Power of the Heart Season 2 ~Yami Yugi Love Story~

The Tomb Keeper's Secret

~Sera~
We were all making out way to Mai's room and Yugi was about to knock.
"Greetings, Yugi and Sera," we heard. We turned and saw Ishizu. I smiled at her before I walked up and we hugged.
"Hello, Ishizu," I greeted. She gave me a small smile.
"I'm sorry about what happened to your friend. May I pay her a visit with you?" She asked us. I nodded.
"Sure, come on," I told her. We then walked into the room.
"Hey, Serenity. How's Mai?" Tea asked.
"Quiet," Serenity replied.
"We gotta get her mind back," Kendra frowned.
"Serenity, has she said a word?" Joey asked hoping.
"Nope, not a thing," Serenity answered.
"Poor Mai. I'm sorry I let ya down, but mark my words, I promise you'll get your revenge against that Marik," Joey told Mai.
"No, Joey. Can't you see that anger and revenge will only make things worse? That's just how Mai got this way. Marik is so full of anger and hate that he gets pleasure from watching other people suffer," Serenity said wisely.
"That jerk," Joey spat thinking of Marik.
"When I took my bandages off, this is not what I wanted to see," Serenity said before crying into her hands. I wrapped and arm around her and pet her hair.
"It will be okay, Serenity," I told her.
"Sorry, sis. You're right," Joey told her.
"There is hope ahead, for where there is evil there is good. Marik was good once," Ishizu said making us all look at her. I looked down knowing she was speaking the truth. "He began life as an innocent child, like everyone else, but that innocence disappeared, leaving my brother with a dark hole where is heart once was. I remember when this evil was born, it happened on the night he received the Tomb Keeper initiation and inherited the task of protecting the Pharaoh's and Queen's tomb. A task he always resented. Now this dark presence has completely taken over my brother's body," Ishizu said.
"Ishizu, what happens if there's no way to save your brother?" Yugi asked. Ishizu didn't reply. "It may be too late. You said it was mine and Sera's destiny to save the world from destruction. I thought that meant defeating your brother and putting an end to his plan, not saving him. He's caused enough damage already, Marik must be stopped!" Yugi told her. I looked down, I felt hesitant about telling everyone about me and the Ishtar family. Only Kendra knew because she was with me. If Yugi was this angry...I don't want to know what the others will be like.
"Yugi's got a point, Ishizu. What if it's too late to save Marik from the evil inside him? I mean, you've got to admit, the guy's as nasty as they come," Joey said.
"Yeah, it's hard to imagine him ever being nice," Tea agreed.
"Ishizu is telling the truth," I said making them all look at me. I just looked at the ground. "Marik was a sweet kid...he's different now," I said.
"How do you know this, Sera?" Tristen asked me. I sighed and Kendra grabbed my hand.
"Sera went to Egypt for many summers, I know because I went with her each time. Since we both met in the orphanage, we both felt it would be fun to go to Egypt. When we were ten, we were given the chance to go there. Once there, we met the Ishtar family, Sera would stay with them while I stayed with another family close by," Kendra told them. I nodded.
"In away, the Ishtar's adopted me even though I was adopted by my step-father...Marik is my step-brother," I sighed. The other's gasped in shock.
"No way!" Joey exclaimed.
"Why didn't you tell us before, Sera?" Yugi asked me. I sighed.
"I really wanted to tell all of you, I truly did...but when Marik did all of those things to all of us...I...I just became scared," I told them. Ishizu wrapped and arm around my shoulders.
"So, that's what Bakura meant when he was dueling Yugi," Duke said.
And are you sure of the people that you believe to be your friend isn't really your greatest enemy, and that another one of your friends knows this and is deliberately keeping it from you? Bakura had said. I nodded.
"Yes, but I wasn't really keeping it from you...I just couldn't say anything. Odion and Marik had forbidden me from saying anything," I told them.
"Let me get this straight; you defended the same guy who threatened you and sent Mai to the Shadow Realm" Joey asked, voice laced with hate. I looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"No, that's where you misunderstood me. I'm not defending the evil that has taken over Marik. I believe there is still good deep down. Odion had threatened that if I told anyone then my worst fears would come to life. I couldn't bear to see any of you hurt," I stated. Ishizu gave my shoulder a squeeze.
"You must trust us. We know there is hope, there's much you don't understand, it wasn't that long ago that Marik began to lose his way and turn towards the darkness. For generations my family has lived in secrecy, deep beneath the desert sands, watching over the tomb of the Pharaoh and his Queen. For five thousand years, an Ishtar has stood guard waiting for the Pharaoh and the Queen to return. As the first born Ishtar son, Marik was required to bare the Pharaoh's and Queen's secret on his back and forbidden to ever leave the tomb," Ishizu informed. I then remembered it all. Ishizu, Marik, Odion, and I were in Marik's room as Mr. Ishtar slept. Marik kept talking about wanting to leave to explore the outside world.
