Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Shadowy Links to the Past ❯ Ancient Past Revealed ( Chapter 13 )

Whoa…it's been like 2 weeks or so since I last updated! I'm sorry about that, but I just got a dog last weekend so I've been busy training/playing with her and stuff. Not to mention this chapter is longer than the last ones…

Solo_girl: Just trying to keep the readers happy! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Calupe: As always, thanks for reading and reviewing!

Disclaimer: No, I still don't own Yugioh. Oh, and these spells I got from the internet.

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Chapter 13: Ancient Past Revealed

Yugi had closed his eyes against the bright light emitting from Ishizu's necklace, and when he opened them, he let out a startled gasp. He found himself floating about a hundred feet or so in the air. Good thing he wasn't *too* afraid of heights. Yugi glanced down at the large room below him, noticing two long platforms facing each other. On one side, in its center, stood Yami. He was dressed in white loose pants and a white tunic, a golden band holding a dark red cape around his shoulders. Several golden bands circled his arms, one on each of his biceps and one on his wrists. The Millennium Puzzle hung on a cord from his neck. "Yami!" Yugi called out without thinking.

"He can't hear you."

Yugi turned towards Ishizu, who was right next to him. "He can't?"

Ishizu shook her head. "Nor can he see you. These are but images of the past, and we are here only to observe."

Yugi was about to ask where Dwenny was, when a scream of anguish erupted from below him.

"NOOOOOOO!!!"

The man yelling was standing across from Yami, furiously waving a golden rod in his hand. He was wearing dark purple pants and tunic, as well as a dark purple cape around his shoulders. A High Priest's headdress sat on top of his head, its dark fabric reaching well past his shoulders. His blue eyes glared at Yami. "How?!" he demanded. "How is it possible that my Blue Eyes White Dragon was defeated by your Dark Magician?!"

The Pharaoh smiled slightly. "Because my magick is stronger than yours. Face it, High Priest. You've lost!"

The High Priest shook his head. "No! You may wield the Shadow Magicks, Pharaoh, but you are *not* that strong. Someone helped you!" He glanced around the room, his cold blue eyes searching. Yugi half-expected him to glance up his way, unknowingly keeping his breath held. But the High Priest didn't glance upwards. Instead, he turned his gaze towards the throne, which stood off to the side, elevated higher than the other two platforms. He pointed towards the throne with his rod. "There!" he cried triumphantly. "I feel a power source coming from behind the throne!"

In response, a young woman stepped out from behind the throne, wearing a long cream colored dress with gold trimmings around her waist, the cuffs of her sleeves, and down her sides. Her purplish black hair was pulled into a long braid, her wild bangs partially held back by a golden band around her head. The golden band also held an amulet against her forehead. Surprisingly, Yugi could make out that it was of an upside down horseshoe, a dark, flat green stone in its center. Maybe it was because the stone was glowing so intensely. "Dwenny…" Yugi whispered to himself.

Ishizu heard his muttering. "Not Dwenny, but Sekhmet," she corrected him. "So this is how the Pharaoh was able to defeat the High Priest. But how did he end up in the Puzzle then?" she mused to herself.

The High Priest narrowed his eyes when he saw Sekhmet. "I should have known you would help the Pharaoh, Sorceress."

"I'd never betray my Pharaoh." She ran a finger lightly over the jagged scar on her right cheek. "Not even after being threatened," she whispered coldly, her green eyes darkening.

"I gave you chance to join my side, but you refused. Now, witness the destructive power of a god! Obelisk the Tormenter, arise!" The High Priest raised both of his arms high, using all of his power to summon the blue monsters. It rose from the ground, its massive size causing even the walls to tremble and shake.

Sekhmet gasped and recoiled, her emerald eyes wide from the sheer size of the beast. She had not known the High Priest commanded such a beast. One look at the Pharaoh's surprised face told her that he had not known either. Apparently, the High Priest was very good at keeping secrets.

The High Priest laughed. He was unstoppable now! "Obelisk! Destroy the Sorceress!!" he yelled, pointing his rod at her. "Show everyone your power!"

Sekhmet heard the command, and quickly called up a shield of green flames with her mind. But the blue monster's attack shattered her defense, slamming her against the nearest pillar. She fell unconscious to the ground.

"Sekhmet!!" Yami cried out upon seeing the blast strike her. He rushed over to her limp body, kneeling down next to her. He gathered her into his arms, cradling her against him. Thank Ra she's still breathing. He looked up, his crimson eyes snapping furiously. "Bastard! You will pay for this with your life!" He closed his eyes, preparing to summon Slifer, the Sky Dragon, to avenge his love, but a weak hand against his stopped him. He opened his eyes and glanced down into the weary eyes of his sorceress.

