dumuzi was
hit by a new thought. “Why don’t you look for Bakura?”
 
“I…” Immaru started and then sighed tiredly. “I don’t think I’m supposed to. I
don’t really know how to explain but – there is something that tells me our
paths will cross again and I mustn’t force or anticipate our meeting.”
 
“That’s the lamest excuse for cowardice.”
 
Dumuzi dodged from a pillow that flew to him. The brothers switched murderous
glares and after a moment, burst into laughter. Dumuzi knew his twin wasn’t
angry with him, just like Immaru knew his brother didn’t really mean those
words, that it was all a tease. Yes, they were opposites. The Sun and the Moon.
And yet they coexisted in harmony, just like the burning star and the cold
satellite in the sky.
 
***** Forgive *****
Chapter Summary
     Ryou comes into scene. More flack-backs about Immaru.
Chapter Notes
     Sorry for theu hiatus!
Cairo, the present
 
“Wow, so you married Mana and had five children with her!” Yugi said a bit
surprised after Atem told his friend’s his past live’s story. The Pharaoh
nodded contented.
 
“Yeah, great work Pharaoh.” Jounouchi said with an accomplice smirk while he
teasingly elbowed his friend, who smiled a bit awkwardly. He didn’t miss Anzu’s
angry eyes and her red incensed cheeks.
 
“That’s what happens when there is no TV.” Tousoku playfully said and Atem shot
him a glare.
 
The former thief was about to say something else when he heard a voice that
made him freeze. It was the most beautiful sound he ever remembered hearing, a
sound so pure and crystalline like the morning dew, cheerful and sweet like the
first flower’s birth after a long cold winter. Tousoku turned his head to the
source of the wonderful voice, his eyes denouncing a deep ancient longing, a
mixture of joy, regret and nostalgia. The other’s followed his gaze and saw
Ryou walking down the stairs in the company of Otogi, both giggling between
their merry chats.
 
“You two seem to be getting along.” Honda pointed out amused, while the others
smiled knowingly.
 
“He loves Dungeon Dice! How can I not adore a guy that loves Dungeon Dice?”
Otogi answered amused. He then turned to Ryou enthusiastically. “Hey, wanna
have dinner with us tonight? You can bring that friend of yours you were
telling me about.”
 
“Thank you. That sounds great. I’m sure Malik would love to come.” The white-
haired boy said with a sincere happy smile.
 
“Hey, are those friends of yours, Yugi?” Otogi asked when he saw Atem and
Tousoku.
 
Ryou glanced at the two Egyptians and had the strangest sensation. There was
something oddly familiar about them. A strange sense of dejá-vuinvaded him when
he looked at the former Pharaoh. Then his eyes switched to Touzoku. Brown eyes
met lilac. And the world seemed to stop.
 
5,000 years ago, Akkad
 
One year, four months and 13 days had passed by since the day the White
Magician saved the world from the Darkness. Despite him not fighting alone, he
was considered a hero in both Egypt and Akkad. He was the most powerful
magician on the planet and was already a legend during his waking life.
 
A lot had happened in the space of little over one year. Unsurprisingly, Dumuzi
and Isis fell in love. The romance started with little shy moments shared
during the travel to the Empire’s capital and it developed during the stay of
the Egyptian court in Akkad. Isis never returned to her home country and the
marriage took place half a year later. The Pharaoh himself had travelled to
witness his friends’ happiness. The world saw it an arranged marriage, shrouded
with political interests and diplomatic values. The reality was, the couple was
truly in love.
 
Immaru, being the High Priest, had the honor to conduct the marriage ceremony.
He was happy to witness the blissfulness of his brother and his new sister-in-
law. Their happiness had increased very recently, with great news. Isis sensed
a subtle change in her body and Immaru confirmed her happy suspicions when he
rested his hand on her belly. He smiled. He sensed a new life growing in the
warmth of her womb.
 
The White Magician loved the prospect of becoming an uncle and was a bit
surprised with the absence of jealousy towards the happy couple. The White
Magician was confronted with his most secluded desires. Strangely, priesthood’s
demand on not fathering children did not bother him at all. Immaru realized he
never truly desired or dreamed in having children. Maybe it was because he
already felt like a father to all Akkadians. Truly, it was in his tasks as
White Magician where he found his personal fulfilment.
 
After his return from Egypt, Immaru decided he ought to be the one to regulate
the religious calendar and its daily tasks, very much to his brother’s
jubilation but to the priests’ horror. He was, after all the Moon king and
White Magician, thus the authority in both politics and religion. His first
main decision was to break the priesthood exclusivity.  No longer would all
rituals be performed in absolute secrecy. Apart from some intricate rituals,
the cult of Akkadian gods became publicly accessible. Anyone could go to the
temple to pray and leave offers to their gods. More importantly, Immaru decided
to dedicate six hours a day to receive civilians in the temple. Every meeting
was supervised by priests and secured by royal guards.
 
Every day, Immaru would listen to people’s pleas for help, related to health,
financial or even romantic issues. He would answer people’s requests by giving
them advise, medicine and sometimes, when it was needed, he used his magic. The
young ruler impressed everybody with his kindness and altruism. Tales about his
magical talents quickly travelled outside Akkad. By the age of 25, Immaru would
receive in his temple, people from all different kingdoms and ethnicities. Once
the visitors returned to their homes, they would bring stories about the
greatness of the city of Akkad, the nobleness of the Sun king and the
generosity of the White Magician. The Sun and Moon kings would become legendary
already during their waking lives.
 
Evening was nearing, and the White Magician had completed his religious tasks
for the day. He stepped out the Ishtar temple and stopped when he sensed an
unusual warm desert wind travel to the sanctuary and play with his garments and
hair. Immaru felt a change in the air and his heartbeat accelerated from a
joyful anticipation for something he knew was about to happen, even though he
did not know what. He walked down some steps, mystified by his odd intuition.
 
A group of eight priests followed him unaware of his internal excitement and
missed the way his eyes searched for something out of place. The priests were
bearing ollie lamps and incense while murmuring an ancient chanting. They
performed the ritual to guide the good spirits of the night into Akkad, to
drive the bad energies away and soothe people’s concerns during the long dark
hours.
 
The White Magician suddenly halted. He had mistaken a person for a shadow and
only realized there had been somebody climbing the stairs swiftly and unnoticed
when he practically had reached them. The priests immediately stopped their
singing and gasped shocked and confused. Some guards moved immediately in their
ruler’s direction, wielding their swords to protect the king. The person Immaru
had mistaken for a shadow dropped on the knees just a few steps away from him.
The stranger bore a long gray cape with a hood, so the face was concealed by a
dark shadow. The person bended all the way down, until the head touched the
ground while the hands were stretched in Immaru’s direction, clasped in a
begging and praying position. The White Magician could see in the dimming
evening light the tanned color on the parched young skin and instantly knew who
was kneeling submissively before him.
 
“Who are you?!” One of the priests shouted upset, the authority and disapproval
present in his tone. “The White Magician is ready for today. Tomorrow, there
will be audiences again!” The priest breathed deeply in discontent when the
stranger didn’t budge. He was about to shout an order to the guards when
Immaru’s voice was heard.
 
“It’s okay. I’ll open an exception for this one time.” His voice was calm and
soothing. The stranger’s muscles seemed to tense for moments and then a tremor
spread through the body. He slowly lifted his head and the lights of the
torches carried by the guards illuminated his face. The White Magician released
a silent sigh, something between relieve and happiness. He did not smile,
however; neither showed any emotion than that of one waiting to listen to a
request. Yet, his chocolate eyes were warm. Lilac eyes stared back at him,
tormented and tortured.
 
“I’m sorry!” The man blurted in a chocked voice. “I am so sorry! I did horrible
things! I-I wanted him killed, so bad that I – I couldn’t think about anything
else. It was like – like my mind was clouded, like a there was a constant mist
blocking my thoughts. All I could think was my revenge! To kill the Pharaoh! It
was my one single thought!”
 
“That was the power of Darkness.” Immaru softly said, his voice bearing a
comforting warmth. “It used your pain and twisted it to its will, so you became
obsessed by revenge. I bet the thought of revenge was the only thing that kept
you alive.” Bakura could feel his eyes prick, could feel his body shake.
Standing before him was this teenager, this god on Earth. Speaking words of
consolation, words of comfort. His eyes, those big brown eyes were full of
compassion and forgiveness. The same eyes he tortured with horror and witnessed
fear 5,000 years in the future.
 
“I hurt others. I killed without regret!” Bakura almost shouted, anger building
up in his chest. Anger to his own person. Anger for the crimes he committed.
Anger for being a person he detested. “I tortured, both body and mind.
Throughout centuries, any person that had the misfortune to bear the Millennium
Ring was tormented to the point of becoming insane. The last person, a boy – an
innocent boy, I did – I did such horrible things to him!” Lilac eyes swell to
the point Bakura’s sight became blurry. It was only after he blinked that his
vision returned, and he felt something warm travel down his cheeks. He realized
he was crying, but he didn’t care. Immaru was a god of Earth and he was nothing
but a torn animal needing to be patched. And so, he opened his heart. “I did
things – indescribable things! I hurt him so many times and – and I didn’t even
care! I watched him suffer. I watched him being tortured by my actions. He
tried to – to fight me but – but I was stronger. So, he eventually he – he
accepted it. He accepted it all and took the burden of bearing a vicious soul
in that object with a smile!”
 
