Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Children of Destiny ❯ Final Showdown ( Chapter 22 )

 

The Final Showdown

 

Chapter: 23/23 The Final Showdown

Author: Madyamisam

Rating: R

Pairing: Multiple (mainly Y/YY and S/J)

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from the franchise Yu-Gi-Oh!

 

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The light of dawn filtered through the cracks of the supernatural glacier and the monks were busy readying the makeshift weapons from the kitchens and training rooms. Yugi had kept himself diligent in organising the small melee and the primitive weapons that they held. He despaired silently as the situation was a striking resemblance to when he was once a princess of a great empire fighting for freedom for herself and her people. The outcome met a tragic end and left two lovers separated for 5000 years. Yami looked up feeling fatigued; his limbs ached as he had fought with every ounce of his being against a curse that was slowly suffocating his very soul. The new body he had suddenly required was thought to be a gift from the gods that he had worshipped long ago but he soon found out that he had been trapped without him knowing until the very last minute. The fabled `King of the Games' had inadvertently been ensnared in a game that he didn't realise he had been playing. He stared sadly at his soul mate as his fight for control of his body became harder with every breath that he took. He felt heavy and weak, his arms moved when he did not want them to. He realised at one point during the night when Yugi had fallen asleep that his fingers had strayed towards the younger one's neck and started to wrap themselves around him suffocating and it took all of Yami's strength to grab a spearhead and stab his arm. It was painful but he soon broke free leaving Yugi gasping.

 

“I'm sorry,” he had said pitifully and Yugi tried to comfort him. Yami flinched and backed away. “I don't want her to force me to hurt you Aibou… please… don't come any closer” he rasped shaking all over.

 

“I'm not afraid of `her'…” Yugi replied coldly as he knelt down and wrapped his arms around him holding him tightly. Yami trembled but pulled the smaller boy into an embrace stroking the red tinged ebony hair. “We'll get through this… I know I said otherwise yesterday but we will get through this and out of this hellhole…” The scrapings of frozen bony claws grew closer each second that passed. Yugi dragged Yami to his feet and waited for the great ice barrier to be broken through.

 

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Ryou was running a pale hand along the mythril staff and its ebony carvings before glancing over to his yami who was staring at him intently.

 

“I don't want you to fight…” Bakura said suddenly surprising Ryou. There was a twinge in Bakura's eye

 

“Why?”

 

“I just don't…” Bakura snapped. “I…” he trailed off from what he wanted to add before gripping his sweatshirt. “I don't want you to die” Ryou stared down at the mythril staff before, a remnant of a life before this one.

 

“You loved each other didn't you, you and Rei?” Bakura turned his head away in attempt to prevent Ryou from seeing him cry.

 

“I saw her body… pinned to the wall after the massacre…” he choked and biting his lip. “Just a few days before we were just talking about what we were going to do in our lives. We were planning to retire from our stations and wonder the world along with Ishizu and Ishtar” It was then that Ryou saw Bakura do something that he never knew he could do. He tucked his knees to his chest as a tear ran down his face.

 

“I love you…” Ryou whispered to Bakura's surprise. “I guess that was what she had wanted to tell you Kura... and it's what I have been wanting to say for a while too… so I'll tell you now… I love you and I have a feeling that this time… things are going to be different…” Ryou smiled as he wrapped his arms around his Yami.

 

“I know…” Bakura said. “I'll be with you this time…”

 

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“Malik…” Isis whispered to her little brother brushing a hand on the younger Egyptian's face. She swallowed whilst Malik glanced over at his yami who was clinging to the worn out pillow like a teddy bear.

 

“Take care of him won't you sister? Remember if you want him to do something all you have to do is take his pillow” Malik said with a smile.

 

“'You're taking care of him Malik… You know that he will never listen to me or even your brother Odion…” Isis wrapped her arms around her younger brother. Malik stared sadly at the floor.

 

“I wish he was here to come with us Isis…”

 

“Then come back safely from this battle... my sweet baby brother and our family will be reunited back in Egypt” she whispered in his ear. Malik pulled back and turned to his yami crouching on the floor with the pillow in his arm.