"I'm going," Marik told us.
"Shh, Marik, you have to be quiet," Ishizu warned.
"Stop worrying, it's late. I'm sure father's asleep by now," he told her.
"But that's not the point, Marik," I told him.
"You promised you'd take me outside one day. Why can't we go now? I wanna see the outside world like Sera has," Marik told his older sister.
"If father finds out, the three of us will be in big trouble, don't you know the code of the Tomb Keepers? The outside world's off limits to us. Also, Sera will be sent home and may never return," Ishizu reminded.
"Relax, sis. Odion will cover for us and father will never suspect a thing, right?" Marik asked. Odion nodded in agreement. "Ishizu, come on! I wanna live like a normal person for once. Please, sis," Marik begged. I felt sorry for Marik and grabbed his hand. He then grabbed Ishizu's hand as well. "No one will never know. Oh, come on, just this one time, Ishizu. Aren't you a little curious?" Marik asked.
"Miss Ishizu, I promise I'll take care of everything. It's my duty to ensure Master Marik is safe," Odion told her.
"I don't know..." Ishizu said with hesitation.
"Why not? Just for a little while," Marik begged.
"Marik, it's not really fair to put her under this kind of pressure. I mean, I want to help...but I want everyone to agree," I told him. Ishizu grabbed my other hand.
"Thank you, Sera. Okay, Marik, if it's that important to you," Ishizu told him.
"Thank you, sis!" Marik grinned hugging his sister. I smiled at them. If only my brothers could be here with me.
"But promise me this, after one hour we'll return home and never speak of this again," Ishizu told him.
"I promise!" Marik told her. He then looked at me. "Well, Sera. Do want to come with us?" He asked I grinned and nodded.
"Definitely, bro!" I told him. He hugged me making me chuckle.
"Yay! Thank you!" He told me. I chuckled again as the three of us left. "Finally, I can see how the surface dwellers live!" Marik said excited.
"It's not really that fascinating," I shrugged with a smile. Ishizu opened the gate.
"Now remember, Marik; one hour and then we return home and no one must ever know about this," she told him. We then left to find the sun appear over the horizon. "I knew that we were violating our family's code, but I also knew that Marik deserved to see the light of the outside world at least once in his life. I didn't realize that his exposure to this light would cause the darkness within him to grow," Ishizu said.
"None of us did," I told her. We walked away from my second home and went to the marketplace to see many people.
"Marik, slow down, little brother. I told you stay by my side," Ishizu scolded as Marik kept rushing ahead looking at everything in awe.
"Sisters, just look at all these people! I never dreamed it'd look like this!" Marik said excited.
"Marik, this is not our world, so don't grow too attached," Ishizu warned.
"Ah, don't worry!" Marik told her. He ran ahead with me and Ishizu calling out for him. He then saw him looking at something on the ground. "Huh, it's a book," he observed.
"Don't touch anything!" Ishizu told him. I looked...it was a magazine.
"That's not right, books should never be just thrown away," Marik said dusting the magazine off. He started reading through it. "Hey! This isn't like my scripture's at all, this is fun. Hold on, what is that? I've never seen anything like that before," he said. I looked at him as he walked toward a stand that had a TV. "Hey, that man in the glass box is riding one of these machines," Marik said. Ishizu and I walked over to him as the man looked at him.
"Hey, kid, have you never seen a TV before?" He asked. Ishizu grabbed Marik's arm and pulled him away.
"Marik, come on, let's go. You're impossible," she said.
"Ishizu, what was that glass box?" Marik asked.
"It's a TV," Ishizu replied.
"Ah, TV, but what was the strange machine I saw inside the TV?" Marik asked.
"That was a motorcycle," I answered.
"I wanna ride one. I just have to, but as long as I'm a Tomb Keeper, I'll never be able to ride a motorcycle or watch a TV," Marik said. Ishizu suddenly stopped and gasped. What is going on with her?
"We had to get Marik home, he'd already seen too much," I continued.
"What's wrong?" Marik asked.
"Marik, our time is up, we must go," Ishizu stated.
"Aw, not yet!" Marik whined.
"Hey, you promised you would listen to us, remember?" I asked him.
"I'm sorry. One more thing, can I bring home the picture of the motorcycle for my book?" Marik asked.
"Marik, if father finds it, we're in trouble," Ishizu told him.