“Are proud of what you did?” Immaru asked, no trace of judgement or disapproval
in his voice. The priests and guards watched the scene unfold with awe. By now
they were fully aware this was the man that had tried to bring Darkness and
destruction into the world. Never had they expected to see the man in person,
above all, to witness his regret.
 
“No! No, I’m not! I swear I’m not!” Bakura shouted in agony. Again, he bended
so his temple was touching the cold stone. His hands were clasped and lifted
above his head. “I would take it all back! I don’t know why I did all those
horrors! I was me, but it didn’t feel like me!”
 
“What do you mean?” Immaru asked and lowered himself till he was crouching, so
he could be close to the man. Bakura lifted his head and stared at the boy,
surprise all written on his face. What did he mean?
 
“I… It felt – When I did those things, it was me but...” Bakura closed his eyes
and swallowed. The memories of the sensation while he tortured, while he dueled
and sent souls to the Shadow Realm, when he attacked and tried to kill those
who opposed him. A strange sensation like… “You know when you dream, and you do
something out-of-character, but in the dream it’s natural, it makes perfect
sense, but when you wake up, you don’t understand why you did that in your
dream, because normally you wouldn’t do anything like that during your waking
life?” Bakura watched Immaru blink a few times and nodded afterwards with a
gentle smile. They locked their eyes and the Egyptian thought he would lose
himself in the depths of those chocolate eyes. There was a new glint in them.
Something wise, blissful and secretive that made the bandit think Immaru would
never be as beautiful as he was in this very moment.
 
“That was the work of Darkness in you. It contaminated your mind until your
mind was not only yours anymore.” Immaru explained in a whisper. Bakura took a
moment to process the words and nodded in understanding.
 
“My mind was released from Zorc when the Millennium Items were destroyed.
That’s what happened, right? Zorc, he was the black sticky liquid my body
expelled.”
 
“Yes.”
 
Bakura stared shocked at Immaru when realization hit and everything became
clear. It made perfect sense. He was possessed by Zorc the whole time. He was
not possessed or controlled the same way Ryou was by him, but it was the
Darkness that had controlled his mind to do his bidding. Zorc was like a
parasite. Zorc lived in him until he started becoming a part of him. Darkness
used his weaknesses, his pain, his sorrow, his rage and channeled all these
feelings into one single obsession – revenge. Once this became his one sole
purpose in life, Zorc was free in manipulating his mind into believing that
joining the Seven Items and freeing Darkness was the only way of getting his
revenge. It was all one great plan, an evil scheme from Zorc and he had been
his puppet the whole time without even knowing.
 
“If I was possessed by Zorc, what would have happened if I would have succeeded
in summoning the Seven Millennium Items?” The king of thieves asked with a hint
of fear. Immaru grimaced, before he stood up straight again.
 
“Your body would have not resisted the amount of energy and would have been
destroyed. You would have perished.” Bakura’s eyes widened in shock.
 
“He saved me.” Bakura whispered to himself, while staring at the steps before
him. He lifted his head, his eyes dry and alert. “You saved me! I thank you for
it! How can I ever repay you?”
 
“You have no obligations to me.” The White Magician kindly told the thief. He
felt his heart warm up at the look of praise and gratitude in the lilac eyes.
He could read sincere admiration in them and his heartbeat skipped once in a
strange longing. Immaru took a sigh, which was easily confused by a deep
breath. He had not forgotten they weren’t alone and that priests and guards
watched their interaction closely. Immaru had to continue performing his role
as king and High Priest. He straightened just a bit, looking both regal and
powerful. Bakura saw the slight change and knitted his brow in confusion. “You
are free now. You can do whatever you would like to do.”
 
Bakura felt his heart jump once. Their conversation had reached its conclusion.
The next logic step to take was the one that would depart their ways. But after
seeing Immaru again, after looking into those warm eyes, after listening to his
kind voice, after receiving closure; he wanted nothing else but to be with the
young king. During the 16 months of his solitude, when he was lost and
confused, angry and bitter at himself; there was only one thing that would
bring some peace to his mind. The memory of the white-haired teenager.
 
It was not only the fact Immaru shared the same genuine kindness as Ryou, but
since the moment they met, the Moon king never had been judgmental. Sure they
disliked each other, because of their great personality differences; sure they
fought violent battles, because they had opposite goals. But even then, Immaru
did not judge him and did not condemn him. Immaru had saved him in more ways
than the boy could possibly imagine. It was not only in that decisive night in
Kul Elna, but also during his ordeal in the desert, when he was conflicted with
his own person. Bakura would often think of Immaru. Sometimes he would swear he
could feel his presence in a soft gentle breeze that soothed the desert harsh
heated temperatures, and mellowed his inner turmoil. Sometimes he would dream
of him and they would meet in a pleasant peaceful place, a garden, a fertile
land of green, the coast. In these dreams Immaru would tell him things would
fall back into to their places. He would tell him to never lose hope. He would
smile before he would vanish, with a promise they would meet again in his
chocolate eyes.
 
They did meet and Immaru was setting him free. Only Bakura did not know what to
do with all this freedom. He did not know what he wanted to do with his new
given opportunity. All he knew was that he did not want to depart from Immaru.
 
“The only thing I know to do is steal, and I don’t want that life anymore.”
Bakura told, his heart filled with fear for losing the only person that could
lift him up again. “I don’t know what else I can do! Where am I supposed to go
anyway? I don’t want to go back to Egypt! I don’t think I ever want to go back
there!” Immaru looked at him with serene earnestly. He understood Bakura had
never had a life of his own. He was still trying to figure out who he was, what
he liked, what he wanted. It would be unfair for somebody who had been
controlled by a superior dark power, to be abandoned to his fate. Because
Bakura had no family and no friends. Well, maybe that was not totally true. The
White Magician smiled.
 
“You are young and strong. I’m sure there will be something useful you can do
in the Palace.” Bakura’s gasp was muffed by the gasps and protest sounds coming
from the priests and guards. Immaru turned around to face them and gave the men
one of his rare hard looks. They all went silent and bend their heads in
submission to their sovereign. The Moon King turned to a couple of guards.
“Please escort this man to the Palace grounds and bring him to Zaidu.”
 
***** New Threath *****
Chapter Summary
     Bakura starts his new life in the Akkadian Palace. Meanwhile new
     threath appears and endangers not only the Royal Family, but the
     entire Empire.
Chapter Notes
     The story is reaching its end. I do not know how many more chapters
     there will be. Not so many anymore, I guess. I'm struggling with the
     end. I want it to be perfect so its taking me more time than I wished
     for.
     I do not own Yugi-Oh or any of its characters
See the end of the chapter for more notes
 
45 minutes later
 
“Are you out of your mind?! How could you give a job to that lunatic?!” Dumuzi
yelled furious at Immaru.
 
After leaving the temple, Immaru quickly summoned his brother, Isis and Nigiku
for a private conference, wanting to make sure they would receive the news from
him first. He had expected his twin to react badly, but hoped his sister-in-law
and his cousin would chose for a more diplomatic approach.
 
“I’ve told you before. Bakura was corrupted by Darkness.” Immaru explained for
what it felt the thousandth time.
 
“Look, I understand your point, but you cannot ignore the fact he has been all
his life a criminal! Come on, he´s a thief, a murderer! You cannot expect him
to change radically.”  The Sun king insisted, receiving a glare from his
sibling.
 
“All I’m saying is, we should give him a chance. He is not the same man we met
in Egypt.”
 
“He doesn’t belong in the Palace! He doesn’t belong in Akkad! If anything, he
should be in Egypt, in the prison!”
 
“What makes you think we can trust him?” Isis asked in a calm voice,
interrupting the quarrel between the twins. By the way their voices kept rising
and the angry looks on their faces, things would soon escalate and the anger
would not be limited to words. The young Queen bore a slight knit in her brow
revealing some distress. She had not forgotten the way Bakura tried to attack
her in Kul Elna.
 
“I’m not sure we can trust him.” Immaru admitted with a sigh. “But he deserves
a chance.  You should have seen the way he begged to be forgiven. He really
regrets what he did.”
 
“You’re not using your head. You have pity for him because you are in love with
him!” Dumuzi accused receiving a rare murderous look from the Moon king. Isis
and Nigiku both widened their eyes in shock and glanced at each other. The
matter had just become personal. They were becoming more apprehensive by the
passing minute.
 
“I am not!”
 
“You had sex with him!”
 
“Okay, time out!” Nigiku said while he stood up, seeing this was escalating to
a dangerous degree. The fire in the lamps was moving unnaturally and he felt a
wind pass through his hair that should not exist in that closed room. “Let’s
just think through things properly. Bakura was released from Darkness, right?
You all witnessed it, didn’t you?” The three of them nodded confirming his
words. “And his inner monster, Diabound, was destroyed too, right?” Again, they
nodded and Dumuzi sighed upset, seeing where his cousin was heading too.
“Wouldn’t it be unfair not to give him a chance?”
 
