Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Of The Night ❯ Black Magic & Witchcraft ( Chapter 17 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Black Magic and Witchcraft
Yami Marik watched his hikari step toward General Anubis with a confident stride. “You will pledge your allegiance to us, General, or you will join the pharaoh. Both of you can rot in the dungeon together.”
Anubis glared at the shorter Egyptian. “You dare threaten me?”
Malik grinned. “I don’t think you have much of a choice with my Tombkeeper faithful ready to remove your head. Is that what you want?”
Anubis looked at Yami Marik seated on the pharaoh’s throne with his coal-black eyes narrowed and sharp canines showing through his twisted grin. Two Tombkeepers flanked Marik on the throne.
“Make your choice wisely, General,” Snefru said.
Ausaira placed a gentle hand on Marik. “What shall we do with him should he follow us?”
Yami Marik chuckled. “He will follow us,” the yami said as he gripped the Millennium Rod in his hand.  Yami Marik held the Millennium Rod and pointed the eye of the rod towards General Anubis. “You will follow us.”
Anubis’ eyes lost their luster as his body relaxed. “I will follow you.”
Yami Marik stood up and walked towards Anubis. Malik stood aside. “You know, Malik, if it weren’t for this bastard ordering an attack on Itemri and I, we wouldn’t have died.”
Malik savagely backhanded Anubis. “I should cut your throat right now for killing my yami!”
Yami Marik growled at the memory of the arrow piercing his back and embedding itself in his lung.  He remembered searing pain which had flooded through his body as blood robbed him of oxygen.“This bastard didn’t kill me. My son was the one who shot me in the back.”
Snefru approached the group. “He’s the one you should be assaulting, Malik. When we capture him, you will have your chance.”
Yami Marik placed the Millennium Rod under Anubis’ chin. “You can help me with that, my dear General. You will find two white-haired men with one white and blond haired teen traveling with them. One of them will have white skin like those from the Great Continent beyond Egypt’s boarders.  Two young boys with blond and white hair will be with them. Bring them to me unharmed.”
“SETO! HELP!”
Yami Marik and Malik turned their heads towards the door when Ryou was being carried by two soldiers.  Snefru and Ausaira watched the captive with surprise.
“Well, I guess there has been a change of plans,” Yami Marik said as Ryou was gripped tightly by both soldiers.
“Pharaoh Malik, you had demanded that we find him,” one soldier said.
Malik watched as Ryou stared wide-eyed at him. “Good job, men.”
Ryou tried to move his arms, but the soldiers gripped them tightly. “Malik, tell them to let me go!”
Malik smiled and approached Ryou slowly. The Egyptian reached out and caressed Ryou’s cheek lightly. “It’s good to see you again, Ryou Thomas Bakura.”
Ryou pulled back his cheek from Malik’s caress. “Malik, what has gotten into you?”
“I haven’t changed, Ryou. I’m the same man you remember.”
“No,” Ryou whispered. “You are not the same person I remember. The Malik I knew would never slaughter innocent people and try to kill the ones he loves.”
Malik grinned and stepped towards Ryou. “Are you still angry about that?”
“Angry? Malik, Marik, I’m worried about you both.  What have Bakura and I done to make you angry?”
Yami Marik grinned. “You, Ryou?  You are a very precious asset to us. On the contrary, I’m very relieved to see you here.”
“Why?”
Yami Marik approached Ryou and placed his hand on Ryou’s stomach. “This. This, my dear Ryou,” Yami Marik looked down at Ryou’s growing belly. “This is why I’m relieved to see you here.”
Ryou swallowed nervously. “Marik....don’t hurt us.”
Yami Marik leaned forward to Ryou. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I will have the doctors examine you immediately to determine if you carry a male or female child.”
“We already know, Marik,” Ryou whispered.
“Really? Well, Ryou, would you like to share with the rest of the class?”
Ryou swallowed nervously. “A boy.”
Yami Marik grinned. “You are carrying something very precious and important, indeed.”
Snefru looked at Ryou. “How is it possible? You cannot be carrying a child.”
Yami Marik quickly removed the dagger from the Millennium Rod, startling Ryou. Yami Marik grabbed Ryou’s tunic.  “No! Marik! Stop!”
