DISCLAIMER: Welcome! I am Nuin and I will be your guide as we embark on this wondrous tour of Yugi-Oh and Yaoi-land. Now remember that feeding and petting the characters is forbidden at all times. I do not wish for them to run off with any of you, which would result in disabling me from writing the rest of the story. Please keep your arms and legs inside the moving vehicle as I do not wish to receive any lawsuits containing dismemberment of tour-guests. Also may I make you aware of the fact that I do not own anything besides the plot. Thank you.
WARNING: May I also kindly remind you that this story is in fact a Yaoi-story. Which means lovers of the same gender. Anyone with restrictions against this form of love is asked to please leave the premises as it will probably upset the characters. Now if you'll please turn to your right, I believe that we are in for a treat as the characters begin on a new story.
NOTIFICATION: This is the sequel to 'Born to Servitude'. Though 'Rebirth of The Damned' can be read standing alone, it would help in the understanding of the relations between the characters, if you were to read 'Born to Servitude' first. If you want other additional reading 'Revenge Is Best Served With A Pinch Of Insanity' and 'You Want What?' are one-shots following after the events that take place in 'Born to Servitude' and before 'Rebirth of The Damned'.
Notes: LAST CHAPTER, the very last chapter of Rebirth of the Damned after nearly 2½ years of work it's complete. Thank you to all who have reviewed over the time. I bow before you.
Rebirth of The Damned
By Nuin
28. Gods.
Marik gripped tightly onto the base of the scales and shivered as the wind that seemed to come out of nowhere picked up in strength. Soon it was blowing so strongly that he hardly could hear what was being said. He could barely keep his eyes open without feeling tears gathering at the edges from the cold winds hurling bits of rock and sand around them. But he steadfastly kept chanting the words they had practised continuously before entering the Shadow Realm. He knew them by heart now and he spoke true and clear not wanting to let the others down by screwing up.
He still couldn't understand why Shadi was so persistent in giving him the scales, but Marik had already given up one Sennen item and he had felt oddly empty without one. So he had nearly jumped to grab the chance, when Shadi had thrust the item in front of his face. A small gentle warmth began radiating from where he held onto the scales surrounding his hands and then slowly stemming out to envelop him. He felt safe and content for the first time in a long while. A soft voice whispered in his ear to keep chanting and not let go. Ghostly fingers touched his forehead, wiping away the sudden beads of sweat that had formed on his skin, and cooled him down. He smiled softly and listening to the voice, he chanted louder.
A cruel, harsh laughter reached his ears from behind him and he jerked his head around to look into a pair of yellow eyes.
"You do not think that you can actually win with your little magic tricks?" The Master smirked confidently as he gazed at the group.
The others were still chanting and looking at Marik with eyes that pleaded him not to stop either. Marik swallowed and opened his mouth to resume the spell.
"It will not work." The Master interrupted. "Well, if you, young one, were stronger perhaps, but you are not. The others have their grounding, people who love them. But you?" He smirked again. "You are alone. Your sister? She is part of my collection."
"I'm not alone, I still have Rishid…and my friends!" Marik growled and stubbornly started his chanting again.
"The tattooed one? Hardly worth my notice or that of my servants." He snickered. "But I allowed him to enter my collection either way. You didn't know?"
Marik stopped mid-word and blinked tears away that threatened to overflow at what he heard. "You're lying!"
"Now why would I do that, when the truth hurts you so much more?" The Master said contemplative tilting his head to one side. "In fact why stop at simply hurting you?"
"W-what?" Marik stuttered.
All of the sudden the yellow eyes were a few inches from his own. "Why not just get rid of you? You are the weakest. You have no true connection to this silly little item in your hands. You would never be able to control it." He mocked with a nasty grin on his thin lips. Then he was wrenched from Marik's sight and the blond blinked confusedly.
He didn't know what happened next, but as he kept uttering the words for the spell, he could hear fighting taking place right behind him. The sounds of harsh breathing and flesh hitting flesh resonated in his ears, even piercing the howling winds that picked up on speed again. He could hear words being shouted, curses and damnations and the voice sounded oddly familiar as it went up against the ruthless tone from the Master. The word 'traitor' was hissed and spat out several times, followed by a loud crack and a burst of magic. And then the two combatants were silent.
