Mahad pov.

Mahad had never regretted a decision more in his life. Clearly when Atem had mentioned that the thief made more mistakes when he was furious, he hadn't quite meant that he was easier to handle in this state. Pain exploded in his head as he heard a screeching so loud and unearthly he couldn't order his thoughts. He felt a warm trickle of blood fall from his ears and fall through his fingers as he attempted to block out the noise. But before he called to the magician, Bakura had launched himself at him. He felt his head collide with the hard ground, and shot of nausea hit him, briefly before the thief did. Mahad couldn't even catch his breath before Bakura continued his rampage.

'Magician!' He attempted to call out, but as a fist hit his stomach, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. But even as he struggled, crying out as the thief continued his attack, the edges of his vision began to black. Panic began to set in, Atem had been right, there was no thought involved in this attack, but that didn't matter if it was this powerful. There was one spell that might help at this point but he wasn't sure. It didn't matter, he had to try it. Focussing the last of his strength he muttered the spell to summon a set of knives a few feet from behind them. He didn't think the thief had noticed, as he released the knives and they shot towards Bakura's turned back…

Bakura pov.

Bakura yelled out suddenly as something sharp collided with his back. He was so lost to his thoughts and those lines that he kept hearing in his ear that he missed the attack. Diabound screeched out and tried to get to its master but it knew it had to keep the other ka away.

Bakura was hunched over a bit, his back twitching as he tried to ignore the pain running through it. He wanted to keep on fighting no matter what. It didn't seem like the spirits would be satisfied with him if he stayed down now. 'Get...upp!'' ''Don't betray us...'' ''Are you really that weak?'' ''Are you going to let your family down?'' The raspy sounds of the spirits spoke to him.

He glared at the priest and took a deep breath as he stood upright again, blood trickling down his back but that was not much of a concern at the moment. ''That was a stupid thing...to do priest...'' He brought his arm back and took out a knife from his back, wincing in pain as he did it. ''You only…gave me more...weapons.'' He stumbled a bit but that was alright, he now had another weapon to work with after all.

Atem pov.

A shot of pain woke Atem, as his hand instinctively shot to his sword, still gasping for breath. But as he scanned the room, throwing the sheets off and jumping to his feet, he saw no sign of Bakura. Allowing the breath he was holding to leave his chest, he wiped the cold sweat from his brow but did not place down his sword. The damn thief had made him paranoid. Looking out through the balcony he saw it was still the dead of night, he was sure that Mahad had promised to wake him when he returned. Furrowing his brows, he threw on his tunic and a thick cape before heading to the door. But he stopped; he would never be allowed to leave the city alone, especially less than a week after Bakura's attack. Sighing, he realised he'd have to 'convince' the guards to let him leave. A quick memory erasing should sort it. He was becoming far too experienced in this magic. He had been using it over the last week in order to obtain more information about the massacre that had created the items. The ritual he has seen, he could never remove from his mind. The thief, he couldn't even imagine the images that man was plagued with.

Atem managed to get away from the palace undetected as far as he could see, no-one followed him as he rode out. Quickly reaching the guard tower, he couldn't sense Mahad anywhere. Truly, he had known he wouldn't be here, sighing, he leapt back onto his horse. He could recognise his best friend's ka anywhere, but he has never searched for him with such little idea of where he could be. Tightening his fist in frustration, Atem pulled on the reins and urged the beast forward. Mahad must be seeking Bakura. But Mahad couldn't have been that much of a fool. He swore under his breath. Of course he had. Atem knew where he was, that village. Kul Elna.

When he reached the village, the cold sweat from earlier returned, this place was not welcoming of his blood. Royalty, was clearly an enemy here and every breath he took made his heart race. But it was then he heard a cry, Bakura. Dropping from the horse, he seized his sword and sprinted toward the source, but before he got there he heard a chilling scream. His throat seized, and his hand trembled on his grip of his sword. Pushing himself onwards he saw Diabound looming overhead. But as he looked down and saw the crimson bloody of his dearest friend seep across the floor and the thief glance up and grin. A scream ripped itself from his chest.

