WARNING FOR CHARACTER DEATH IN THIS CHAPTER!
Mahaado, despite his obvious distress, couldn't help but comment with pride: "At full strength, he can summon, command and control all three of them simultaneously: Obelisk, Osiris and Ra. It is nothing but normal that the most powerful Gods will obey him."
Zorc squinted at the bright light emitted by the golden Phoenix, but managed to snort disdainfully. "You are not supposed to be able to support Ra on your own! Not when you have yourself and your servant to anchor in this plane of existence," he grumbled. He widened his impressive row of fangs into a mangled, wicked grin. "If you continue this attack, it will take all of us down. You will die along your precious God!"
"Mou hitori no boku!" Yuugi grabbed Atemu at the upper arm. "Is that true?"
"He is stalling for time," Atemu said, voice soothing. He put his hand over Yuugi's, but his touch was cold and lacked strength. "Zorc knows that he is defeated. Do not listen to him. With his dying breath still, he will try to persuade you to join the darkness. He is scrambling to save his life!"
He failed to reassure Yuugi, though. It was an unmistakable fact that as soon as Yuugi took him by the arm, he used him for support, the Pharaoh leaning intensely on Yuugi, knees wobbling instead of standing op straight with his usual rigid posture. His breathing was erratic, just like Mahaado's; supporting their kaa monsters was draining them rapidly, and the battle had been going on for far too long.
"Atemu..." Yuugi whispered his name, his beautiful name, but the rest of his words got lost in the pandemonium. Assuming the Pharaoh was distracted, Zorc wasted no effort and lashed out for a new attack.
"You are too late! You will never seal me again!" He lunged forward, summoning his petrifying magic. Atemu pushed Yuugi out of the way and Mahaado quickly stepped in front of the Pharaoh, to protect and to shield him. It wasn't really necessary. Ra took to the sky, spreading its mighty, fiery wings and attacked Zorc faster than the big, bulky, dark entity could move. The golden God tore straight through him, incinerating his massive body with the intensity of a thousand hot suns. Gurgling and cursing, Zorc went down, his claw-like hands reaching up to Ra and staring in horror as his arm disintegrated, just like the Thief King had been turned into sand. Ra burned him alive and Zorc was reduced to a pile of ash, the last of his physical appearance nothing but a few smoldering embers, ironically glowing with a bright light before dying out. In the heat of the attack, all of the robots, big and small, were destroyed as well, exploding on impact with the heat and sending mechanical parts flying. The stone slab that had housed the Items cracked under the extreme pressure and pulverized into a million pieces, creating a crater in the floor in the process.
Ra hung in the air, overseeing what it had wrought and as if satisfied, it disappeared with a sizzling sound. Jounouchi realized he'd been holding his breath and he exhaled.
"What the hell is going on here?" A familiar voice broke the sudden silence.
"Seto!" Mokuba cried out upon seeing his brother and ran to him, jumping at the last moment so he could fling himself into his arms. "You're back!"
Before anyone could bring the tall CEO up to speed, Jounouchi heard a high-pitched wail. It was Yuugi, on his knees next to Atemu, lying on his back on the floor. The Pharaoh's eyes were closed, his breathing shallow, and a small trickle of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. The Ishtars were on his other side and Mahaado hissed when he saw Marik touching the Pharaoh's shoulder. Both Malik and Marik were quick to step aside when the magician-priest rushed over to his Pharaoh, all but flailing.
"Pharaoh! I told you so! Pharaoh! Open your eyes!"
"Mou hitori no boku!" Yuugi cried.
"Converting the God into Phoenix mode was too much," Mahaado said to no one in particular. "I have to heal him..." His hand shook and trembled, faintly enveloped with the glow of his healing magic.
"Take my energy," Yuugi immediately offered.
"Take mine too," Jounouchi said.
"Mine as well." Ishizu held out her hand.
"Take whatever is necessary," Malik said and poked Marik in the ribs. Grudgingly, he held out his hands too. Kaiba and Mokuba stepped closer, Kaiba still with a "What did I miss?" expression on his face, but he recognized the gravity of the situation.
"I... I thank you," Mahaado said with an obvious hitch in his voice. "I thank you all, friends. But it will not be necessary. I cannot perform healing magic on my Pharaoh without his help. He is too weak. Soon, I will start to disappear, as he cannot sustain me any longer. The Darkness has been vanquished, at an extremely high price yet again."
"No! No!" Yuugi grabbed Mahaado's arm and pumped it, in a grotesque attempt to get his heka started. "You have to do something! Please... please!"
