Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Return To Paradise ❯ Spirits of the Dead ( Chapter 5 )

//…………..//=Yami Aten/Aku

 

Spirits of the Dead

 

Bakura and Marik pushed their way through the crowds to their car. Bakura growled, pushing and shoving the people away. Marik growled just as low as his partner, grinding his teeth in anger. They reached the car and Marik opened the door.

“CAN'T YOU PEOPLE LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE? WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU PEOPLE?” Marik growled, opening the door.

Bakura was shoved against the door of the car. “DON'T PUSH ME, ASSHOLE!” he snapped, punching the camera with his fist, the glass shattering. Marik opened the door from the inside and Bakura stepped inside.

Marik looked at Bakura's hand and saw it bleeding with a cut on his finger. “Itemri, you cut yourself.”

“Just get out of here, Marik, before I start taking lives and souls while I'm at it.”

Marik turned the ignition and the engine started. “This is really pissing me off. I really hope I can get to the bottom of this with that Tillmann person.”

“I think I should go with you, Ishtar. I know how you tend to act before you think. If you snapped or did something naughty, it would reflect on the rest of us.”

Marik raced away, his lip curling and eye twitching with frustration. “This entire situation pisses me off, Itemri. I don't know if I can trust myself tomorrow when I go see this little worm. I think it's a good idea if you tag along.”

Bakura looked at his bleeding hand and removed a piece of glass lodged in his flesh. “I'm getting pretty sick of going to Aria when I need to go to the Shadow Realm. I should be able to do it from my Item. Ever since Yami removed the power from our Items, I feel like this Ring is just another piece of jewelry.”

“My Rod isn't just a piece of jewelry. It's my home. It's what my soul has been connected to for all eternity.”

Bakura crossed his arms. “I hated my soulroom. It was my prison….Yami's prison back in Cairo. However, I miss it. I should hate it, but I don't. For millennia that was my home, too. I made that room home….as odd as it sounds.”

Marik stopped at a stop light. “I miss my room. Torches….white linens…..comfortable bed. The mortal world is not the same as when I'm in my Item.”

“There has to be a way to restore power to our Items. Yami can't be the only one with access to our powers! There's gotta be another way.” Bakura scratched his spiky, white hair. “Maybe…..there is a way.”

“What are you getting at?” Marik asked, applying pressure to the gas pedal.

“Think of our Items as batteries. They hold power, right? What happens when a battery is dead?”

“It has no power left.”

Bakura grinned. “Exactly. So what happens when you put new batteries into something?”

“The vibrator starts working again.”

Bakura blinked. “That was more information than I needed to know.”

“It's the truth, Itemri. Put new batteries into the vibrator and things are happy again.”

“You know, I'd love to know the planet where the hell you came from.”

“Uranus. Oh wait….I came in Uranus.”

Bakura shook his head. “Freak.”

“You love it.”

“Focus, Marik. If we can charge our Items with some Shadow Magic, they might have enough power for us to tap into and increase. It's our presence in our Items which give them their power. Otherwise, they are nothing but old relics. That was the purpose of infusing the Millennium Items with Shadow Magic. They might be our eternal jail sentence, but these Items serve a purpose!” Bakura leaned his head on his arm as he looked out the window of the car. “As much as I hate to admit it, Marik, we were put into these Items for a reason. They might be a place to where our souls are caged forever, never able to cross over into the afterlife forever, but we are the caretakers of our Items. Our Items feed off of our energies. Our souls are connected to these things.”

Marik turned the car. “Eternal rest is not an option for us, Bakura. When our souls were torn from the Underworld and infused into these things, I knew there would be no afterlife for us.”

“My thought is if we can borrow Shadow Magic, we probably can charge up our Items. It's worth a shot.”

Marik shrugged. “I'll try anything once….just ask Malik.”

“We just have to figure out how to do it. Perhaps our monsters can offer some magic up to us.”

“The Winged Dragon of Ra has more than enough for us to use.”

“I will borrow some from my own monster. I know she won't let me down.”

Marik stopped at the docks. They walked down the boardwalk and saw Umi standing with Kai. The little boy was jumping up and down holding a fishing pole. Umi was removing a wiggling fish from a hook.

“Hello, my friends!” Umi waved with one hand.

`He looks just like his dad did,' Bakura said, thinking of Mako.

