Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Tales of Crimson Nights ❯ Chapter 15 ( Chapter 15 )

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! But, the two characters Samiel and Araziel are mine! ::huggles them:: Yes! Finally! Two bishies I can call my own!

***

The night came soon, but not soon enough. I was up as soon as Marik was, which was almost impossible for me to do. We left as soon as we could, grabbing a meal as we headed out on our journey.

"Where do you think they might have gone?" I asked, knowing he was as clueless as I was.

"Well, my best guess is the east."

"Why there?" I blinked, following Marik as he began to run in that direction.

"Because, most high ranking vampires live in the east, remember?" Oh yes, I had forgotten that small detail. The higher class vampires usually always lived away from the younger ones, usually getting annoyed with their inexperience.

We put our vampire speed to good use, and disappeared out of the village, our senses alert for any traces of our beloved teens.

A few hours later, we paused, feeling a spark in our minds. I gasped. It was Malik! I recognized it! Glancing over to my right, I saw that Marik had definitely felt it as well. We both nodded at each other and sped off towards where we felt Malik's mind burning brightly. A few minutes later we felt Ryou as well. What was odd though, was that we couldn't sense any emotions from them at all. No fear, no worry, no anything, and I became increasingly anxious as we traveled closer to our goals.

"Marik?" I asked hesitantly, as we stood outside an enormous mansion, feeling the two younger boys inside.

"Yeah?"

"I love you…" I whispered, clasping on to his hand, not sure if this was the last time I'd see my lover. He brought my palm up to his lips, and kissed it gently.

"I love you too, Kura." His eyes hardened, and flashed red. "Let's go."

We smashed open the door with ease, barging inside and running down the zigzagging halls towards our two young lovers, full of pure adrenaline and ready for action, when suddenly we were stopped by an overwhelming force.

"Hn. You two arrived here sooner than I thought." Samiel smirked, stepping out of the shadows, revealing himself to us as we stood trapped in the middle of the hallway, unable to shake the control he had over our bodies.

I tried as hard as I could to keep my fears pushed down, but was failing miserably when he stepped closer to Marik and I, staring straight at me.

"You are afraid, yes?" He asked, bringing his hand up to play with the strands of my hair. I gulped audibly, and refused to answer, my body trembling as he brushed the side of my cheek gently. "No need to fear me, I told you that already." He straightened himself and backed away to a respectable distance, letting us free from his control.

"Where are they?" Marik demanded as soon as he was able to move. Samiel chuckled, gesturing down the hallway.

"They're safe and sound. As I promised, I said I wouldn't bring you or your humans any harm."

"Then why did you take them?" I asked, feeling anxious to have Malik and Ryou back in my arms.

"It's a test." He smiled secretively at us, and winked.

"What sort of test?" Marik questioned warily. "Surely you know we are strong, if you've watched us for so long? And we are wise as well, not as wise as you perhaps…"

"That's not what I'm testing." Samiel waved his hand indifferently. "I know very well just how strong you are."

"Then what could you possibly want from us?"

"That's easy." The elder vampire smirked yet again, making me shudder mentally. "I said I wouldn't allow you to make the same mistake I did, at any cost. I want to test you to make sure you keep your word to me about not changing them into immortals."

"Yes?" Marik prodded, "And just how exactly will you do that?"

"Poison." Samiel answered simply, and the sinking feeling in my stomach grew.

"Wh-What do you mean?" I asked softly, dreading the soon to come answer.

"You're slaves. I poisoned them." He shrugged, as if it didn't matter. "They have a week left to live." My heart shattered, and I heard my lover inhale deeply, shock apparent on his face.

"A week?" I echoed mournfully, falling to my knees. That was all the time I had left with them? After we were all finally happy…and I had a week before they died…Just a week…

"Yes." Samiel finalized, walking past us and down the opposite hallway. "You may take them back to your home, or stay here, whichever you prefer."

"But you said you wouldn't hurt them!" Marik screamed desperately, his lavender eyes filled with despair. The elder frowned, and sighed.

"If they can survive the first four nights of my poison, and survive. I will heal them." I let out a sigh of relief at that statement. "However, if they take a turn for the worst, and end up on the verge of death on the second or third day, I will not heal them at all, and I'm afraid that we'll just have to let them go." My throat once again ran dry.