Suddenly something tickled Marik's cheek lightly and he turned his head to find a gleaming white feather floating in the air beside him, it was neither falling down nor rising higher into the air, but just drifted in one place. Then the voice was back telling him to take the feather and place it on one of the scales. Doing so he watched as the feather began to glow brightly filling him with a sense of calm. He felt at peace and he could do anything. He wasn't worthless or weak. Marik could control the Sennen Scales, he just needed the key.
And he was not alone, he looked around him meeting the eyes of his friends. No, he was not alone. With a new sense of determination Marik felt a grin spread across his lips and raised the Sennen Scales above his head, arms stretched high and the eye on the golden item glowed brightly.
Marik no Yami slowly got to his feet and shook off the dust and soil that was covering nearly his entire body, he knew he was bleeding from several places and he could feel the slow trickle of his blood as it oozed down his limbs. He looked around, trying to get his bearing again and his eyes fell on the group of people still standing within the protective wall of shadow beasts, placed around them in a circle. They were still chanting the same words calling on the gods to help them. But he couldn't see his Master anywhere.
A soft voice spoke in his ear telling him to move closer, to help the people behind the wall of monsters. Putting one foot in front of the other Marik no Yami slowly, but determinedly, neared his destination. He waded through the masses of fighting bodies breaking any limb that got in his way. As he came to the front of the lines, where the two forces were clashing against each other, he saw the significant fair hair of his other half.
The voice whispered into his ear again, its gentle tone calming him to his very core. He nodded slowly, when it told it him to go to his other half, to protect him as he had done only moments ago from his own master. Marik no Yami stepped closer to the nearest monster and stared directly into its eyes, knowing that either it would allow him to pass or he would be killed. A few long minutes of staring each other down later with the voice continuing to murmur encouragements in his ear, the monster moved aside to let him in.
He was met with gasps of shock and outrage from the friends of his other half, but only so much that they didn't have to stop chanting. Suddenly he was tackled to the ground from the side and he fell onto his back with a furious blonde straddling him. Blows rained down upon his face and upper chest and he felt his nose break with a loud crack.
"Fucking bastard." The blonde on his stomach growled. "What are you doing here? What do you want? Torture Marik some more?"
Marik no Yami didn't answer, what was he going to say? A little voice in his head told him to come here? And would the blonde, Jou his memory supplied, even believe anything he said?
"Jou-kun, please. Now is not the time." The other half of the Tomb Robber said softly. "The Change of Hearts allowed him to get in here, past all the other monsters. It wouldn't have done so, if it didn't have a good reason." The white haired teen pulled at Jou's arms and hauled him off Marik no Yami's chest.
"Ryou." Jou said petulantly. "He's on their side."
"Yes, but I trust my monster to make the right decision. We'll deal with him later." Two deep brown eyes focused on his own. "If you make one wrong move, every monster around you will be more than happy to kill you." The white haired teen started to drag Jou away and cast one significant glance over his shoulder at him.
Marik no Yami nodded once, then got to his feet. He looked around and found himself staring into the disbelieving and suspicious eyes of his other half. After a few moments Marik averted his gaze leaving Marik no Yami standing in their middle alone without a clue as to what he was supposed to do.
Yami Bakura knew the exact moment their spell took hold. He could feel the power emanating from the Ring begin to spill over and flood his senses, like a cup filled to its brim. It was a sensation so powerful that he could barely breathe and he nearly choked trying to force his lungs to take air in. The Ring now glowed even brighter than it had before during the casting of the spell. Suddenly all the points hanging from the Ring shot up to point at Atemu, who was still speaking the mantra of words over and over again. The pointed edges blazed with a vivid white light and Yami Bakura clutched at his chest beneath the Ring as a flare of pain rushed through him and into the golden object. He dared a quick glance around at the others within the symbol and found them copying his movements, their faces were laced with pain and their Sennen Items were radiating with light.
Then everything seemed to happen at once, the three God cards came to life, the monsters materialized in a burst of power. The Giant God Soldier of Obelisk appeared right behind Atemu, it's menacing face keeping watch over him and protecting him as he did what he was expected to do. The Sky Dragon of Osiris snaked its long serpentine body along the line of sand on the ground and acted as a fortified wall of defence against anything, which should have the luck to break through the first line of shadow monsters. The Winged Dragon of Ra soared toward the sky and hovered above them, it golden gaze scouting across the dismal lands filled with fighting monsters.