The soldiers tightened their grip on Ryou’s arms as Marik used the blade to cut up Ryou’s clothing. Malik grabbed half of the cut material and pulled it back to reveal Ryou’s naked torso to Snefru and Ausaira. “Look!”
Snefru and Ausaira approached Ryou and saw the white-haired hikari’s stomach extended with a line extending from Ryou’s navel to the edge of his skirt.
“What sort of witchcraft is this?” Ausaira asked. The woman reached out and touched Ryou’s stomach curiously. Ryou tried to step back in revulsion.
Yami Marik grinned as his eyes caressed Ryou. “Witchcraft of the most advantageous kind.” Yami Marik stepped backward from Ryou.
Snefru cautiously reached out and touched Ryou’s stomach. With a quick motion, his hand snapped back. “This is black magic!”
Malik put his hands on Ryou’s chest. The Egyptian leaned forward and kissed Ryou on the lips. The white-haired hikari struggled in the soldier’s arms, but the men gripped him tighter.  Yami Marik grinned as he watched his hikari passionately kiss the other hikari.
“I want him treated well,” Yami Marik said. “Give him anything he needs.  I want the doctors to examine him every day.  Give him enough to eat and drink for he carries the future pharaoh.”
Malik pulled back from his kiss and looked at General Anubis. “We want armed guards posted at his door day and night. He goes nowhere without armed guards.”
“Yes, my pharaoh,” General Anubis bowed his head.
Ryou looked into the charcoal eyes of Yami Marik. “Marik, we have to get home. We don’t belong in this time. We belong where we were.”
“Why would I want to return to our time when I am king here with Malik?  I have fulfilled my birthright.”
“By slaughtering innocent people!” Ryou responded sternly. “You killed innocent people, Marik. You also tried to destroy the ones who love you.”
Yami Marik shrugged casually. “Casualties are sometimes unavoidable.”
“Marik, you never killed anyone in cold blood. Bakura and I are very worried about you. We want you and Malik back.”
Ausaira caressed Ryou’s hair. “He could make you an ‘unavoidable casualty’ if you don’t watch your tongue.”
“That is, after we take the baby,” Malik said.
Ryou held his breath. “What?”
“After we take the baby, we may not need you,” Malik said.
“We’ll have an heir to our throne,” Yami Marik said. “If you don’t behave yourself, we won’t keep you around and you’ll become familiar with how Bakura spent his final years.”
Ryou swallowed nervously. “Marik, would you really do that to me? I love you, Marik. Malik, I miss how we used to be. How could you treat me like this?”
Malik put his hand on Ryou’s shoulder. “Our love is dead, Ryou.  It has withered like a rose in winter.  Once we take what we want, then we will decide what to do with you.”
A tear crept down Ryou’s cheek. “Don’t say that, Malik.”
Yami Marik ordered the guards to remove Ryou’s cut clothing.  Ryou struggled as the guard removed the clothing. “Take Ryou to the room beside my own.  Give him food. Malik and I will be in there soon to make sure you have settled in.”
Ryou struggled as the guards pulled him from the room.  The guards dragged him to the room and threw him onto the bed.  Ryou watched the doors close behind the soldiers.
The hikari rested his head on the bed and closed his eyes. “Marik...Malik....how could you?”
*********************
Yami Bakura carried books and scrolls in his arms up the stairs. Little Marik followed close behind with scrolls tucked under both arms. “Aten! Open the door!”
Robbie opened the door as Yami Bakura and Little Marik stepped through the threshold carrying their burden. “Did you raid a library, Bakura?”
“Where is your husband?”
“Aten is out looking for his mother. He hasn’t returned yet.”
Yami Bakura growled. “Not good. What about Little Bakura?”
“He hasn’t returned either. Aten’s out looking for them both.” Robbie opened a book that Yami Bakura placed on the end table. “How is anyone supposed to read this?”
“I thought Aten taught you some Arabic.”
Robbie nodded. “Yeah, I know a little, but I can’t read Ancient Egyptian.”
Little Marik smiled and opened a book. “It’s easy!”
“For you, maybe, Marik.  What are we looking for?”
Yami Bakura checked the sharpness of his blade carefully. “Anything that will take us back to our own time. Little Marik, do the best you can until Aten returns. I have to find Ryou.”