“Thank you, Nigiku.” Immaru said, grateful for his cousin’s reasoning. The Sun
king was biting his under lip, feeling frustrated. He looked at his wife. She
looked divided, but he had a hunch which side she would take.
 
“Although I do not trust Bakura, I do think we should give him a chance.”
Dumuzi groaned irritated at Isis’ words, hating himself for being always right
about his wife. “But, should he demonstrate the same tendencies as before, then
he should be punished.”
 
“I could not agree more. Thank you, Isis.” Immaru said and released a breath he
had been holding for a while. “That settles it. Dumuzi?”
 
“Yeah, yeah! He can work in the Palace. But the moment he…”
 
“Then I’ll punish him myself.” Immaru cut his twin’s words. His eyes were
determined, and the Sun king finally came to a reluctant acceptation.
 
…
 
It would be an understatement to say the world turned around several times for
Bakura since the evening he visited the White Magician at the temple. Zaidu,
the head of the Palace’s staff, was delighted with the addition of another
strong and fit young man to his team. There was plenty hard work at the palace
to be done, such as carrying heavy loads to its different parts, whether it
were supplies for the kitchens, metals and wood for the weaponry or stones and
clay for building. Bakura didn’t mind the physical work, actually he enjoyed
doing these chores. He always thought better when he used his hands and the
work distracted his mind from the many confusing and troubling thoughts that
still haunted him. Above all, he felt useful and valorized, something that was
completely alien to him. Bakura was surprised with the comradeship among the
different members of the staff and, although he avoided being friends with
anybody, he did enjoy the company of others.
 
Thief King was sure he had turned a new page in his life. Sure, he sometimes
still had the urge to steal. Sometimes he would daydream of plans to enter
certain noblewomen chambers to shop some pretty jewelry, but he managed to
restrain himself. He had a promise to keep and the last thing he wanted was to
disappoint Immaru, because he would be violating the trust the boy had given
him. He would steal away his one big chance. Should he return to his old
habits, he would not only betray Zaidu and the White Magician, above all, he
would betray himself.
 
Bakura, instead, was building up a reputation on himself. He was a silent
worker, only speaking when spoken to. He focused simply in his daily tasks and
didn’t bother to lose time with senseless small talk that some of his co-
workers engaged in. Unless the subject was jewelry, murder, monsters or dark
magic, then he would participate in the conversation, sometimes a little too
eagerly and enthusiastically, intimidating some of the members of the staff.
Even so, this manifestation of madness would be tolerated by the palace’s
servants, who sometimes even joked about his dark humor.
 
The former bandit went on with his daily routine, well aware he was being
watched closely by the twin kings. He had been the least surprised when, late
in his first evening at the Palace, a very pissed-off Sun king came to him with
a threatening message. You hurt anybody from my family, my friends, my people
and I swear; your death with be slow and painful. Bakura had stiffened an angry
groan and ugly frown, but he knew the threat was legitimate and justified. Just
before Dumuzi left the room, the king turned around and told him to stay away
from Immaru. Thief King was quite sure he hated the sand-haired monarch from
that moment on and felt impotent, knowing the moment he would try to seek
contact with the Moon king, Dumuzi would send for his head. He was pretty sure,
not even Immaru could stop his hot-headed overprotective brother in this
matter. No, Bakura knew better than to challenge the warrior king.
 
So, the former bandit would catch glimpses of the twin brothers now and then,
knowing both were watching him for the same reasons. To make sure he would not
break his agreement with the White Magician. Dumuzi would go to the extent of
interrogating Zaidu about his conducts several times a week, worse of all, in
his presence, something Bakura loathed and made his blood boil, for it was
humiliating. While one king provoked him openly, the other observed him
discretely. Bakura often saw Immaru watching him from a safe distance, behind a
window or a door and would disappear like a shadow when their eyes met. The
Moon king’s behavior was both frustrating and heartbreaking. He longed for the
young ruler. Deeply, desperately and painfully. And that was that.
 
Bakura was living in Palace´s the staff housing area for a bit over two months.
He woke up to a still starry sky and was welcomed with the smell of fresh baked
bread. He ate his breakfast at the staff’s kitchen and listened with amusement
to the merry chatting of young maids and the laughter from men. It was the
start of another ordinary work day. Or at least, that was what he thought,
because in just a few hours later, the former bandit would do something that
altered his life forever.
 
The Palace´s main courtyard was filled with the sounds of people and animals
due to the come and go of carts. They brought all kinds of merchandize such as
fruit, grocery, flowers, colorful materials made of silk, linen and cotton;
aromatic oils, hand-painted ceramics, tapestries and many more beautiful
things. With the nearing of the great Spring Ishtar Festivity the movements of
vendors, buyers and staff was greater than usual. A small group of noble women
surrounded the beautiful Queen Isis, while she chose the prettiest flower
arrangements for the Festival. Thief King was unloading heavy wooden boxes not
too far from her and feigned to ignore her presence, not willing to have any
problem with the fiery Sun king.
 
Suddenly, Bakura froze. He felt something amiss in the air. He felt a strange
wind play with the hairs in the back of his neck. Something chilling and
unnatural. He turned around searching for something he didn’t know what it was.
All he knew was that it was a threat. It was dangerous. Then he saw it. A
shadow, inconspicuous to untrained eyes, moving swiftly in a serpentine
manner.  And it was heading in the court’s women’s direction. It was aiming for
the Queen.
 
Without thinking, Bakura yelled a “look out” and ran in the shadow’s direction.
People were caught by surprise with his sudden move. Many stumbled, bumping on
boxes and knocking down their products. The soldiers had not enough time to
react and ran with the frustrating thought Bakura would reach the Queen before
them. Isis froze when she saw the once Evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring fly
over her, throwing her down on the floor. Noble women screamed terrified, while
the soldiers shouted unintelligible commands. Isis choked a scream when she saw
a great shadow in a cobra shape hovering over her and the former bandit. It
opened its mouth, displaying its fangs dangerously. Bakura stood up, ready to
fight the beast when a bright translucid eagle attacked the cobra, killing it
after a short fight.
 
Both Bakura and Isis stared confused but relieved when the cobra’s shadow
vanished. The eagle flapped its wings and flew away, through the courtyard. All
eyes followed it with awe and nobody was truly surprised to see the magical
bird meet the While Magician. Dumuzi, who followed him suit, made a run to
Isis, his face pale from fright.
 
“Are you hurt?” The sandy-haired king asked breathless.
 
“No. I’m fine.” Isis kindly said and her husband sighed of great relieve. She
turned to Bakura, a sincere smile on her face. “Thanks to him. He managed to
protect me from the creature’s attack.” Dumuzi looked truly surprised at the
former bandit. He placed his right hand on his heart and bended his head in
reverence, making Bakura gasp of disbelief.
 
“You have my sincere gratitude.” The Sun king told in a rare display of
humbleness. He then turned to Immaru. “Do you know what that was?”
 
“The Order of the Black Priests. The cobra is their mark. I’m afraid we are not
done with them yet.” The Moon king explained. “I felt the spell working, but I
was too far away to stop it. Good thing Bakura spent enough time with the
Darkness to recognize its presence.”
 
“So, what now? Are the Black Priests going to attack again?” Dumuzi asked
bewildered. He cursed their existence and insistence in hurting the Royal
Family.
 
“I’m afraid that’s the most likely scenario.” The white-haired king confessed
with a worried look, while his eyes scanned his surroundings. “It feels like
this was a way to test the strongholds of the city, searching for
vulnerabilities, weaknesses in magical barriers.”
 
 “Those evil bastards!” Dumuzi muttered with his teeth clenched. Immaru nodded
in agreement and turned to his sister-in-law.
 
“I will make an amulet that will protect you and the baby.” Immaru spoke and
Isis’ hand involuntarily covered her still flat belly while her heart was
filled with terror.
 
“Will it be enough?” The young woman asked, her blue eyes revealing her
troubles. Immaru hesitated a bit before answering her.
 
“Its powers are limited against the Black Priests’ magic.”
 
“What?!” Dumuzi broke in between, petrified with the though his wife and unborn
child were still in imminent danger. “Is there nothing else you can do?”
 
“I’ll have to be in the temple for unlimited time. I have to reinforce the
magical protection around the city walls and the Palace. And I must try to
locate the five members of the Black Priesthood and stop them. Weaken them so
they are powerless to hurt anybody. Please understand that.” The Moon king
explained with a regretful heart. There was nothing else he wanted but to be at
his family side to be able to protect them, but the only way to defeat the
Black Priests was through rituals and meditation he would have to perform with
the assistance of the White Priests.
 
“Ehm…I might be able to help.” Bakura spoke after a mourning silence. He lifted
his hands in a defensive manner when Dumuzi glared furiously at him. “I can
sense it too. The Darkness. I know how it behaves, how it weakens others, just
like I know its weaknesses too.”
 
“No way!” The Sun king replied upset.
 
“Dumuzi, please. He did save me against that shadow monster.” Isis reminded.
She turned to her brother-in-law. “Immaru, what do you think?”
 