"There is only one more thing I can do," Mahaado whispered. Just as Yuugi was about to ask what, he was interrupted by a loud groan. The entire group looked into the direction the noise came from. Someone was trying to get up from the floor, next to the crater. A dark figure, humanoid, struggling to find its balance.
"What the hell is going on?" Jounouchi asked and moved his hand towards his gun. "Zorc's still alive?"
Mahaado put up his hand. "No," he said. "There will be always darkness, Jounouchi. Zorc can not come back, not without the Items, not without an avatar. But the darkness has many names, many faces, and many shapes. You know that. You have fought it, when you encountered killers and criminals in your line of duty. You will not stop the fight, just like my Pharaoh. You will always be there to protect. I am no longer needed."
"What are you talking about? No longer needed? That's the biggest bullshit I have ever heard!" Jounouchi gave back crudely.
"Mahaado-san..?" Yuugi was confused. The priest looked at him, and for once a warm smile was visible on his face.
"You will always be there where and when I cannot," he said, "not any longer."
"What do you mean?" Yuugi didn't like where this was going. .
"It is time for everyone to heal," Mahaado said. Something had changed in his facial expression. Jounouchi figured the man was exhausted, but there was something else: acceptance. Acquiescence. What was he acquiescing to? "We will make this victory for the light a long-lasting one."
The Magus of Fantasy Illusion joined Mahaado at his side, the kaa monster silent and comporting himself with the same acceptance as its master. It carried the Sennen Items, previously scattered when the stone slab was destroyed. Nobody said a word.
"This is what I have to do," Mahaado said. "Forgive me, my Pharaoh." He removed the Sennen Puzzle lying on top of Atemu's chest, sliding the frazzled rope over his head and taking the heavy golden object into his hands. With his last strength, Atemu turned his head towards Mahaado, his voice audible, yet raspy.
"I forbid you to do this, Mahaado."
"Unfortunately, my Pharaoh, you do not get to decide this for me." Mahaado's smile was forlorn, with that same melancholy he had displayed the last few days. There was no denial of his absolute determination. "It was a great honor to be with you, to serve you and to protect you." His long fingers traced Atemu's cheeks and the shape of his lips. Then he moved to take him into an embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around him.
"Do not do this, Mahaado. I cannot..."
Mahaado stroked his neck and raked his fingers through his hair, almost playfully. "My soul will be your eternal servant, Atemu."
A tear fell from the Pharaoh's eyes before he slumped into Mahaado's strong arms, his breathing weak but stable. The magician-priest held him, rocking him like a small child for a brief moment, hugged him with so much tenderness and love that it was almost too painful to watch. He gathered the remnants of Atemu's purple cape and formed it into a makeshift pillow, supporting his head as he gently laid him down on the floor again. Mahaado beckoned Yuugi closer.
"Take good care of him," he said.
"Mahaado-san, please... I don't know what you're going to do, but please..."
"It was an honor to meet you, to meet all of you." Mahaado straightened himself and looked at everyone in the group, even exchanging a brief glance with Marik. Ishizu didn't bother to hide her tears, and used the veil of her traditional robe to dab at her eyes. "It is my utmost joy and honor to heal you all. Please do not mourn for me. I will go, knowing that I have served my Pharaoh well, and that I shared in his love and kindness. I leave him with you, knowing that he will be all right. You all will be all right."
"Mahaado, please..." Ishizu's voice broke. Even Kaiba seemed to be affected with the sudden sadness and grief, and he made sure to keep Mokuba close, safely tucked away under his arm. Jounouchi shook his head violently.
"You can't leave, man! Whatever you're going to do, it's not worth it!"
"Leaving my Pharaoh in good hands and cleansing the world of Darkness is worth it, is worth my entire life. I cannot longer bear to be the burden that needs to be sustained."
"Then take my energy," Jounouchi said. "Whatever you need!"
"You don't understand, Jounouchi," Malik spoke up, softly. "With Mahaado around, the Pharaoh will remain just like he is: a non-living entity, caught between the real world and the afterlife. Mahaado is going to give him his life, so the Pharaoh can stay be here, in this world, with Yuugi."
"That's insane," Jounouchi exclaimed. "No one is that devoted!"
"I am very happy to be the exception to that rule," Mahaado said. "Trust me, it was hard for me to come to terms with, but it was actually quite clear from the start. I would do anything for my Pharaoh, and so I will. It is time."
"Mahaado-san!" Yuugi said, as the magician-priest tossed the Sennen Puzzle up high. His Magus caught it and dropped the Item that looked like a scale. Mahaado grabbed it and cradled it against his chest.
"I will wait for all of you," he said, "but I do not want to see any of you soon, got it?"
"Are you... joking?" Jounouchi asked incredulously, but then Mahaado held up the scale and commanded: "Fusion!"