Sekhmet shook her head a little. "You…mustn't…summon…Slifer," she whispered weakly. "You…can't risk…unleashing him…into…this world…"

Yami nodded. She was right. One monster with the power of the gods was bad enough. Two battling each other would be devastating to this world. There must be another way… Yami's head snapped up as he thought of something. "Swords of Revealing Light!" he called out.

About twenty or so brilliant white swords appeared, surrounding Obelisk and preventing him from moving. The High Priest gaped at the swords. "What?! It isn't possible. No magick is strong enough to stop Obelisk." He glared at Yami. "Curse you Pharaoh!" He turned back to the blue beast. "Obelisk! Break down that barrier, just as you did those flames. I want that sorceress dead!"

Obelisk swung a massive arm at the shield, but it didn't budge. With a furious roar, he swung repeatedly at the barrier with both of his arms, weakening it with every blow. But his anger was not directed against the girl- it was directed at the one who had called these annoying swords, temporarily imprisoning him.

While Yami had summoned his magick, Sekhmet had closed her eyes, calling on the gods for their aid. The goddess' of light be with me. Remove the darkness from me. Be the strength within me. And all their wisdom guide me. She repeated this verse in her head, so as not to disturb Yami. Each time she completed the verse, she felt herself grow stronger, her strength returning. She would need that strength very soon.

There wasn't much time. Yami knew the Swords of Revealing Light would not be able to hold that monster for long. He had better get Sekhmet somewhere safe soon. He glanced down again at Sekhmet. He raised one eyebrow in surprise when he noticed that the weariness in her eyes was no longer there. Instead, there was a fierce determination to end this once and for all. Yami nodded briefly before standing up, helping her up as well. With one last glance at the High Priest, who was too busy yelling at Obelisk to hurry up to notice them getting up, Yami turned and motioned towards one of the doors hidden behind the tapestries with a nod of his head. He grabbed Sekhmet's hand with his own, and they both moved quietly towards the door.

Once inside the secret passageway, Yami quickly led Sekhmet down the hall, until a gentle tug on his arm caused him to stop and turn towards her. She was standing perfectly still, eyes closed, brows knitted together in concentration. Yami recognized this stance. A premonition… he thought. But of what?

A moment later, Sekhmet snapped her eyes open with a gasp. She looked towards Yami, a troubled expression on her face. Yami immediately stepped closer to her, drawing her into his arms in a tight embrace. "What did you see, my love?" he asked quietly.

"Destruction," she answered just as quietly.

Yami glanced down at her in surprise and waited for her to continue.

Sekhmet turned her head away from him, closing her eyes as the images flew threw her mind. She spoke solemnly. "All three of the god-like monster had been summoned. Uncontrollable, they rained terror upon this world. There was death and destruction everywhere…" she trailed off softly, opening her eyes and turning back towards Yami. "The Shadow Realm had taken over our world, its powers out of control. And there was no stopping its destructive path."

"Whoa…" Yugi said softly, beside Ishizu. When Yami and Sekhmet had escaped into the hidden passageway, Yugi had found himself and Ishizu along with them. "I knew the Shadow Realm was dangerous, but I never imagined that it could destroy our world." He looked at Ishizu, who only nodded silently. She was busy looking at the Pharaoh and his sorceress, getting a feeling that things would only get worst.

The Pharaoh tightened his arms around Sekhmet, who was resting her head on his shoulder. He rested his cheek against her forehead, and sighed deeply. "There must be a way to prevent that from happening," he murmured.

"There is." Sekhmet lifted her head off of Yami's shoulder, causing him to look down at her questioningly. She raised a hand and gently brushed back some of his golden bangs. Her eyes saddened as she did so. "But it demands a great sacrifice…" she whispered. She continued stroking his face gently with her hand, her eyes never leaving his as she did.

Keeping one arm tight around her waist, Yami lifted his other hand to gently grasp the and on his face, then rubbed his cheek against her hand. "If I have to sacrifice my own powers to save the world, then so be it." He smiled. Anything to save you, my love…

Sekhmet shook her head slightly. "Not just your powers, my sweet Pharaoh, but your life as well…"

Yami froze, his smile fading. After a brief moment, he nodded. "If that's what it takes then."

"Are you sure?"

Yami nodded without hesitation. "I'd do anything to save you, my love," he whispered.

Sekhmet leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Yami too leaned into forward, as wells as wrapping his arm around her shoulders to draw her close. Long moments passed before they broke apart. Yami pressed his forehead against hers. It was another long moment till Sekhmet said softly, "We should get going. The Swords of Revealing Light won't be able to hold Obelisk for long."

Yami sighed softly, slowly breaking away from Sekhmet. His arms uncurled themselves from around her body, dropping to his sides. "Where does the ritual need to be performed?"

