A/N: I love the Oricalcos series because it really delves into the characters. Their complexity and the relationship between them is why I love Yuugiou.

This is adapted from the English dub by 4Kids, because there are many holes that it doesn't fill due to the supposedly 'mature' subjects. All of the dialogue is exactly the same.

I was always wondering why promises have such an effect on people. This is the first in a series that I'm making that spans many, many different fandoms. I hope that you guys enjoy the introspective!

One last thing! This is a surprise gift to my beta, Ahny. Thank you for everything!

Disclaimer: Do I have an obsession with Yuugiou? Yes. Is it unhealthy? Yes. Do I own Yuugiou? Of course not.

Yakusoku

Written by Fenikkusu

Chapter 1 - Hitsuzen

My defeat was inevitable.

With Dartz's infinite lifepoints, his overpowered monsters, his immunity to spells and traps… There was no way that I could win. My hand seemed to have a mind of its own as it began to hover over my deck.

Dartz's mind games lured my own away from the duel. If I did surrender to the inevitable, if I let destiny take its course, I could be with them again. I faintly heard my foe command the seal to surround me in anticipation of my surrender.

I'm sorry.

Everyone, I'm sorry for not being strong enough.

Jounouchi, I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed me the most.

Kaiba, I'm sorry for failing you due to my selfishness.

Yuugi… Words cannot express how sorry I am. You depended on me. You trusted me, and all I did was disappoint you. Will you scream at me? Do you want to kill me for forsaking the world to ache my lonely heart? I know you'll be disappointed, and that enough is enough to kill me.

You saved me from an eternity of darkness. You offered me your own memories in order to keep me here with you. You sacrificed everything, even your own happiness with Anzu, to make me happy.

I only now realize that I have nothing to offer in return.

"Mou hitori no boku (my other self), STOP!"

Everything happened at once. The Puzzle emanated golden light, and that clashed with the Seal, stopping it from going any further. Just a few millimeters from my deck, my hand stopped. It shook with the force I put into it. Why wasn't my hand moving? Just a little further, and I could join my friends again.

Just a little more, and I'll be able to see you again, Yuugi.

A tear slipped from my shadowed eyes and landed on the puzzle. I felt the familiar pull of my soul leaving main control of my body as I slipped back into the ancient item. Instead of arriving in the maze of my soul, however, I found myself trapped in the darkness again.

An asp slithered toward me, its golden eyes being the only visible things in this darkness. I could not find the strength to stand nor the will to run away. "I accept my fate, Great Beast. I offer you my soul in penance for the grave sins I've committed," I whispered, clenching my fists enough for my nails to pierce my palms. The blood flowed from my hands to the snake, where it flicked out its tongue to taste it. The serpent hissed in pleasure before striking.

I didn't bother to scream as it sank its teeth into my neck. Sure, it was painful, but this pain was nothing compared to the loneliness I've felt for so long, now. I don't even remember when I lost Yuugi. Every second felt like an eternity to me. I've told you before; without your light to keep me pure, I'm becoming evil. The snake released its hold on my neck in favor of wrapping its long tail around it.

I began to laugh. Even the snake wanted me to die as painfully as possible. My eyes began to slip shut as the snake's venom took its hold.

"You get away from him!" I heard before the snake's coils unraveled from my neck. Warmth, blessed warmth, enveloped me then.

"Lea… leave me," I managed to croak out. "Let me die. Let me die, please."

"No," the light whispered. "You were never alone, mou hitori no boku. You never were, and you never will be."

"Ai-aibou (partner)?" At that moment, the light faded to reveal the one person who I couldn't face right now. My eyes widened when Yuugi leaned toward my neck. "N-no, you'll be…"

I couldn't stop my moan as my partner's lips descended on my neck. He sucked furiously, poisoned blood rushing into his mouth. Against my protests, Yuugi spat the blood out and turned back to my neck. Didn't he realize the risk he was taking? Didn't he realize that he could die if he managed to swallow any of the asp's poison?

Yuugi pulled back as he finished removing the last of the poison, wiping his mouth on one of his uniform's sleeves. "I also told you something when we dueled in the valley. Don't you remember?" He placed gently took one of my hands over his heart. "The monsters and I are always with you, mou hitori no boku. Do you know why?"

I shook my head.