The golden scales chimed, but their sound wasn't as ominous as the sound of the prongs of the Ring used to rattle with. Enveloped with a golden light, Mahaado simply ceased to exist. Arcing through the air, the golden light shot up and aimed straight for the Magus, clashing with the monster and fusing with it. For a moment, the intensity of the light made it difficult to see what happened, but when it subsided, the Magus was still hovering in the air and its armor and appearance had changed drastically.
"Mahaado-san!" Yuugi exclaimed, recognizing the Magus' face. Its lips moved.
Ishizu looked up at the Magus. "Farewell," she softly said, tears streaming down her cheeks. His last look wasn't meant for her, but for the sleeping Pharaoh, safe in Yuugi's arms.
"Mahaado-san..." Yuugi didn't care that everyone could see and hear him cry. The entire group realized what was happening, and nobody looked cheerful or excited. The Magus... no, the full-fledged Magician bowed its head and with the Sennen Items gathered, he carried them over to the deep crater and dropped them one by one, deep into the core of the Earth for no one to find and use them for malicious purposes ever again. When he was done, the Magician soared to the sky and raised its staff. There was light again, warm and loving, raining down on everyone, showering them, drenching them, enveloping them. Jounouchi felt no more pain in his ribs and Malik's bruises and cuts disappeared in front of his eyes. Ishizu both laughed and cried, and Mokuba stared around him, not understanding what was going on. Kaiba scowled, but his exhaustion was gone. Jounouchi experienced the same resurgence, his energy returning full force, and even the mental exhaustion went away. It was a parting gift, a treasure that was shared with them, a last embrace and a last kind word. Senebty. Farewell.
"What just happened?" Kaiba asked when the last of the light ebbed away, leaving a cold, uncomfortable chill behind. Jounouchi shivered.
"I don't know," he said. He really didn't know. Mahaado was gone, but his gift of love and life blocked any negativity, turning it into a warm sensation, a feeling of blossoming hope. A long-lasting victory for light, indeed.
Kaiba tightened his grip on Mokuba. "I'm going to dump that crater full with lead so no one can get their hands on those Items or Gozaburo's warfare materials ever again," he said. "I thought by building KaibaCorp. on top of what he left behind, I had literally hidden my father's legacy... but I should've destroyed it from the start."
"This wasn't your fault," Jounouchi said. "We should..." His voice trailed off. Alerted by the sound of approaching footsteps, his hand automatically went to his gun. With one surprise after another, he tried to be prepared for anything, but he couldn't help himself; as he saw a number of unknown people walk towards him, his jaw went slack.
"Is everyone okay? What happened?" A young man with short cropped, reddish hair detached himself from the crowd.
"Amelda?" Jounouchi didn't let go of his tense stance. The last time he'd seen him, he'd been under the influence of one of Zorc's dark spells. "Where do you come from?"
"Jounouchi?" Amelda sounded relieved when he recognized at least someone. "I don't know. We were all together in a darkened room, standing up straight, no light, no sound. It was so dark... it was clinging to me, drowning me, and I tried to fight it off, but the more I moved, the more it stuck to me."
"It's all right, you're safe now," Jounouchi said. How was he ever going to explain to these people that they escaped a fate worse than death? Bakura and Zorc must've kept them as their last trump card: human soldiers, under the control of darkness, their minds enslaved and their will subjugated. They would've fought each other to the death without realizing what they were doing.
"Can we help? I think this one needs to go to a hospital." Rafael's voice was somehow softer, less curt. He picked up Atemu from the floor effortlessly, including Yuugi who dangled from his arm and refused to let go. Varon had a dazed and confused look in his eyes, but just like the others he concentrated on the current situation: to see if anyone needed help, if there was something he could do. The crowd fanned out from left to right and surrounded the Ishtars, asking them if they needed any help. Kaiba frowned at everyone who dared to even think of coming closer to him and Mokuba.
"Hey man, are you all right?" Varon's words weren't meant for Jounouchi. He stuck out his arms to catch Bakura Ryou, who had finally regained consciousness. He had managed to get up and walk over to Jounouchi, but his body was giving out on him and he toppled over. Before he could hit the ground, Varon caught him and held him upright.
"Could anyone tell me what's going on, please?" he asked. "Yuugi-kun? Why... why are there two of you? What is this place?"
"You have had a black-out the size of Europe," Jounouchi said. It was probably for the better that the young man had been unconscious the entire time.
"I do believe so," Bakura said sheepishly. "The last thing I know, is that I was at home and feeling bad about... a murder investigation..?"
