Yes, finally updating. Thank you all for your patience; I'm a terrible procrastinator. However, this is the end. There may be a sequel in the works (I have some ideas), but knowing me, I doubt it. Thank you all for your reviews. I hope you like the last part. And thanks again to my beta Tyger, without whom this last part would probably never have been finished, much less posted.

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"A Millennium Item!" Malik gasped.

"The Ring," his sister agreed. She reached toward it.

I don't think so, Ryou thought. He tucked the Ring back into his caftan. It was good to have it back against his skin.

"Where did you get that?" Malik's sister asked, stern authority once more. It was irritating, but not unexpected.

"Does it matter?" Ryou retorted. He had to handle this carefully. Push just enough, say just the right things… It's almost like playing a game, only they don't know they're playing, he thought.

"The game is always better when you hold all the cards, little host," the spirit said.

"What game?" Ryou asked. I wonder how the spirit always hears my thoughts. Can I hear his?

"You already recognized it, and you've been playing it even without realizing it. You play very well for one so young, little host." Ryou felt a sense of proprietary pride coming from the spirit.

"Anyway," he continued aloud, before either Malik or his sister could reply. "I don't know much about these things – " Ryou tugged at the Ring's cord " – but I know that I wouldn't be able to wear it if I weren't supposed to, right?" The last word had the desired effect – both Malik and his sister nodded slowly. Ryou opened his mouth as if to say something again, but Malik's sister held a finger to her lips in a gesture of silence.

"We should not speak of these things here," she said, leveling a stern look at Ryou. He suddenly had to restrain a laugh – Malik's sister was really trying too hard.

"Oh," he finally replied. This is almost too easy. "Well, why not? There's nobody here." He gave her a somewhat belligerent look. Toss in some naiveté, and a good bit of "honest curiosity." Give her some of what she'd expect from "street kid," but let her see just a little of what's really there. It was a delicate balance; he had to make sure that she didn't think him a completely gullible fool, but he couldn't let her see too much, or his whole plan would fall apart. The sense of approval from the spirit was reassuring, even though his "plan" was only a vague, tentative thing.

"No, Isis is right," Malik said. He gave Ryou a considering look through slightly narrowed eyes. Ryou met his gaze, and after a moment, Malik nodded slightly, as if to himself. "Sister, can Barakah come back with us? He's all on his own, and he does have a Millennium Item."

"Yes!" Ryou hissed mentally.

"He suspects something," the spirit replied.

"Of course he does," Ryou said.

"Part of your plan?"

"Maybe." The spirit snorted, and shook its head.

"Watch yourself, host," it said.

"You know our laws, Malik," Isis began.

"And you know what I think of them," Malik snapped, giving her a fierce look. He had half-raised the Rod, and his grip on it was white-knuckled.

"Oh, I see," the spirit said with a chuckle. "Very clever, little host. You do indeed play the game well." Ryou didn't quite understand what the spirit was talking about, but he didn't have time to give it any thought; he had to keep his attention on Malik and his sister – Isis – if he were to keep ahead of…

Oh. I get it. The game. That's what the spirit was talking about. His smile was purely mental; outwardly, he maintained a more neutral expression, shifting his gaze between Malik and Isis. And he remained silent.

"Malik – " Isis started gain, glancing briefly at Ryou.

"No!" Malik shouted, flinging his left hand out in a cutting motion. "No more pointless laws, and stagnant traditions! No more suffering and waiting in the dark for a pharaoh who wants nothing but to hurt us! I… I…" Malik clenched his teeth, tears glittering in the corners of his eyes. Ryou took a half-step back.

"This is ve-e-ery interesting," the spirit said with a dark smirk. "The pharaoh, eh? I wonder…"

"?" Ryou sent back.

"Never mind. Pay attention," the spirit responded.

"Malik…" Isis said again, in a different tone of voice. She stopped, meeting Malik's challenging gaze. She briefly dropped her eyes, and quickly raised them again, but the damage was done; Malik had won. "What about the rest of the clan?" she asked. Malik smacked the Rod into his hand.

"Let them answer to me," he said grimly, his eyes gleaming. "Barakah is coming with us." Malik paused, and glanced over at Ryou. "That is, if you want to…"

"Um, sure," Ryou replied. "After all, it's not like I really have anywhere better to go." Malik nodded.

"Let's go then," he said, and started off down the dark street, tucking the Rod back under his robe as he walked. Ryou glanced at Isis, and then started after Malik.

"I have a few things I want to grab," Ryou said. He could hear Isis's footsteps start behind him.

"Can you make it quick?" Malik asked, after a brief silence.

"Yeah," Ryou replied. "I'll catch up before you're out of town." He ducked down an alley as they passed it, seeing Malik's nod out of the corner of his eye.

"That boy has a lot of charisma," the spirit commented, as Ryou made his way quickly back to his underground hideout. "Don't allow yourself to be drawn into the position of a follower."

"I don't plan on it," Ryou replied.