"Please, sister, it's just one picture," Marik begged.
"Okay, you can take it, but promise me you'll hide it when we get back home," Ishizu said.
"Yeah!" Marik cheered. He ripped the picture out and threw the magazine away. "Alright, let's go," he said. We turned and saw a man who wore a turban and had the Millennium Key around his neck.
"The Pharaoh will soon return to this world. Prepare for him," the man said. He looked at me. "Especially you, my Queen," he told me.
"What the-who are you?" I asked him.
"Ready yourselves right now. Your lives and your destinies depend on it, but I must warn you, if you reject your sacred duty, the future will bring nothing but tragedy," the man told us.
"Who are you?" Ishizu asked as the man turned to leave. "Don't go, how do you know so much?" She asked him. "I knew I had made a great mistake. As the keepers of the Pharaoh's and Queen's tomb, we were forbidden to see the world. And I was beginning to understand why, I was about to pay the price for my actions. I exposed Marik to a world he should never have seen and this cause Marik to reject our family and his evil side grew," Ishizu said. The three of us ran through the marketplace hoping to find that man, but he was nowhere in sight. "Where did he go?"
"What did the stranger mean when he warned us, huh? Where did that guy come from? How did he know we're waiting for the Pharaoh? And why did he call Sera 'Queen'?" Marik asked.
"Marik, you mustn't speak of the Pharaoh or the Queen right now," Ishizu said with her hands on his shoulders.
"I'm sorry," he apologized.
"And the Queen thing? I have no idea what that's about," I said.
"We never should have come up here today. Just forget all that you saw, forget about that stranger, and let's go home," Ishizu said. With that said, we made our way back.
"But now that he had seen the outside world, forgetting it was an impossible task," I told them. We stood back as Ishizu opened the doors.
"Why do we have to go back down into the darkness?" Marik asked sad.
"Marik, it's just not our choice," Ishizu told him.
"Just give me one more minute, sis," Marik said. He walked over to one of the low walls and sat on it as if he were on a motorcycle.
"What do you think you're doing, Marik?!" Ishizu asked. Marik didn't reply.
"Okay, come on, goofball, let's go," I told him with an amused smile.
"I'll be right there," he replied. I walked with Ishizu while Marik was behind us making revving noises.
"Remember, we can't wake father," Ishizu reminded.
"What's that thing, sis? Right up there," Marik pointed. We look and saw a reel with unwound rope on it. I thought it was some sort of alarm for when others opened the door. Ishizu realized it to. "Ishizu? Sera? What's wrong?" Marik asked us.
"Oh no!" Ishizu ran down.
"Sister, tell me what's going on! Is father going to be angry with us?" Marik asked. She didn't reply as we followed her. We made it to Marik's room to find his books and sheets on the floor. "Odion!" Marik called running down the halls. He kept calling for our brother.
"But Mr. Ishtar had already weakened him with the Millennium Rod," I said remembering. Ishizu and I followed after him and stopped when we saw that Marik stood still. I looked over to see Odion laying on the floor all scraped up with Mr. Ishtar over him.
"Odion, you were supposed to protect Marik! I want you to leave and never return! Marik, Ishizu, how dare you! You know you were forbidden to walk with the outsiders! Now Odion must pay for your disobedience by leaving us forever! And as for you..." Mr. Ishtar looked at me. He grabbed me by the collar and dragged me over. "I took you in out of the goodness of my heart when your own family didn't want you and this is how you repay me?" He asked glaring.
"My family wanted me! They died, but I know they loved me!" I argued earning a slap across the face.
"You will be the next to pay for your disobedience and will also leave this family for good! The decision is final!" He said before throwing me to the floor.
"Sera!" Marik shouted. I then heard him scream making me look at him. He was holding his head in pain.
"Marik?" Ishizu and I asked. Marik looked up and chuckled. His hair became wilder and...he looked evil.
"Stop laughing right now!" Mr. Ishtar ordered.
"You don't scare me anymore," Marik said in a dark voice.
"What, Marik?! What are you doing?!" Mr. Ishtar gasped. Marik stood and grabbed the Millennium Rod.
"From now one these items are mine," he said.
"Marik, you shall inherit those when the time is right! And no sooner!" Mr. Ishtar refused.
"Why don't you keep quiet, old man? I'm making my own rules now," Marik told him.
"I order you to put that down!" Mr. Ishtar demanded. Marik turned around and I gasped as I saw the Millennium Symbol glow on his forehead.
"And if I don't?" Marik challenged.
"Drop it!" Mr. Ishtar ordered.