Bakura pov.

The priest had looked at him in shock as Bakura stood, dripping with blood, blade in his hand. Judging from the blood, he knew he didn't have too long until it became too much and he'd pass out, so he had to be quick about it. His arm moved the blade quickly but the priest unfortunately snapped out of it and dodged it just in time.

Bakura sneered, being annoyed at that and kept his blade lower for now. They circled each other around. The priest trying out a few more spells and physical attacks and Bakura dodging them for now, tiring the priest out. Diabound meanwhile had taken up on their unspoken plan and was busy trying to defeat the magician as quickly as possible for its master. The magician got close with its spells and wit but Diabound was just too powerful with all the abilities it already took from other ka's. Diabound had made himself invisible again only to strike the magician in the back.

The priest seemed to feel the attack and cried out in sudden pain as Diabound had killed it and snatched up his ability ''Dark Magic Attack''. Diabound evolved again, growing darker and bigger but it came with a risk as Diabound felt itself becoming irrational and less itself each time it grew stronger. But its master was a King of Thieves and so it wouldn't let him down, it would steal away all the abilities.

Diabound snuck behind the priest and picked him up with the mouth of his snake head. The fangs had pierced the soft body a bit in its mouth, making the cries louder again. He positioned the priest right in front of its master so he did not have to move around too much.

Bakura grinned at his ever so loyal ka and held up the blade again and pierced it right through the priest's heart. But even if he didn't, the poison of Diabound's fangs would soon kill the man eventually. Diabound dropped the body of the twitching priest onto the ground. ''Goood...goooddd!'' ''You've done wellll''

Bakura grinned as he the nice things from the spirits, they haven't been happy with him for a long time now...He was glad of their approval. He bent down and tugged the golden necklace away from the dying man and held it up in triumph. Now he had a part of his family back. With his powers growing and already owning one item, he felt the drive of his determination growing to gain all the other items as well. He was one step closer to laying his family to rest.

He whipped his head around as he suddenly heard quick footsteps of a horse appearing and he grinned with a wide sadistic smile as the other item and enemy literally came running to him. He laughed as he saw the Pharaoh coming with his sword to help his friend only to realise that very friend was dying. ''Well what a surprise~ How nice of you to join the party.''

Though he was happy to be able to beat both guys right after the other and not waste time with it...he was also getting worried for himself. He swallowed as he felt the blood on his back still running. He had to keep his strength up for now until he could scare the Pharaoh away.

''You know...maybe if you are quick and take him away he might still live, with your best healers of course.''

Though the poison would still take care of the priest either way.

Atem pov.

Atem couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He had to help Mahad, he was going to die. He had…to move. But Mahad had stopped stirring, and he couldn't tear his gaze from the thief's grin. How could he laugh? After everything he had been through, how could he laugh at this scene? Atem's chest burnt, it took him a few seconds to realise what it was. The stone. It was alight with power, physically searing into his skin. But it didn't matter, what mattered was that Bakura was still standing over Mahad. His blood was still on the Ring that he held so proudly.

'I felt sorry for you…'He murmured under his breath. Images shot through his mind of Bakura lying on the floor of his room, completely defenceless. If he had done something, Mahad could have…It was his fault, he'd felt guilty and empathised with the thief. He'd been too weak and now Mahad was dead. Atem's eyes twitched as he felt a strong pressure surrounding him and his breathing became more laboured. But he couldn't see anything besides that smile, plastered across the face of the blood-stained thief. He dropped his head.

'I pitied you…' Atem spat out. His vision blurred as he heard the stone whisper to him, not noticing the emerald glow burning into his forehead, and his eyes searing red. The ground he stood on began to heat up, flames circling around his feet as his voice became almost unearthly. Wind shot through the village as he heard Bakura yell at him, but couldn't make out the words. For as he looked up, the flames around him took form, and a phoenix rose.

Bakura attempted to step back, wavering slightly, but Atem wouldn't let him get away that easily. A smirk cracking across his face as flames crept up around the thief. The phoenix behind him screeched, the power of the stone consuming them both…

A/N A wild update has appeared!