“Hi, Umi,” Marik said. “Caught yourself a fish, Kai?”

Kai nodded. “I did! I'm gonna be a big fisherman like my father!”

“I bet you are, Kai,” Bakura said, ruffling the child's hair. “You caught a lot today?”

Umi shrugged. “It's not a bad catch, no. There's not much fishing to be had by the docks so far this year, though. Little Minnow and I were lucky today.”

“Is my daughter home?”

“Aria's in there, yeah. Go on inside.”

Bakura stepped on the boat and opened the door. He looked around at the room. A fishing net hung on the one wall behind a couch. Kai's toys and Rhett's toys were in a corner. Aria's Millennium Trident hung on the wall. A large fish tank with some exotic fish stood against one wall.

“Baby girl?”

“Who is it?”

“Your father!”

Aria peeked her head out of the kitchen. “Feeding Rhett. I'll be there in a moment!”

Bakura sat down on the couch, the points from the Millennium Ring clanging together.

“How are you, daddy? How's mom?”

“Your mother is okay. He misses you.”

“Aww….that's sweet! Tell him I miss him, too, and that the kids are doing well.”

Bakura leaned forward as Sekhmet walked up to him slowly. “Hello, Sekhmet.”

The dog panted slowly as it nuzzled Bakura's knee.

“I can't believe this dog is still around!”

Aria nodded. “He's still here. He's getting up there in years, though. He protects this place, so I'm glad he's still around.”

Bakura smiled at the large dog. “You're a good boy for protecting my baby girl, Sekhmet. Thank you.”

The dog placed his head on Bakura's lap and looked up at him with large eyes.

Aria came out of the kitchen with Rhett in her arms. “So why are you here, dad? Just come for a visit?”

“We need to go to the Shadow Realm.”

Aria shook her head. “I can't go to the Shadow Realm, dad. Kai is fishing with Umi and I can't leave my baby boy alone.”

“No, I brought Marik with me.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Never go to the Shadow Realm alone. That's the first lesson I taught you about the Shadows, was it not?”

Aria nodded. “Yes, daddy.”

“Marik's always been there to watch my back.”

“And pound it into the mattress,” Aria snickered.

“You're as bad as he is sometimes, young lady.”

Aria smiled innocently. “Who, me? Nah, I'm a good girl.”

“Sure, Aria. That explains the two kids.”

“So I'm a naughty girl, too. I can be both.”

“MARIK!”

Aria grinned. “I like it when Umi puts his fishing pole in my waters.”

“MARIK JIBADE! GET IN HERE!”

Bakura's face blushed red. “He rubbed off on you.”

Marik walked in and saw his partner blush. “Itemri, what happened to you?”

“Nothing, I was just telling daddy about Umi's fishing pole.”

“Yeah, he's outside stroking his pole,” the blond snickered.

“You are both insane.”

“You're fun to harass, daddy. What else can I say?”

Bakura sighed. “I'm surrounded.”

“So, Aria, did he ask you to open a portal to the Shadow Realm for us?”

Aria nodded. “Yeah, let me put Rhett down for his nap and I'll be right back.”

Aria left as Marik pet the old dog, which had sat by his leg.

“So, Bakura, do you think this is going to work?”

“Who knows? I'm willing to try anything to get my full powers back. The little magic we have is not enough….certainly not enough to defend ourselves and our hikaris against Yami, who has grown more powerful.”

“Aria and Aten knocked his ass down a few levels after the Final Battle. Not to mention, we left him with some serious injuries after kicking his ass.”

Bakura crossed his arms. “You forget that when the mortals went to investigate the scene of the Battle, they found nothing there. Yami was gone. The dueling platform was gone. All of it. I wonder where it went. We did kick Yami's ass, but I don't think he was left with any permanent injury.”

“He's been quiet for these few months since the battle.”

“Yamis heal faster than mortals, remember? That is why we just need to spend a few hours in our soulrooms to rest up as opposed to a few days or even weeks out here.”

Aria entered the living room and grabbed the Trident off the wall. “Do you guys need me to come along?”

Bakura shook his head. “I don't want you put in danger, Aria. Marik and I can handle anything. Just make sure that nothing comes out of this portal until we come through it.”

Aria nodded. “Okay. I'll keep an eye out.”

Aria stepped back and held the Trident in her right hand. She pointed it at an empty wall and raised it above her head.