The White Magician’s eyes widened at the Queen’s question. He looked at Isis’
frightened eyes. He looked at Dumuzi’s wild and dangerous glare. He looked at
Bakura and read the willingness in his lilac orbs. There was a plea for another
chance, a plea to be useful and meaningful. To prove he had changed and that he
wanted to help. To show he was a better man. It was something he needed to do
and Immaru knew, independently of his answer, Bakura would do everything to
make sure Darkness would never hurt Isis or anybody else.
 
“Bakura recognizes the presence of Darkness and knows the means to prevent it
from hurting others. I think it would be wise to have him around.” The Moon
king declared. Dumuzi had a murderous look on his face, but restrained himself
after witnessing Isis sigh with great relieve and smile for the first time
since she was attacked. “Isis, have him working in the Palace as one of the
servants, but keep him always in your proximity. We do not want to raise any
suspicions. Let everybody think it’s your gratitude for his help today. The
last thing we need is for people to understand we are all in danger.” Immaru
instructed Isis and the Queen nodded in agreement.
 
“Are you sure this is wise, Immaru?” Dumuzi questioned, his tone leveled, as he
realized he had lost this cause. Still, he wasn’t giving up this easily.
“Darkness is his second nature, after all.”
 
“Yes, it is. And today he proved that he can make something good and valuable
from it.” The White Magiacina told with a smile, so Dumuzi groaned upset. “Now,
you will excuse me. I must head to the temple and start my vigilance
immediately.”
 
The Royal Couple and Bakura watched the white-haired boy walk away in silence.
After he disappeared from their gaze, Isis went searching for Zaidu. Dumuzi and
Bakura were left alone for a few moments, the tension between them being so
thick, a knife would easily cut through it. After a while, the Sun king finally
broke the heavy silence and turned to the former bandit.
 
“Don’t get any funny ideas. Now come along. And keep always three steps behind
me and the Royal Family members, understand?” The Sun king reluctantly said. He
paced away to join his wife, who was already talking to Zaidu. Bakura allowed
to have enough space between him and the sovereign before following him. He
smiled. This will be interesting.
 
The present
 
Chocolate brown eyes were locked on lilac ones. The world seemed to stand
still. Time seemed to stop existing. The surroundings seemed to fade away into
oblivion until in the end, all that was left were the two of them. Ryou took a
deep breath. He felt light headed.
 
“Is everything alright, Ryou?” Otogi asked, noticing the look of dazzlement on
his new friend’s face. The white-haired boy blinked twice and turned his head
to face the dark-haired boy. The odd sensation from earlier seemed to dissipate
a little bit after he broke eye contact with the stranger.
 
“Oh yeah. I’m fine.” Ryou reassured and then turned his eyes back to Tousoku. A
warm desert wind passed through his body, touching his hair and cheeks
playfully. He had seen those eyes before. He knew it. He walked a few steps, so
he was closer to the man in the police uniform.
 
“I am sorry. Have we met before?”
 
Yugi and the others looked from Ryou to Tousoku wondering if the memories of
Immaru’s distant past would return to the boy. Yami, unlike his friends, knew
it was a logical thing the boy would sense the familiarity with the former
Thief King. He knew, after all, what their relationship had been 5,000 years
ago. He knew what their bond was. Their connection was so strong, it had to
survive time itself. Tousoku smiled at the teenager’s words and he forgot how
much he loved that accent that had a hint of British on it.
 
“Who knows? Maybe we did.” The former bandit said, leaving the mystery in the
air.
 
He adored the way Ryou tilted his head very slightly to the side, denouncing
his curiosity. Then the boy smiled back. An unfamiliar excitement filled Ryou’s
heart, making it race madly under his chest. He was sure he never saw this man
before. Yet, the moment he saw Tousoku, he knew it. The moment he saw those
eyes, he knew this man was his soul mate.
Chapter End Notes
     Just to refresh some stuff:
     In chapter 7, Jounouchi and Honda discovered Abishu was plotting
     against the twin kings with the help of the Order of Black Priests.
     They were once the five Highest Priests of Akkad. The previous king
     discovered they were plotting against him and the Court. As a
     punishement to their crimes (use of dark magic) they were sentenced
     to soul wandering.
     As Immaru explained, soul wandering is «a ritual condemned by our
     ancestors for its irreversible consequences. The soul of the victim
     is reaped. It’s not allowed to pass over, but it also doesn’t die.
     The soul is then trapped between two worlds, trapped in the Shadow
     Realm.»
***** Midnight conversations *****
Chapter Summary
     More updates about the Black Priests situation. Bakura has questions
     and needs to talk with Immaru
Chapter Notes
     A thousand and a more appologies for this very long delay. Trying to
     write more often, but time and inspiration had not been very present.
     Still, I'm glad to present you guys with another chapter. Good news,
     I'm already working in the next one. I'll try to update sooner.
     I do not own Yugi-Oh or any of its characters
 
5,000 years ago, Akkad
 
Days followed the frightening event and quickly stretched into a week. Immaru
had not left the temple since then and Dumuzi was going mad from anxiety. The
reports he received from the White Priests were troubling. Immaru and his team
of priests had succeeded in strengthening the protection in the Palace, the
city and its surroundings. They even had sent magic to protect other villages
and towns from the Empire. But it was a work that demanded a lot of energy,
discipline and caution. Especially from the White Magician, whose only way of
fueling his energy was food, since he barely slept. And all of this happened
only during the first three days.
 
From then on, Immaru came and went from meditative states, searching for the
Black Priests. The evildoers were much more difficult to find than expected.
They hid well in the shadows and knew to avert the White Magician, forcing him
to enter deeper phases of meditation. The White Priests were worried with his
boldness and stubbornness. The Moon king could sense the presence of the enemy
and sometimes he could almost grasp them. But they would flee at the last
moment, leaving him frustrated, making him go deeper in his trance. The White
Priests were afraid Immaru would enter a too deep level, so deep they would be
unable to bring him back. They were afraid their king would lose himself in the
depths of the spiritual world and stay trapped there forever in a limbo.
 
Every evening, just before the Royal Family would leave to bed, Dumuzi would
share the White Priests’ daily reports with his wife, his cousin and Bakura.
The four of them shared the same anxiety, for each of them cared deeply for the
Moon king. Afterwards, the former bandit would spend many sleepless hours
staring at the temple, illuminated by torches and the moon, from a balcony
between the Royal Couple and Nigiku. He often would wake up with the first
light of the morning, feeling stiff from falling asleep on the balcony’s hard
floor. And then his new routine would start all over again. Everybody had
agreed the best was for Bakura to be always in proximity of Isis, since the
Queen was the most vulnerable member due to her pregnancy. His new chores were
easier and lighter. After a short while, the former king of thieves came to the
unpleasant conclusion that this new function was as tedious as Hell. Yet, he
remained alert at all times, waiting for the moment the shadows would attack.
Because he knew they eventually would and he needed to be ready.
 
“We should take Immaru out of that place.” One evening Bakura overheard Nigiku
tell the Queen. “He’s only hurting himself for nothing. The Black Priests must
be too weak to attack.”
 
“You are probably right. That attempt was probably all they had. Poor Immaru,
he is wasting his energy.” Isis sadly said. She turned when she heard an
annoyed grunt behind her. The Queen was surprised to see Bakura staring at her
with an annoyed expression.  “You do not agree?”
 
“Of course not. Can’t you see? It’s a trap!” Bakura spoke clearly upset. He
took a few steps closer and both Isis and Nigiku paced a bit backwards,
intimidated by the strong Egyptian. “The Black Priests are leading you into the
false sense of security and then, when you let your guard down, they’ll attack!
That’s how the shadows work. They are patient and they will wait until the
moment is right.”
 
“Immaru’s work has been fruitless till now. Isis can’t sense anything either.
What makes you so sure the shadows are brewing anything?” Nigiku contested,
receiving an unpleasant growl from the former Thief King.
 
“Ha! Isis’s amateuristic magic?” Bakura spat in a mocking tone, while Isis
frowned offended. “Immaru has been training magic since he’s a small boy,
remember? He’s the White Magician. He wouldn’t be spending all this time and
energy for nothing!”
 
“He’s right.” The trio gasped surprised and all heads turned to the source of
the voice. Dumuzi had just entered the room, accompanied by his brother. Immaru
was looking pale, with dark rings under his eyes, denouncing lack of sleep.
Bakura felt his heart jolt at the presence of the Moon king. He had not seen
the white-haired boy since the attack on Isis. Their eyes met for a brief
moment in which the Egyptian read the fear and uncertainty in the depths of the
brown orbs. Bakura felt an untamed desire to protect the young monarch from any
evil.
 
“Immaru, how are you feeling?” Queen Isis asked concerned. Immaru took a seat
and gestured the others to follow his example. Nobody missed the grave look in
his eyes, just like the tension around Dumuzi.
 
“I think I know what the Black Priests’ plan is.” The Moon king started,
without answering his sister-in-law’s question.
 
“You managed to catch them during meditation?” Nigiku asked hopefully, but
Immaru shook his head sadly.
 