Yami Bakura saw that in the middle of the Symbol at the Obelisk's feet Atemu was gasping for breath as six beams of light, infused with the most powerful magic known to any of the people present, hit him. The former Pharaoh cried out in agony and grasped at his head, his upper body bending over and his knees jerking slightly. His body shook with tremors and his eyes were snapped shut.
"Yami!" Yugi yelled breaking his chanting for the first time. The spell however was not broken and Yami Bakura could see the strength and power radiating from Atemu. The former Tomb Robber watched as Atemu stopped shaking and slowly unfurled into an upright position. The short former spirit stood still for a few moments before he opened his eyes, blood red and pulsing with intensity. A smirk spread across Atemu's lips and he raised his hand up to touch his face.
"Yami?" Yugi yelled again, his voice was full of confusion.
"Perfectly fine, Aibou." Atemu said softly. "More than fine actually. I have never felt anything like this. So… much... power." He flexed his hands a few times testing them and small surges of blue lightning jumped between his fingers.
Atemu let his arms drop to his sides and he stepped away from his spot in the very centre of the symbol, each confident step carried the weight of his power. He walked over to Yugi and kissed the younger man's temple gently, before moving past him and up to the head of the Sky Dragon of Osiris. The gigantic monster easily lifted it head to allow Atemu past it, rumbling deep in its throat with encouragement.
Yami Bakura could now barely see Atemu, since the large dragon was shielding his view of the happenings on the other side of the monster's body. But he could hear the cold laughter of their opponent as he mocked Atemu. Suddenly the Ring fell heavy against his chest and he winced as the points grazed his skin through the fabric of his shirt.
Yami flexed his hands again willing the lightning to appear again and he smiled as the small flashes danced along his fingers. He kept walking toward the man shrouded in the shadows, his yellow eyes were the only thing of colour on him.
"I see you have some new tricks, Pharaoh." The Master said casually as he stepped out in to the sparse grey light, his eyes locked with Yami's and they stared at each other feeling the tension between them. "Not bringing any of your little friends? What a pity." He laughed mockingly.
Yami refused to answer and instead launched into a run aiming to get as close to the other man. Stretching his hand out to his opponent Yami let the power he could feel rushing through his body and merging in his palm. He moved his hand in an downward arch and a sword, not unlike the one of the Swords of Revealing Light, formed with the hilt resting in the palm of his hand. He swung the sword at the Master's throat with the intent of cutting it off and end this fight as fast as possible. But his opponent stepped out of the way at the last possible moment and Yami stumbled forward nearly losing his footing.
"Not the most graceful person, are you?" The Master smirked, sharp canines glinting in the light of Yami's sword. Then he waved his own hand and a sword of his own appeared, a complete opposite of Yami's golden one with its black streaks of lightning. "So it seems as if we are to fight this out the old way, no monsters to fight for us?"
"No." Yami answered in a gravelly voice and tightened his hold on the golden sword in his hands.
"Very well. It gives me the pleasure of killing you personally then."
Yami rolled his eyes and lunged at the other, his sword held high and ready to strike. The Master brought his own blade up to block the attack and pushed Yami away by applying force to his stand and leaning forward. Taking a few steps back to regain his footing, the former Pharaoh crouched into a defensive stance and considered his options. The Master and himself were nearly equal in strength and Yami knew that he would need more than just that to win. He cast a short glance over his shoulder at the wall of monsters and the Sky Dragon of Osiris, which was shielding his friends from harm. They were still feeding him the combined power of their Sennen items, but it wouldn't be enough. He knew that.
The Master flew at him suddenly with his sword pointed at Yami's chest having seen his opportunity to attack, when Yami had been preoccupied with watching his friends. The black sword swung in a wide arch and grazed the former Pharaoh's upper body in a diagonal line from hip to shoulder, cutting open his shirt and his skin. Blood trickled forth in small droplets and Yami hissed in pain.
"Tsk tsk. Hurts does it not?" The Master's face twisted in an ugly smirk, yellow eyes glinting. "Imagine how much it will hurt, when I drive this sword right through your gut." He held up the black blade and admired it.
