Thursday, August 19, 2004

~ Part 24 ~
~ Part 24 ~

	~ Part 24 ~ In the late of time do they rise and the creatures of dark come forth. When this time comes none but one can banish then back. To be that one they must know of all the things to live and die and be of one with the creatures themselves. Then can they banish them back to the underworld and seal the gate between. But should there be blood spilled on that day another is needed to push the pain away. From the teachings of Priest Medo Seto stopped in front of me shoving his hands on my shoulders. His words I could not hear. ‘I must not be fully broken from the spell… but then how…’ Looking to the Yugi on the ground I raised my hand. He jumped and started to run. The sudden release of my power made Seto flinch as it brushed by him. Yugi stopped in his tracks like he had hit a solid stone wall. With a flick of my finger he was pulled back to me as Seto stepped away. Walking up to him I said, “What are you doing here in this realm, shadow creature?” His eyes got big and a slow smile spread across his face, “Why looking for you magic one.” “Why.” “Our master wishes you back in our world.” “I do not know what you are talking about.” “Well sure you do magic one. He wants his power back that you stole from him.” “I have nothing of the vile creatures that I would keep with me.” “We know” I looked at him without emotion, “and we have already sent a messenger to her house.” I could feel my face drain of all color, “Ah we see we have found the weakness in your soul. But do not worry she will die a painful death, just for you. We are making sure of that.” “You magic no longer hold me from seeing your thoughts!” “We know, look if you wish to see her one last time before she is no longer of this world.” Reaching into his mind I shuddered at the image “No…” Turning to Seto, “Where is Danielle!” “Erm…” He stuttered, “She told me to go help you…” Grabbing him by his shirt collar, rising a few feet off the ground to do it. “WHERE IS SHE?!” A look of fright entered his eyes; “I left her a few blocks back…” Cursing to myself for letting my guard down I started off in a brisk pace. Seto jogged to keep up. Soon enough I started running once we were out of the village. A single tear did I shed. How I wished she would be all right. “Hehehe and so the sun sets” The form of Yugi changed into a black shadow in the prism. Its hallow voice echoed into my heart, “You will be to late. Too late. TO LATE!” the voice sung as we ran. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Having returned with Mokuba to my underground home, we were playing games in my room. My mind wondered of other things as Mokuba pondered his next move. I wondered of how Danielle would take it if Seto did not choose her. I wondered of Callas powers and most of all I wondered about Malik and my future together. A feeling in my heart told me we would not have as much time as we would want. Shaking these thoughts away I told Mokuba that he should stay here while I go get so snacks. He was content about playing with all the different things in the room. Going down the hall my mind wondered again. Thoughts of loss and forgiveness, of time and the future, of life and death. ‘Oh how I wish for just one thing in my life to never change…’ She turned left at the intersection. The hallway was warm and inviting. The torches looked new and freshly put out. My thin nightgown was hardly enough to keep my cool. Bare footed I walked through the many halls. Turning the last corner I walked into a room that was never here before. An altar lay at the far end of the room and a platform was in the center of the room. The platform was bowed slightly like a bowl, but nothing was in it. Torches and candles made the room inviting yet at the same time foreboding. Taking another step into the room a chill ran down my spine. Something was not right. On either side of the room men in robes where sitting on the floor. As I looked closely at them. I saw no breathing from any of them. But they must be alive. Dust was pilled on and around them as though they were here for years, forgotten and lost. They sat with their heads bowed in prayer. I took another step into the room. The chill was deeper and this time ran down my legs. I could just make out two figures to either side of the altar. They too were covered in dust. Their heads were bowed as well. The smell of the candle wax did nothing to calm my nerves or my heart. I took another step into the room and it felt like someone had stabbed me in the back. A sharp pain erupted from my shoulder blade. Reaching my hand back I felt nothing wrong with my shoulder. Either this was a warning or I’m just having really bad aches. I took a step back and the pain subsided. I took two quick steps forward. The pain shot all over my body bringing me to a shuddering halt. It was so strong it almost fell over from the weight of it. I took another step forward and it was like I had broken through a barrier. Gasping I brought back the air to my lungs. I must have pushed it all out when I was hurting. Taking another deep breath my curiosity brought me to go look at the altar. At each step I could see a figure lying on the top. Candles surrounded them and the glare prevented me from seeing them clearly. A movement to my right made me look over. I could have sworn one of the robed figures moved. But my attention was pulled back to the figure. With each step I took my pace quicken. I knew them, I knew her… “DANIELLE!” I screamed breaking into a run. Reaching her I knelt over her. Her chest rose and fell but it was so shallow. With tears in my eyes I called to her quietly, “danielle… oh danielle… can you hear me?