 

“You keep yourself out of trouble until I get back or big sister will shred your pillow do you understand?” he said playfully making the yami pout and drawing the pillow closer to him. Malik sighed in satisfaction before he turned to strap the two sabres to his back when a warm body collided into him. He grunted as he fell flat on his backside from the impact and looked up surprised at his yami. Ishtar wrapped his arms tightly around his other self. The pillow left abandoned on the floor next to him.

 

“You're my pillow… hikari-pretty” he said suddenly and drew him into his body. Malik sighed and his arms came up to bring yami closer to him.

 

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“I wonder what's going to happen after all this is over,” Joey suddenly said disturbing the silence between himself and the brunette. They were watching Andrin train Tristan, Serenity and Mokuba how to handle a sword. Joey had a light sheen of sweat from intense training but he other than that and a pinkish hue from session he seemed none the worse for wear.

 

“We go home” Kaiba replied matter-of-factly. “Or we're already dead so it wouldn't matter.” Joey sighed and stared at the amused cobalt eyes.

 

“Great… of all the times that Seto Kaiba decided to develop his sick sense of humour past dog jokes it's just had to be when we are about to be slaughtered by an army of skeletons…” he retorted sarcastically. Seto smiled glancing at the blonde for a bit. The dim sunlight that filtered through the icy barrier had cast a bright sheen against the blonde tresses of his silky hair.

 

“Things will be different when we leave here one way or another…” Seto replied before gazing at the ochre brown eyes and wondering about the strange dream that was now haunting his thoughts. Seto leaned backwards and reached the familiar cloth that Isis always wrapped around the ancient artefacts. “I think this might come in handy to you” Seto said passing the Dragon Sceptre to the blonde's hands. Joey stared and glided a hand across the gold scales of the dragon before the two of them sat on in relative silence once more. Seto was surprised though when the blonde leaned onto his shoulder and his arm absently stretched to wrap around his waist. They were snapped out of their reverie and back out of each other's embrace when a loud crack was heard in the hallway. The Ghouls had finally broken through.

 

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Chaos ensued as the monks batted away the snapping claws of the skeletal army flooding through the tunnel of ice, it was slow with a few leaking out through a small hole but suddenly the ice crumbled and a large tunnel was formed. Malik formed a jet of fire that seemed to snake around him in a fiery tornado before it fanned out into waves burning the skeletons to a crisp. Ryou leapt up high as a ball of water started to form at the tip of his staff and it welled out into a second wave. Fiery and watery geysers erupted through the stone floors as a result of their magic whilst Yami and Yugi together ploughed through with their swords, third eyes flaring with defiance. The other yamis and Isis focused their own Shadow powers summoning the monsters from the Shadow Realm to enforce the group of fighters they had at their disposal Serenity, Tristan and Mokuba were locked using swords, daggers and their own hands. Andrin's sword cut through obliterating the skeletons and watched absently as their souls burned and shattered when they heard a sudden rumble in the distance. The fighting seemed to stop. Through the tunnel two figures stormed through the ice and stood tall amongst the trembling monks. Pyro and Aquan, Lich and Argoth stormed through the fortress. The smaller form of Gabriel and his silky white hair and strange diamond eyes followed the four goliaths. He smirked casually pulling off his leather gloves before eyeing the small group huddled against the walls surrounded by skeletons lashing at anyone that strayed from it. Yugi glared in Gabriel's direction and he growled as with a twist of a wrist a large cape started to appear in Gabriel's hands unveiling his other most hated person. Téa stared at the group of friends with cold blue eyes. The two elementals Pyro and Aquan squared themselves off with Malik and Ryou towering above them as they let out their devastating attacks. Yugi had only ever seen the elementals once when he was kidnapped by them but had never got wind of the amount of power that they possessed. They were both large dressed in long capes corresponding to the fiery red and icy blue powers that they held. Pyro's cape opened slightly and two long blood tinged swords whilst Aquan produced a long black staff.

