Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Something Less ❯ Something Less ( One-Shot )

Hey everyone, this is something I started a LONG time ago. You might have already read my one shot, `Something More'. This is the other version of that one shot with an alternate direction/ending. I meant to finish it right after the original version, but, well, I obviously became sidetracked along the way. But I hope you enjoy this version; feedback is always appreciated!

 

Oh, and I didn't change anything in the first half of this one shot. What does this mean to you? Just giving you a heads up because I wrote most of this a year and a half ago, so obviously it isn't my best writing. So I'm apologizing in advance for being too lazy to go back and revise the first half.

 

By the way (almost done, promise), (roughly) the first half happens to be exactly the same as the other version, `Something More'. So if you have read that version and remember it well enough, you could simply save time by scrolling down until the story becomes different.

 

Warning: Language, implied yaoi, character death(s)

 

So you're not totally confused:

 

Marik: Yami

Malik: Hikari

 

Just bold letters: Marik talking to Malik

Bold and in italics: Malik talking to Marik

`Italics with quotations': Malik's own thoughts

Regular: Talking out loud/actual story

 

-----

 

`I want out.'

 

`Not now.'

 

`You think you can stop me?'

 

`Please, not while I'm at school...'

 

`You know I don't give a damn where you are.'

 

`Let me leave, at least.'

 

`…Hurry up.'

 

The teen sighed, knowing what he was about to do. While the teacher was in the middle of a lesson, writing on the board, she suddenly heard a round of gasps and cries of disgust. Turning around, she looked to see Malik Ishtar hovering above the trashcan, shaking violently.

 

“What happened?”

 

“He just ran to the trash can and threw up again!” A cheer leader exclaimed, obviously grossed out by her facial expression.

 

Ms. Wilson frowned, looking in Malik's direction. This was the third time in one month that Malik had suddenly shown signs of being sick. At first she thought he simply did it to get out of class, but his grades were always phenomenal. She finally came to the conclusion that he was just not a healthy boy.

 

“May I please go home, Ms. Wilson? I really don't feel well.” The poor Egyptian asked with that same pitiful look in his eyes.

 

She nodded, trying her best but failing to fully smile, “Of course, Malik. Get some rest, ok?”

 

He barely nodded before running out of the class room.

 

Once outside the building, Malik leaned against the brick wall, panting hard from his sprint. He had trained himself to throw up on cue in case Marik wanted control at a bad time. This was just one of those times.

 

`I'm outside now.'

 

`About fucking time.'

 

`Please…don't do anything massive.'

 

`I'll do as I wish. Have a nice time in your soul room.'

 

The last thing Malik heard was demonic laughter as he quickly fell unconscious.

 

Malik reawakened in his soul room. Marik never let him in on what he was up to in the real world. If he tried to get out he would be punished; he would be punished severely. He looked around. The room was the same as always. Everything was black, barely lit by some unknown light source. He decided to press his luck and call to his…other side.

 

`Marik?'

 

`What the hell do you want now?' Impatience dripped from every word.

 

`I was just wondering where you were…Ah!'

 

Malik felt a harsh slap across his face, though there was no visible force in the soul room.

 

`Wherever the fuck I feel like being! Understood?' Marik had never been one to dawdle with his, in his obvious opinion, weaker half.

 

The boy knew better than to not answer.`Yes…'

 

This was sufficient enough for Marik, who paid him no more attention, so Malik remained silent, caressing his cheek softly. He hated his life. He didn't even know where Marik came from. He had just always been there.

 

He thought back to when it began, well, when he was old enough to realize what was going on anyway. It hadn't been so bad at first. Marik would only use his body every once in a while, maybe twice a month. As time went by though, he had become needier and more demanding, taking control whenever he simply felt like it. He had also found ways to hurt Malik when he would `get out of line'. Things like messing with Malik mentally tended to be his favorite, although blood wasn't out of question when Malik really pissed him off.

 

The blond had finally convinced Marik to at least warn Malik before taking over. It was better than nothing.

 

-----

 

Malik was suddenly thrust back into the real world. Well, not too suddenly. It was, apparently, the next day, with a quick glance to his cell phone. But that was usually about the time when he got his body back, anyway. He sat up and found he had an enormous head ache.

 

“Are you awake yet, Malik?” His sister called from downstairs.

