Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Shadow of the Past; The Light of the Future ❯ Mahado vs. Diabound ( Chapter 24 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

*in a corner in shame*

Bakura: … Uh…?

Atem: Don't ask… It's been a long week for her.

Marik: … Wow… I'm actually starting to care.

B/A: *looks at him*

Marik: Oh… it's just gas…

B/A: *sweatdrop*

“Talking”

`Thinking'

~Place/Time~

-??? POV-

`la la la' - song(s)

^Flashback^

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Like a shooting star

Across the midnight sky

Wherever you are

You're gonna see me fly

Like a shooting star

Across the midnight sky

Wherever you are

You're gonna see me fly!

Across the midnight sky~!

Where were you to hold my hand

Do the things that we had planned

Yes, I need you by my side

When things go crazy

I just need to know you care

Guaranteed that you'll be there

When I wake up in the night

Will you be my guiding light?

I don't care how far

I'll take a plane tonight

Just tell me where you are

And everything's gonna be alright

Like a shooting star

Across the midnight sky

Gonna fly

Just to be with you tonight

Like a shooting star

Across the midnight sky

Gonna fly

Just to be with you tonight

Ch.24: Mahado vs. Diabound

“This is where the Millennium Items were forged!”

`Where they were forged?' Atem thought while he looked shocked and confused.

“Out of lust for power, your royal family used shadow alchemy to create the Seven Millennium Items!” Bakura said. “There was only a small price… the lives of every man, woman, and child in this village!”

`What!?' Atem thought. `The villages of Kul Elna were sacrificed?!'

“You can see them, can't you…” Bakura said. “The evil spirits can't rest until they have their revenge against the royal line.”

`No…' Atem thought. `M-My father created the Millennium Items…!! He couldn't have!'

“Some `Pharaoh' without your Millennium Pendant, you can't summon the gods!” Bakura said. “I don't need to summon Diabound to destroy you! Ghosts!! Tear him to pieces!! With that command, the ghosts went around and started to constrict the young ruler.

“Great Pharaoh!” Shada called as he was about to help, when he was attacked by the ghosts.

“Just give up!” Bakura said. “The ghosts' hatred is especially powerful against the holders of the Millennium Items!!” Shada cried out in pain.

Atem went down one knee out of the pain the ghosts were giving him while the thief laughed.

“Their hatred will surround you until it crushes you like a vise… you'll go mad with pain, and finally die…” He said with a smile of pleasure on his face. “Now you will regret that you survived that fall… At least your little girlfriend won't be waiting long.”

`Father…' Atem thought. `Please tell me… is he telling the truth?'

~Outside the Shrine~

Heba heard their screams and wanted to go in, but she felt that tugged feeling than told her not to go in. `Bakura doesn't know I'm alive, and if I go down there I would cause more harm than good.' She folded her hands together and closed her eyes. `Please… Anyone… Help Atem… Please!'

~Back in the Shrine~

“You will pay for your father's sins with your death… Pharaoh…” Bakura said, and then looked surprised when he saw the ghosts being repelled. `What?!' He thought. `The ghosts were repelled!! It can't be! The Magus of Illusion!!' Just like he thought, the spirit of Mahado in his ka's form appeared.

`Pharaoh…' Mahado thought. `My soul is your eternal servant…'

Atem looked up and he and Shada thought at the same time. `Mahado!!'

Bakura looked pissed as he thought. `Without the Millennium Pendant, the Pharaoh can't summon the gods… but… The ba of that dead sorcerer has become a ghost! He's guarding the Pharaoh!'

`Please stand, my Pharaoh!' Mahado thought, which was heard by the young king.

`I hear a voice…' The Pharaoh thought. `Mahado… Is that you, speaking to my heart?'

`Yours and Heba's faith has brought me here, my Pharaoh…' Mahado thought. `Without your will to fight… and her belief in you… I will disappear…'

`My will to fight?' Atem thought. `I'm so confused… It's just like Bakura said at the palace…'

“What is `evil'? If I'm loyal to what you say is right, is that all it takes to make me `good'?”

`What is `right'?' Atem continued to think. `Was it `right' to save the kingdom by murdering an entire village? Is this my father's legacy? Bakura was telling the truth!'

`Great Pharaoh…' Mahado thought. `When I was alive, I sensed the evil in the Millennium Ring and through it I learned the origin of the Millennium Items. I already knew of this… atrocity. But your father, Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen, did not know!' Atem looked confused and shocked. `One day, after I had become a priest and sealed the evil within the Millennium Ring, I confronted Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen. I told him what I knew of the truth… Great Pharaoh, your predecessor felt the same pain that you feel now… That was the reason he fell ill… and died… If I hadn't told him the truth that day…'

`Father…' Atem thought sadly.

`But your father's desire for peace and justice did not waver. And now, Great Pharaoh, you have inherited that desire! If the Millennium Items fall into Bakura's hands this country will be plunged into shadows!! Pharaoh… If you don't stand up to him…' Mahado tried to reassure the other while the thief was thinking.