“Millennium Trident, hear my plea, open a portal to where the Shadows be!”

The Millennium Item glowed brightly as a dark spiral appeared on the wall.

“If you take too long, I'm coming after both of you….like it or not.”

“I doubt we will be long, Aria,” Marik said. “It's good to know we have backup.”

Bakura turned to Aria. “Thank you, baby girl.”

“I'll keep guard, daddy. Be careful.”

Marik and Bakura stepped through the portal. A bitter cold wind brushed against their skin as they stepped into the Shadow Realm. They looked around at the purple mist and misty ground. Marik held up the Millennium Rod.

“Light!”

The Millennium Rod began to glow, providing a light source.

Bakura looked around. “The Shadow Realm…..the Land of the Tortured Dead…Purgatory of the Afterlife.”

The blond yami looked up and saw a dragon flying above them. “It's been a while since we've been here.”

“It's been a long time, Lord Bakura,” a voice said behind them.

Bakura and Marik turned around and saw Dark Necrofear standing, looking at the ground.

“Dark Necrofear….where is Yami?”

“I have not seen him, my Lord.”

“You have not seen him at all? That is impossible! He has to be here!”

Dark Necrofear shook her head. “Just because I have not seen him, does not mean that he is not here, my Lord.”

Marik held the Millennium Rod up to Dark Necrofear. “Bakura and I have come to regain our lost Shadow Magic. Yami has taken the majority of our powers and we exist on minimal reserve.”

“The Items are infused with spiritual energies to give them power,” the monster said.

“I know that. Give me some of your Shadow Magic.”

Dark Necrofear shook her head. “Alas, my King, I cannot do that. It is not in my power to grant you power.”

“You are my servant! What do you mean it's not in your power to do as I command?”

“I cannot give you my Shadow Magic.”

Marik lowered the Rod. “The Winged Dragon of Ra has given my son energy..he has protected him before.”

“Nor can the gods give Shadow Magic. As the pharaoh, Yami gave his power to those he felt were worthy. Hence, he is the only one who can restore your powers.”

Bakura growled. “That's a bunch of shit! That pharaoh will NOT give us our powers back! What am I supposed to do? Go up to him and ask him pretty please with whipped cream and a cherry on top? I'd rather stab myself in the eye.”

“There has to be another way.”

Dark Necrofear looked at Bakura and Marik. “Enlist the help of the dead.”

“What?” Marik asked.

“This is no time for jokes!” Bakura barked.

“Enlist the help of the dead souls who were trapped in stone by the pharaoh.”

Bakura raised an eyebrow and rubbed his forehead. “My head hurts.”

“You mean we have to go to one of those stone tablets that were used by the pharaoh thousands of years ago?”

Dark Necrofear nodded. “Go to a stone tablet which has had souls trapped within. Trapped inside the stone for millennia, their energy is not used and will be fresh. Speak to the souls of the dead. Borrow their energy. They will give you the energy you seek.”

“Why do I have a feeling this is a bunch of crap?” Bakura asked.

“It's either this or asking the pharaoh nicely to give us back our Shadow Magic and pretty please with whipped cream and a cherry on top.”

Bakura groaned. “I'd rather rip out my brains with an ice pick…what's left of them anyway.”

“Probably not much is left after five thousand years, Bakura. You know our mortal bodies are sitting in Isis' museum right now.”

Bakura rolled his eyes. “They might be sitting on a shelf right now, but at least our bones are safe.”

“I regret that I cannot be of service to you, my king.”

“This certainly complicates things a bit,” Bakura responded.

“Well, Itemri, I guess we better find a tablet from which we can siphon some energy.”

Bakura scratched his head. “We can't go too far from home. We still have Malik and Ryou to watch out for.”

“Dark Necrofear, when Bakura and I borrow the energy of these souls, they won't inhabit our Items, will they?”

Dark Necrofear shook her head. “Only one yami can occupy one Millennium Item. Their spiritual energy will fuel the magic, but only you can occupy your Items. Your souls are bonded to the Item, but their energy will keep the fire of your magic burning.”

Marik turned to Bakura and looked at him. “What do you think?”

Bakura looked at his partner and back at his monster. He looked down and looked at the Millennium Ring dangling around his neck. His fingers touched the pointers and let them fall from his hand, jingling and clanging together as they slipped between his fingers.