 

He answered, holding his head from the pain it brought. Oh well. At least today was Friday.

 

He walked to school like he always did, slightly comforted by the thought that he would soon be with some `friends'. He really couldn't call anyone but Isis a friend, which was a bit sad since she was also his only family, but they seemed to accept him for the most part. Malik didn't talk much, but then, he just never had much to say to them.

 

They had their backs turned when he came up to them. Malik waited a few moments before he cleared his throat softly.

 

Tea was the first to turn around, an icy glare upon her features, “Well, if it isn't Malik Ishtar. Have you come back to apologize?” Loath dripped from every word.

 

The others, being Joey, Tristan, and Serenity, turned around as well. They all sent some form of look to Malik that told them of their anger. Serenity was the only one who seemed to be struggling with her emotions.

 

“What's going on?” Malik asked.

 

“You know what you did yesterday!” Tea screeched, her blue eyes flashing dangerously, “Malik, that was the last straw! I mean, we've tried ignoring your…weirdness…but-“

 

“My weirdness? What the hell are you talking about?” Tea had always been Malik's least favorite person of the group, and he didn't like where this discussion was going.

 

“She's talking about after school when you randomly grabbed my little sister and started molesting her!” Joey spoke out this time, “Ring any bells?”

 

It didn't ring any bells for Malik, but he could think of someone for whom it would. He looked to the girl in question. She blushed and averted her eyes. Marik wouldn't…after Malik asked him so many times…

 

“You didn't think we would find out, huh? Well Serenity is smart and told us everything! We don't ever want to see you again, Malik Ishtar!” The brunette spat out, pointing his finger accusingly at the blonde.

 

Malik could only glare at the four, “Fine.” He turned and walked away, hoping that they didn't detect the slight crack in his voice. He honestly didn't really care about the group. It was the fact that Malik hadn't even done anything, yet he was always blamed.

 

`Yes, you are blamed for many things…' The ever present voice in his head mused. `It's always fun to watch the results of my previous actions.'

 

`You…You asshole.' As useless as it was to play name calling with Marik, Malik could find nothing else to say

 

`Are you addressing me?' Marik made his boredom obvious in his tone.

 

`Who else would I be addressing? I asked you not to mess with my personal life!'

 

His darker half laughed insensitively. `What personal life? Besides, those fools were undeserving of our time or patience.'

 

Malik glared, though there was no one there.`That's up to me to decide!' At least…it should've been.

 

He heard Marik sigh the way a parent would. `I suppose the only reason you stayed was for that little slut? She was quite amusing…'

 

`Shut up! Don't talk that way about her, she's practically a child.' He shook his head at the thought of her overwhelming innocence.

 

`Hikari, I suggest you be the one to shut up before I'm forced to make you. Is that clear?'

 

Malik's head immediately became filled with pain. He gasped and shut his eyes, trying to will it away, trying to will it all away.

 

`That's what I thought. By the way, I have a surprise for you when you get home. Until then, hikari.'

 

Marik left, but the pain remained unending.

 

The school day went by too slowly for Malik. At lunch he had to endure the piercing stares of his ex-friends, with laughter in the background from Marik, who had finally deemed that Malik had learned his lesson and stopped the aching in his skull. When he arrived home, there was nothing Malik wanted to do more than pass out on his bed and never wake up. Of course, fate was never that kind to him.

 

When he arrived home, Malik saw a police car parked outside. He thought perhaps this was Marik's surprise, doing something to get him arrested.

 

However, Marik was quick to defend himself from further accusation. `I know not why that contraption is outside your home, but it does make me curious. Perhaps my little light is sneakier than I thought…'

 

Malik could just picture the smirk to go with that comment. But he said nothing and walked up to the police who just stepped out of their car.

 

“Is there something wrong, officer?” He asked, doing his best to sound innocent.

 

The woman, maybe ten years older than Malik, frowned sadly. “Are you Malik Ishtar?”

 

He nodded.

 

“I have some…very distressing news.” She broke eye contact with Malik, instead staring at her car, “Your sister, Isis Ishtar, was found in a ditch by the interstate this afternoon in her car. She was hit straight on by someone, we believe they may have been drunk, and then hit the ditch straight on as well. The mere impact from both collisions was more than any adult could handle.”

 

She paused for a moment before saying the worst, and looking Malik in the eye again. “Your sister is dead, Malik.” She waited for a reaction, but got nothing.