`I'll kill you as many times as it takes!' Bakura thought, then called. “Ghosts! Tear the Pharaoh and his magician spirit to shreds!” The ghosts obeyed as they passed him and headed to the mentioned two.

`Thank you Mahado…' Atem thought as he stood up. `I will fight as king!!' As he did, Mahado used his magic to make a barrier to destroy the ghosts.

`NO!' Bakura thought. `He's turning the ghosts… destroying them!'

`I was able to resist the evil power of the Millennium Ring…' Mahado thought. `These spirits are nothing before my heka!'

Bakura looked pissed then changed to glee. `Then how about my spirit?!' He thought.

Atem was aware and thought. `It's here! His spirit beast!'

“Come to me!” Bakura called as his monster appeared. “Diabound the God Monster!” Diabound changed dramatically since the last time they encountered the monster.

`It's even stronger…' Atem thought. `And more hideous then when it fought the three gods!'

“I have both the ring and the pendant!” Bakura said. “I'm not just collecting the Millennium Items to fit them in the stone tablet! By absorbing the evil within them, I can make my spirit beast evolve!!” His monster started to move.

“Look out Mahado!” Atem said. “Diabound can copy the abilities of those the fights!”

`Then is already has my magic…' Mahado thought.

`That's right…' Bakura thought. `Not to mention the power of the gods!' He then called. “Let's go!! Thunder Force!!” The attack headed towards the two, but Mahado lifted his scepter up.

`Bakura…' He thought. `I should have warned you… I have trained in the afterworld and increased my heka…' He then called. “Afterworld Warp!!” A vortex-like portal came up and the attack went in.

`WHAT?!' Bakura thought as he looked shocked. `He sucked the god's blast into a hole in space?!'

`The energy sent into the Afterworld Warp is ejected from another point in space…!'

`Careful Mahado!' Atem thought. `Diabound can walk through walls to dodge a direct attack!'

`In that case…' Mahado thought as his spell appeared on the wall near Bakura.

“What?!” Bakura said as the attack hit a pillar. “Too bad. You missed…”

The young ruler grinned. “You think so…?”

Then the pillar started to fall. `What?!' Bakura thought. `The pillar is falling… on top of the tablet!!' He then shouted. “Diabound!! Protect the stone tablet!” Diabound used its snake-headed tail to catch the pillar, which gave Mahado an opportunity to quickly get close to the huge monster.

`As long as it's holding the pillar,' Atem thought. `Diabound can't hide within the walls! It's defenseless!!'

Mahado grinned as he waved his index finger before he did his attack. “Magic Blast!!” The attack hit directly in its right eye, which cause Bakura to feel the pain.

“Mahado!” Atem said. “Diabound's off balance! Now's your chance! Hit him with another magic blast!!”

“I took that one straight in the face…” Bakura said. “But… It didn't hurt a bit!” He looked up and blood was running down from the corner of his eye.

`You can't dodge this one!' Mahado thought as he called out his attack once again.

“You're living on barrowed time, wizard!” Bakura said. “You can't hit me twice!” Daibound's tail crushed the pillar, which sent the particles towards them and cancel the attack.

`He shattered the pillar to use the fragments of stone as a shield!!' Atem thought.

“For all the heka you've used up…” Bakura said. “All you've done is make Diabound mad!” Diabound roared to show its anger. “Smart idea… I didn't expect you to target the stone slab. I need this to make my contract with the Great Evil God Zorc… But I can't fight you and protect the slab at the same time… So I'll just use your Millennium Item…”

`WHAT?!' Atem thought.

“To summon a new ka to protect the tablet! Bone Snapper!” A monster appeared on top of the tablet. The monster looked like a snapping turtle with skulls for its shell.

`He has a second ka?!' The young king thought.

`I can't believe it…' Shada thought. `Those who hold the Millennium Items can summon ka as long as their heka holds out… But I didn't think even Bakura had enough power to sustain two ka at once!'

“And now…” Bakura said. “I can attack you without fear… I activate Diabound's special ability!! Shadow Camouflage!!”

`It's disappearing!!' Atem thought as Diabound disappeared once again.

Bakura chuckled then said. “Diabound had merged with the shrine! Now he could be anywhere! Where will he attack from? You won't find out until you're dead!”

The young ruler and the magician were aware and started to look around. `Where?!' Atem thought. `Where is it hiding?! The wall… the floor…?!'

`I've got it!!' Shada thought as he said. “I give my heka to the Millennium Key to summon a ka!! Two-Headed Jackal Warrior!” A monster appeared with a giant double-edged axe in one hand and a shield in the other. “The Jackal Warrior's sense of smell will find the enemy hidden within the walls.” As soon as he said that, his monster pointed to a wall. “There!!” He said as his monster threw its axe towards the wall.

“Well, well!” Bakura said as Diabound caught the axe. “Bingo! Too bad just finding him won't help…” Then Diabound showed up.