“We don't have a choice. We need to get our magic back.”

Marik nodded. “Know if the museum is having an exhibit that can be of use?”

“None that I can think of on the top of my head. We can go to Egypt through the Shadow Realm, but we would need Aria's help or Aten's. Either one of them can come along.”

“Aria is keeping an eye out on the portal this way. Aten would be a better candidate to come along.”

Bakura crossed his arms and looked at the ground deep in thought. “I'd rather not take Aten along, but it can't be helped. We need to enlist his help if we are going to get our magic back.”

*******************************

Aten leaned his head on his hand as he looked at the broccoli on his plate. He poked the green vegetables with his fork, looking disinterested.

Robbie cut up his own second piece of chicken as he looked at Aten. His husband's eyes looked distant, unattached to his surroundings, almost trancelike. He had spent the last half hour poking the steamed vegetable with his fork.

“Aten, are you hungry?”

Aten's eyes snapped up and looked at Robbie. He shrugged and shook his head. “No.”

Daniel gulped his drink. “Are you sure? I haven't seen you take a bite of anything all day.”

Aten shook his head. “I'm not very hungry today.”

“Is it the medicine the doctor has you on?” Miranda asked.

“No, I just……don't have any interest in eating today.”

Robbie put a piece of chicken into his mouth and continued to watch Aten poke at his dinner. He remembered he told his parents to get Aten to call him at work. Aten forgot to call, despite being reminded. Miranda had told him that Aten didn't wake up until after noon. That would have given Aten a fourteen hour sleep….longer than ever before.

`I wonder what's going on,' he thought as he watched Aten's poking wander to the chicken on his plate.

Aten covered his mouth as a dry cough came out of him.

“Do you think you're getting sick?” Miranda asked him.

“No, I don't feel sick. I just feel a little……different today. I don't know how to explain it.”

“Did you do any painting today?”

Aten nodded. “I worked on my candle.”

“Candle?” Daniel asked. “I didn't know you painted candles.”

“I don't. It's…….it's a special candle.”

Robbie took a deep breath. “Aten, you have plenty of time to work on that candle.”

Aten looked up at Robbie and looked him straight in the sparkling blue eyes. “I need to do this.”

Robbie sighed. “Okay, Aten.”

“If I may please be excused….”

Aten stood up and placed his plate on the counter. He walked slowly to his Studio and closed the door behind him.

“What was that all about?” Daniel asked.

********************************

Aten sat on the couch and leaned over, lighting a white candle on the table in front of him. He picked up a can of gold paint and opened it slowly.

Beside him, he opened up his copy of the Book of the Dead. A small grin crossed his face as he read one of the passages.

He remembered Bakura singing passages from the Book of the Dead early in the morning. When he was a child, he would see Bakura kneeling in the backyard, a fire going, and Bakura throwing herbs and offerings into the fire. He would praise the gods and pray in Egyptian. Bakura always prayed before the dawn until the sun had risen above the horizon. Sometimes he would see his father out there, as well, until one day, Marik stopped praising the gods…Marik stopped praying.

Aten picked up a toothbrush and dipped it into the gold paint. He read the passage from the Book of the Dead in English, then painted the words in Arabic on the black candle.

He sung the passage quietly as he wrote the words in gold paint.

He heard a knock on the door to the Studio. “Come in.”

Robbie opened the door slowly. “Aten, your dad is here.”

“Come in, Father!”

Marik stepped into the Studio and saw Aten painting on the black candle. “Son?”

Aten looked up. “Hello, Father, why the visit?”

Marik's eyes focused on the black candle, fully aware of what it represented. “Why are you working on your candle?”

“Because I want to finish it,” he said, focusing on writing the passage.

Aten turned his head and saw Robbie and his father staring at the black candle. “I need this candle to light my way through the Underworld.”

Robbie nodded. “I know that candle means a lot to you.”

“Son, you're doing a little better so I hear,” Marik said.

“Even still, I need to work on this.”

“Son, I need to ask you a favor.”

Aten put down the candle. “Which is?”

“I need you to come with Itemri and me to Egypt.”

Aten shook his head. “I can't do that, father, I'm sorry.”

“Why not?”

Aten leaned back in the couch. “I don't have a lot of energy, father.”

“You won't have to travel far, just to the Shadow Realm and get to Egypt that way.”