 

“I don't think I ever formally introduced the lot of you to my two most devoted servants. Pyro and Aquan and its quite interesting that they match your powers with your two friends, isn't that right dear Yugi?”

 

“That doesn't prove that they're any stronger than us Gabby” Malik spat back.

 

“In strength they are your equal but in a battle like this… 10,000 soldiers at my command against a measly few hundred. It doesn't take a genius to work out `that' equation. As for my two pets… beneath all that cloaking lie two delicate and beautiful flowers that have served me well for five thousand years. Reveal yourselves” With that the two cloaks were tossed aside revealing two figures that were in fact smaller in stature than Yugi realised.

 

“Rei? Ishizu?” Bakura and Ishtar whispered at the two female images of their hikaris. Their bodies had bones jutting from the rotten flesh as a reminder of the moments of their deaths but their eyes held no life they had once possessed but resurrected as one of the Ghouls.

 

“I don't let a potential ally go to waste whether they were once my enemies or not. I would have done the same for your own pre-incarnation Yugi if it hadn't been so well guarded by the pharaoh.” Gabriel sneered as the two former elementals struck blow for blow with Malik and Ryou. Bakura and Ishtar stood stock-still.

 

“You sick bastard” Yami spat as Ryou and Malik fought with their former selves. Yami suddenly doubled over in pain as a brunette revealed herself from behind. Her eyes were a dark shade of red in contrast to her usual pale blue. Téa concentrated hard imposing her will on the body that Yami inhabited ignoring the screams and the loss of control to his own limbs.

 

“Yami!!!” Yugi yelled and knelt by his side. Yami clutched at his heart as Gabriel casually sauntered forward knocking away Tristan, Mokuba and Serenity along with some monks and grabbing Yugi by the hair and dragging him away.

 

“Aibou!” he rasped but the pain wracked in his body when he tried to move. Andrin, Joey and Seto, held off by Lich and Argoth, leaving the boy helpless to Gabriel's wrath. Gabriel's hand morphed into a claw and it shook against Yugi's third eye.

 

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Bakura and Ishtar stood watching in horror, their bodies refusing to act what they had sworn to their hikaris that they would fight alongside them. They were locked on their two pre-incarnations and the ghastly wounds that unable to heal had started to fester to nothing but bones and parts of sinew that were underneath. Ryou threw the rotting Rei off with a jet of water. They rammed each other whilst the liquid pulsated around them before backing off again. The two twirled their staffs as the water collected around them into a snake before reforming into two watery dragons; the water serpents struck biting and clawing each other in equal bouts of strength and ability.

 

“KURA!!!” Bakura vaguely heard Ryou scream. Bakura almost in a dream turned slowly to as an axe arching in his direction. Isis blew the Ghoul away before she dragged the two into a safest corner.

 

“What is wrong with you two?” she screamed. “You promised that you'd be by your hikari's side. Have you forgotten that? Or are you really cowards where your words of oath mean nothing to you?” Bakura and Ishtar stared back as the two charged up their Shadow powers and summoned their Duel Monsters into battle. Finally acting out their part they fought on against the tide of emaciated soldiers whilst their hikaris fought against their pre-incarnations. Ishtar and Bakura seemed to be almost drifting in and out of surrealism as they summoned and re-summoned monsters to the chamber against the skeletal army. It was at this moment when their hikaris had pushed their opponents off did the resurrected forms of Rei and Ishizu had turned their attentions to them. Rei waved her black staff into an icy spear and threw it at Bakura like a javelin whilst Ishizu slashed down upon Ishtar's head. The two yamis looked stunned seeing the ones that had once been their friends and possibly lovers. Time seemed to stand still before it rushed past like the wind. There was a clash of metal and the sickly plunging of metal against soft flesh. Both Malik and Ryou stood between their yamis, both impaled by the weapons of their pre-incarnations. Rei pulled back the icy javelin from Ryou's chest and he sunk to the floor. Bakura caught the younger one in his arms whilst Ishtar wrapped his arms around the Malik's waist and trying to stifle the blood bleeding from his stomach. Malik vaguely heard his sister screaming in horror whilst the two yamis stared down at their other halves.