He tightened his grip on my hand. "This is more than just for the fate of our worlds," Yuugi began. "If you lose this duel, your soul will be captured."

"That doesn't matter! This is fate, Aibou," I tried to explain.

It was Yuugi's turn to shake his head. "No, this isn't fate. Fate is what happens when you cannot avoid destiny, no matter what you do. Inevitability… what my people call hitsuzen, is a destiny that is different for each person that encounters it. Hitsuzen is a naturally foredoomed event, where other outcomes are impossible. Do you understand, now?" My silence was his answer. "What I'm trying to say is that you have hope, mou hitori no boku! Remember that card that Pegasus gave you?"

"How would you…"

"I've spoken to him," Yuugi replied. "Regardless. Do you remember what it was?"

I narrowed my eyes as I responded. "Yes, but the chances of drawing it at this point…"

"Are greater than they were before," Yuugi finished with a soft smile.

"Why," I whispered as tears stung at my eyes. "Why do you still care?"

Yuugi blinked. "I never stopped caring."

I snapped. "I don't UNDERSTAND! How could you care so much? I've used you before. I've hurt you. I've abandoned you!" I struggled to escape from his grip, but that only made him hold onto me tighter. When my tears fell, Yuugi reached leaned forward and brushed them away with his lips.

My face burned from more than the light that Yuugi contained. Was I blushing? My partner pulled back only slightly, allowing me to see the emotions swirling in his amethyst eyes. Usually I'd be able to tell what they were, but considering the lack of energy I had and the multiple emotions Yuugi withheld, I couldn't.

"Yuugi, what…"

"I love you."

Before I could respond, he pressed his lips to mine. I poured my answer into that kiss instead. The guilt of losing you, the loneliness I felt, the pain of facing you in a duel… Our link hasn't returned, but I could feel what you wanted to convey as well. You felt the same way I did, didn't you.

"I—" I began.

Yuugi shook his head again, his own tears streaming down his cheeks. "There's no time, now. Go." At his soft order, he began to glow again. "I'll be waiting for you."

"Ai-aibou, wait!"

Everything disappeared in a swirl of light.

"You forced me to gaze inside my heart, thinking that I would find only darkness," I announced as I was thrust back into the living world. "But you were wrong."

"Then you gazed in the wrong place!" Dartz replied, clearly affronted.

"Look, believe what you wish. But I know the truth. My heart is filled with the light of friendship, and no magic can take that away, no matter how strong it is. So thank you." I pulled my head up, my fighting spirit renewed. "You reminded me that my friends are always with me. And we're going to win this fight and take you down together!

"Dartz, it all ends right now!" I drew my next card with confidence. I realized with a start that it was the card that Pegasus gave me. Yuugi was right after all.

"Well, get on with it!" the former ruler of Atlantis said.

"Do you know what's in my hand?" I asked as I brought the card forward. "The key to unlocking the secret of the legendary dragons."

"What?"

"You heard me," I continued, looking upon the image on the card. "Legend of Heart!" What a fitting name,I thought as the card took effect.

"Finally, after ten millennia of captivity, we've been set free!" I heard from above. I gasped. That voice… It sounded eerily similar to…

"No, not them!"

"I am he who is named Timaeus," the shortest in teal armor said as he unsheathed his blade.

His voice… it sounds like mine!

"And I am Sir Critias," the one in navy armor added. That was Kaiba's voice.

"And I am known as Sir Hermos," said the last, clad in red. Jounouchi…

"In the name of Atlantis, we have been reborn!" All three shouted, raising their swords together.

"I thought I took care of you centuries ago!" Dartz protested. Together, the three Legendary Knights destroyed the Seal. Relief flooded my form. We have a chance to win, now. "What have you done? My precious seal is gone!"

"You reign of darkness is useless in our presence," Hermos said.

"Did you forget our last encounter?" appended Critias.

"I certainly did not," Timaeus finished, gesturing to his eye. I winced, a hand reaching to my own right eye. I remembered well what Dartz had done to him. "And I have a score to settle with you!"

"The time has come to weaken your defense," I hissed. "Timaeus, attack his Orichalcos Aristeros!" He did so, Dartz's monster losing strength as I lost life points. "I'm not done yet. Now Critias, Hermos, it's your turn! And with that, I shall end my turn." My life points dropped again.