“I didn’t even get a glimpse of them. But I could sense them. I’ve been trying
to follow them during these two weeks and I came to the realization they have
been playing me the fool all this time. It was nothing but a distraction. To
keep me busy, while they became stronger in Darkness and prepared their
attack.”
 
“Which will be in four days. When it’s New Moon and Immaru is in his weakest.”
Dumuzi announced, making the others gasp from shock. Bakura cursed internally
and couldn’t believe he didn’t come to that conclusion himself. He was so busy
making sure Isis didn’t get hurt, that he failed to see the greater picture.
 
“As you can understand, I stopped the search, so I can focus in regaining my
strength.” The Moon king tiredly continued. “Each of you will have a role
during the battle that is coming. We are going to be prepared when they
strike.”
 
Nigiku and Isis smiled at the hopefulness of Immaru’s last encouraging words,
but Bakura didn’t. Immaru hid his worries well, or perhaps he was too tired to
stress himself up, but the Egyptian could sense the tension irradiating from
Dumuzi. He instinctively knew the twins were not telling the whole story. He
was determined to get the truth out.
 
That night, everybody went to sleep early. Everybody except for Thief King. He
was too restless to sleep. Unpleasant thoughts tortured his mind. He had too
many worries and questions to be answered. Also, he could not get rid of the
tempting image of the Moon king from their earlier meeting. Despite looking
tired, Immaru was still beautiful. That look of fragility in his eyes only
deepened Bakura’s troubles. Knowing the young monarch was sleeping so close by
drove him crazy. He wanted to be in his closeness, wanted to see him, hear him,
touch him. Above all, he wanted to protect him, tell him he was safe while he
was around. After hesitating for a long while, Bakura decided he would get his
answers this night still.
 
The Egyptian walked resolute towards the Moon king’s chambers. He would have
knocked down the door, stormed into the royal bedroom and demanded a private
audience, wasn’t it for the two big-build guards protecting it.
 
“What do you want?” One of the guards asked, clearly not happy in seeing him.
 
“I only wish to have a little conference with Lord Immaru.” Thief King smoothly
said and grinned at the sneer the guards gave him.
 
“Go back from where you came from, servant! Nobody is to disturb the king!”
 
“Oh, I can guarantee you, I will not disturb him, very much the contrary.” He
mischievously purred. The guards did not miss the sexual hint. Outraged by the
offence, and without any words or delay, they threw themselves at him.
 
There was a short-lived battle between the former bandit and the two oversized
guards. Bakura was lean and dodged most of the blows, managing to hit the
guards once in a while. They crashed against walls and furniture, knocking down
vases that broke when they hit the floor. The men became loud and shouted angry
curses. Suddenly the door was opened and the three of them paralyzed.
 
“What is all this racket about?!” Immaru questioned clearly upset. He froze
when he saw his two guards and the Egyptian intertwined in what could only be
very uncomfortable positions. One of the guards was strangling Bakura with his
arm, while the Egyptian had his legs around the neck of the other guard.
 
“A little help here?” Bakura pled in a chocked tone and Immaru stared at him in
great disbelief. He felt exhausted and the last thing he needed right now, was
the Egyptian bothering him with his silly behavior.
 
“Release him.” The king ordered and the three instantly freed their grasps
around each other. “What do you want?” The Moon king demanded, coming a step
closer to face the Egyptian. Bakura grinned cockily at the irritated look in
the boy’s face (which he absolutely adored) and was reminded how the Akkadian
would lose his temper around him easily.
 
“I need to talk with you. About - you know, our creepy shadowy friends.” Bakura
said in a secretive tone. The guards glanced at each other confused, while
Immaru took a deep breath. He had expected Bakura to confront him with this
issue, but had hoped the man would have the decency to wait till morning. But,
of course, he didn’t. Immaru was trying to remind himself why he had given a
second chance to the former thief in the first place and why he had the
brilliant idea of having him living in the closeness of the Royal quarters.
 
“Fine.” The young king said with a tired sigh.
 
Immaru gestured the Egyptian to follow him, who grinned cockily and casted a
malicious victorious look at the guards before leaving. They headed to the
common room where they had discussed their plans earlier. Both took a seat on
couches opposite each other. And then a moment of awkward tension installed
itself. They stared at each other and suddenly words died out. Despite both
living in the Palace, they barely interacted. In fact, since Bakura arrived in
Akkad, they had seldom spoken to one another. They have never been alone. Until
now. Immaru’s heart raced at the sight of the tall Egyptian. He had to struggle
to remain stoic and avoid any unholy thoughts that would make him blush. Thief
King had recovered his lost pounds since he arrived in Akkad. He was muscled,
clean, well-cared and Immaru had to admit he looked absolutely dazzling in the
Akkadian attire. As for Bakura, he had to restrain himself from throwing
himself at the king and indulge him with all kinds of lovely pleasures. The
memories of the afternoon they shared intimacy filled his mind and made him
forget his earlier purpose. Yet the moment didn’t last for long and Immaru was
the first one to break the strangled silence.
 
“So, what did you want to say about our creepy shadowy friends?” Immaru asked,
going straight to the point.  The Egyptian grinned amused at the way the king
paraphrased his earlier words.
 
“Actually, I have a question.” Bakura said in a serious tone, which made
Immaru’s brow lift and wrinkle his temple, an indication he had his full
attention. “I was wondering, the moment you stopped searching the Black
Priests, they must have suspected something was off. I’m guessing it’s a matter
of time for them to figure out that you know what they are up to.” He paused
and Immaru merely nodded. Thief King grimaced. So, the twin kings did think
about this, which explained Dumuzi’s tension. “My question is… If they know
that you know about the attack, they’ll figure out you know they know what you
know. So, do you think they still will attack Akkad this New Moon?”
 
The Moon king stared blankly at the Egyptian and blinked a few times in
confusion. His brains were deciphering what the other one had just told him,
while at the same time, he was trying to remember why he was sitting in the
common room having a midnight chat with the former criminal instead of lying in
his bed sleeping his deserved sleep. The White Magician’s expression then
changed to a you-must-be-kidding-me?Thief King grinned amused and Immaru felt
the tinge of a headache.  He was suddenly reminded of how the former bandit
irritated him deeply.
 
 “They’ll take the risk.” The Moon king finally said, in a tone that gave no
space to discussion. Bakura had clearly not expected that answer and hissed
annoyed.
 
“Come on, be realistic! This just became a cat and mouse game. Both parties are
aware of each other! There is a great chance nothing will happen this New Moon!
The element of surprise is gone, a delay would be a logical move.”
 
“You’re absolutely right.” Immaru calmly said to Bakura’s surprise. “The thing
is, you don’t know them the way I do. During their lifetime as mortal men, the
Black Priests always demonstrated an unproportioned ambition and thirst for
power. They were arrogant and believed to be invincible. This arrogance
ultimately led to their downfall. They became careless and were caught. I
expect their overconfidence will lead them again to their demise.  I’m quite
certain their desire for revenge is stronger than reason. Revenge is the drive
to attack boldly. For the corruption in their hearts is enhanced by the
shadows. Considering your background, I imagine you fully understand what I
mean.”
 
Immaru’s last words were like a blow to Bakura. Apparently, the White Magician
was as powerful with words as he was with magic, as he put the finger right on
the wound. Yes, Thief King remembered very well how revenge was once the only
thought he had. The only thing that filled his mind. The darkness that consumed
his heart, making him do despicable things. Things he was sure he couldn’t do
anymore.
 
“Still, it’s a big possibility.”
 
“My brother and I are aware of that. But I don’t want anybody to let their
guard down. If we are to tell people there is a possibility of nothing
happening, they will automatically become less alert. I need everybody to put
all their energy in defending the city. Because there is no space for mistakes.
Do I make myself clear?”
 
“Yes, you do.” Bakura said with a sigh. “I will not speak of this to anybody
and I assure you, I will be prepared. But there is another thing bothering me.”
Immaru blinked a bit surprised at the gravity in the Egyptian’s tone. “I think
you are the Black Priests’ target. I think Isis was a distraction. It’s clever,
actually. Attack the weakest link, the pregnant woman, because everybody will
want to protect her and meanwhile find ways of weakening the most powerful
element. That’s what happened, and fortunately you found it out on time. But
will you be protected enough when the real attack comes? Because they will want
you dead. You are the only thing standing in their way. You’re the only one who
can prevent them from conquering Akkad and, from there, immersing the world in
Darkness.” Once finished, Thief King looked straight in Immaru’s eyes, wanting
to read what the other was thinking.  He was a bit surprised to witness a
gentleness in them, something he thought looked like pride and perhaps trust
too.
 
“That’s why I’m counting on you to watch my back.” Immaru told with a confident
smile. He nodded afterwards like if he was confirming his own thoughts and then
stood up. “I wish you a goodnight, Bakura.”
 