"Less talk." Yami ground out angrily. "You love to hear yourself talk too much."
"Yes. Well, when you spend eternity alone without anyone to talk to… it gets rather boring talking with yourself."
"My heart bleeds for you." Yami snorted sardonically and wiped at the line of blood on his chest with the sleeve of his shirt. "I spent 5000 years alone too, you do not see me trying to end the world."
"Your heart will bleed soon enough, Pharaoh. Very soon."
"Whatever. Lets just get this over with."
Red eyes locked onto yellow and in a flash the two opponents were on each other again, exchanging blows and strikes. Where the swords couldn't reach, fists would beat until the skin of the other was red and puffy. They danced around each other slashing and cutting at every part of their opponent's body within reach. Then the Shadow got in a lucky hit and managed to drive his sword through the flesh of Yami's thigh. Screaming in agony Yami stumbled backwards and fell onto his back clutching his leg, while he tried to pull out the blade still lodged in it.
"I missed." The Master said petulantly. "I was aiming for your gut."
"Yeah, I can tell." Yami muttered and wrenched the sword out of his thigh with a scream on his lips. He threw the black blade off to the side as far away as he could manage, then turned his attention to his opponent again. "No sword?"
"It seems not." With a shrug Yami's adversary began circling him. "But you seem to have been incapacitated."
"Maybe…" Slowly Yami got up from the ground, but winced when his weight shifted to rest on his injured leg. He grimaced and staggered a bit. Bringing a hand up to his face Yami drew the palm down his chin and across his mouth. Blood coated his fingers as he pulled his hand away to look at it.
The Master sauntered over to stand right in front of Yami, then reached out and plucked a stray hair out of glaring red eyes. "Hmm, your leg hurts. Does it not?"
"What is it with you and your obsession with pain?" Yami scowled.
"It is entertaining." The Master shrugged indifferently. "However now I think it is time to end this." He raised his hand and grabbed Yami by his throat squeezing mercilessly.
Yami's eyes widened and he gasped as his air supply was cut off. He clawed at the hand clenching around his throat. Then he felt a hand at his left chest, fingers scratched lightly at his bare skin as they worked their way beneath his shredded shirt. Slowly the nails began digging into his skin and Yami cried out.
Suddenly he was released and he dropped to the ground jarring his wounded leg in the process. The Master was stumbling away from him. Yami looked into wide yellow eyes, when he felt a warm presence behind him. He turned his head around and found the Winged Dragon of Ra hovering a few feet above the ground. Red eyes looked into equally red ones and a voice entered his mind.
'We will help you, Little Pharaoh.'
"We?" Yami asked and looked around for anyone else.
'Yes. The Soldier of the Obelisk and the Great Dragon of Osiris have given me a part of their power. I will give this power to you, just trust me.'
Yami nodded and reared back when the dragon transformed into its eternal phoenix form. The flaming bird flapped its wings once before diving right toward him. The phoenix then spread its wings and wrapped them around him enveloping him in a searing heat.
'Do not worry, Little Pharaoh. I will heal your injuries, when we merge.'
"Merge?" Yami squeaked as he felt the pain fade from his leg and he watched the cuts and bruises vanished from his body.
'Yes. It is the only way.'
Then the voice disappeared and Yami felt stronger than he ever had, better than he ever had before. He opened his eyes, even though he couldn't remember having closed them, and he saw everything so much clearer. He spotted the Master cowering in front of him and calmly took a few steps toward him. He looked at the form on the ground with solid red eyes, no white could be seen in them.
"This ends now." He raised his hand and stretched the palm out to the Shadow. Yami opened his mouth and words flowed out in a lilting language, words he didn't even understand, but he knew what they would do. Banish his adversary. His hand began to glow with a pulsing red light and a scream tore from his opponents mouth.
"NO! I will not let you do this!" Yellow eyes glared and the Shadow tried to get up, but found himself petrified and bound to the ground.
"Too late." Yami answered simply and smiled as the form began to tremble. Then a bright light burst from the Shadow's chest splitting into countless small lights. They whirled around Yami a couple of times before blasting away and out of sight. The Shadow himself began dissolving into nothingness until only a few specks of dust fluttered to the ground and mingled with the dirt.