“Do you think he’s in trouble?” Robbie asked.
“My father found him.  That in itself is cause for concern. Robbie, get Aten back here with your mindlink.  Aten and Marik here need to find the secret to getting us home. If you can, try to find how to break my brother’s hold on Marik and Malik’s minds.  We can’t leave here without them.”
Robbie approached Bakura slowly. “What if we can’t find a way to save the Ishtars? Aten wouldn’t want to leave his father behind.”
Yami Bakura sighed and placed a comforting hand on Robbie’s shoulder. “We must do what is best for our family. If we must leave them behind and we have no other choice, we must. I’m sorry, Robert. We don’t belong here.  If I don’t get Ryou home, our baby could die.  I...Robert, I can’t lose my boy again. I’ve lost him twice already.” Bakura swallowed as he took a deep breath. “I never held my son once, Robbie.  I hope you never have to feel that sorrow.”
“I’m sorry, Bakura. I guess you’re right.  That must be very hard for you.”
Bakura nodded. “I’m not going to allow my son to die a third time, Robbie.  I can’t let that happen.”
“I’ll summon Aten back through the mindlink. You be careful.”
Yami Bakura looked down at Little Marik already beginning to sift through the scroll. “Marik Jibade, I’m going to leave you with Robbie. Aten will be here soon, alright? Be a good boy until he gets back, alright?” Bakura looked up at Robbie. “Have Aten bring back a treat for our boy here for being a big help.”
The seven-year-old smiled happily. “A treat! Yay!”
“Will do,” Robbie said.
Bakura kissed Little Marik on the head and left the room.
********************
Ryou walked around the room, touching the walls and occasionally placing his ear against the plaster as he knocked. There must be some way out of here. I just have to find it.
//Ryou, are you hurt? Where are you?//
Ryou gasped as he heard Bakura’s voice through their mindlink. /Bakura! I’m in the palace. Marik locked me in one of the rooms./
//Did he hurt you?//
/No. I’m alright./ Ryou felt relief flood the mindlink with his yami. /Did you find a way home?/
//Once Aten gets back to the brothel, he’ll help Little Marik look through some scrolls and books we found in the Tombkeeper’s lair.  I can’t read that chickenscratch to save my afterlife. Aten and the boy know Noble Tongue better than myself.//
Ryou sat on the bed and looked around the windowless room. /At least Marik didn’t put me in the dungeon./
//I’d rather have you not there at all, hikari.  I’ll find a way to get you out.//
Ryou winced as the baby kicked.  Ryou rubbed his stomach to calm the shifting baby. /Bakura, please be careful. Marik and Malik are completely insane.  They are dangerous./
//Which is why I have to get you, our daughter, Seto, and the others out of there.//
Ryou laid on the bed as his fingertips brushed across his stomach. He scratched several itchy spots as he sighed with resignation.  /Marik won’t harm me. He ordered guards to give me whatever I need and gave them explicit instructions that I was not to be harmed./
//Well, that is little consolation considering you are still there and no matter if you are in a comfortable suite with servants to cater to your every whim, a prison is a prison, even if it is a comfortable one.//
/Hmm...I see your point, love./
//Take care of yourself. Get some sleep. At least you can be in a comfortable bed and it will be better for your back.//
Ryou nodded. He couldn’t argue with that piece of logic.  /Bakura, please do not get caught by Marik’s guards or the Tombkeepers. All of them are after you, the boys, and Aten./
Ryou heard the doorknob of the room turn slowly and the jingling of keys. /Bakura, they’re here!/
//Don’t give them a cause to harm you, Ry!//
Marik and Malik stepped into the room.  The jingling of keys sounded from the other side of the door as it was locked behind the Ishtars. “Hello, Ryou. I assume you enjoy your accommodations,” Malik said as he casually approached the bed.
Ryou sat up and crawled off the bed on the opposite side. “What do you want with me?”
Yami Marik grinned as he held the Millennium Rod in his hand. “Light!”
Ryou watched the torches on the walls burn brighter and hotter, filling the room with bright firelight.
“We know you have been living in the desert for a couple weeks, Ry.  You must be hungry, tired, sore, and a very dirty boy.”