 

“I'll give you some time to think this over, hun; it's ok to grieve. My name is Anne Sherman. If you have questions, you can reach me at…”

 

The rest simply went in one ear and out the other. She eventually finished her rambling and the wretched car went away.

 

Numbly, the blonde walked up the path to his front door, fumbling a bit with the handle before finally entering. His school bag fell to the floor carelessly; the dull remnants of pain subsided, only to be replaced by a state of lightheadedness.

 

Malik slowly tread up the stairs, grasping the rail a bit tightly as he went. Once reaching the top, he took a right and went into the bathroom. Breathing deeply, Malik leaned over the sink, turned on the faucet, and splashed some cool water in his face. He wasn't sure if it was helping or not.

 

A faint chuckling resonated in his head, making him frown. He knew he should know what to expect from Marik, yet whatever Marik did always surprised him anyway, and it was usually not in a good way.

 

`So…the bitch finally croaked. It's about time.' His yami spoke of Isis as if she was over eighty five.

 

Malik frowned even harder, looking up and into his own reflection. `She wasn't supposed to die.'

 

`Hah! She obviously was, hikari of mine, otherwise she would still be with you.'

 

Malik blinked back threatening tears. “I hate you. You weren't supposed to be able to hurt Isis!” He shouted, had anyone been watching they would have thought Malik was aiming it at himself.

 

`But hikari,' Marik started, appearing in the mirror so Malik could see, “I didn't touch her.”

 

Malik almost jumped back at the sudden transformation of images, but was able to hold his own.

 

His yami merely smirked before continuing. “You were the one who should be blamed, my little light. If it was not for your existence, then Isis might not even have been in a car at that moment when she was hit. Instead, she has to worry herself with you all the time-“

 

“Shut UP, damn you!” Malik cut in as he held his head, not being able to hear anymore of this. He knew Marik's words were all lies. Marik always lied, but it always stung just as hard as the darkness wanted it to.

 

Marik was able to see the effect he was having on his light, making his features even more arrogant than possible. Leaning forward in the mirror, his voice became mockingly innocent. “Damn me, hikari? Why would you dare say such a thing?”

 

Malik scowled; he hated the way Marik never took him seriously, always toying with him like a child when he wasn't making life for the young blonde a living hell.

 

“Because I can't stand this.” Malik's voice shook, though he fought to keep it steady, “I can't stand my life, my friends, and I can't stand you. What the hell do you do when you're in control? I have no idea what you've pulled while you're out. Am I on drugs? Am I wanted for murder? Am I even a virgin?” As sinister as Malik tried to be, his other half kept the same cruel, smug expression.

 

Marik shook his head and rolled his eyes, leaning back again and standing against the side of the mirror. And with a quick snap of his fingers, only a moment's task, Malik was in the worst pain he had ever dealt with in his life.

 

His head was going to split in half; there was no doubt about that in the blonde's mind. Malik gasped and fell to his knees, groaning and whining through strongly clenched teeth.

 

`Make it STOP!! Oh God, please, make it stop!'

 

Marik seemed to consider the urgent request, taking his sweet time to decide whether Malik's pain was worth his time. He was enjoying being in control every moment, whether he was physically there or not. Instead of having mercy, he added salt to the wound.

 

Along with the already bad punishment, Malik began to have flashing images work their way into his mind. Pictures of everything were shown; Tea, the gang, his soul room, Marik's ever smirking face, Serenity, his teacher, the police, Egypt, Isis alive, and Isis after the accident…

 

Malik sobbed, not caring if it made him look that much weaker. Why did this fate belong to him? What had he done wrong? Where and when had he strayed?

 

At last, Marik spoke, his voice cutting cleanly through the chaos that was going on in Malik's head.

 

`What have we learned, hikari?'

 

Malik was, for once, relieved to hear that voice.

 

`That it's not my place to question you…I'm sorry…'

 

`That'll do.' The pain and images stopped. `Although I think you only said it to save your sorry ass.' Marik chuckled aloud at his own words. `Stand up, my light; I have yet to show you my surprise.' A chuckle followed again, but it was a bit less inviting than the previous.

 

Malik's body still shook with intensity, but by now he had managed to stop crying. Marik had won this battle, as usual. He was the one who asked the questions, not the other way around, and he had no problem reminding Malik of his place.