"Marik, no!" Ishizu and I shouted. Mr. Ishtar was sent flying to the other side of the room, held against the wall. Marik did all of this while holding the Millennium Rod.
"Marik, stop this right now!" Ishizu ran over. Marik looked at her.
"This doesn't concern you, Ishizu!" He told her before doing to her what he did to his father.
"Ishizu!" I shouted in worry. I looked at Marik as he looked at me. "You're not Marik..." I gasped.
"Very perceptive," he chuckled before he did the same to me. "Now, father, time to send you to the Shadow Realm," Marik told his father.
"Marik! No, please! Don't do it!" I cried. It was too late and I heard Mr. Ishtar scream as his soul was taken.
"The future is mine! Now to destroy my past!" Marik said walking over to Odion's body. Odion woke up and looked at him.
"No, master, you need me to protect you," he said. Marik seemed to snap out of his and dropped the Millennium Rod. He gripped his head as Ishizu and I were set free.
"Odion, what have I done?!" Marik asked.
"You okay? Master, look at me," Odion said.
"Odion? But what happened?" Marik asked. Odion just hugged Marik.
"It's alright now," he told him.
"That's him! The stranger! STAY AWAY!" Marik shouted. I looked at him with worry, I didn't see anyone else. "Who are you?!" I just looked down after Ishizu and I finished telling them.
"I'm supposed to feel sorry for that spoiled brat?" Joey asked first. "Because he grew into some evil nutcase?! Look, your brother trapped Mai's mind in the Shadow Realm! Now she's living out her worst nightmares! And I'm going to make sure he pays!" Joey glared.
"Yugi, it is possible to destroy the evil within my brother without destroying the good. I realize now that destinies can be changed," Ishizu said.
"But how?" Yugi asked.
"As the Pharaoh's vessel, you have the power to do it, just as Sera has the power to do it with her Crystal. You two must work together though," Ishizu said.
"Attention duelists and guests, the last duel of the night between Joey Wheeler and Sera Kaiba will begin in two minutes. Duelists report to the dueling arena immediately," Roland announced over the comm.
"What? I'm dueling you, Sera?" Joey asked. I shrugged.
"I guess since there's one more spot for the Battle City finals. I guess it's up to one of us to make it," I said looking down.
"And that's going to be me! I've got too much at stake to lose to you, Sera," Joey told me.
"It's the same for me, Joey....I guess I'll see you up there," I said before leaving the room. I'll admit, I felt slightly better, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders...but I knew everyone doesn't trust me now. I don't blame them though. I was in the elevator gripping my Millennium Crystal while ignoring Yami's mental calls for me. "Seraphina...I need your help to get me through this," I whispered. I got out of the elevator and saw my brothers there.
"Hi, Seri!" Mokuba smiled.
"Where's Wheeler?" Seto asked.
"Um...he and the others will be up soon," I said before taking my place on the arena.
"Sera, what's wrong?" Mokuba asked worried. I gave a fake smile.
"It's nothing. I'm fine, Mokie. No worries," I lied. He didn't say anything, but he and Seto looked at me with worry. Joey and the others arrived them.
"It's about time, Wheeler. I was ready to disqualify you for being late," Seto told him.
"Yeah, I bet you'd like that wouldn't you, Kaiba?!" Joey snapped taking his place.
"The duel between Joey Wheeler and Sera Kaiba will now begin!" Roland announced.
"Alright, Sera! Get ready to lose because I'm going to win! I have too much at stake!" Joey told me. I shrugged.
"As do I. Let's just get this over with," I said to him.
"Like the part where you have to save evil, nutcase of a brother?!" Joey snapped. My brothers looked at me.
"What evil brother?" Seto asked.
"Oh, I see. You haven't told them yet. I'll tell them then. While Sera was in Egypt, she was practically adopted into the Ishtar family making Marik her step-brother," Joey told them. Seto and Mokuba looked at me with shocked.
"What?!" Seto shouted.
"Sera, please, tell us this isn't true!" Mokuba pleaded. I looked down.
"I'm afraid it's true, Mokie," I said.
"What's with Joey? He's not usually like this with Sera," I heard Tristen say.
"That story must have really hit him, much more than we thought," I heard Duke reply.
"Well, it's not her fault. She went to Egypt with me. So if it's her fault, then it's mine too," I heard Kendra tell him.
"I don't really blame him though. Marik has Mai trapped in the Shadow Realm," Serenity said.
"Get ready, Sera, I'm going to win this duel and get Mai back!" Joey told me. I sighed.
"Do whatever you want, but I made a promise to Yami that I would help him save the world. That is my destiny and I plan to fulfill it. My promise is my vow," I stated.
"Let's duel!"