 

“Ryou…” Bakura whispered as he pressed against the fatal wound on Ryou's chest. Ishtar did the same. Ryou gasped before looking up with glazed eyes at his lover. Bakura immediately set about to heal the wound but was stopped by Ryou.

 

“It's ok… save your strength and yourself…” Ryou whispered taking the Millennium Ring off. “Go back into the ring Kura…”

 

“BAKA!!!” Bakura screamed belying the anguish in his eyes then determination lit in his eyes. “You… you… I said I would be with you on this and I will be… You're not going to die you understand that?” he sobbed. “I d-didn't waste my time beating up your ass and trying to make you stronger for you to just die like this…” he focused his shadow powers hard upon the wound as the tears fell from his eyes from despair and anger at himself. “Ryou don't close your eyes and focus!!! Stop it STOP IT!!!!” he screamed as Ryou slipped away.

 

“Hikari…” Ishtar whispered focusing his powers on the bleeding stomach.

 

“Ah dang… I really wanted to show you my killer move on that bitch…” Malik rasped painfully.

 

“You will do… you will…” Ishtar said meekly blinking a few times letting a single tear escape. “We've still got all those stupid animals trapped back at home to torture… We got to get back soon otherwise… they'll… they'll escape…” he said biting his lip as he pulled his hikari to the safest area from the battle to try and heal him.

 

“I'm getting sleepy…” Malik said staring at the blood still oozing form the wound. Isis had rushed patting cold hands against his face to keep him awake. His eyes grew heavy despite her attempts.

 

“Malik? Malik?” Ishtar whispered shaking his hikari when he stopped responding to his healing.

 

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Andrin's blocked a devastating blow from the double-edged sword. Argoth although huge and filling a good part of the chamber was not as cumbersome as he appeared and Andrin only just avoided his attacks. Seto stabbed at the large four-legged hide but found it easily bouncing off; Argoth threw him back with a knock of a powerful arm. Lich lashed a snake tail and caught Joey by the leg and dangled him high above him. Lich chuckled as he was about to deal the final blow and struck out with a whip like tongue protruding from his mandibles, at it's edge a sharp needle that was aimed at Joey's throat. Joey caught with a hand yelping as the slimy acid surrounding it at his skin. The tongue went to strike again almost dealing a final blow when a stray arrow from perhaps one of the monks shot past slicing off the tongue clean. The needle like point dropped with a chink against the stone floor, the acid eating at the granite. The half man, half snake and scarab screeched and the tail lost its hold. Joey was plopped on the floor nursing the singed hand. He ripped his shirt and bound it tightly before shuffling backwards dodging the blows of many Ghouls relentlessly beating down on him with large maces. Lich finally controlled the spasms from his bleeding tongue and his tail lashed across Seto's chest creating a long gash down his torso. He was on his knees as he clutched the deep wound hearing Mokuba's vague scream being drowned out by the cold clashes of metal against metal, the slicing of flesh and screams of dying men. Joey came down with the dagger, which chinked against the heavy armour plated tail. He was knocked back and Lich lunged with the kill, his spearhead tail ready to plunge at Joey's heart. A sickening splatter of red sprayed against the demon's face as Seto had shielded the blonde with his own body; the white trench coat he donned was stained with blood pouring from the wound. Lich pulled back cackling triumphantly as Seto slid to the floor.

 

“Seto?” the brunette heard the blonde whisper in shock before haze of blood loss made him lose consciousness.

 

“Nisama!!! NISAMA!!!!” Mokuba screamed as tears ran down his face as he ran to his brother's side. “NISAMA!!! WAKE UP SETO!!!” Seto cough as he forced himself to wrench away from the depths of darkness and tried to focus his eyes upon the two holding him in their arms. The blood on his chest was warm and inviting. “Please… don't die… Nisama…” Mokuba whimpered rubbing his face in the sweat drenched brown locks whilst Andrin fought hard against the two demons that had ganged up on him.