Aten yawned. “Why do I need to go?”

“Your sister is able to open up a portal for us, but we need you to open an exit portal from the Shadow Realm. Bakura and I are going there to regain our lost Shadow Magic that Yami stole from us.”

Aten put down the candle. “How long will we be?”

Marik shrugged. “We don't know. We're just going to do what we need to do and come back.”

“I don't feel comfortable leaving home unguarded for too long. Seto, Jay, and Karl are there now. I saw Seto's limo parked out front. We won't be long at all, Aten.”

Aten put down the toothpick. “Okay. I'll go give you a hand. Just let me grab my scepter and we'll get going.”

“Are you up to this, Aten?” Robbie asked. “You look really drained as it is.”

“I have to help my father. He needs me now. Aria can't go with them to keep the portal open. I promise I won't be long.”

Robbie watched Aten leave the Studio. “He looks beat.”

“Looks like he lost a little weight.”

Miranda turned her head. “He hasn't eaten all day. His appetite is really going down.”

“Is it the meds doing it again?” Bakura asked.

“No, the doctor hasn't tweaked his dosages in a while.”

“My son is a picky eater. I noticed it even when he was a baby he didn't eat as much as Aria did. When he was a child, I had to remind him to eat. Things like this happen in cycles. He'll get his appetite back in a few days.”

Daniel scraped the plates clean. “I don't know how he does it.”

“You get used to it,” Marik said. “You remember when we used to come over for Thanksgiving. It took him all night to clean a plate.”

Miranda nodded. “Very true.”

Aten returned with the Scepter of Ra in his hand. The red jewel on top glowed and shimmered. “Just let me take my night medications and I'll be out in the car.”

“Bye, Danny-Boy. Bye, Sexy Girl.”

Miranda giggled. “Goodbye, Marik Ishtar.”

Aten reached into the medicine cabinet and removed four bottles of medications. “I want to take these so I don't miss a dose.”

Robbie walked up behind Aten and put his arms around his waist. “Please be careful, Aten.”

Aten smiled. “I'll be fine. This won't take long.” He swallowed his pills with the last drink of his water. “I'll see you when I get home, Robbie.”

Aten wrapped his arms around Robbie's shoulder and kissed him sweetly on the lips. Robbie reached up and ran his fingers through Aten's smooth white and blond hair. He pet the soft strands and let his hand wander down to Aten's cratered back.

“I love you, Aten. Please be careful.”

“I will be careful, I promise. Love you, too, Robbie.”

Robbie watched Aten leave and helped scrape off the dishes.

*********************************

Aten, Marik, and Bakura stepped into the Shadow Realm. Dark Necrofear was waiting for them by the portal's entrance.

“I will guide you through to Egypt's portal.”

“And I will defend,” a small voice said near the ground.

Aten looked down and saw The Helpless Child kneeling at his feet. “I believe we can make this journey without endangering you,” Aten said.

“I must still defend my master.”

“Come if you must, child,” Bakura said. “It will be dangerous.”

“I will protect,” the child said.

Dark Necrofear walked towards Yami's Temple. Marik gripped the Rod tightly in his right hand, waiting for Yami to attack….or for Yami's monsters to defend their master's territory.

Aten held the Millennium Scepter in his left hand and looked up at the Castle of Dark Illusions hovering near Yami's Temple. He swallowed hard as he felt a presence emanating from the Castle…..it was a dark, haunting, familiar presence.

Bakura turned his head and saw Aten standing still, looking up at the floating castle. “Aten Bakari? You alright back there?”

“I sense something up there.”

Marik and Dark Necrofear looked up. “What do you sense? Yami?”

Aten shook his head. “No…..something……evil.”

“Well, that's the pharaoh, alright,” Bakura responded.

“No, It's not Yami, Father Bakura. It is a presence I have felt before, but it is not the pharaoh.”

Dark Necrofear turned around. “We must keep going. The Shadow Realm Badlands can be a dangerous place. We must complete our journey before the Badlands swallow us.”

Bakura walked back towards Aten and took his hand. “Let's go, Young Ishtar.”

Aten's eyes focused on the castle as Bakura lead him under the fortress. As he passed underneath, he saw pyramids sticking out below the hanging spikes of the castle.

Marik took Aten's other wrist and walked with him. “I don't sense anything in there.”