 

The blonde had already received so many other surprises today; he didn't think he could take another, much less one from his insane yami.

 

`Oh come now; you don't think I'm insane, do you? If you mean I'm insanely wicked, I'll take that as a compliment…' Marik mused.

 

Malik chose to ignore this as he at last stood to face his other half, mentally preparing himself for whatever was to come.

 

Marik noticed his hikari's return with a dangerous flash of his eyes and sinful grin to match. “Glad to see you made it back, little light.” All he received was a blank stare, making him chuckle darkly, “I want you to close your eyes.”

 

Malik found the request a bit strange, but did so without second thought, not wanting to feel as he did a few minutes ago anytime soon.

 

`Now open.'

 

When he did, Malik saw that there was no more Marik in the mirror, and no more him. There was simply no reflection except that of the wall behind him. It made the blonde wonder where his yami was going with this.

 

Malik could just hear the building anticipation in the other's voice as he told him to close his eyes again, and a few moments later to reopen. Only when he did this time, there was indeed a reflection.

 

There was he, as there should have been, and there was also Marik, who appeared to be standing behind him. He dared to smirk. “Your surprise is another mirror trick?” He had been expecting something a bit more drastic.

 

He heard Marik murmur something in his head, so the voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.

 

`Do you think this a trick, hikari?' Marik kept an intense eye lock with his smaller half, and his own smirk came into place.

 

Malik frowned at the question. `What else am I supposed to take it as?'

 

In the mirror, Marik came up directly behind Malik and brought his hands up to his hikari's shoulders, almost coming into contact, but not quite. He leaned forward until his mouth was just an inch away from Malik's ear and whispered hauntingly,

 

“Perhaps something more…” With that statement he grasped those slender shoulders and lightly ran his fingers down equally slender arms.

 

Malik gasped, his breath hitching in his throat as he took in what Marik was showing him. This wasn't possible; how could it be? But each rebellious thought, each mental denial was proved wrong as more contact was made, as each touch was received.

 

He tried to turn around, but Marik wouldn't allow him to do so. “Look at us, hikari. Look at how we fit together; despite my power and your weakness, we complement each other in a way that no one else can.”

 

“How…How did this happen?” Malik asked, fear evident in both his voice and face. Not to mention the fact that Marik was speaking about something not entirely evil. It seemed that having his own body had some sort of humanizing effect on the yami.

 

“Anything can happen, hikari.” Marik suddenly acquired a predatory look in his eyes, his grip on the other's arms becoming bruising as he brought himself flush against Malik's backside. “Do you know how marvelous it would be to just take a knife and run it all over your body? To see and taste the blood covering every inch of your skin?”

 

Malik was suddenly much more afraid, because he knew that Marik was serious about nearly everything he said. So much for being a normal human.

 

Marik, sensing his hikari's growing discomfort, grinned. “Shame on me; you don't go for that sort of stuff, do you? How would you like to do the same to me? To see me covered in our blood? Would that make it any more appealing?”

 

The blonde weakly shook his head, although it didn't matter. When it came to Marik's crazy ideas, Malik never had much of a say.

 

Marik, smirking at Malik's reaction and ignoring the other's inner thoughts, licked the shell of his ear. Satisfied with Malik's slight tremble, he moved the blonde locks out of his way so he could move his mouth up and down the caramel neck that was just so inviting.

 

Malik could only stare at the mirror, at the scene shown before him. Apparently, his lack of proper response was annoying, and he yelped out sharply when Marik bit down, drawing a fair amount of blood and licking every ounce of it up.

 

“Marik, wha, what are you doing?” Truth be told, the hikari wasn't very eager for the answer.

 

`Isn't it obvious?' A pair of hands played with the fastenings of Malik's pants, sending the blonde into panic mode when he realized just what his yami intended to do.

 

He wouldn't allow it. After everything he'd put up with, Marik wasn't satisfied. He always wanted, needed, commanded more from the boy, and Malik had always complied. But this was something sacred to Malik, and now that Isis was dead, his innocence was really the only thing he could still call his own. And now he would have to surrender it, too?

 

During all of these thoughts, Malik failed to notice that his apparently sex driven darker half didn't care whether the blonde gave any more reaction or not, because his shirt seemed to have disappeared without Malik's consent.