“Now, Mahado!” Atem said. “Don't let him get away! Attack Diabound!!”

“Too late!!” Bakura said. “Diabound's already in attack position!!” Diabound's snake-head tail popped up and had an attack ready. “Thunder Force!!”

“Jackal Warrior,” Shada called. “protect the Pharaoh!!” His monster quickly got over, but could only hold it up for so long as he pushed the young king to the side. When his monster was defeated, some blood came out of his clutched teeth.

“Shada!!” Atem said.

“G-Great Pharaoh…” Shada said. “Please! Run… Save yourself...”

Atem slightly growled as he stood up. `Mahado…' He thought. `Attack!' He then called. “Thousand Magic Blasts!” Mahado shot random shots.

“Fool!” Bakura called. “You'll never hit me that way!” After the attack was over with, Atem stood there. `You can't see him…' He thought. `But Diabound has you in his sights! This is the end…'

And, as if the young ruler could read his mind, he said. “You think so?”

`WHAT?!'

“I know where Diabound is…”

Bakura then took a good look and saw that some parts of Diabound could be seen. `Light is shining through the roof…' He thought. `Stripping away Diabound's Shadow Camouflage!'

“That's right.” Atem said. “Mahado wasn't firing at random. He was opening holes in the ceiling!”

Bakura looked shocked. `They stayed in one place to draw Diabound into the light…'

“Mahado Diabound in his sights…” Atem continued. “Long before Diabound saw him!” Just like he said, Mahado was above Diabound and had an attack ready. “Now it's your turn to fade into the shadows! Bakura!! Thousand Black Magic Blasts!” A wild stream of magic orbs hit Diabound, which caused Bakura to fall on his hands and knees and blood was coughed up. `Is Diabound dead?' He thought.

Bakura got back up and chuckled. “I see…” He said. “Training in the afterworld has given the sorcerer's blast a little more sting… But it's still not enough to defeat me…” He then thought. `I'll kill the Pharaoh and the priests! I'll fit the Millennium Items in the stone slab… and then the power of Zorc Necrophades, the Great God of Evil, will be nine!'

“Diabound still has some strength left!” Atem said.

“Some strength?!” The thief said. “You're wrong… I'm going to make him stronger then ever before!” He then looked up. “Ghosts of Kul Elna!! Enter my body and give me your power!” The ghosts obeyed making the young ruler look surprised. “The dead souls within me will double Diabound's power!!” He informed as he commanded. “Kill them, Diabound! Send them to Hell!!” His monster started to charge at the others.

`He isn't even bothering to turn invisible!' Atem thought. `Be careful, Mahado! He may have gained yet another new power we don't know about!'

`Diabound can't hide when there's direct light…' Bakura thought. `But I don't need to hide anymore…'

`No more tricks!' Mahado thought. `I must make the first move!' He quickly moved until he was close enough to the other monster's face.

`He's so fast!' Bakura thought.

`Mahado!' Atem thought. `Attack!'

`Thousand Magic Blasts!' Mahado summoned and let it have it, only to look surprised.

“What?!!” Atem said when they saw that the attacks didn't get to Diabound. “It isn't hurt! The attacks didn't get through!”

“That's right, `Great Pharaoh'!” Bakura said. “The aura of the ghosts has become Diabound's shield! No magic attack can penetrate it!”

`Mahado!!' Atem thought alarmingly.

`Now die!' Bakura thought. `Magus of Illusion!' He then called out his attack. “Spiral Wave!!” Diabound let out its attack, which harshly pushed Mahado to a pillar, causing him and the young king to cough up a little blood.

`Mahado!!' Atem thought as Bakura laughed.

“You'll never return to this world again, magician…” He said. “This time I'll rip you to shreds!”

“M-Mahado!” Shada called.

`I can't move…' Mahado thought as Diabound was preparing another attack.

`If he gets hit again, it's over!' Atem thought as he called. “Mahado!!”

“Millennium Key!” Shada called. “Accept my ba and heka… and summon the spirit named…”

“Oh no you don't…” Bakura said as the Bone Snapper gathered energy in its mouth and shot towards the priest from behind and that caused him to drop his item. “And I'll take that too… The third treasure!!” The item glided over to him and then he said. “Now die, magician!” Diabound let out its attack and, whatever's left of the pillar, was now destroyed. `I got him…' He thought then looked surprised. `Where's his body?! What?!' He looked up to see another magician carrying the other.

`Hang in there, Master!' The female magician thought.

`Mana?!' Mahado thought.

`Mana!!' Atem thought as he saw her with her arms crossed over her chest and looked focused and then the priests came in.

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In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky

In my heart there'll always be a place for you

For all my life

When I think back on the times

And the dreams we left behind

I'll be glad cos I was blessed to get to have you in my life

When I look back on these days

I'll look and see your face

You were right there for me

In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky

In my heart there'll always be a place for you

For all my life I'll keep a part of you with me

And everywhere I am there you'll be