 

“Come on… Set… stay with us here” the blonde whispered as his chocolate brown eyes seemed to fade away into fluorescent green. Katsuya stared shaking silently as he held the brunette close to his chest and rocking him gently in his arms.

 

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“Yami… come to me… “Yami heard Téa whisper, his hand as she approached him. Yami fought hard against the will against the body he was trapped in. It tortured him, it hurt him. Téa was touched him gently that sent a powerful surge that seemed to chain his soul. He screamed in partly in anguish and helplessness and full out defiance when he heard the yelp from Yugi. His body was wracking as Gabriel began pulling his love's soul apart to reshape it to his will. `Aibou' he thought. `Yugi, Yugi, Yugi, Yugi, Yugi'

 

//YUGI!!!!”// his mind link opened, the Millennium Puzzle that had hung like a dead weight suddenly became lighter around Yugi's neck as if coming to life. The Eye of Ra and the symbol of Egypt's most powerful relics were reawakened and a golden barrier exploded around Yugi. Gabriel was tossed away like a doll. Distracted by this Téa did not see the arrow pierce her chest and she was pinned hard against a wall. Yami suddenly felt the control come back into his fingers and finally his whole body. He felt himself release a wave of energy and a shattering of metal and glass.

 

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Katsuya looked up as Argoth swiped Andrin to the side and both he and Lich leered down at the three boys preparing to finish them off. Katsuya grabbed the Dragon Sceptre as the double bladed sword came down with a loud clang. A small crack and a splinter were heard amidst the battle as the crystal of the Dragon Sceptre shattered and the staff disintegrated into nothing. Katsuya stared shocked at his empty hands when a soulful trill was heard. Everyone suddenly stopped fighting as a giant bird emerged from the shards of the Dragon Sceptre and flew around the chamber nonchalantly. Even Gabriel stopped his assault on the small boy beneath him to stare at the gold ethereal plumage flutter silently. It trilled once before swooping down below, its feathers brushing against Seto, Ryou, Malik and many of the fallen monks in the battle. Their severe wounds began to close rapidly and the emptiness in their eyes came back to life.

 

“Seto?” Seto gasped as he stared down at the large ripped hole through his chest where he had been pierced. The wound had disappeared where the only trace of his injuries was the blood soaked edges in his shirt. “You're… you're alright!” Mokuba cried as he hugged his brother's waist.

 

“Thank God,” he heard the blonde next to him. Seto turned to investigate the blonde's wounds.

 

“You?” he exclaimed as he recognised the now familiar fluorescent green gaze of Katsuya. Narrowing his eyes he glared at the twin of the one that held his heart. “Where's Joey?” Katsuya ignored his question only to stare at the ceiling. All fighting had ceased to stare at the beautiful bird flying above them. It trilled once making one final round in the ceiling before descending. With another trill the plumes of feathers folded in on themselves and fanned open giving way to four gleaming arrows lined up on a golden bow. Joey aimed and let loose a single arrow which split into many projectiles towards the army of skeletons. Each arrow that hit set each Ghoul on fire. Many were suddenly wiped out and dwindled to a few hundred. Joey then aimed his arrows towards his next targets, pinning Gabriel, Tèa, Lich and Argoth. Using the precious moments he needed, Andrin slashed the two giant Overlords with his Soul Blade. Both monsters screamed in absolute agony distorting as their powers had weakened and dissipated from the world.

 

---

 

“Ryou?” Bakura stared uncertainly as his other lover blinked and sat up.

 

“I need your help… Kura…” he whispered taking the tomb robber's hand facing his former incarnation. The veil of the past suddenly seemed to lift from the tomb robber's eyes and he glared vehemently at the dead carcass there before.