"Beneath the temple of Kauket, Goddess of Darkness. A sacrifice to darkness to seal it…"

Yami noted the sadness in her voice. He wondered if she'd be able to go through with the ritual. To sacrifice yourself to save your love was much easier compared to sacrificing your love to save the world. Yami hoped that she would have the strength, and will, to complete the ritual.

The Pharaoh and his Sorceress made it to Kauket's temple without any trouble. They quickly went inside, down the stairs, and into the small room beneath the temple. On the right side of the room there was a large stone tablet, the image of the pharaoh who first confined the Shadow monsters to stone tablets on it. Carved on the Pharaoh's image were the shapes of the seven Millennium Items, the Scale, Key, and Necklace already in their places. Yami took the Puzzle off from around his neck, removed its rope, and placed it in its place on the Pharaoh's body. He turned back towards Sekhmet. "How will we get the other three items?"

"The spell will call them here, and they will appear automatically in their places." Her voice was shaky, on the verge of breaking down.

Yami walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders. Sekhmet kept her head down, her gaze refusing to meet his. "Look at me," he commanded softly.

Slowly, Sekhmet raised her eyes to meet his. They were full of love and an intense sadness. Yami's own crimson eyes were also filled with love, but with a firm determination. "Everything will be okay," he said softly. "We will see each other again, though not in this life, but in another."

Sekhmet forced back the tears that threatened to come, instead nodding slightly. Yami gathered her into his arms, holding her for what would probably be the last time. But only in this life, he reminded himself. He could only hope that the next time fate brought them together would be soon. Slowly, with a sigh, he pulled away.

Sekhmet gestured towards the vertical stone tablet next to the Pharaoh-imaged tablet with one hand. "It's time," she said softly.

Yami calmly walked over to the tablet and leaned his back against it, arms at his sides. Sekhmet came over as well. She took a small pouch hanging from a rope around her waist and opened it. Tipping the pouch, she carefully formed a circle of the greenish powder inside around Yami and the tablet with the Millennium Items. When she finished, she replaced the pouch on her waist, then looked at Yami. He gave a small smile of encouragement. Sekhmet smiled in return, stepping up to him and pressing her lips gently against his. Yami wrapped his arms around her waist, tilting her back a bit and deepening the kiss. Sekhmet wrapped her arms around his neck in response. Long moments later, they broke apart, but still held each other close. "I love you, my sweet, sweet Pharaoh," Sekhmet whispered against his lips.

"I love you too, my beloved sorceress," Yami whispered fiercely. "And I promise, we *will* be together again one day." He caught her lips in another passionate kiss. He had to force himself to break the kiss and let go of her. Sekhmet dropped her arms from his neck as well, and after a look of longing at Yami, finally turned and stepped outside the green circle. About five feet away from the circle, she turned around. One last look into Yami's crimson eyes, then she closed her own and raised her arms. Taking a deep breath to gather her thoughts and focus her magick, Sekhmet began the spell in a low, soft voice. She spoke in the language of the Ancients: "Ley ummmm sa no, panay all tombeau. Cha na sono ley, shoan la tene ey. Ekey molo chan pey, araquey balaney sooon."

Green magicks swirled around her, Yami, and the Millennium tablet, like spirits answering the call for ancient power. One by one, the remaining Millennium Items appeared in their designated places on the tablet. As soon as the last item appeared, Sekhmet started the next verse: "Bolu diat tibl, oculos impleat, fora stercoribus!"

Yami bit back a cry as the pain shot up and down his body. He clenched his eyes shut as the life force was being drained from his body. Red energy flowed from his body to the Millennium tablet. The red energy was then used by the powerful ancient spell to trap the power of the Shadow Realm and its Shadow monsters. Horrible shrieks and wails were heard as the dark powers were sucked into the seven Millennium Items.

Even amidst the shrieks and wails, Sekhmet could still hear the sounds of Yami's struggles. The spell had painfully bound him to the tablet, crackling green ropes holding him against it. He couldn't escape even if he wanted to. Sekhmet kept her eyes tightly shut, trying to block out all of the sounds and focus on keeping up the spell instead. But all of her senses shouted at her the break the spell. Can't you see your love is in pain? they screamed. You have to break the spell, before it's too late!

Sekhmet was so busy struggling against herself, that she didn't sense the figure approaching from behind her until she felt a sharp pain in the middle of her back. She let out a surprised gasp, and looked over one shoulder to see the smirking High Priest. He yanked the dagger in his hand out of her back, still smiling as she fell to the ground.

Yami sensed something was wrong, and he snapped his eyes open just in time to see his love fall to the ground, the back of her dress already soaked red. "SEKHMET!" he yelled, violently struggling against the green chains. But it was no use. He couldn't help her.