The young king exited the room without any delay and left a dazzled speechless
Bakura behind. Thief King’s heart had jolted at the boy’s words and was now
racing madly. He had to fight the urge to follow the Akkadian and bother his
night rest again, because his heart was filled with an agonized joy. The look
in Immaru’s eyes, its gentleness; the boy’s smile, it’s sweetness; his words of
such crude confidence and trust. It all created a desperate craving for a
feeling he did not known, but one he knew he had longed for all his life.
Immaru made him thirsty for something he could not understand, because it was
so alien, so different from what he ever experienced in his life. But it was
something that made him feel so good, so warm. The former bandit quickly
realized this wondrous sensation was addictive.
***** Confession *****
Chapter Summary
     In which Bakura needs to get some things off his chest. How will
     Immaru react? And some small developments in the present period.
     Enjoy!!!
Chapter Notes
     I do not own Yugi-oh or any of its characters!
During the following days, Bakura was restless. He was frustrated because he
felt the uncontrollable need of having a talk with Immaru. A serious talk. One
about things that remained unspoken because they were ignored, buried under the
guise of normality. It was time to come out in the open. The Egyptian needed
some private time with the Moon king. Unfortunately for him, his wish proved to
be unachievable. Their daily routines were so unsynchronized, that most of the
time they were in completely different places, whether it was in the city or in
the palace. When they were finally in the same quarters, there was always
somebody nearby – the guards, the servants, Immaru’s irritatingly excessively
overprotective idiotic twin. It was annoyingly torturous, and it was killing
the former bandit. There was so much he needed to talk. About things that had
nothing to do with shadows or other evil beings. Bakura cursed his luck, but
Fortune had mercy on him and finally had a change of heart.
 
It was the last evening before the New Moon. They were at one day to the
possible attack and, therefore, everybody when to bed early to gather strength
for the next day. Bakura, of course, was too agitated to sleep. Instead, he
wandered around in the Palace. There was nothing more horrible than standing
still. Movement usually eased his mind. While he was walking along one of the
galleries, the corner of his eye caught a glimpse of a figure. He stopped to
look better and recognized Immaru. He was almost hidden in the shadows of the
night, but the dim light of a nearby lamp denounced his silent presence. The
White Magician was sitting on one of the balconies, his back against the wall.
The Egyptian could not believe his luck and thanked the gods for finally
listening to his frustrated prayers. He slowly walked towards the king.
 
“Couldn’t sleep either, huh?” Thief King asked in almost a whisper, not wanting
to startle the boy. Immaru didn’t move but his lips drew a small sad and ironic
smile. “Mind if I keep some company?” The Egyptian attempted and almost
released a sigh of relieve when the Moon king gestured him to sit down. Bakura
accepted the invitation, sat next to him and pressed his back against the wall.
He reluctantly left a small gap between their bodies, so they didn’t touch. He
ignored the pumping sound of his heartbeat in his ears, just like he ignored
the way his skin craved to feel Immaru’s.
 
“This anticipation is killing me.” Immaru confessed in a low voice, his eyes
never leaving the starry sky. “On one hand, I wish the Black Priests will never
attack, on the other, I want them to just to get over with it for once and for
all.”
 
“It’s normal to be nervous.” Bakura replied and was surprised with the softness
in his voice. It sounded strange and unnatural to his own ear.
 
“More like terrified.” Immaru spoke in a thin voice while he wrapped his arms
around his knees, pulling them close to his chest.
 
Bakura nodded. He felt a bit helpless, not really knowing what to do or say. He
never had needed to comfort anybody. In fact, he usually was the cause for
others to need to be comforted. How ironic. So, he spoke not, and they remained
silent. At a certain point, the former thief could not handle the awkward
tension anymore and decided it was time to speak out his mind.
 
“I never had the opportunity to thank you.” The former thief said. Immaru
turned his head to look at him and the Egyptian did not miss the surprise in
the boy’s look. “For giving me a second chance, for allowing me to stay in
Akkad and work in the Palace. For saving my life when you did not allow the
Seven Millennium Items to be gathered and stopped Zorc from taking my body and
kill me. For not letting the others arrest me or kill me. You saved my life so
many times and you have no idea how – how…”
 
Bakura paused as words suddenly seemed too shallow to describe his true
gratitude, to express how all these emotions worked on him; how they frightened
and marveled him at the same time. He locked his gaze with the boy and saw the
way Immaru’s eyes had become large, his face betraying wonder. Thief King
smiled at the expression and continued, knowing now exactly what he wanted and
needed to say. “When I was in the desert, I was so lost. I did not who I was,
my memories were all a confusing blur, my past motivations didn’t feel natural
like they once had, I didn’t feel comfortable with my old ways and life-style.
I was so disorientated I really had no idea what to do with myself, with my
life. And while I struggled to figure out who I was, I led a tormented life of
solitude and isolation.
 
But sometimes I would sense a cool breeze in the desert, a wind that brought
the freshness and scent of green grass. And I somehow knew it was you. I knew
in those moments, I wasn’t alone. I could sense your presence and sometimes it
was so strong I thought I could touch you. I saw you in dreams and you told me
not to give up. You told me, in time, everything would fall in its place. You
gave me hope. You gave me courage. More than anything, you gave me a purpose to
live. I needed to see you again. Just to thank for believing in me, because I
didn’t. You saved my life countless times and in so many ways that there do not
exist words that are worthy enough to express my gratitude.”
 
When he finished, Bakura was panting slightly. He shut his mouth to hide his
excitement. His voice had trembled at the final passionate sentences and he
felt a knot in this throat. This was everything he needed to get off his chest
and, although he felt relieved, he felt like he was now an emotional frenzy.
His eyes were still locked on Immaru’s and, despite the darkness, he could see
them shine. The white-haired boy shifted his body and turned in Bakura’s
direction, until he was on his knees, opposite him. Immaru gently placed his
hands on the Egyptian’s cheeks, cupping his face. A soft and tender kiss was
followed. Time stopped for some seconds. Seconds in which Bakura felt himself
melt under the gentle touch, while his heart seemed want to explode from
happiness under his chest.
 
Their lips departed unhurriedly and Immaru released Bakura’s face, resting his
hands on his lap. Thief King opened his eyes and read the look of tenderness
and expectation on the young king’s face. Bakura smiled, and his smile was
reflected on the boy’s face. Bakura then chuckled and the boy released a small
giggle. A tension that had resided between them since the Egyptian’s return
seemed to finally dissipate. Mutual fears of rejection had died away in that
kiss.
 
Bakura’s confession had been all Immaru had ever dreamed to hear. Since his
return, Immaru was confronted with the fact he still felt attracted to the
Egyptian. And he knew it was mutual. But he had feared Bakura to have be the
wrong type of attraction for him, the passionate and carnal kind. His brother
had accused him to be in love with the former thief, and although he hated it,
he had to admit his twin was right. Immaru could not get the other man out of
his mind. He would watch the other discretely when he was working, torturing
his heart with longing. If their eyes would meet, he would go away frightened.
He feared his romantic feelings weren’t corresponded. Recently, he had not
missed the look of lust in Thief King’s eyes when they were at meetings. There
were times Immaru had thought he was obsessed with the Egyptian, but now he
knew all his fears and worries had been uncalled for. He felt so happy, he
thought he would explode of blissfulness.
 
 The Moon king bent over slightly, so their lips would meet again and Bakura
was sure he never had felt so elated before. Once again, the kiss was filled
with warm tenderness and, despite its chasteness, it made Bakura feel more
connected and intimate with Immaru than when they shared their passionate
moments. This was stronger and more intense than the flash of warm electricity
that had filled his body when he kissed the boy the very first time. This kiss
was deprived of maddening passion, of uncontrollable carnal desire. No. It felt
real, genuine, sincere. It was the most wonderful and marvelous sensation
Bakura had ever experienced in his life.
 
Suddenly, the Egyptian knew. He could never leave Immaru. He knew he would do
anything for the boy. He would go to all extremes for the Akkadian king. He
would kill for him. He would die for him. Bakura had found his light, his
Hikari. Everything made sense. Everything was right. He felt complete. He
instantly knew he loved the boy.
 
“I think I’m falling for you.” The Egyptian half-joked when their lips departed
for the second time. Immaru let out a small laughter and all the earlier
worries about shadows and darkness seemed to have dissipated.
 
“I know I have already.” Immaru confessed in a whisper. He released a startled
squeal when Bakura wrapped his arms around his waist and, in a swift move,
turned the boy around so the young king was lying with his back on the floor.
An amused laugher escaped his lips and Bakura was sure it was the most
beautiful sound he had ever heard. He stole a few more kisses, still gentle and
chaste, but put a bit more force in them. “Stop it!” Immaru said between his
giggling, reading mischief in the other man’s grin. “Somebody might see us.”
 
“That would be quite scandalous.” Bakura said with a malicious smirk, which
made Immaru’s heart speed up. The Egyptian was surprised when the boy pressed
his hands against his chest, pulling him away and creating space between them.
 
“Yeah, really very scandalous.” The Moon king said with a serious expression
and Bakura moved away, understanding.
 
Immaru was right. As much as he wanted to fool around with the boy and make out
with him, he would never forgive himself if he would stain Immaru’s reputation.
He was the king and the White Magician, while he was a servant and former
thief. If they would be seen in this behavior, the Moon king’s image of
authority, virtue and respect would be damaged forever. So, they sat next to
each other quietly, their shoulders this time touching, their hands intertwined
and hidden in the dark.  They remained like this for a very long time,
relishing the feeling of just being together. Until Immaru yawned tiredly.
 