Ryou stood against the wall. “I bathed in the lake before you burned Bakura’s oasis to nothing but ash.”
Yami Marik slowly approached the hikari. “That’s dirty lake water.  Malik, prepare the bathing tub for our mother-to-be.”
Malik stepped into the adjoining room.  Ryou watched Yami Marik stand in front of him, blocking his escape.  “Marik, please don’t hurt me or the baby.”
Yami Marik calmly reached up and caressed Ryou’s cheek. The Egyptian traced the hikari’s jaw with his thumb. “What makes you think that I want to hurt you or the boy you carry? He will be the new Prince of Egypt. He will be mine.”
“No,” Ryou whispered. “He does not belong to you.”
Marik grabbed Ryou‘s jaw harshly. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did you think you had a choice in this matter?  If you thought that you did, then you are mistaken. You belong to us, Ryou,” Marik said delicately. “You will create the new generation of Egyptian rulers until the day you take your last breath.”
Ryou swallowed nervously. “Marik, I can’t do that.”
Yami Marik trapped Ryou against the wall and smiled. “You may say that you don’t right now, but you will learn to love it.”
Yami Marik leaned forward and kissed Ryou’s lips gently.  Ryou tensed as Marik pressed his body against him.  Ryou whimpered as Marik took his wrist.  He felt Marik slip Ryou’s hand under the rim of his white, linen skirt.  The Egyptian moaned into the kiss with his lover as he made Ryou touch between his legs.
Ryou turned his head to the side. “Marik, stop.”
The Egyptian kissed Ryou’s neck and began grinding against Ryou’s hand. The hikari heard splashing of water in the other room.  Ryou whimpered as Marik bit onto his neck. Ryou used his free hand to push against Marik.
Malik stepped out of the room and found Ryou trying to push Marik backward. Malik approached Ryou and pulled the other hikari into a hungry kiss. Malik grabbed Ryou’s hair as he deepened the kiss.
Ryou squirmed against the wall to try to escape. Malik held the back of Ryou’s head as Marik released Ryou’s wrist.
“I think Ryou is overdressed, Malik.”
Ryou gasped into Malik’s mouth as Marik removed the skirt, leaving him naked before the two Ishtars.  
“I think we need to get him into the bathtub.”Malik kept his grip on Ryou’s hair, but broke his kiss with the other hikari. Marik held Ryou’s arms as they lead their captive into the other room.
“Get in,” Malik said sternly.
Ryou cautiously obeyed as he stepped into the solid gold bathtub.  Malik kept a tight grip on Ryou’s hand as he sunk into the warm water.  The Egyptian hikari pulled Ryou’s head back and resumed the make-out session.  Yami Marik touched Ryou’s chest with his hand and trapped Ryou’s right wrist against the tub.
Ryou’s breathing quickened as Marik’s hand wandered down his body. The hikari struggled,  splashing water onto the Ishtars.  
Yami Marik’s hand wandered between Ryou’s legs, making the hikari startle. Malik caressed Ryou’s chest, teasing Ryou’s right nipple with his thumb.
“Relax, Ryou,” Yami Marik whispered into Ryou’s ear as he kissed the hikari’s earlobe. “We’re not going to hurt you. We’re here to make you feel good.”
Ryou felt Yami Marik lightly stroke between his legs. A tear fell down Ryou’s cheek as Malik deepened the kiss even further. Ryou gasped as the baby kicked again from his tensing muscles.
Yami Marik felt Ryou’s arousal grow limp as Ryou’s body shuddered.  “Don’t you like it when I touch you?”
Malik pulled back from his kiss with Ryou. “What’s the matter, Ryou? Don’t you appreciate what we are doing for you?”
Ryou took a deep breath.  “He kicked me again.”
“It can’t be that bad,” Yami Marik said.
“He kicked me right in the.....” Ryou rubbed his stomach. “Kicked me right in the nethers.”
Malik looked at his yami. “Looks like no fun for us today.”
Yami Marik growled with frustration. “Get the cloth and wash him down.”
Yami Marik kneeled beside the tub. “I’ve almost forgotten how well you kiss.”
Marik grabbed Ryou’s hair and pulled him into a passionate kiss.