 

Malik had to do something. Anything. But his body wouldn't move. It seemed that the impact of Marik finally being in another body still hadn't left his own. A flicker of horror appeared in his violet orbs when Marik suddenly pulled out a knife. A very large and sharp knife.

 

And that was when Malik once again found himself capable of moving. With swiftness he hadn't known himself to possess, Marik was suddenly against the opposite wall and clutching his stomach because of a harsh jab from Malik's elbow.

 

As he shot out of the bathroom, Malik heard the various curses from his yami and the clang of the knife hitting the floor, but he ignored it. He had to find a way of stopping this madman, and if he should fail…Malik chose not to dwell on the consequences in his rush down the stairs, stumbling over the last few steps.

 

The poor boy was panic stricken and being all but eaten alive by anxiety and terror, and it was taking a toll on the logical part of his brain. He practically collided with the door and fumbled horribly with the locks. When he tried opening the door minutes later, Malik remembered with dismay that he hadn't even locked the door to start with.

 

But he was interrupted in his escape by cruel laughter from the top of his stairs. In his panic the blonde turned around to looked up to see Marik slowly making his way down each step with deliberation, and even grace. The weapon had found its way back in his yami's hand. Marik's features supplied a horrid smirk, while his eyes promised everything Malik feared and were dilated but his pupils had become much smaller, creating a drastic contrast and only helping to bring out the insanity that was Marik.

 

Run. Run! Malik obeyed his instinctive thoughts, mentally berating himself to have wasted so much time staring at his possible murderer.

 

`Oh, no, hikari, I promise not to kill you.'

 

The voice sent another wave of panic throughout Malik, and as he ran he desperately tried ridding his mind of the image of Marik, or rather his eyes. His feet led him to the kitchen, but he could still hear the thump of foot steps on the stairs. He vaguely heard his mind telling him to grab a weapon and hide. So he grabbed a knife of his own as his eyes darted about, searching for anywhere he could possibly go.

 

`Honestly, hikari, just where the hell do you think you can run?' Marik voice quickly changed from toying to serious, and Malik was hopping on his feet alternately like the unlucky player in a game of hide-and-go-seek who was unable to find a spot and the seeker was just moments away from yelling the famous `Ready or not, here I come!'.

 

`You can't go anywhere, anywhere that I can't. By the way, you're going to regret that stunt you just pulled upstairs.' The statements were spat out hatefully as well as matter-of-factly, and Malik couldn't be sure whether he'd just wet his pants.

 

`Shall I tell you what I'll do? Actually, I don't know quite yet.' Marik paused, than added with a sneer, `But I plan to have fun making it up as I go.' Malik knew that Marik really would have fun with it, and that was even worse than if he had it planned out.

 

Without thinking, Malik darted to the first spot that came to his mind. His body trembled, his breathing coming more ragged with each moment as he clutched his knife like a life line. He didn't even notice the sweat that had broken out all over him as a result of his stress.

 

Finally, Marik reached the floor, continuing his hunt.

 

`Tell you what, hikari. I'll be generous and not read your thoughts to know where you're hiding. Let's keep this fun, eh?'

 

This was anything but fun to Malik, if anything it his blood flowed even faster, and he was sure he would have some kind of heart attack any given moment. Still, with all these thoughts racing in his head, he couldn't help but wonder why Marik didn't simply end this and kill him.

 

`I told you before, hikari, I'm not going to kill you. Don't you understand what I was saying? We complete each other. Without you there is no me, and vice versa. It would do me absolutely no good to destroy my own host.' Then Marik decided to be playful again. `Now, come out, come out wherever you are…'

 

By chance, at that very moment the door bell rang. Malik began mentally rejoicing for the help of somebody, anybody…until he heard the voice of who had come to call. As that person called out his name, Malik realized with a strong lurch of his stomach that it was Serenity who was on the other side of that door.

 

`Hikari, isn't that the slut from your group of humans?' He chuckled when Malik failed to get out a proper response. `I think it's only polite that I go and greet her.'

 

Serenity, go! Run, please, get out of here!

 

But of course she couldn't here him, and another lurch came when he heard the sound of his door opening, shortly followed by a scream and a moment later the door slamming shut again.

 

Guilt coiled tightly around his heart. No matter how Marik treated Malik, he couldn't allow another innocent person to be brought into this chaos. He scrambled from his place behind the refrigerator and followed the girl's fading voice to the living room.