"Good."

Once inside his hideout, Ryou grabbed a slightly battered canvas bag, and began tossing things into it. His spare caftan, a pair of khaki pants, two t-shirts – one plain white, the other striped with blue – his spare sandals, and all the extra cards he had. There were a few other things he added – odds and ends, and a few trinkets – before he was satisfied.

"Am I forgetting anything?" he asked the spirit.

"The new knife," it prompted. "You should be in the habit of carrying more than one." Ryou nodded, and slipped it into his jacket. As an afterthought, he grabbed his other jacket as well, this one a faded green and better fit than the oversized dusty brown he normally wore. He typically wore it with his khakis, when he had to blend into a more cosmopolitan area than his usual stomping grounds.

It might be a while before we can come back here, Ryou thought, as he added the last item to his bag – half of the money he had, a sum of nearly five-thousand pound Egyptian.

"Having second thoughts, little host?" the spirit asked.

"No, just thinking," Ryou replied, as he climbed out of the hideout. After securing his "door," Ryou looked around again – not that he was expecting anyone in the alley at this hour, but caution never hurt – and climbed to the top of the wall. Once above the city, he followed the roof road back the way he came. He hadn't been down in the hideout long, and following the roofs, it didn't take long to catch up to Malik and his sister. Looks like they've been taking it pretty slowly. They haven't gone more than a few blocks.

"Absolutely not!" Ryou heard Malik's sister exclaim, as he came to a roof right next to them. Her voice dropped then, and Ryou had to tap the power of the Ring to bring her voice to him. "I don't care what you think of him, or that he has a Millennium Item! You can't just – " Isis bit off her own words, turning her head away. "He's an outsider. And worse, a foreigner! You saw his eyes."

Sounds like someone doesn't care for me, Ryou thought. It seemed as if there was something more, some wordless communication between Isis and Malik, but from his angle, Ryou wasn't in any position to read it.

"I don't care," Malik said stubbornly. "He was chosen by a Millennium Item, just like me. And besides…" he trailed off, and Ryou saw him shake his head. "It doesn't matter. I like him. And I've never had a friend before." His voice took on an odd, almost plaintive note at the end.

"You think this Barakah could be a friend?" Isis asked skeptically.

"Maybe," Malik replied. He turned away from his sister, looking around, allowing Ryou a glimpse of his stubbornly set face. It caused an odd twinge in his chest.

As interesting as listening to this is, I can't sit up here all night. With that thought, Ryou dropped down into the nearest alleyway. He waited a few seconds more, for Malik and his sister to walk by.

"Ah! I did manage to catch up," he said, putting on his best 'relieved' smile. Gratifyingly, they both jumped, although Isis hid it better. "So where are we going? There aren't exactly a lot of houses out here. A few shacks, but— " he deliberately looked them both over "—you two are dressed too nicely for that." When Ryou joined them, Malik and his sister had quickened their stride, and now the three of them were moving at a good pace.

"It's a secret," Malik said with a grin. "You'll see when we get there."

But I already know the secret, Ryou thought. Outwardly, he tried to project a sense of barely contained curiosity. As they went farther into the desert – and, Ryou knew, closer to the trapdoor entrance to Malik's home – he allowed his demeanor to become increasingly irritated, until finally, when he knew that they were practically on top of it, he stopped.

"All right, this isn't funny anymore Malik," he said, crossing his arms stubbornly. "I'm not taking one more step until you tell me where we're going."

"Actually," Malik began, walking a little ways more. "It's right—" His words cut off as he froze in place, his golden skin paling to a sallow tone.

"Malik, what's wrong?" Isis asked, stepping up to him. And then suddenly taking an involuntary step back. "Oh no!" she gasped. "We never should have left!" She didn't grow pale like her brother, but even in moonlight Ryou could see the telltale glitter of tears in her eyes. Unable to repress his curiosity, Ryou went to join them.

"Well isn't this clichéd," came the not-unexpected comment from inside his head.

"What happened?" Ryou asked the spirit. "Wasn't it hidden?"

"Yes," the spirit replied. "But it would appear that the illusion ahs been broken, and the crypt broken into."

"It's not supposed to be like that, is it?" Ryou asked. Wordlessly, Isis shook her head. Malik's fists were clenched in barely controlled rage, one of them wrapped so tightly around the Millennium Rod that his fingers were turning white. Ryou blinked. He hadn't even seen Malik take the thing out.

"Damn," Ryou said.

"He's not half bad," the spirit conceded. "But we're still better." Ryou thought of the man's soul sitting in his pocket, and couldn't help agreeing.

"It could be dangerous down there," Malik warned. "Barakah, if you want to go back, I understand. It's your decision," he added, glaring at his sister, who had clearly been about to say something. Ryou shook his head.

"I'm used to danger," he said. "And you might need my help. That's what friends are for, right?" He smiled at Malik. Malik nodded, and vanished down the steps. Ryou followed, walking calmly into the dark.