Ryou closed his eyes tightly as he felt Malik caress his body with a piece of linen. //Ryou, what’s going on?//
/Marik is kissing me and Malik’s washing me down./
//Who the hell is gripping your hair?//
Ryou tensed as Malik cleaned between his legs. /Marik./
Bakura growled through the mindlink. //Marik’s a fucking dead man when I see him.  I don’t care if he’s already dead. I’ll kill him again.//
/Yami!/ Ryou squealed through his mindlink.  
//Ryou, are you alright?//
/Bakura.../
//Baby, it’s going to be alright.Just relax. If you tense, the baby will kick you again.//
Ryou breathed in through his nose and forced his body to relax.  
//I swear that boy’s going to be a soccer player when he gets older.//
Ryou chuckled through the mindlink. /You should get him that for his first birthday present and see what he does with it./
Bakura could tell Ryou was relaxing as he was talking to him and distracting him from Marik’s heavy kissing and Malik’s touch. //Just don’t give that boy a balloon sword or a baseball.//
/Aria didn’t mean to hit you with the baseball. Remember me kissing your boo-boo and making you feel better?/
Bakura licked his lips. //How can I forget?//
Ryou was brought his attention back to the Ishtars as he heard Marik moan.
“That’s it, Ryou,” Malik grinned.
Ryou felt his arousal harden at Malik’s hand.  Marik’s kiss had moved to Ryou’s neck and his chest. The white-haired hikari clenched his fists as he felt himself release in the bathtub. He relaxed backward against the back of the tub. He closed his eyes as he breathed heavily, his head falling backward.
He felt his body grow weak as Yami Marik pulled back from his kissed. “I think we made Ryou tired, Malik.”
Malik grinned. “Did we wear you out, Ryou?”
Ryou felt himself breathe deeply. He had spent two weeks sleeping on the ground and not having a warm bath.  He had a full belly from the food which had been brought in earlier for him.
Yami Marik and Malik grabbed Ryou’s arms and pulled him from the water.  Ryou felt himself be placed on a chair. Marik gripped his shoulders as Malik dried him off.
Ryou opened his eyes as the Ishtars carried him back to the bed.  Ryou looked up at Yami Marik. “Marik?”
“Ryou?”
“Bakura will be coming for me. He won’t stop until he rescues me.”
“Let him come. I will be ready and waiting for him,” Yami Marik said sternly.
Marik and Malik left the room and locked the door behind him. Ryou looked down and rubbed his stomach. The baby had settled and become motionless.  “There we go. Good boy. Go to sleep.” Ryou sighed as he struggled to keep his eyes open. “Goodnight, sweetheart.” Ryou quickly lost the battle to keep his eyes open as he laid on the bed.
***********************
Bakura looked up at the palace from his perch.  He sat on a straw roof holding his dagger.  He could feel Ryou’s exhaustion taking over his body. He felt his mindlink flooded with weakness and sleepiness.
//Ryou? Are you asleep?//
/Bakura.....so tired. I can’t keep my eyes open./
Bakura sighed. //Go to sleep, angel.//
Bakura felt Ryou relax and slip into slumber. The yami sighed as his brown eyes watched the palace. The Winged Dragon of Ra glowed in the night as it perched above the palace. He was grateful that Ryou had fallen asleep.
For the first time, he was repulsed at Yami Marik’s touch through Ryou’s mindlink.  If that bastard touches Ryou again, he’s going to feel my foot up his ass for the next five thousand years. I’ll get you out, Ryou. Bakura watched the soldiers march along the streets. In the dark he could see archers perched with their bows waiting for an intruder.
It’s going to be almost impossible to break into the palace. I remember the layout of the palace, but with guards around every corner and the Winged Dragon of Ra standing sentinel, it’s going to be even more difficult.