"No! Orichalcos Shunoros, attack Critias with Photon Ring Blast!"

I smirked. "Hold on. Critias, defend!" The image of Kaiba raised his sword. "Your attack won't work, thanks to his special ability."

"What?"

"He can bring back one trap card, and I choose the reflecting power of Mirror Force." The card appeared, empowering my knight with rainbow light. "Now Critias can stop your attack and send it right back at your monsters."

"No, it can't be!"

"I'm afraid so!" Critias shouted as he struck. All of Dartz's monsters were destroyed.

Dartz's life points dropped. "Excellent move, pharaoh. Bravo. Oh, by the way, did I mention that Shunoros has a special ability as well?"

"What's going on?" I demanded. I gasped as a much, much bigger version of the serpent that had tried to devour my soul earlier appeared within a vortex of darkness.

"The moment Shunoros was vanquished, my Divine Serpent was born! Of course there's price to pay. First I must send every card in my hand to the graveyard. After that I'm required to give up every one of my life points. Oh well."

"That means you lose," I said as he discarded his hand. His life points dropped to zero, but nothing happened. I glared. There was something else going on here.

"Under normal conditions, yes. However, as long as my Divine Serpent is on the field, I remain in the game. But if you destroy it, you win." So that was the catch.

"His strength… it's infinite!" I gasped again, eyes wide.

"Which means there isn't a monster in your deck that can stand up to it. And once it strikes your knight, your soul is mine."

I stared at the Divine Serpent before turning to my deck.

"Staring at your deck won't help. You actually have to play something," Dartz drawled.

"Is that so? Fine!" I replied as I drew.

Dark Magician Girl… I made you a promise, and I won't go back on my word. I looked to another card in my hand. "I place one card face down," I announced as I did so. "Now it's your move."

"Very well. First, I discard ten cards from my deck so my new monster can attack. Divine Serpent, go! Strike down one of his knights." A beam of bright light erupted from the snake's mouth.

"Timaeus, no!" I shouted. Even if this was necessary, seeing one of my greatest warriors writhe in pain was no easy task to endure.

"And then there were two. But more importantly, you just lost the rest of your life points. So the duel is over, as is your existence. So fare thee well."

I shook my head as the Seal attempted to close in on me again. No, I wouldn't be defeated so easily. With the lives and souls of everyone at stake, I refuse to lose.

"What's this? You should be gone," Dartz exclaimed as the seal shattered. It was then that Dark Magician Girl revealed herself. "Tell me, how did you survive?"

"It's simple. You told me to play a card, so I did. It's a powerful trap known as Relay Soul," I began. "When my life points hit zero, Relay Soul allowed me to stay in the game by summoning my Dark Magician Girl and putting my fate in her hands. So you and I are in the same situation now. Each of us has one monster. You have your Serpent, and I have Dark Magician Girl. When one is destroyed the card holder will lose." The apprentice magician nodded to me at the end of that statement.

"All right. Let the final phase begin!"

"Yes, but understand this. You may have altered the rules of our battle, but your chances of victory are just as slim."

"I have the spirits of my friends to support me, Dartz." And the support of one who was far more important than a mere friend. "But you, on the other hand, are completely alone."

"I possess more power than you or your friends, and I'll prove it by playing this: Impact Revive!" What on earth… "It brings back a monster that was destroyed this turn and gives it an extra 500 attack points."

To my surprise, Timaeus appeared, breathing harshly. "That's my card. Why did you revive Timaeus?"

"I thought it would be fun to prove how powerless you truly are. Oh and one more thing. Impact Revive also lets my monster attack one more time."

"Oh no!" So that was his ulterior motive.

"I send ten cards from my deck to my graveyard. Now, Divine Serpent, end this duel!" It fired another blue ray of energy.

If she's destroyed, all hope is lost. No… I'll save you all. I save everyone.

Especially you, Yuugi.

A/N: Oh, don't worry, there's a lot more coming! The amount of response I receive will determine how quickly that goes up, though, as I have other stories to worry about. Why don't you go and read those too? –wink-

Just a note before people ask, though. Yes, I know Yuugi refers to Yami as "pharaoh" in the dub, but it's more powerful, in my opinion, if the original nickname was kept. The same goes for "Aibou."

Look forward to the next installment of Yakusoku, Always With Me!