… please… say something…” Leaning close to her I heard her say, “naru… get out… its… a… trap…” “danielle?” The room behind me came alive with activity. Spinning around I saw that the robbed figures were now standing. They hadn’t been covered in dust. That was just the color of their clothes. The two to the side of the altar grabbed my wrists. With a scream I tried to fight them but they over powered me by far. A man now stood on the central platform. He was also cloaked in gray. I fought as hard as I could but the men pulled me to that man. The chanting filled the air. Words of forgotten languages mixed together to make one voice as it echoed throughout the hall. We came to a stop before the man and I was pushed into a bow. “You are the one named Naru” The man said not moving I glared up at him, “Perhaps and who are you?” The man smiled, “I am the one to help you choose.” “Help me choose what?” “You will see” With a wave of his hand Danielle was lifted into the air by four of the robe men. My angry gaze swept the room before it settled of the man in front of me. He lifted his hand and let his hood fall back. A hush fell over the room as the chants died out and the room became quite. I did not know him but he had a hard disposition. His face was aged beyond the counted years and his eyes were hallowed out, leaving naught but rotted holes where they should be. The face moved about the room as if to see everything. He raised his hand again and the floor started moving. A deep chasm opened up near the altar. Fire licked the air from the hole. Danielles body was held in mid air above the flames. “It is your time to choose. Your life or hers. If you die here willingly than you will be placing a never-ending plague upon this planet that will eventually reach all the far end of the universe. But if you choose to live this girl will die in your place.” The man paused With a pleading look in my eyes, “You can’t…” “And to sway your decision more another life will be put up if you so choose to live.” He raised his hand and three robed figures came out pulling a body behind them. Swallowing the bile in my throat I looked down at the figure. I nearly fell from shock and would have if I was not being held up. “If you choose to save them they will live unharmed in the new world. Now you must choose. To save your best friend and your loved one or let them die for your own selfish desires to live.” The man stopped and his dead gaze fell upon me. I cried like I had never cried before. The tears streaming down my face I could only nod to the man. He lifted his hand and the chasm fell back and Danielle put down. I was released. The weight of my arms brought me to the ground. Crawling over to the figure on the floor I lifted his head. “Malik…” I choked a little, “My love I am sorry. Please forgive me. I… I love you… just remember that…” Rising to my feet I wiped away my tears and faced the man with an unwavering gaze, “If you don’t keep to your word I will haunt you in more than the afterlife but in everything you do for all eternity for that will be what I have.” The two men that had grabbed me lifted me up onto the platform. Malik and Danielle were gently laid near the altar. The high priest floated down and turned to me again, “Than you shall be given the pain of a thousand millennia without pause until you are without life.” From the shadows a figure formed taking on the appearance on an executioner. Weapons of every kind appeared all around me. More shadows developed into various people. The all had wicked grins on their faces as they took their weapon of choice. Standing in the bowl I had my head held high. I will do this for my best friend and the one I love. I was grabbed by my wrists. Two chains that I had not seen before hung above me. Lifting me up I could see no clasping device only hooks. Swallowing hard I gritted my teeth. They took the hooks in the hand that was not holding me. In a jerking motion the sharp points tore my flesh through the wrist. Opening my eyes a scream, no, my screams were resounding off the walls. The chanting started back up. I shook with the effort not to pass out. Blood oozed down my arms through my silk nightgown. As a drop touched the bowl below the platform turned a glowing blue. “And now,” The High priest said, “To bring upon the next age your very life will be drawn from you. Until every last drop of you blood has fallen we will not be done. The magic in this room will keep you alive until it is finished. Only then will the panel start to move again.” He raised his hands in a commanding motion. The chants grew louder. A man with a rose whip came forward first, “BEGIN!” With each new choice it brought me more pain. The whip cut me all out as some like the dagger only gave small points of pain. I could feel the warm blood flow down my body. With each drop the bowl started to fill up. Unable to breath on my own anymore I wished nothing more than to die… but as the ritual went on I knew what he said was true. I didn’t need to breathe. The searing pain was there even after I felt my organs be ripped from my body. My eyes would not close. They just stared ahead as they wrung the blood from my heart, lungs, and other organs. My mind became foggy. My head spun from the lack of blood and things that should not be gone. They stopped slashing now. I felt so empty. My skin hung by no more than a few tissues. My veins were so empty that I’m sure they should be naught more than dust. My head hung down I saw a last drop of my blood fall from my body. The bowl was now filled and I sunk into the shadows of nothingness… an eternity to be alone… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Running down the many halls I tried to follow Narus’ aura. Seto had long since fallen behind and the shadow creature was still being dragged along behind me chanting, “to late, to late,” Finding the final hallway I slowed my pace. Breathing heavily I walked slowly forward. My body kept threatening to break out into sobs. The creature had grown silent. I came to a pair of double doors. Throwing them open I gagged back the vomit in my throat. Naru was hung on chains in the middle of the room. I fell to my knees gasping for breath. Her insides were spread out on the floor, wrung dry of all blood. I could not longer feel her spirit. The ritual was done. Standing again the chanting from the robbed men has stopped. The high priest turned toward me with his dead eyes. “And so starts the new age of darkness.” Wiping away a stray tear I said, “Not until the sun sets on the following day will the ritual be complete.” The men in robes dissipated into their shadow forms. The one I had locked up was now free. A feeling of loss and anger rose up in me. The creatures flew out through a rip in space. Only watching them go half-heartedly. I stared up at Naru. He blood had filled the basin below her. I could feel the presence of others behind me. One laid their hand on my shoulder. I only turned halfway around to see them. “Sorceress,” Shadi said, “It is time.” I rose to my feet and turned completely around. The seven Millenium Item holders were all there. Those reincarnated and those that were chosen to hold it in this life. “Yes,” I said in a strong voice that was to strong for how I felt, “The time has come to return the shadow power to the shadows.” And so the final chapter begins… ~~~

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