Bakura thought about Ryou in Marik’s arms.  His muscles tensed with the thought of Marik keeping Ryou prisoner.  At least Ryou isn’t in any physical danger right now.But still, we have to get Ryou and the others out of there. I can’t allow my daughter near that maniac in his state.  Seto, Joey, Yugi, and Glenn can take care of themselves, but this isn’t the Marik we have come to know. This is the same crazy bastard who tried to destroy the world and who wanted to kill everyone we know.  The rules have changed. Bakura sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. His mind wandered to his husband and Aria in Marik’s custody.  The stakes are much higher than in Battle City.  Ryou and I didn’t have the kids.  I still hated him, but even then I knew I needed him to survive.  One blast from Slyfer the Sky Dragon would have killed Ryou and I would have been sealed back into my Millennium Ring to await my next hikari.  Bakura shifted uncomfortably as he sat on the straw roof looking at the palace. That bastard had better keep his greasy mitts off my little girl.  I don’t think he would harm my daughter. Gods knows she’s a fighter like her daddy.  She has always been headstrong and never backed down from a fight.  Aria didn’t get that from her mother.  That girl has my blood. However, Ryou did teach her how to be a good mother to her children. Ryou always put the kids first. He was always concerned for their safety and welfare.  When we found out he was having Aria and Aten, the doctor doubted that he could carry them at all.  Ryou couldn’t abort them. I wouldn’t have wanted him to, even if it was a risk to his health. Both kids and Ryou pulled through the pregnancy, although we almost lost Aten when he first was born.  The doctors had to restart his heart a couple times while Marik stood guard over him like a guardian angel.  Would Marik treat his son with such care now, I wonder.  I doubt it. Bakura looked up at the moon in the sky. Osiris, please guide Little Marik and Aten to the answers we seek. How do we get home? How can we break the curse on the Ishtars?  Ryou and I have only three more moons before we have to birth our son.  I can feel every time he feels pressure on his hips or when the baby kicks. It’s a phantom sensation that I know is not really happening in me, so I don’t think about it. But, I think about Ry. I know his back is starting to ache more. Sometimes the world is spinning and I know it’s coming from him. He’s hungry now, but thankfully he’s too tired to really care about that right now. My love is sleeping now on a soft bed which he requires.  It’s comforting to know that he is sleeping on a soft surface for a change, but I don’t want him anywhere near Marik with his mood swings and Malik with his complete allegiance to his yami’s unstable whims.
If Ryou does go into labor now there is a very small chance the baby could live, but with this era’s technology, they wouldn’t understand what to do. They’d just wrap the baby with healing amulets, smear some cow shit on his head, and pray to Bes or Tawaret.  They’d probably make it drink piss or something like that. This era was not the most enlightened of times regarding medicine, but some of their cures did work.  They don’t know about incubators or how to keep a premature baby alive.
If Aten was born in this era, they wouldn’t have a fucking clue how to handle him. He’d be a lost cause probably. He wouldn’t have made it past five years old like the doctors had claimed. Hell, he probably wouldn’t have reached one year of age regardless if Marik and Ryou did everything possible and followed all the doctor’s instructions to the letter.
Bakura looked below in the streets and saw stray guards wandering the streets. The thief crouched and crept across the rooftops towards the brothel.  He kneeled quickly as a guard looked into the air. Bakura waited until the guard passed by before continuing toward the brothel.  The thief crawled off the roof and landed on his feet.  He scurried into the brothel. A young girl named Kesi turned her head as she sat on Basi’s lap.
“You’ve returned, sir!” Kesi exclaimed.
Bakura closed the door behind him and placed a finger over his lips. “Shh...young one. The soldiers can’t know I’m here with my friends, alright?”
Little Marik ran up to Bakura and wrapped his arms around Yami Bakura’s waist. “You came back! I didn’t think you’d ever come back!”
Bakura caressed the boy’s blond hair. “Hello, peanut. Why aren’t you upstairs with Aten and Robbie?”
“We’re taking a break.”
Bakura sighed. “Well, you and Aten have been at it all day. A little break won’t hurt.”
Bakura went to climb the steps, but Little Marik tugged on his skirt. The thief looked down at the boy. “What’s wrong?”
“Robbie said he would come down for me when he and Aten were ready for me.”
Bakura raised a curious eyebrow and looked up the stairs. Horny father, horny son.
“Alright, peanut.”  Yami Bakura sat by the fireplace with the women and pat his empty lap. Little Marik smiled and sat on the yami’s lap. Yami Bakura leaned back on his seat and wrapped his arms around the child.
The thief looked down at the seven-year-old boy. The boy’s head rested against Bakura’s chest.  His tiny toes wiggled as he snuggled against Bakura. A small smile crossed the thief’s face. Damn, Ryou’s right. He is cute.