 

His yami held her by the throat a few feet from the floor, and Serenity was desperately in need of air as she clawed fruitlessly at Marik's hand.

 

A small rage sparked within the hikari, who was now only focused on getting Serenity out of here.

 

“Stop it, Marik!”

 

Marik turned his head to regard his light. “Malik, so nice of you to join us. I feared the girl might not have a play mate.”

 

Malik stared in shock as she was now an interesting shade of blue…

 

“Agh! Mother, fucker!” Serenity was unceremoniously dropped to the floor as Marik examined his bloody palm. In all his emotion, Malik had run over and bit his yami's hand.

 

Serenity immediately began wheezing as oxygen once again filled her lungs and her face was reverting back to its normal color, but she went unheeded for a moment.

 

A lump formed in his throat as Malik quickly tried to figure out what to do next. Maybe that hadn't been such a good idea. Marik made sure Malik was watching before licking the crimson liquid from his hand. The smaller of the two grimaced at the sight and backed away.

 

Malik glanced down, and remembered with a start that his friend was still on the floor. He went to try and help her, but Marik was quicker to act. With a rising of his hand, Serenity was sent reeling back and into the wall with a loud thud, emitting from her a pained cry.

 

Her breathing was deep as if trying to control an asthma attack, and she looked at them both in shock. “What's go, going on?” She asked nervously, finally casting her eyes to Malik since he was the one who had saved her. For the time being, anyway.

 

But, of course, it was Marik who spoke first, since it seemed all Malik could do was be shocked as well. “My dear child, you've just been caught in a rather interesting cross fire between dark and light.” He threw a quick look to Malik, “Have you ever heard the expression `being in the wrong time and place'? That would be the description of your situation, and now I'm afraid you must suffer the consequences, my dear.”

 

He explained it with an airy tone, as if simply reminding her that it's `i' before `e', except after `c'. Of course this was not the case, and now Serenity struggled pathetically to be free of the wall. When she realized how hopeless she was, Serenity began crying on top of everything else. And it tore Malik's heart in two, because he knew it was Marik who indefinitely controlled the outcome.

 

He jumped when Marik spoke to him.

 

“What should we do to her, Malik? Do you want to choose her punishment?” Malik was obviously not going to suggest anything, so Marik went on, “Maybe she could have a tattoo to match yours? Or maybe you were planning on putting some use to that knife.”

 

Malik stared blankly at the blade, not sure of how it had managed to remain in his hand…

 

“And now, my dear, we won't suffer any more interruptions. It's time to play.” Marik said as he advanced toward Serenity menacingly.

 

“Well, maybe one more interruption, yami.”

 

Marik and Serenity turned their attention to the sound of Malik's voice. Malik was standing up, facing Marik with an extremely determined face.

 

Marik took notice of this change in his demeanor, but still chuckled. “And what would this interruption entail, little light?”

 

“It entails the end of your monstrosity, ass hole.” Only then did Marik notice the knife in Malik's hand, and it was with horror that he watched Malik drag that same knife into his heart.

 

“NO!” He cried, fearful for his own being. All of the pain that he had inflicted on Malik over the years, mental and physical, suddenly came upon Marik like a tsunami. He dropped to his knees in agony, screaming as he literally began to disintegrate.

 

Serenity had no idea of what was going on, but crawled as quickly as she could to Malik's motionless body. When she reached him she began silently crying, trying to stop the blood pouring from his chest. “Please don't die, Malik…”

 

Malik's world was currently a hazy spell of nothingness, but he was able to focus on Serenity's voice. He could hear that she was crying. It made him sad that she was still crying even though he had just saved her. He had saved her, right?

 

“Hang on; I'll call for an ambulance…” She said hysterically, finding her phone.

 

“Is Marik still there?” Came Malik's weak voice.

 

Serenity, shocked, looked up at Malik. “Is Marik…?” Then she realized who he meant and looked behind her. Marik was nowhere to be seen. “No, no, Malik, that awful man is gone…Yes, we need an ambulance, there's been an, um, attempted suicide…”

 

Malik shut his eyes; they hurt to keep open. Marik had been right; without light, the darkness could not exist. Now Malik had made sure that Marik could never spread his darkness again. He was finally free. And as he lied on the floor, dying, Malik allowed himself for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, to smile.