"Well, that's sort of... solved, I guess." Jounouchi didn't know if that was true. He had no idea how deep Hirutani had sunk his claws into the department, and how many other detectives or cops were influenced or tainted by him, if it all. Jounouchi wasn't sure if he could even trust his own captain. It was such a mess and he had to figure out how to bring this all to a good end.
"I'm glad to hear that," Bakura said. "Is there something I can do, Yuugi-kun?"
Yuugi shook his head. Bakura couldn't even take care of himself. "We should go home," he said, "to the mansion."
"Wait a moment." Jounouchi hadn't forgotten about the unknown person next to the crater. Another entity of darkness, a remnant of Zorc? Had Mahaado been not strong enough to get rid of it all? The Magician couldn't have failed, could he? Jounouchi closed the distance between him and the person, who moved again and propped himself up on one elbow. Long, bone-white hair fell over his shoulders and he was wearing the same striped shirt and blue jeans as Bakura Ryou.
"Stay where you are," Jounouchi said. "Don't move! Who are you?"
The person turned towards him, twisting his torso and lifting up his head to look at him. Jounouchi gasped. He recognized those eyes anywhere; it was the dark Bakura who had shoved that table into his chest and had threatened him in the interrogation room.
"Asshole," Jounouchi spat, "how in the hell did you survive?"
"Survive what?" Dark Bakura spoke, obviously not recognizing him. "Where am I?"
"Your boyfriend isn't here anymore to save you," Jounouchi snarled at him. "He turned you into sand! You're supposed to be dead!"
"Jounouchi." Ishizu had silently come to stand next to him. "He doesn't know. He doesn't remember. He's 'clean'."
"'Clean'? Are you mad?" Jounouchi bellowed. "Do you know who he is?"
"He's free of Zorc, if that it's what you mean," Ishizu said. She had regained her usual calm composure, even though the tear-stricken kohl traces on her face spoke volumes. "And so is he." She nodded to Marik, wearing a much friendlier expression on his face, even though his grin was still unnerving. "They're healed, Jounouchi."
"But..."
"I find it hard to believe too," she said, showing him a tentative, yet sad smile. "Our pain's only just beginning, and I can't imagine how the Pharaoh must feel when he wakes up again and finds him gone. Let's not besmirch the great gift Mahaado showed us, Jounouchi. Please."
"It's time to go home," Yuugi called out. For whatever reason, the crowd had amassed around him and the tall Rafael, carrying the Pharaoh. Jounouchi made his decision. He extended his hand to Dark Bakura, who eyed him slightly suspiciously, but then reached out and allowed Jounouchi to help him up. Bakura Ryou, still supported by Varon, put up wide eyes when he saw his look-alike; it was quite eerie to see their physical similarities.
"Everybody out!" Kaiba commanded. This was still his HQ and he wanted everyone gone. Jounouchi didn't comment on his curt, unfriendly tone of voice. He understood that even Kaiba Seto needed time to process what had happened, and the CEO wanted to do that in the privacy of his own world, with the person who mattered to him most: his younger brother Mokuba.
Jounouchi mulled over Ishizu's words. They are healed, Jounouchi. Yeah, the physical pain was gone; no one was showing signs of fatigue or exhaustion. Even the Pharaoh, in Rafael's arms, breathed stronger and more even, despite not waking up yet. The darkness was gone, cleansing the dark halves of their thirst for violence and revenge. But the pain of Mahaado's passing was something that couldn't be healed, not for a long time to come. Jounouchi felt sorry for Atemu. It was true love what they had shared, and Mahaado had sacrificed everything to make his Pharaoh happy. Yuugi would be grateful, yet burdened with guilt... and Jounouchi mourned for the friend he had lost.
"Jounouchi-kun?" Yuugi's voice reached him from afar. The group was almost at the staircase; with the electricity cut, the elevators weren't working.
"Yeah, I'm coming," Jounouchi said and with a few big strides, he caught up with the group. Yuugi hugged him just as unexpectedly as Mokuba had hugged Kaiba.
"I'm so sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry. I never expected that Mahaado-san was going to do something like this."
Jounouchi ruffled Yuugi's hair. He thought back to the first night they had spend at the mansion and how an upset and pained Mahaado had lectured them while the Pharaoh was asleep, after Yuugi had tucked him in. The magician-priest had always known that he lived on borrowed time, and that his time would run out the moment Atemu would find his light half. The Pharaoh had sustained him with sheer willpower and love, and Mahaado had gifted him with life in return, so he could stay with Yuugi. Maybe it wasn't fair. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be. He knew Yuugi was going to feel guilty and sorrowful enough as it was. He returned the hug.
"I never expected it either," he lied. It wasn't a consolation at all.