“I must go to sleep.” He unwillingly separated their hands and stood up. He
shivered at the cold that replaced the warmness of Bakura’s body. “You must
rest too. Tomorrow will be a long day. A goodnight to you, Bakura.” He politely
said and Bakura smiled affectionately, regretting the boy’s leave but knowing
it was necessary.
 
“Goodnight, my king.”
 
…
 
The Present
 
Tousoku smiled back at Ryou’s smile. He instinctively knew, even if the boy was
not flooded with his memories from 5,000 years ago, his soul, his essence had
recognized him. Ryou may not remember who he was, but his subconscious did.
 
“Yeah, we must have crossed paths somewhere. I’m sure we met before.” Ryou said
with a kind of certainty that was alien to him. The Egyptian nodded with a
contented grin. Yami was smiling too, understanding what was going on, in
opposition of his friends that switched confused glances from Ryou and Tousoku
to Yami.
 
“Hey, Pharaoh, you might want to tell us what’s going on.” Jounouchi whispered
while he elbowed his ancient friend. Yami merely smirked amused, leaving the
mystery in the air. Suddenly there was an electronic voice coming from
Tousoku’s direction. The Egyptian startled and quickly picked up a walkie-
talkie, looking comprised and nervous.
 
- Agent Tousoku! Answer me, agent Tousoku! –Said the voice from the walkie-
talkie. Tousoku picked it up and cursed under his breath before he pressed a
button and brought it close to his mouth. He and Yami switched glances, the
former annoyed and the second clearly scared. Both were in duty, but had left
their stations without any warning.
 
“Agent Tousoku here.”
 
- Where the hell are you?! It’s still four hours before you are off duty! And
where is the trainee?
 
“Shit, what I am going to make up?” Tousoku asked Yami who shook his head,
while his face was starting to grow pale. The former Thief King rolled his
eyes. Great help - he thought. He pressed the walkie-talkie again. “The trainee
is with me. We are already on our way back to the station house. There was an
emergency with Yami’s family, but it was false alarm.” The police officer
coolly said and grinned maliciously at Yami’s horrified expression. He went in
a split of second from pale to red. Tousoku would swear he saw smoke coming
from the teenager’s ears, while his small body when all rigid, his fists in
balls.
 
- You are excused for this time, but you are never to leave the station without
permission again, you understand? -
 
“Yes Chief.”
 
- Good! Now get your asses over here! Over and out!
 
“What the Hell?! Why did you involve my family in this?” Yami yelled
infuriated, while Tousoku put his walkie-talkie back on his belt.
 
“Hey, you had no ideas. I had to improvise.” Bakura said while he held his
hands up, in a fake apologizing gesture, which only increased Yami’s fury.
“Come on, best not to delay.”
 
“Yami!” Yugi called before the men would leave.
 
“I’ll come back here when my shift is over.” Yami assured while he waved at his
friends.
 
“So will I.” Tousoku said with a mischievous grin, before turning around and
make a run to the police station. His heart raced along joyfully. He had not
missed the look of relieve and happiness in Ryou’s face.
 
***** Shadow Realm *****
Chapter Summary
     The moonless night comes. Will the Black Priests attack?
Chapter Notes
     I do not own Yugi-oh or any of its characters
5,000 years ago
 
The sky darkened slowly, giving birth to thousands of bright stars that shone
cheerfully in a black moonless background. The night of no moon had come.
 During the last past days, the Akkadian military and priests had been
preparing themselves for an attack from the Shadows. Councils and meetings took
place, where heated discussions were loudly heard. The fear for the safety of
the twin kings had been the motivation to train and prepare tirelessly for a
battle. Time was of the essence and everybody had made sure that all minutes
were well used. The war was on.
Tonight, everybody was watchful. Soldiers were stationed on the defensive
walls, their eyes fixed of the blackness of the world beyond the city lights.
Dumuzi, Nigiku and Bakura patrolled the walls, making sure the men remained
vigilant. It was crucial to identify any abnormal movement in the vastness of
the night. The White Priests were gathered in the different temples and
combined their energies to secure the capital of the Empire with magic under
the leadership of the White Magician. Bakura looked down the wall he was
walking on. He recognized the same ethereal haze of whites and purples he had
seen in Cairo, during his failed invasion on the Egyptian capital. The
recollection of how difficult it had been to break those barriers was
comforting. The Black Priests would have to be extremely strong to breach this
magic.  
The stars moved very slowly on the black sky. Long silent hours passed by
without anything happening. The night was high and even the fittest were easily
tempted to give into slumber. Guards and priests fought their bodies demands,
focusing on the threat that could come any moment now. But as minutes passed,
their purpose slowly faded away and their minds started shutting along with
their eyes. Bakura too could feel the weight of his eyes and struggled to keep
them open. He had a promise to keep, and that was to make sure nothing happened
to Immaru. He decided to make another round on the walls, startling any poor
soldier that showed any signs of drowsiness. He stopped when he had a clear
view on the Ishtar temple, it’s steps and walls illuminated with oil lamps.
Inside, the White Magician was performing his magic. The Egyptian could sense
from this point the magical energy travelling from the sanctuary, protecting
all Akkad from danger. He directed his gaze to the streets. They were empty,
there was not one soul to be seen. This night, curfew had been implemented and
all Akkadians received strict orders to remain inside their homes, no matter
what they heard or saw. 
Thief King could feel his eyes weight again and felt his head slowly drop when
he suddenly startled at the sound of voices shouting. They came from the city’s
entrance. He made a quick run to the towers protecting the main gate and met
Nigiku half way. No words were needed to exchange, for it was obvious they were
under attack. Soon, the first arrows were flying and disappearing into the
darkness beyond Akkad. A strange roar made the air vibrate. When they made it
to the main tower, Dumuzi was already leading the defenses, shouting orders.
 “Hold your posts!!!” The Sun king shouted while the archers prepared to shoot
when the command would be given. The strange roar was heard again and this time
the walls trembled. 
“I can’t see anything.” Nigiku said while his eyes scanned the darkness.
 
“It would be a wonder if you could, after all, the Shadows live in the dark.”
Bakura replied.
 
The ground under their feet trembled again, this time with might. The ethereal
mist of whites and purples flickered briefly around the walls. The magical
barrier was being attacked by something powerful. The soldiers gasped and their
eyes denounced fear. Still, they stood their ground, remaining obedient to
their king. Suddenly, a horrible icy scream was heard. All heads turned to the
source of the dreadful sound in time to see a black colossal tendril wrap
itself around a guard and swallow him in the darkness. 
Horrified, Dumuzi shouted a command to shoot fire at the tendril. Arrows flew
in the air, illuminating the skies for seconds and pierced the monstrous thing.
The black tendril twitched, while a painful roar sounded from down below. The
attacker disappeared behind the walls, looking like it was backing away. Just
when everybody wanted to sigh of relieve, a multiplicity of new tendrils hit
the magical protected walls. 
Everybody watched with horror as the translucid veil activated its defenses
while it was mercilessly attacked. The magical barrier shook, it’s colors
switching from white to purple to blue. It flickered in a desperate attempt to
survive. Dumuzi shouted new commands and a sea of fire crossed the skies to
meet the monster made of darkness. For a few moments, the creature was
illuminated, revealing its true hideous form. It was gigantic, as large as a
god monster, with a black shinny body made of many tendrils. In its center, two
large yellow eyes turned to all different directions. 
The battle was arduous, as the creature continued hitting the walls, sometimes
succeeding in hitting soldiers altogether and taking them with it. On the other
hand, it suffered greatly. The monster roared with great pain while arrows bit
its large body with fire and soldiers cut its tendrils. Sometimes it looked
like the monster was being defeated and would finally retreat, but then it
would return with doubled strength and anger. Bakura lost the notion of time.
Just like in Egypt, the magical barrier resisted a very long time. The White
Magician’s power and that of his priests was great and intimidating. But just
like in Egypt, their limitations as humans was evident. The use of their life
energy was their ultimate downfall. After what felt like an eternity, the White
Priests succumbed to exhaustion, one after the other, until in the end, all
that was left was the White Magician’s magic. 
Suddenly, a flash of an immense white electrifying energy travelled from the
Ishtar temple. It had form of Lamassu, the Akkadian genie with human head, body
of a bull and eagle wings. Lamassu travelled in speed and hit the monster
fully. Bakura swallowed dry. He recognized the energy and the technique. It was
Immaru’s final blow. This was all he had left. He had summoned the rest of
energy his body could give him to strike that one last blast. And what a mighty
blast it was. But just like in Egypt, the monster of Darkness was stronger than
Lamassu. It survived and emerged from the smoke. With a swift angry hit, it
broke the magical barrier. Bakura could just imagine Immaru fall unconscious on
the temple’s floor when the ethereal veil around the walls disintegrated into
thousands of tiny particles.
 What followed was a blur of chaos. The soldiers panicked when the tendrils
wrapped themselves on the walls. Many men fell along the crumbling stones. Many
ran to safer parts of the wall and fought the dark enemy. New monsters, taking
the shape of large felines, giant toads and scarabs crawled up the walls,
others entered through the openings. The sound of metal clashing, the smoke of
burning fire filled the air while soldiers and monsters fought, both winning
and dying during the battle.
 