//Aten……………………he' s calling you. Can't you hear it? He's calling…….//

/I don't hear anything./

[Aten.]

Aten's eyes widened and he froze.

[Aten. Come to me.]

“No……it can't be……”

Marik and Bakura turned their heads and saw Aten looking up at the castle with terror on his face.

[Aten.]

“Son? Aten, what's wrong?”

[Aten Bakari Ishtar. Son of Yami Marik Jibade Ishtar and baby of Ryou Thomas Bakura.]

“Can't you hear that?!”

Dark Necrofear looked around. “Nobody is around us.”

“Aten? I think those medications of yours have gone to your head, boy,” Marik said.

“I can hear it! He's calling me from up there!”

“Who is?” Bakura asked.

[Family.]

Aten tugged at his arms in attempt to free him from the men's holds. “I have to go! I have to get out of here!”

“The Shadow Realm Badlands play tricks on people's minds. His mind is its prey.”

Marik grabbed Aten's other wrist and held on tightly. “Aten, this is all just a hallucination! Nobody resides in the Castle of Dark Illusions!”

“Who is calling you, Aten?” Bakura asked.

“The castle has also been known to probe people's minds and make their ultimate fears their reality.”

Bakura nodded. “I know. Marik, Malik, Ryou, and myself went there to investigate who was living in there. I didn't know what was real and what was fake.”

“The Castle of Dark Illusions has the ability to grip tight onto one's fears and not let go so easy.”

Marik took Aten's hair and pushed his head down to look him in the eye. “This is all just an illusion, boy. Let's get out of here before you lose yourself.”

“He's in there!”

“It's just an illusion, Aten. We're leaving now!”

Marik and Bakura pulled Aten away from the castle.

“HE'S IN THERE!”

“Aten, it's an illusion, let's go,” Bakura said.

Aten kept his eye on the castle as he was lead away.

//You could feel him in that castle, can't you? You can still feel him. He's waiting.//

/Stop it! He's gone! My father and Father Bakura made certain of that!/

The two fathers pulled Aten away from the Castle as the voice he heard drifted into silence.

“Feeling better, boy?” Marik asked.

“I didn't like that.”

“The castle is mysterious,” The Helpless Child said. “It sounds scary sometimes with an evil laugh, like it is alive.”

“Nobody is in there,” Bakura said. “I checked it out personally.”

The child stopped walking. “That is the essence of the Castle of Dark Illusions, sir. What is not there, really is there. What is there, is really not. Reality is an illusion.”

Aten turned his head back towards the castle and shivered.

“We have a job to do right now, you guys. We'll philosophize later,” Marik said.

Dark Necrofear looked around. “I wonder why the Badlands are quiet today.”

“That evil laugh makes the bad things go away. It scares them,” the Helpless Child said.

Marik held the Millennium Rod tightly in his hand. “Very little scares me.”

Bakura grinned. “Clowns.”

Marik jumped around, his eyes wide. “WHERE?”

Bakura laughed. “See? I know you don't like clowns.”

Marik poked Bakura in the chest with the Rod. “You're an ass.”

“You like it.”

Aten yawned and rubbed his purple eye. “Father, can we get this done?”

“We must hurry,” Dark Necrofear said.

The monster lead Bakura, Marik, and Aten towards the edge of the Badlands. Aten stopped and pointed to a black light in the distance coming out of a well.

“What's that, Father?”

Marik turned to Aten. “That, my boy, is the entrance to the Underworld. That debris around that used to be a fortress. Eighteen years ago, Bakura and I fought Anubis to bring alik back to life and to get you and your sister back from the Afterlife.”

“You fought the gods for me and my sister?”

“Anubis was not the god. Anubis was a vengeful soul.”

Bakura crossed his arms. “He was more than just a vengeful soul. He was a real person, whom I remembered from my past in Ancient Egypt. He was a cruel individual, Aten. Some things are best left buried in the past.”

“That's the entrance to the Underworld?”

Marik nodded. “That is where Bakura and I can travel to the Underworld.”

“Do you ever go?”

Marik took a deep breath and sighed. “Like Bakura said, my son, some things are best left buried in the past.”

“Do you ever?”

“I used to. I used to go see my first wife, Amunet. But, I haven't seen her in a very long time.”

“Oh, I see.”

Aten watched his father release him and walk off. “Did I say something wrong?”

