Yugi

I could tell that Yami was upset by the way things were going. The only way he could help Bakura now was to defeat Yami Bakura without injuring his body and then mustering the strength necessary to return Bakura to his body and get all of us out of the shadow realm. Yami doubted whether he was up to that.

I encouraged him the best I could from inside my soul room. He'd given me strength in my times of need so many times; I only hoped I could help him as well. The stress and worry was really getting to me, and if I felt so bad, I could only imagine how Yami felt. He tried to block his frustrations from me, but he never was really good at that.

<Please, Yami, just do whatever you can.> I said. <If anyone can save them now, it's you.>

<He's very strong> Yami muttered, disheartened. <I don't know that I can do this alone.>

<You're not alone, Yami.> I said. <We're all with you. We're fighting beside you. Just hang in there, Yami...>
 
 

Ryou

I couldn't move. The attack had paralyzed me. My mind was hazy and confused. But I was still alive, though for how long I couldn't be certain. I was unable to focus enough to create a shield between myself and the shadow realm, and I was being drained as a result. I tried desperately to summon the eye's magic before I completely lost consciousness and was left at the mercy of the shadow realm. I struggled to activate it. But I was slipping... I tried to resist the blackness that was encroaching on my mind. It would be so easy to just let it take me, though. I was doubting whether it was worth fighting anymore. I'd tried to stand up for myself, and look where it had gotten me. Maybe it would be better if I just let it all end...

Perhaps it was my musings over death, or a last lingering will to survive, but I finally managed to activate the eye, but it was in a way I never had before. I saw white instead of black. Light instead of dark. I had no idea what was going on. I heard a voice in the distance. At first, I could not make it out, then gradually, it became clearer.

"Ryou..."

It was calling my name. My first name. Only two people ever called me by my first name: my father, and my yami. But this voice... It was a woman's. It was soothing and kind. I felt as if I had heard it before, but I could not remember it. My thoughts were so blurred... I tried to place the voice, but to no avail.

"Ryou, you must get up..." it said. This voice, this woman, she was trying to coax me into fighting my fate. Why would she care what happened to me? At this point, I didn't even care. And listening to a mysterious voice was what got me into this mess. I wasn't about to do it again. For all I knew it was another of my yami's tricks. Maybe he discovered he needed me for something. I'd had enough. At least in death I would no longer be used as a tool.

"I know you have suffered much, but you mustn't give up, Ryou!" she said. "Death is not the answer. To give up without a fight would be a coward's escape, and I know you are not a coward."

'Shows what she knows,' I thought. But I was still curious as to who she was. If it was my yami's trick, then he was losing his touch. I was not in the least convinced. I gazed into the light, trying to find the source of the voice. It was so bright... There was a figure there, but I could only make out a silhouette. But it seemed to be getting closer.

"You are strong, Ryou. I know you are. You could not have survived as much as you did were you not. Now get up!"

Why? What was the point? What good would it do? I didn't even think I could get up. That voice sure was persistent, though. Who was it? Why was the eye letting me see this? Was it the mind of some person that I was gazing into?

"Please stand up and fight..." she begged. "You are needed, whether you believe it or not. Do not lie down and die..."

She sounded close to tears. Why did she care so much? I peered through the light, and finally, I was able to see. Long, flowing hair, of a very pale blonde. Delicate features. Skin like snow. And sorrowful eyes of a soft and deep brown...

"Please get up..."

"Okay," I finally answered.
 
 

Yami Yugi

Yami Bakura and I squared off, preparing to battle. Never had the odds been so against me. I breathed deeply, trying to settle my nerves and clear my head. I cast my eyes to the sidelines and saw Bakura lying there where his dark half had left him. Strangely, the millennium eye was glowing faintly. But I could sense that Bakura's spiritual energy was still fading. He was using the eye, but not to protect himself. What was going on?

"Leave him to his fate," Yami Bakura ordered harshly. "He'll never muster the strength and concentration necessary to save himself. I am your only concern. It is I you must face."

I turned my attention from the crumpled heap that was the real Bakura. I could not waste time. "The rules?" I asked.

"A standard fight of magical energy," he replied. "The object is to overpower your opponent, using whatever means necessary. The winner is the one who can walk away. The loser is subject to whatever punishment the winner finds appropriate."

"And you intend to use both your items?"

"Should it come to that, yes," he answered. "Although you are already weakened. I could very well defeat you with just the ring."

He sneered. I vaguely wondered if my confidence was as frustrating to my opponents as Yami Bakura's now was to me. I took another deep breath and focused my power. Yami Bakura did the same. He was a bit faster than me, though, and a beam issued forth from his ring first. My attack soon followed and they met in midair. We each tried to force against the other. Whoever's stamina gave up first would lose. So far, he was not using the eye. That didn't say much for me, for I was struggling against just the ring.

I used all my focus and power against him, but I was weakening at an alarming rate. The area where the attacks met was creeping towards me. Yami Bakura had a triumphant look on his face. He knew he had me beat. I searched for my hidden power reserves, trying to find that extra bit of energy to continue the fight. But I was losing.

Then, suddenly, a beam issued forth from the sidelines. I turned my gaze to see its source. Bakura had amazingly gained consciousness and was using the eye to help me fight. He still lay on the ground, barely able to keep his head up, but he was fighting. Yami Bakura was now struggling to hold off two attacks. His advantage had been having two items. Now, two items were being used against him. Had he not been so arrogant and used the eye from the start, I doubt Bakura would have found the strength to regain its power.

I pushed for more magic. Bakura and I forced the colliding powers closer to Yami Bakura. He strained visibly.

Finally, the tides had turned in our favor.
 
 

Yami Bakura

I had felt the weak activation of the millennium eye, but I hadn't thought much about. Ryou was probably just trying to save himself, though I knew he would not find the concentration necessary in his weakened state. I certainly had not expected him to come from the brink of death yet again to ruin my plans. His attack coupled with Yami Yugi's was tough to hold off. Even though they were both weakened, combined, their power exceeded my own. I could not hold them back for long.

I tried to fight Ryou for control of the eye, but to no avail. It was as if there was another force guiding him. Where had he found this sudden determination? Had the eye chosen him to wield it over me?

My power was draining steadily, but I would not yield. "I will not be defeated again!" I yelled. "I CANNOT BE DEFEATED! I ALWAYS RISE AGAIN!"

I strained against them, even though I knew it would do no good. I was not going down without a fight. I called upon every ounce of power I had, but when either Yami or Ryou weakened, the other would find strength enough to make up for it. I could not regain my lead.

Finally, my power failed me. I could no longer continue. My attack lessened, and Yami and Ryou's combined force overtook it, and collided with me. The blast threw me back. My body numbed and my senses failed. I blacked out.