“They are entering the city!” Nigiku shouted while he pointed at shadows that
were moving in the streets.
 
“Nigiku, take the command here at the walls!” The Sun king ordered.
 
He made a few agile jumps and descended the wall to follow the creatures. 
Bakura ran right behind him. They succeeded into slaying the shadowy monsters
that crossed their paths. Alas, more and more entered the city. Even with the
help of the skilled soldiers, many dark creatures managed to escape and spread
throughout the streets of the capital. Dumuzi went white when he saw the
shadows split into groups and take two separate directions. One group headed to
the Ishtar temple while the other went to the Palace. Dumuzi halted in the
intersection, turning his head from the temple to the palace unable to decide
where he should go. He was torn between his brother and his wife. Bakura,
seeing Dumuzi’s dilemma, intervened.
 “Go to the Palace! Go protect your wife! I’ll go to the temple.” The Egyptian
instructed while his blade cut a shadow monster in two, disintegrating it. The
Sun king looked lost for moments, but having no other options, nodded in
agreement.
 
“Save my brother.” Dumuzi pled just before he hunted the beast that headed
towards the Palace.
 
“Don’t worry. I will.” Bakura said despite the Sun king being already too far
to hear him. “That I swear.”
 Thief King ran as fast as his legs allowed. Shadows crept out the darkest
corners of the night, crawling on walls like spiders and making sudden attacks
on the well-trained soldiers. Bakura ignored the screams of agony as he ran
along the streets made of fire and smoke. He was nauseated by the sight before
him and pretended not to witness the monsters eating men’s guts while they were
still alive. He ran up the Ishtar temple’s stairway and noticed the fire of the
ollie lamps was being extinguished while he passed them. He swallowed dry at
the realization something eerie was right behind him. He felt the cold chill
cross his body and knew at that moment, the Shadow Realm had caught up with
him. The air became heavy and difficult to breathe. A familiar mist of white
and red shrouded the world around him. The floor lost its solid consistency,
becoming sticky under his feet. He felt like he was walking on mud. But all
this he ignored. His eyes were fixed on the sanctuary’s entrance. His thoughts
were one and fueled his body with a single purpose. He had to save Immaru. 
With a final jump, Bakura entered the temple. The sounds of screaming and clash
of blades died instantly behind him. The heavy smell of fire disappeared. The
Egyptian took a deep breath and took one step forward. He was familiar with the
Shadow Realm and its tricks. And right now, the world of darkness had created a
complete new world inside the sacred ground to disorient him. The space had
altered greatly and had nothing to do with the real temple’s architecture.
Thief King stood in one of the many galleries made of columns and arcades that
repeated themselves infinitively, as they stretched endlessly. There was no
ceiling and no walls, only blackness. It was both disorienting and nerve-
wracking because there seemed to exist no beginning and no end in this world.
There was simply no sense of space. Fortunately, Bakura had lived in Darkness
long enough to understand its secrets. 
“Ha! Is this all you’ve got?” The former bandit questioned the shadows. He
grinned undisturbed. They had forgotten he once had been one with them and now
he was up to any challenge. “You cannot prevent me from rescuing Immaru.” He
said in a low dark voice. His smirk grew confident while he started walking
coolly.
 The light was dim and unnatural, just enough to see his surroundings. The air
was thick. The heavy deaf sound of silence surrounded him. The air was cold,
sending chills down his spine, making his hairs go up. Bakura walked, and his
footsteps did not echo like they should. Instead, they sounded dry and muffled.
Now and then he sensed shadows move nearby, or heard strange whispers coming
from the depths of darkness. The Egyptian knew he had to remain focused and
could not allow anything distract him. The shadows enjoyed using illusions to
misguide. While he moved, Bakura focused all his senses. He never had been this
alert before. His eyes searched for clues in the surroundings, his ears
listened to the silence. After for what felt like a long period of time, the
former bandit sensed something. An oddness in the dark world, something
misplaced. He suddenly halted. He sensed a shy presence of warmth, a tiny
vestige of the world of living. His heartbeat increased as his vision grasped a
small white halo moving far away in his direction. Thief King stared marveled,
knowing this was not an illusion from darkness, because the shadows could never
create anything made of light. The small brilliant white-blue light reached
Bakura and paused right in front of his nose. It had the shape of a night moth.
Small and fragile, yet beautiful and ethereal. It moved its little delicate
wings with a happy easiness that belonged to the essence of light. The pale
moonlight.
 
“Show me where Immaru is!” Thief King requested the small insect, while his
heart was filled with hope.
 
The moth flapped its little wings and made a cheerful circle in the dark before
it flew swiftly away. Bakura raced behind the tiny thing, which looked like a
shooting star, fast and bright, illuminating the world it travelled. While he
chased the moth, Thief King noticed his steps made no sound. Not even his
breath could be heard. And he wondered if he had become deaf. While he followed
the insect, the world remained unchanged. It remained dark and disorienting. It
was like he was moving in the same spot all the time. Don’t be fooled by the
illusions of darkness. Bakura thought to himself while a grin formed on his
lips. They are nothing but tricks.
 Suddenly he saw a dark shadow move just ahead of him. It was one of the
felinelike shadows. The Egyptian felt his energy be renewed as he understood
the evil shadow had the same goal as him. It wanted to reach Immaru too.
Suddenly, the former bandit was engaged in a deadly race. The brilliant moth
gained speed and overtook the shadow beast. The Egyptian saw the small spark
land on something on the ground and instantly knew it was the White Magician.
He could make out the form of the boy’s body, lying unconscious on the ground.
The shadow was so close. Bakura was so close. The monster gave a jump, aiming
to the defenseless boy. With a muffed roar, the Egyptian flew on the air at the
same time as the shadow. He drew out his sword and with a silent scream, slew
the beast in the middle of the air. A dark smoke disintegrated and faded into
the darkness. Thief King landed next to Immaru. Panting, he scanned his
surroundings and, when he was sure there was nothing nearby, stepped closer to
Immaru.
 The moth flew away from the boy to hover nearby. The former thief kneeled and
carefully picked up Immaru, putting an arm under his back. With his other hand,
Bakura pushed some hair strands away from the boy’s face. The White Magician
bore a tense expression, translating his exhaustion and worries in his sleep.
Without thinking, the Egyptian bent over and pressed his lips on Immaru’s.
Thief King felt a start under his fingers and a gasp escaped the teenager’s
lips. Slowly, his eyes opened until chocolate brown were locked on lilac. A
genuine smile followed and Bakura chuckled shaken by his emotions.
 
“You came for me.” The Moon king weakly whispered, awe present in his voice.
 
“I would cross time and space to find you.” The Egyptian confessed and melted
on the sweetness of Immaru’s smile. He felt something warm run down his face
and only then he realized he was crying. Bakura knew, had it taken one more
second, Immaru wouldn’t be alive and breathing in his arms.
 
“I have no doubt of that.” The White Magician said, while his fingertips wiped
the tears away. His eyes then darted to the brilliant moth and smiled happily.
“Look up to the skies, Bakura.”
 
“What do you mean?” The former bandit asked confused after looking up and
seeing nothing but blackness.  His gaze returned to the White Magician, just in
time to see his eyes roll back as he fell back to unconsciousness. “Immaru?
Immaru, wake up!!” Bakura called while he shook the boy. The Moon king’s eyes
opened slowly.
 
“So tired…”
 
“I’m getting you out of here.” Bakura said with conviction.
 
He easily picked up Immaru and swung him over his back. He wasn’t too surprised
to see the small moth fly ahead of him, showing the way out. He wondered if the
small creature of light was a small part of the White Magician’s consciousness
or magic he was still controlling. It didn’t really matter, as long as they got
out of this place as quickly as possible. Alas, the shadows weren’t willing to
allow them to escape that easily. It felt like they would never find the exit.
The galleries multiplied endlessly until it was a great confusing jungle of
columns and arches. The Egyptian chased after the bright spark, which was
getting further away. Bakura cursed frustrated. Then suddenly, he stopped. The
former bandit stared around baffled. Just like that, he had crossed the
sanctuary’s exit and stood outside the temple. The little moth had disappeared,
but it didn’t bother him. They were outside again, back to the world of
unpleasant sounds and putrefying odors. The real world.
 
“Stay put, Hikari, I’m taking you to safety.”
 
End Notes
     There are 2 time periods in Yugi-oh.
     In the Japanese version, Yami lived 5,000 years ago, in the USA
     version it's 3,000.
     I'm sticking to the original version, thus 5,000. Just like Yugi-oh,
     historically it is NOT accurate.
     The Akkadian Empire was established in 2,334 BC and ended 2,154 BC. I
     chose this highly developed civilization because it co-existed with
     Ancient Egypt. Mainly because the main goddess of the empire's
     capital Akkad was the goddess Ishtar.
     Not adding any further information for now. The clue is given. You
     may theorize!
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