 

“This time I'm ready…” he growled as the shadows around him flared alongside the brilliant blue aura that his hikari possessed. They're powers intertwined and twisted into a deadly vortex that undulated, causing Rei to falter. Similarly, the fiery aura from Malik shifted in and out with Ishtar's. As if one they charged, their fists and attacks in a flurry pounding the two dead carcasses until they shattered into dust.

 

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Gabriel roared with agony and fury from the burning arrow pierced through his clawed hand. “YOU!!!! WHY CAN'T YOU PEOPLE JUST STAY DEAD?” he screamed at Joey, the blond's golden bow dissipating into nothing. All of a sudden the Gabriel's fury suddenly turned into gasp, a chuckle then a cackle. Yugi cringed as the chilling laugh made him shiver. The young boy turned to the blond, his gaunt face looking hollow as if he had been drained.

 

“No matter, I can see from here your powers already been spent, this will still be a victory for me” Gabriel chuckled casting a glance to Yugi. With a roar he ripped Téa from her pinned position. “And now I can kill another two birds. Once the little princess your anchor dies now, the soul of your beloved Pharaoh will be shredded apart. The fate worse than death” Gabriel spat venomously. Téa gasped as she looked on in horror at the one person she had sought after. Tears streamed down her eyes as her life was being squeezed out of her whilst the form of Yami started to scatter. The former pharaoh's partner screamed for his lover who started to fade. She could almost feel Yami's soul breaking apart as her own life ebbed away.

 

“I won't let you…” Téa rasped under the grasp slipping a hand into a small pouch she carried, the potion that would release Yami and forced it down her constricted throat. Yami gasped, as he remained strong whilst the lifeless body of the girl slumped to the floor taking the last trump card Gabriel could play with her. Gabriel screamed as he faced the retribution of the twin blades. Ripping out the arrow seal, he fled towards the top pursued quickly by both Yugi and Yami, their three eyes blazing. As the battle wore on the monks finally started to overwhelm the last remains of the skeletal army.

 

"I think the monks can handle the rest of them from here. Let's go help Yami and Yugi," Ryou said.

 

"Let them handle Gabriel on their own." Joey said as stood beside his former friend.

 

“Can't you save her big brother?” Serenity asked. “I know she'd been horrible but even so, you could see for yourself how much she loved him.”

 

“I can't sis,” Joey rasped seating himself onto the floor completely drained.

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They raced up stone steps as they chased the fleeing demon to the top of the roof temple, their footsteps pounding against the slabs until they reached the open air. Gabriel stood defiant, a long scythe suddenly appearing in his claws. The two teens drew their respective weapons from their sheathes and met the demon's eyes with fiery determination.

 

“It's over now, Gabriel. You've lost,” Yugi said.

 

“Have I?” the demon grinned as he cast a glance towards the former pharaoh. Yami grimaced as he collapsed to the ground.

 

“Yami?” as the former pharaoh began to double over in pain.

 

“It seems the damage is done in spite of that wretched girl's attempt to save him. His soul is weak and broken; the instant his mortal body dies, his soul will shatter into nothing. You will be alone, you'll end up submitting to me soon enough, I have all the time in the world,” he cackled loudly ready to launch the final blow against Yami when a high-pitched scream of metal was heard piercing flesh. Yami growled, as the sword imbedded into Gabriel pressed deeper into the demon's chest.

 

“You talk too much,” he rasped as he twisted the double-edged blade. The demon roared as blood dribbled from the wound of the blade swiping at Yami with his clawed hand. With a piercing battle cry, the smaller of the two soul mates drove the second blade into Gabriel's heart. There, the two swords fused for eternity as a spread of grey rippled across the demon's body. Gabriel's shrieked as he stumbled backwards, his limbs became stiff and heavy before his knees buckled and became fixed to the floor of the rooftop. A large billow of dark energy emitted from the demon's eyes and mouth throwing his head up to the clouds. Down below, the Ghouls had stopped attacking and were rolling on the floor writhing in pain from the sound of Gabriel's unearthly screams. Sparks of light swallowed the dark energy before it dissipated; shattering like glass and in its place was dust blown away from the soulless stone statue and the two swords embedded inside it.

