shadows

36

Back with Yugi, atem, and Marie in the millennium necklace.

"Can she hear us?" Yugi questioned.

"No, you will have to waken her" Marie replied sadly.

"That's not an easy task" Atem groaned.

"I can wake her. It will not be much, but it will be something" Marie explained as she hopped closer.

"How?" Yugi asked.

"My tears will wake her" marie said as Atem held his arm out and she hopped onto his arm. Atem moved his arm closer to Christine so that Marie was directly in front of her.

Marie let a few tear drops fall onto Christine.

Atem and Yugi held their breath as they waited for her to wake. For a moment, they feared that it disnt work, as there was no signs of the unconscious queen waking up, but moments later the prisoned queens eyes opened ever so weakly.

"Christine!" Atem exclaimed with relief.

"Ph-pharoh" she croaked. Atem flinched at the sound. Her voice had not been used in so long, she sounded weak and in pain.

"Christine, listen. You have to listen. I can get you out of here, but I need your help" Atem explained urgently.

Christine stared at him blankly. "Cnt elp, zrc...too strong" she tried to say, but her voice was just too low, and it hurt to try.

"You can help Christine. You need to. You need come home. Come back to us...to Christian...he needs you" Atem said encouragingly.

There was a slight hint of shock and pain that filled her eyes at the mention of christain.

"Yes I know about him" Atem said seeing her reaction. "I know you are upset about...dare I say it" he whispered the last part. "Mana"

The dull dead look reappeared in Christines eyes. "There is nothing to be upset about Christine. You have to believe me." He said pleadingly. He looked over at Marie. "How on earth do you get through to someone who clearly doesnt want to believe you?" He asked.

Marie chuckled. "As Selene about the time we dressed up dad and then had to convince him it was an imaginary person that did it" she replied. Atem could hear the smugness coming from her.

"You are wasting your time"

The trio looked up and saw Zorc walking towards them. "How long did you think it would take me to notice that you had sent that man as a decoy to avert my attention." She questions.

"Man? What man?" Yugi asked confused.

Marie flew up and stared at Zorc. "You will not harm them any more" she declared firmly.

Zorc rolled her eyes before raising her hand up and strinking Marie away from her. "Do you honestly think that you can do anything to stop me?" Zorc said with a laugh.

Atem turned to Christine again. "Christine please. We can talk about this. But we have to get out of here first" he spoke urgently but softly.

"You are too late mortal. I have complete control over her. She sold her self to me the day that you turned her away" Zorc said hauntingly.

Atem froze as a memory surfaced to the front of his mind.

*it was a cold night in Egypt. Atem had just retired for the night and made his way to the room where Christine sat in a chair staring out at the sky.

"Christine?"

Christine turned her head and looked over at him. "Pharaoh" she spoke as she stood up.