"I can't do that!" I pleaded, falling to my knees. He looked down at me, and I noticed some sympathy and compassion in his eyes.

"I'm afraid that's how it will be." His expression turned stern once again. "And, if you so much as think of changing them into one of us, I will kill all four of you, understand?"

Marik and I both nodded dumbly, still too shocked at the turn of events. I reached out to Malik and Ryou, feeling that they were both safe and not in any pain, but was troubled when once again I couldn't detect a hint of emotion.

"It's part of the drugs effect." Samiel explained, startling me out of my thoughts. "Ryou and Malik can't move, speak, see, or feel anything right now. I'm not sure if they can hear or not either." I looked at him blankly from my spot on the floor, and wanted to cry.

I might only have a few days left with them, and they couldn't even tell I was there?

I glanced over to see that Marik mirrored my expression on his own face, his fingers digging into his palms, making them bleed.

"Can we see them?" He asked hoarsely. Samiel nodded, and started down the hall, beckoning us to follow him. Marik started after him, but stopped to help me off the floor, since I couldn't seem to move.

"They're in here." He pointed to a door to his right, and Marik and I walked past him with only the two teens on our minds. Opening the door and walking inside, I cried out when I saw them both in separate beds, their breathing slightly raspy and a fine sheen of sweat covering their bodies.

"And you say they're not in pain?" Marik grumbled bitterly, walking over to Ryou and brushing the hair away from his pale face. Samiel stood by the doorway, watching my lover without emotion as he continued to stroke the teen's soft cheek.

I made my way over to Malik, on the opposite bed, and leaned down to entwine his fingers in mine, stroking the digits smoothly. My mind was in a state of shock, as if I hadn't fully come to terms with what had happened.

"I take it you shall be staying here." Samiel notified, turning around and striding down the hall, pausing once to turn around. "Don't forget to feed." He added, then continued down the corridor. His long, quiet steps diminishing within a few seconds.

I turned my attention back to the blond beauty in front of me.

"You and Ryou have got to hold on." I whispered, struggling to hold a smile on my face. "Marik and I don't want to live without you…We need to show you so many new things…"

"Like the sunsets during the summer…"

My lover's voice startled me, but I smiled, despite the fact that neither Ryou or Malik seemed able to hear us.

"Yes, and the small newborn animals that come out in the spring."

I closed my eyes, picturing the forest behind our manor, and all the different creatures that lived back there.

"And rainbows."

Marik's rumbling voice soothed me, and I smiled, picturing the different colors mixed together after the rain dispersed from the sky.

"And the ocean…"

Marik and I both paused as we thought back to the first time we saw the endless abyss of blue liquid together. We were so positively stunned, and overjoyed at such a discovery that we stayed by the sea for eight years before we moved on to explore other countries and places. But I know I'll never forget those moments…Living near the gigantic body of water relaxed me more than I was willing to admit.

"See? You can't leave yet, we still have so much to show you…" Marik kissed Ryou's palm, before burying his face in the other's neck, wrapping his arms around him tightly.

"Mmhmm…" I mumbled, my forehead resting on Malik's palm. "Four days…just hold on for four days! Please…"

I don't know how long we stayed with them after that. It all seemed pretty muddled. I remembered Samiel coming in and forcing us out to hunt, before we returned and immediately sat by our young lovers.

Before we knew it, a day had passed, and the two didn't seem to be getting any better. In fact, they seemed to get worse.

Ryou's labored breathing worried me the most, and how pale and sickly his face was. Malik's tan skin had lost some of it's luster as well, making him look more fragile as he continued to lay sprawled out on the bed. Both of their bodies were covered in sweat, as was the sheets that surrounded them.

Marik and I tried as hard as we could to do anything to sooth them. We sang, brushed their hair, washed them with a wet cloth, and basically just talked to them, making promises on what we'd all do as soon as the two got better.

Samiel came yet again, and forced Marik and I to go out and hunt, both of us kicking and screaming our protests. We gave up, however, when Samiel hit Marik so hard that half of his ribs cracked and then proceeded to launch us out of his home.

"Are you alright?" I crouched down to my companion, and healed him quickly.

