The Age of Shadows

8

So I'm reading Metro 2033 right now and plan on finishing the series, because honestly it's amazing. I've fell in love with the post-apocalyptic world arc in anything, from books to movies to documentaries. Plus, we need some LGBT rep. in the sci-fi genre. Hope you enjoy!

They reach the foot of the pyramid, peering down at the depths of tomb below. "Pharaoh Atemu, 18th dynasty. We're here," Ishizu gulps, nodding slightly as a sign of respect, having never escaped the constraints of her position as a servant of the pharaoh. Her collarbones itch, body sensing the close presence of the Millennium Necklace. "We don't have much time to waste, the shadows are more dangerous than normal here,"

"I agree, bow do we find the buried tomb?" Odion asks around, looking specifically at Ryou and Yugi. The former is well versed in the occult, and in archeology. He steps forward with an answer, while Bakura simply crouches by the rock, wiping away layers of sand from a large stone slab.

"There we go, I just need to chant this,"

Ryou frowns, kneeling by him and shining a light on the words. They aren't hieroglyph, having been carved into the stone with some crude tool, eloping off to the side. "Thee don't look like any ancient writings," he sighs. "They certainly aren't the language you spoke,"

"Speak for yourself," Bakura snorts deeply. "Like most peasants at the time, I couldn't read or write hieroglyphs - ir at all really. This is the symbol pattern I used to exchange messages between my followers and here before I infiltrated, I left instructions on entering the tomb,"

"That's brilliant!" Marik gasps, happily patting Bakura on the back. His eyes sparkle with excitement, and it makes Bakura smile and for a moment, allows him to forget the fate if darkness he is doomed to. "A clever move, what does it say?"

"That's disgraceful," Ishizu mutters to herself, Ryou in agreement. You'd think they'd have focused slightly more on Bakura graverobbing the Pharaoh, stealing his riches and sarcophagus, and raging shadow battles in sacred temples. No, the graffiti is the major crime Bakura committed here. "But can it help us revive the pharaoh?"

"Yeah, 'course it can," Joey stares uncomprehendingly at the writing. "Uh - right Yug?"

Yugi fixates on the letters, pursing his lips. His body shakes slightly, gaze quivering and fluctuating between the present and the past. He is once again sinking in that river of blood, clutching the fading and dying magic of Atem. Yami, really, for that is who he grieves for. He watches those amethyst eyes disappear before him as his best friend falls into the pits of defeat, torn apart before him by shadows. He remembers how right Joey was in the plane.

They shouldn't have come here.

He has been trying to avoid this and in a way, living in an apocalypse helped him. If the pharaoh had miraculously defeated Zork and been accepted into the afterlife, he would have had to deal with grieve. His stupid overthinking brain twisting the normal process of grieving into long, arduous work. He almost bursts into remorseful tears at his selfish that is, that he could ever be happy his partner died horribly, and is how condemned to a life of torture in the Shadow Realm. Not the one that plagues what used to be Earth, but the other one Bakura warped into.

"Right, Joey!" Yugi assures firmly, strain evident in his eyes, This is his job, this is who he is. He reassures his boyfriend, his friends that everything will be okay. Because without hope they have nothing. This used to Yami's job, and its so difficult being left alone to do this, He misses Yami so much, but at least the apocalypse forced him to come to terms with his death. Now? Everything is uncertain, and it isn't fucking fair! He didn't think he's ever have to deal with this, and now it's all coming back in a torrent of unresolved PTSD.