Bakura shook his head. “No, you didn't, Aten. Come on, it's wise to keep moving in the Badlands.”

“So far it doesn't seem so bad.”

“I know. It's quiet. That's very unusual.”

Dark Necrofear followed Marik. “It's time to go.”

Dark Necrofear lead the three men towards a glimmer of blue light. “This is the portal.”

“How can you be sure?”

Dark Necrofear looked at Bakura. “It's easy to remember where you were thrust into your prison. It's hard for me to forget. My soul, torn from my mortal shell, only to be imprisoned in the Shadows for eternity. This is where my soul entered.”

“Okay, Aten. Time to do your thing.”

Aten stood in front of the blue glimmer and held the scepter in his hand. “What am I doing again?”

“Opening a portal for Marik and I to go through, Aten.”

“Oh…yeah. Sorry.” Aten lifted the Scepter of Ra in front of him. He closed his eyes and the jewel glowed red.

“Scepter of Ra, hear my cry, open a portal to the mortal world nigh.”

The blue glimmer darkened and a dark portal opened.

“Son, is that the right chant?”

Aten yawned. “Yeah. It should have worked.”

“Well, Ishtar, there's only one way to find out if it worked or not.”

Bakura slipped his head through the portal and waved Marik and Aten through.

“Wait here,” Marik told Bakura's monster.

“I will.”

Aten closed the gate as he left the Shadow Realm. Bakura and Marik shivered as the cold night wind hit them. Aten shivered and wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to keep warm.

“It's fortunate we arrived at night. It wouldn't be so good if we arrived in a crowded bazaar in the middle of the day.”

Aten followed the two yamis to the museum. He looked around at the empty streets.

He yawned again, keeping close to his father.

“I wonder if Isis is awake.”

“Knowing her, she still is. She's a workaholic.”

“Maybe we should scare the hell out of her. It could be fun.”

Marik snickered. “Sounds like a plan.”

The two yamis crept towards the museum, lurking in the shadows. Bakura grinned as he looked in one of the windows of the basement. Isis was bent over an unwrapped corpse.

Bakura lead the father and son around to a separate room and grinned. “I may not have too much Shadow Magic left, but I'm glad I can use a portion of what I do have to do the things I truly love. Ring, unlock the lock on this window.”

Bakura opened the window and slipped inside. Marik and Aten followed after him. Bakura crept to the door slowly and was ready to turn the handle when---.

“Come in, Bakura!” Isis called from the other side.

Bakura's jaw dropped and he groaned. He opened the door, growling. “How did you know I was there?!”

Isis turned towards the three men and tapped her Millennium Necklace. “My Item can still predict some things. The window was also opened already.”

Marik grinned and opened his arms. “How about giving your brother's yami a hug, Isis?”

“Nice try, Marik. It's not going to work.”

“Aww….I see love is gone, Isis.”

Isis stood up. “My Necklace told me you would be here.”

“So you know why we are here.”

Isis nodded. “Yes, you are here to regain your powers. I cannot guarantee that this will work.”

“It's worth a shot,” Bakura said. “I'm willing to at least try anything.”

Aten sat on Isis' chair. “While you go with Bakura to get your powers back, Father, I'm going to rest here.”

“Are you feeling okay, son?”

Aten rested his head on his hand. “I'm tired, father. That's all.”

“I will take you to the stone and keep an eye on him,” Isis said.

Isis lead Bakura and Marik through the museum, only turning on the light in the large room where the stone tablet rested. Marik and Bakura looked at the large tablet. Marik touched the stone.

“It looks like one of the pharaoh's old dueling tablets from Ancient Egypt!”

“That is the exact tablet from five thousand years ago, Marik.”

Bakura looked at the images on the stone. Men, women, children were sealed into this stone. Their faces told a story of pain and misery. “I know exactly which card this stone is meant to represent.”

“Which one?” Marik asked.

Bakura ran his hand down the rocky surface. “'Oppressed People.' One of Aten's favorite cards.”

“How do you know?”

Bakura pointed at one man whose face was twisted in a scream. “That is Omar. He was a colleague. I didn't know what happened to him after I was imprisoned by the pharaoh. Now I see what happened. They are all dressed as commoners. Yami sealed his own people in stone….to secure his own position in power.”

Marik looked up at the stone silently.

“I will be with your son, Marik,” Isis said, walking away.