 

Breathing a sigh of relief, Yugi sunk to his knees before the crushing reality hit him, he rushed just as Yami was about to topple over the edge of the roof and plummet to his death. “Yami…” he gasped grabbing his other by he waist and settling him down.

 

“Forgive me…”

 

“Stop that! You're gonna be all right” he sobbed watching in horror as the light started to fade from his lover's eyes.

 

“His body is dying,” Joey's soft tenor resonated like the solemn toll of a church bell.

 

“… Cold…” Yugi wrapped his arms around the former pharaoh tightly willing him to stay. Yami rested his head against Yugi's shoulder. “Yugi…”

 

“You'll be fine, just stay with me,”

 

“I was happy to find you again,” Yami whispered before the spirit started to fade away, his body turning grey and slowly into dust. Yugi gasped clutching at the flaking ashes that was his lover before Yami disappeared.

 

“No… No, no, no…” he whimpered desperately clinging on to the last vestiges. There was an unearthly silence; even the high wind of the mountain grew quiet giving way to a howling wail of despair. Everyone clung to their respective soul mates even as they rushed to his side. A rain of gold metal pieces scattered across the rooftop as Yugi lay curled into a ball at where Yami once was. The Millennium Puzzle had shattered.

 

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Joey gazed across the room at his friends huddled together. Each of them were silent, some sobbing quietly to themselves. The blonde wasn't sure what to do but turn to the gold puzzle piece that he held tightly into his hand. He remembered the distinctive shape of the eye; it was the centre piece of the upside down pyramid, a part of the puzzle that he was very familiar with. It was so far the only piece he had found for it was right by Yugi's side at the time. A single tear rolled down his face as he stared at the door to the next room. Yugi hadn't come out in days since his soul mate disappeared. Joey bit his lip wanting to desperately to give the smaller teen some kind of hope or solace.

 

“Is he really gone?” Tristan asked the dreaded question.

 

“Like a light.” Bakura replied gravely. He really didn't care much for the former pharaoh but even he having the thought of losing his own soul mate was an unbearable fate. “There's no way of getting him back. His soul has dissipated, scattered aw-” he stopped his sentence when Ryou flinched and burrowed his face deeper into his chest.

 

“Like a puzzle” Joey finished staring at the piece in his hand. The golden centre piece of what was the Millennium Puzzle glinted up at him. Gripping the piece tightly, Joey hurried to the ruined roof of the fateful battle that took his friend away.

 

“Forget it mutt boy” Bakura warned. “Even if you found all the pieces doesn't mean the pharaoh is there”

 

“We won't know for sure until we find out.”

 

“At his current state, he won't be able to think rationally. He'll hate and resent you.” Isis warned.

 

“If that's what ultimately keeps him going then I'll take it all on.” He retorted glaring defiantly before diligently searching every crack and crevice. He wasn't sure how many pieces there were but Joey knew he had to try. “Are you going to help me or not?” The others cast nervous glances at each other before they split up to dig around the ruins. After searching for hours, Joey took the pieces back to Yugi. Inside, the small boy had barely moved from his spot on the bed. Arms wrapped around his legs in the corner.

 

“Go away”

 

“Listen Yugi, I know this is a long shot but this is what brought you and Yami together in the first place. Maybe… just maybe if you…”

 

“What do you know about anything?” Yugi growled smacking the pieces out of the blonds hands. Joey flinched but diligently picked up the pieces and set them onto the bed. “I know the others say that you'll ending up hating me for giving you false hope like this and maybe I'm just overly optimistic but, if this doesn't work, I'm prepared ok? You'll always be my friend no matter what happens after you finish the puzzle. That's all I have to say. ” Joey walked away leaving Yugi alone to his thoughts. The pieces of scattered puzzle the remaining remnants of his memories with his love. Hesitantly, Yugi reached for two pieces and fiddled with the contours. After a frustrating hour, there was a click as one Yugi finally found two connecting pieces.

 

……….

 

 

Epilogue to follow.