Yami lowered his hand and stood motionless with a soft smile on his lips as his eyes returned to normal.
"YAMI!"
He whirled around and saw his boyfriend running toward him. Yugi grinned and jumped into Yami's waiting arms wrapping his own around the taller man's waist.
"They're leaving! All of the monsters that were on the Master's side are leaving!"
They were, Yami noticed as he looked around at the now nearly deserted ground where the battle had taken place. A hand landed on Yami's shoulder and squeezed.
"You did good, Baka Pharaoh." Yami Bakura muttered, then turned around to get to Ryou's side. Soon everyone of their group had gathered around them. They were all rather worse for wear, but they were alive. He frowned as he watched Jou whack Honda over his head and telling him to never do that again. Whatever it was, Yami wondered.
"Lets go home." He said with a grin.
"This is Mitsukage Fumiko reporting live from the Domino General Hospital. Where it seems as if the people, who have been suffering from the mysteriously coma like state have suddenly begun to wake up." The mid-thirty something, brown haired news reporter stood in front of the hospital's front doors, her microphone was held tightly in her right hand, while she waved her free hand at the building behind her. "Around five p.m. yesterday the first victims of this mysterious and still unnamed illness began to show signs of waking up from their nearly six month long sleep. Right now all over the world people suffering from the illness are waking up as if nothing had ever happened to them baffling doctors, scholars and loved ones alike…" She went on to talk further about the history of this illness, before ending her report and the weather came on instead.
Leaning back against the couch Seto wrapped one arm around his little brother and the other around Katsuya. He sighed with contentment as both Katsuya and Mokuba burrowed closer to him and the blond leaned up to kiss his cheek. Seto smiled and looked down into first a pair of golden brown eyes, then a pair of blue-grey ones. Mokuba had been the first in their group to wake up and soon after the rest had slowly come back to them, one by one. Everything was back to normal, even the arm wrapping itself around his neck and another ruffling his hair was normal. He leaned his head back to glare half-heartedly at Seth, who only grinned down at him.
"Stop it, Seth." He groused, but didn't make any move to remove Seth's arms as they wrapped themselves around his shoulders.
"Spoilsport, My Light."
"Hn." Seto snorted and smacked Seth's left hand as it sneaked toward Katsuya's shoulder.
EPILOGUE
- Two months later -
Nearly tripping over an excited dog that was wagging its tail happily Seto walked over to his desk and pulled out the top drawer. He quickly glanced up listening for any sound of someone coming upstairs, though he doubted that he would be disturbed, since everyone present at his manor were rather preoccupied downstairs. He could hear their voices as they drifted up to the room. Katsuya was laughing loudly along with their friends as they played some inane game. They wouldn't miss him for a short while, he figured, even though the party being held was for him. It was his birthday after all. He tapped the bottom of the drawer revealing a hidden compartment beneath it.
A sudden scream of laughter from downstairs had him jumping out of his chair and looking around as if someone has sneaked up on him. He breathed out in relief, it had just been Marik and his idiot other half messing about. Seto still couldn't understand why Marik had forgiven the other or even why the blond and his sister had taken Marik no Yami in. But they seemed happy enough, even if one of them was rather insane.
"MARIK! MARIK NO YAMI! Stop it!" Isis yelled from downstairs and Seto knew she was trying to pull the apart, probably with the help of his own other half, Seth. For some reason Isis and Seth had begun talking with each other from time to time until they had formed a rather tight friendship. Perhaps it was because Isis remembered more of her past life than Yami and Yami Bakura had never been one to share too much of his knowledge. But the three former spirits and now Marik's slightly psychotic half got along and sometimes, they got along too well.
Laughter reached his ears and Seto revelled in the sound of Katsuya's voice as he told a joke to the others. But a loud whack resounded in the manor, soon followed by Katsuya's outraged voice.
"OWW, OTOGI. YOU BASTARD!"
"Stop telling stupid jokes, Muttface!" Otogi retorted.
Seto shook his head and pushed the top of the compartment away. He pulled out a small square box, it was made of rosewood with several ornate carvings in the form of dragons on the lid and fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. Slowly he opened the lid to reveal a velvety, blue box. Picking it up he turned the box over in his hand and studied it carefully. Seto opened the blue box and the silver ring with its intricate engravings winked at him.
Then he smiled.