Bakura and Marik looked at the tall tablet. “I hope this works, Ishtar.”

“You're not the only one, Itemri.”

Bakura stepped up to the stone and held up his Millennium Ring. “Spirits of the Dead, hear me! It is I, Bakura Osiris Itemri! My companion and I have been stripped of our Shadow Magic. We emplore you to help us restore our power!”

“Spirits of the Dead, it is I, i Marik Jibade Ishtar Ibn Kaemwaset! Please aid us and lend us your strength, for we are in need of your protection and support!”

Bakura and Marik watched the stone intently.

………

Nothing happened.

Bakura sighed. “It didn't work.”

Marik groaned. “All that way for nothing.”

“Well, it was worth a shot. Come on, Marik. Let's get home before the High-And-Mighty-Pharaoh Yami decides to strike at our family while we're away.”

The lights turned off and a red light emanated from the stone. Bakura and Marik took a step back.

They watched as red, ghostly figures separated from the stone tablet and hover above them. Bakura removed the dagger connected to his jeans and pointed it at the ghouls.

Marik turned his head and saw some figures standing behind them. “This isn't looking so good.”

“You have mentioned the pharaoh? Are you referring to Pharaoh Yami, the tyrant-king who sealed our souls in these tablets so many millennia ago?”

Bakura nodded. “We are.”

Bakura watched one of the souls step forward. He saw his old friend stand in front of the crowd of souls. “Hello, Omar.”

“Bakura Osiris…..the King of Thieves….why are you here?”

“Omar, I need your help. I need to regain my Shadow Powers. The pharaoh has sealed much of our magic away. Dark Necrofear told us that with the help of Dead Souls, we may regain our magic.”

“We are not dead souls, Bakura Osiris. Do you consider yourself a soul?”

Bakura nodded. “I have no true physical mortal body anymore. I am a soul…I am half of a soul.”

“We wander the Shadow Realm, the Land of Purgatory forever, because the pharaoh will not let us rest in paradise. Paradise…..Bakura Itemri….we wish nothing more than to return to Paradise. All of us still hold the pharaoh in contempt for what he has done. Revenge fuels us. Rage boils in our veins. Our fury cannot be contained. That is our essence.”

Marik stood beside Bakura. “I need my Shadow Magic to protect my family. My family is all I have and I cannot protect them to the fullest extent if I do not have my powers. Would you be able to infuse our Items with your essence? Your power?”

Omar nodded and folded his hand. “Bakura, do you know what you are asking?”

“I need to protect my family, too, Omar. I can't do it if I do not have what I need.”

Marik nodded. “We love our family, Omar. If we can't protect our husbands and our children, even our grandchildren, Yami can very simply eliminate them at will. We don't want that.”

Omar nodded. “Then we will offer you our essence.”

Marik and Bakura held up their Items as the spirits sent bright waves of red fire towards the Millennium Items. Bakura and Marik watched their Items glow brightly as the spirits sent cascades of energy towards their Items.

After a few minutes, the energy stopped. Bakura looked up at Omar.

“Thank you for your help.”

“Use your magic to defeat the Blood-Thirsty Pharaoh. Use our powers for good, Bakura Osiris. Defeat that pharaoh and our souls will be finally able to rest.”

Bakura watched as the red figures floated into the stone tablet and the lights illuminated again.

Marik looked at his Millennium Rod. “I wonder if it worked.”

“Well, I guess we'll find out when we head home with Aten.”

“He's not looking so good, Marik.”

“My boy is a trooper. He'll be just fine.”

Bakura and Marik returned to Isis. “Everything went well, Isis. We'll try it out when we try to open a portal to the Shadow Realm.”

Marik stood beside Aten and leaned over. Aten was asleep on the desk, He lightly shook Aten's shoulder. “Son, it's time to go.”

Aten opened his eyes slowly and rubbed his chest. He gave a little whimper and yawned.

“I want to go home.”

“We're going now. Thank you for your help, Isis. I hope this works.”

“Thank you, Isis,” Bakura said.

Aten waved to Isis. “Goodbye, Aunt Isis.”

Isis waved to Aten. “Goodbye, Aten. It was nice to see you again.”

Aten smiled. “It was nice to see you, too. Goodbye.”

Isis watched Aten leave with the two yamis. “Aten's time grows short….Poor Marik.”

 

Updates: 1/31/06