Forbidden Sands, Book One of the Through Time Saga

Chapter 17

Yami stumbled through the stone maze, trying to find his way through the labyrinth. He knew his friends were here...he didn't really know how he know that. He didn't understand his senses being so ... strong ... but they were. He could see the dust in the air, he could hear the beetles skittering on the stone, looking for a hiding space. As he stumbled through the halls, he knew ... Bakura ... was behind this door. Opening the door, Yami gagged at what he saw. The sweet aroma of blood hit his nose, but seeing Ryou dead on the floor, Bakura holding him, tore at Yami's heart.

Dead, hard eyes looked up at Yami. "What the fuck you want?"

"They killed Yugi." Yami stated flatly.

"So fuckin' what? They gutted Ryou, so again I ask you what the fuckin cockshitting fuck you want? A standing fuckin' ovation?" Bakura sneered, the eyes flat, not mirroring the disdain the sneer tried to exhibit, the pain the sneer tried to hide.

"So let's go get the others...hopefully they fared better." Yami could smell different kinds of blood, so he didn't even believe what he said. Bakura looked at Ryou's face once more, then gently laid him down. Ryou wasn't going to wake.  There was no use staying here with a corpse.   Getting up, Bakura pulled a sheet off of the bed and covered Ryou. Turning his back to the corpse, he looked at Yami. "We're going to make them cocksplatting asswhores pay." His jaw set, revenge driving him.  Yami nodded in agreement, leaving the room.

Walking into the next room, Yami's brow wrinkled in confusion. "What in hades is going on?" Akeifa was on the floor, holding Joey, who was crying. Seeing Joey weeping, Yami knew he had lost his uncle as well. However, seeing Akeifa there, a tiny bit of hope bubbled in his fractured heart. Akeifa wouldn't leave my father unless he was okay. Yami was trying to convince himself, and doing a decent job.   "Where is my father?"

Akeifa looked up, and the look in his eyes told Yami everything he needed to know. It was at that point that Yami collapsed on the floor, his knees giving way. Not lonely did he lose his mate, but he lost his uncle and his father too. He leaned against the post of the bed, eyes unseeing. Bakura stood, arms crossed, glaring at the group.  He didn't give a fuck that the others lost someone.  He lost Ryou, so who the fuck cared about the others pain?

Time seemed to stop as no one spoke in that room, each lost in their own misery.  Finally, Joey's tears eventually dried, and the men sat silently, until Joey broke the ice.  Joey looked up, and looked around. "What are we going to do?"

Yami looked around at them all. Catching Bakura's eye, Yami's face hardened as he nodded. "We're going to make them pay."

************

The first order of business for the quartet to make Otogi and Anzu pay was to survive.  Therefore, they had to find someplace to live.  They couldn't go back to the palace, as they quickly learned that Anzu married Otogi and those two assumed leadership of Egypt since both Yami and Atem were tragically dead at rebellious hands. Luckily, Bakura and Akeifa had a hideout well hidden; the four set up house there.

After the four mourned their losses and somewhat returned to the present, instead of being locked inside their memories, (which, incidentally took about ten years), they decided they needed to make connections and set up some kind of network. After all, they couldn't be the only vampires, could they? While they had not met any when they went out to feed, there had to be others.  So, the four set out to different areas, trying to find other vampires. They did find some, much to their surprise. Those vampires were able to set them up with other vampires, so they made kind of a underground vampire communication network.

It was in this network that the four learned about vampires.  They learned about the "vampire abilities"--increased sight, hearing, speed, improved reflexes, immunity to diseases, etc.  But they also found out that each vampire developed one or more unique abilities that not all vampires had.  It may be truly unique to just that vampire (there was talk of a vampire named Alexander who could stop time) or an ability that only some vampires developed (flying and shapeshifting were some of the rare abilities). It was discovered rather quickly that no one liked Otogi. He was behind several incidents and negative occurrences in the vampire world. 

As the years passed, the four did hone their natural abilities, but they also developed their unique abilities. Joey was the physically strongest--stronger than any other vampire known in the underworld. Â Akeifa developed the ability of telepathy with anyone of his choice, and Bakura developed the ability to fly. Yami, however, didn't develop anything beyond the basic vampire traits. He never said anything, but everyone could tell that it bothered him.

However, Yami was hanging onto Otogi's words like a lifeline, so he didn't have much time to dwell on what he didn't have. He wanted to believe...well, he had to believe that Yami would find Yugi again. He couldn't stand the thought of never seeing Yugi again, never holding him, never seeing those beautiful amethyst eyes again. So, he was trying to plan, be prepared, and be ready for when he found Yugi again.  The quartet described their lovers to the others, asking to be alerted the moment anyone saw any of them.

Joey and Bakura worked out every day.  It helped some with their anger--but not much.  Yami mapped potential sightings as Bakura would fly to check on them, all to no avail.  Akeifa simply plotted revenge.

**********

One evening, many centuries later, Yami awoke, eyes flying open.  He felt--something.  He didn't know what it was--but he knew he had to go.  Summoning up the others, he gathered them in their living area.  "Something odd is happening.  I can feel it.  I don't know what it is, but I know we have to go to Rome."

No one questioned Yami  He had been the Pharaoh in life, and still commanded respect in unlife. Packing up their belongings, they all headed out to Rome.  Upon arriving in Rome, Bakura looked at Yami.  "What now, fucknut?"  Okay--so he mostly still commanded respect.

"Follow me."  Yami stated, slinking through the shadows, leaping from rooftop to rooftop.  While not being able to fly, he still had the supernatural ability to jump really, really high and far.  Stopping on the palace rooftop, he motioned for the others to stop too.  Bakura landed silently next to Yami.  As Joey and Akeifa crowded in by Yami, Yami crawled down the side of the building and peeked in the window.  Seeing the sight before him, his eyes widened as he motioned for the others to crawl down by him.

There, sitting in a royal bedroom, were two teens deep in discussion, the amethyst eyed one in a toga of pale amethyst, the violet eyed one in a royal purple toga-and both of them had star shaped, tricolored hair.  As Yami watched, mesmerized, he started listening to their conversations.

"But, Atem, I keep dreaming of him.  I know he's out there."  The petite amethyst eyed teen whimpered, looking at the other.

"Yugi, it's a dream, little brother.  There is no silent angel waiting for you.   I'm sorry, but you're going to have to accept that."  Atem stated sorrowfully.  Yugi looked up, eyes sad.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.  "Enter."  Atem stated.  Akeifa smirked, his heart pained with sorrow and joy at hearing the familiar commanding, royal toned voice.  Opening the door, a white haired teen in a white toga followed behind the dark haired, cobalt eyed teen in a cream toga.

"Seto, Ryou, what brings you both here?"  Atem asked as Yugi got up, hugging them both.

"He couldn't sleep and neither could I."  Ryou stated quietly as he carefully sat on the bed, Seto glaring at him as he revealed Seto's secret.

Thankfully, Akeifa had quicker reflexes than Joey and was able to grab Joey before Joey leapt into the room.  Pulling him back, all four went back to the rooftop.  "What'd ya do that for?"  Joey glared at Akeifa.

"He doesn't remember you anymore, Idiotass."  Bakura grumbled.

Yami smiled, the first true smile since that night centuries ago.  "Boys, we have a second chance."

A/N:Â Well, there ya go. The end of Book 1 of the Through Time Saga.  Now we'll move on to the Roman empire and see what happens to the boys.  Book 2 will be called "Taboo Chalices, Book Two of the Through Time Saga."