The High Priest looked up from Sekhmet's near-still form, and smirked at the helpless Pharaoh. "When my Rod disappeared from my hand, and Obelisk vanished as well, I knew immediately what you were up to, Pharaoh. When I kill you, all of the powers of the Shadow Realm will be MINE, and I will rule Egypt!" He grinned madly.

Yami didn't register any of his words though, as he kept his eyes trained on Sekhmet, the redness still spreading. She hadn't moved, but he could still sense her essence. She was alive, but barely.

The High Priest noticed the Pharaoh wasn't listening to him, and he narrowed his cold blue eyes, irritated. He looked at the bloodied dagger in his hand, then grinned as he started to move towards the Pharaoh. However, to his utter surprise, as he neared the Pharaoh, green flames shot up from the ground in between them, forming a protective, yet transparent barrier. The High Priest's mouth dropped open as he realized the flames surround the Pharaoh as well as the Millennium tablet. He let out a howl of frustration, his blue eyes seething. "NOOOOO!!!"

The shrieks and wails of the Shadow powers had ceased, signaling that that part of the ritual was complete. Yami looked at Sekhmet. Only she could finish the spell, and if she didn't, then the Shadow magicks would be able to escape once more.

The High Priest calmed himself down some. "Your sorceress may have protected you once again, Pharaoh," he said in an annoyed tone. "But she will not be able to protect you forever. Her little protection spell won't last for long. But in the meantime, I think I'll have a little fun by finishing her off right before your very eyes." He grinned.

Yami growled as he narrowed his eyes. "Stay away from her, bastard!"

The High Priest chuckled. "You are in no position to call out orders, O Mighty Pharaoh," he mocked, advancing towards Sekhmet, bloodied dagger poised and ready.

Yami struggled once more against the green chains, but with the same result: nothing. "Sekhmet!" he called out desperately. " You *must* wake up! Please, my love, wake up!"

Suddenly, a violent force threw Yami back against the tablet. Yami once again felt his life force energy being drained from him. The spell, he thought through the pain, it's being completed. He looked past the gaping High Priest, who had whirled around at the sound of Yami slamming into the tablet. Yami's eyes widened when he saw his love. She was knelt on one knee, one hand on the ground for support, the other raised high. Her lips were moving silently. She's finishing the spell, Yami thought with some amazement. But he could see, as well as sense, the pain in her eyes. He knew it was from both her wound as well as from knowing that she was going to kill him…

The High Priest looked wildly from the sorceress to the Pharaoh and back to the sorceress again. No, no, NO! his mind screeched. If she completes the spell, then I'll *never* get the Shadow powers! He just had to stop her! The High Priest let out a low growl as he raised his dagger, face grim. He had taken merely a step, when suddenly his entire body froze. His eyes widened in shock. "What's going on here?!" he demanded. "I…can't…move!"

The Pharaoh was breathing heavily, his breaths coming out in struggled gasps as he fought to maintain his binding spell on the maddened High Priest. He could feel his life starting to leave him, but still he fought to maintain his spell. But he wouldn't be able to hold on for long.

Yami's strain and spell flickered briefly through Sekhmet's mind. She knew what he was trying to do, and her eyes started to fill with tears. But she refused to shed any tears now; after the ritual was completed, there would be time to tend to her grief. She took a deep breath, then let out the last words of the ancient spell: "Callen Dan Dant, Dan Dant Callen, Dan Callen Dant!"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Yami took one final gasp of breath before his body slumped. Soon, the green chains disappeared, and he fell to the ground. The great Pharaoh was dead.

The green flames that had protected the Pharaoh and the Millennium tablet died down as the last of Yami's life energy was used to seal the Shadow powers into the seven Millennium Items. The world was safe at last.

Sekhmet slowly lowered her arm, now using both hands on the ground for support. She was so tired, and finally let the tears slide down her cheeks. Dully, she stared at her beloved's lifeless body, her mind slowly realizing that he was truly gone. She closed her eyes as she whispered, "I love you, Yami. For all eternity…" She barely felt the dagger plunge once again into her back. Without a sound, the sorceress let her body fall to the ground. She opened her eyes to take one last look at Yami. "Till we meet again, beloved," she whispered before closing her eyes for the final time.

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Whew, done! Ack, felt bad killing Yami and all, but uhhh…kinda is what happened, right? This is just kinda my version of how it *could* have happened. *shrugs* Oh yeah, and I have no idea what the translations are for those weirdo spells that I used. I kinda have an idea what they are supposed to be used for (which is NOT for a sacrifice, btw…), but no clue as to what they mean. Yeah, I was too lazy to think up of a spell on my own.

Anyways, next chapter…ahhh…get a nice surprise back in the present time. I hope I'm not overdoing it though…Thanks for reading, and please review! ;) Sorriez again for the long wait!