Love eternal (book 5)

Chapter 14: divine intervention

"Where do we go from here?" Yugi sniffles softly as he remains wrapped in our arms. "I mean, I don't wan to have to choose between the two of you." I run my fingers through his hair as I listen to him speak. "Neither of you should have to stay here."
   "If we end up having our way neither of us should ever have to return here." Atem says smoothly. He releases Yugi but keeps his fingers intertwined with his. "Though finding the answer to this predicament seems to be rather difficult and continuing to increase in difficulty with every passing second."
   "That isn't exactly helpful input." Atem glances at me sharply.
   "I apologize, I wasn't aware that you had the answer. By all means, share with us your valuable input."
   "We are both in the same situation there is no point in fighting amongst ourselves." I respond as evenly as I can, though my grip on my anger is slipping away gradually. "It won't accomplish anything."
   "Then don't pick a fight with me." Atem says lowly, his expression turning dark. "You may be a part of myself, but I can guarantee that you won't be able to handle me if it came down to a legitimate confrontation."
   "Stop it!" Yugi screams as he pushes both of us away from him and jumps to his feet. Atem looks at him with surprise and a faint gleam of hurt in his eyes, but I don't feel the distinct sting of surprise as he does. This was exactly the kind of reaction from Yugi that I was expecting. I knew that it was only going to be a matter of time before the temporary peace between myself and the former version of me to run out. "You are both acting like children."
   "Yugi-" Atem starts.
   "Stop talking!" Yugi shouts over him. Atem blinks in confusion and falls silent out of sheer shock. His mouth hanging open slightly as he stares at our beloved Yugi. I smile faintly over at Atem. Yugi truly has changed since the time he disappeared into my past. He has grown exponentially from what he used to be. "This is ridiculous. I am beginning to doubt that you really want to fix this situation." He glares down at Atem. "Because if you can't even handle being around the other half of your own soul then how are we going to be able to fix this and put you two back into one?!"
   "Yu-"
   "I didn't tell you that you could speak Atem." Yugi says sternly. Atem lowers his eyes and stares at the stone floor. "I want to help you, but I can't do that if you aren't willing to allow me to help you. I need you to meet me half way and stop acting like a child." Yugi crosses his arms as he looks down at Atem. "Am I understood?"
   "You've changed." Atem murmurs.
   "Everyone grows and changes. You helped me to grow when I was in Egypt but so has your other half here in this time period. I am no longer the naive child you knew back in ancient Egypt. I am a man now and I need you to allow for me to help the both of you. " Yugi's says with a slightly gentler voice. "Can you agree to work with me and not against me?"
   "Yes." He whispers. He slowly rises to his feet and glances over at me. "We both can."
   "That was rather interesting to watch." A deep and unfamiliar voice echoes through the hallway. I jump to my feet and rush to shield Yugi from view only to find that Atem had the same idea. We both are standing in front of Yugi shielding him from view as a unified front. "What in the name of the other world did you two do to yourself?"
   A man completely enclothed in golden armor that seems to pale in comparison to his golden hair and eyes appears before us. His eyes are narrowed in confusion as his hand is resting on his chin as he stares at us with an almost comical stance. I stare at him curiously. There is a part of me that feels as if I should know just who this strange man is. The air around him seems to brighten and glow like sunlight.
   "Lord Ra." Atem breathes before sinking down to his knees. I glance over at him confusedly but it quickly mutates into shock as he harshly pulls me down beside him. Yugi slowly and hesitantly follows after our example and Ra makes no move to even acknowledge our gesture of respect. "It is an honor to be in your presence."
   "Yes." He says slowly. He flicks his wrist and we all slowly begin to stand. "Tell me, what is this?"
   "My lord?" Atem asks confusedly.
   "Why are there two of you?" Ra asks with an impatient voice. "I'm shocked that you haven't been able to resolve this incident on your own." His golden eyes stare directly at me and I can't help but feel uneasy underneath his intense gaze.
   "There was an incident that occurred eighteen years ago that split our soul into two parts, but we don't know what exactly caused the fission between the two of us." Atem says respectfully as he bows slightly. Ra looks over at Atem with disinterest. "We are trying to find a way to fuse our souls back together so then we can return to the life he was leading before." Glancing in my direction as he speaks.
   "There is no need for a fusion of souls." Ra says with a disinterested wave of his hands. "Yugi." He says coolly. "I wish to speak to you."
   "My lord, he doesn't know anything about this situation. He is-"
   "I know exactly who he is." Ra says seriously. "And that is why I wish to speak to him. He is the key to your... Revival." He looks directly at Yugi and beckons for him to walk over coyly. Something inside of me bristles at the flirtation behind that movement but I stand beside as Yugi walks over to him. Yugi looks up at Ra with an uneasy expression.
   "What do you need me to do?" He asks softly. Ra places two strong hands on Yugi's shoulders and slowly spins him around to face him.
   "Tell me Yugi," he murmurs into Yugi's ear as he looks at Atem and I pointedly. "What do you see when you look at these two?"
   "I don't understand." Yugi murmurs, his hands fidgeting at his sides.
   "I think you do. Now, be honest, what do you see when you look at them?" Ra rests his head on Yugi's shoulder. Yugi swallows and his mouth moves without any sound escaping him.
   "You are frightening him." I snap.
   "Be silent." Ra answers smoothly. "Yugi is simply being reluctant because he doesn't want to face the truth of the situation. Isn't that right Yugi?"
   "You're wrong." He whispers softly.
   "Then tell us what you see."
   "I see the two sides of the man that I love." Yugi's eyes gleam with fresh tears. "His dark side that he allowed to rule over him and his gentle side that allowed him to love deeply." He swallows thickly. "They used to be one and the same but now they are split."
   "And why are they no longer one entity?" Ra asks seriously.
   "Because of me." Yugi whispers through his tears. "It's all because of me."