"Fine." He answered gruffly, and stood up, storming out towards some random direction. I trailed after him, just as upset, the stress slowly starting to take it's toll on my mind.

"What can we do? Ryou and Malik are getting more sick by the minute, and we can't just let them go!" I cried out, tugging on my lover's sleeve. "Isn't there anything we can do? Anything at all?"

Marik's eyes looked thoughtful, and he paused, staring off into space. I refused to let go of his arm, and waited somewhat impatiently for him to sort out his thoughts. I wanted to help them as soon as possible! It hurt, to see the two lying there so weak and fragile, unable to do anything for themselves, and watching as they slowly slipped further and further from life.

"Bakura,"

The voice startled me, and I glanced up hopefully at Marik, eager to hear what he had to say.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to go off on a journey, alright?" He talked slowly, and brought his arms around me, talking to me as if I were a child just woken up from a nightmare.

"You're abandoning me?" I asked weakly, cursing myself as I did. "Now? After all this?"

"I'm not abandoning you." He snapped, lavender eyes piercing as he forced me to look at him. "I'm going to go find someone whom I think can help us."

"Yami?" I asked, disbelieving. I never thought that he'd ask him for help.

"Pff, of course not." My lover scoffed, looking at me fondly. "I have someone else in mind. I'll return to you as soon as possible, alright?"

"Can't I come with you?" I didn't want him to leave me. I felt weak and powerless in Samiel's territory, the overbearing power of the elder still made me tremble. Marik let out a long breath of air and shook his head.

"No. You need to stay here with Ryou and Malik and watch over them."

I slumped down in defeat, knowing that he'd say that, and nodded.

"Alright. Be careful." I whispered, pulling him down into my embrace. Despite his words that he wouldn't leave me, I couldn't help but be nervous, and heartbroken. This was the first time we were going to be separated for a while.

"I love you, Kura." Marik murmured, kissing me tenderly. "I'll come back. I promise."

And then the warm, comforting feeling of my lover vanished, leaving me feeling cold and empty. I stood at the spot for a moment longer, until I felt a thief wandering around. I glanced in the human's direction, and started off towards him, planning for a quick kill so I could return to Samiel's as soon as possible.

***

I came back to the manor, my hunger tamed, and began walking through the many halls to reach my beloved angels. I opened the door, and was shocked to see Samiel perched on Ryou's bed, stroking his silver locks gently. He glanced at my surprised face, and smiled.

"I have the ability to suppress my energy signal, you should know that." He said, speaking to me as if we were comrades, and I felt my anger and hatred growing intensely. How dare he talk to me like that after hurting the ones I loved more than my own life!?

"I did know." I spat coldly, not moving from my place at the doorway, too unsure to step into the room while the other was there.

"Where is that ill tempered blond?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in question, standing up and walking towards me. I hurried out of his way, and over to where he sat with my Ryou, glancing over the boy quickly to see if there were any new injuries. Finding none, I sighed in relief and turned to answer the older vampire's question.

"He went out." I shrugged simply. Samiel frowned and I felt him scan my mind for a lie. I knew he wouldn't find any untruthfulness in my words, so I didn't panic. I truly had no idea where Marik went.

"I see." He muttered, then spun around to leave. "Two more days, and they'll be healed. I'm surprised you and Marik haven't given any thought as to changing them so their lives will be saved."

"We told you already that we refused to convert them!" I screamed angrily. "I don't understand why you would do this to us! You swore you wouldn't hurt us or them, but you have! You're nothing but a selfish Ancient who wishes to amuse himself by torturing those weaker than him-!" I broke off when suddenly I was engulfed in agonizing pain. I screamed, my head thrown back, every nerve on fire as waves of torture continuously slammed into my body. Then, as soon as it came, it was gone, and I fell to the floor twitching and panting.

"Let that be a lesson, young one." Samiel glared at me angrily, his sea-green eyes cold as ice.

I opened my mouth to scream at him some more, when something in my heart snapped in half. Something was wrong, something was terribly, terribly wrong…

I stopped, a horrified look on my face as I turned around to stare at the bed next to me, and the angel boy on it.

He was no longer breathing.

***

Chibi B: Er, yeah, all mad at the cliffy..I SWEAR I'll update soon this time…>_> Well, e-mail me or something to remind me. I STILL forget I post here. ^^;;