BPM: Hello again! Sorry for the long wait again! This chapter took a while and I was debating on if I wanted to make it longer or not. Such a pain! I fear that if I continued it, I would run into the risk of it becoming diluted. Regardless, I decided to push the would be later content into the next chapter. I don't want anyone getting bored of my stories now!

Before we kick this off I just wanted to give a huge shout out to The Master of the Shadow Realm! Thank you for the amazing reviews My Master. I hope my new content is to your liking.

Now, on with Chapter 9!

It felt strange, being invited to this part of the castle. In all of Ryou's time being imprisoned in this stone fortress, he never had the pleasure of venturing down these forbidden hallways. On any normal occasion they were blocked off. It was known that only the Overlord himself could step foot down this endless labyrinth of intertwining corridors. As far as Ryou could see, they were just ordinary hallways, so why was it that only the King could walk here?

Ryou's porcelain skin projected itself amongst the blackened stone surrounding him from all sides, as the moonlight that prowled through the towering gothic windows illuminated his soft yet fragile features. Walking briskly, he wanted to ensure he wasted no time getting to the designated rendezvous point. It had been one month since the King tried to make an unbreakable bond with Ryou. One month since Ryou rejected His tainted blood and caused suspicion amongst the Overlord. One month since Seto had found out Ryou's divine secret and had decided to help keep it hidden. It felt like a lifetime to Ryou.

During a months time, Ryou had healed his wounds and regained his strength. Although positive, it was also stressful for him as there was no summons from the demon king. This terrified the small boy. Did Seto betray him? Is that why His Highness hadn't called for him? Was He planning the perfect way to punish Ryou for withholding this information from him? His mind couldn't help but twist itself around the possibility that Seto went back on his word as his figure was aglow by the Moon's light, then completely eclipsed by the fortress' heinous shadows, only to emerge into the Moon's luminescent glow as he passed by the towering casements.

The door that lead to the outside was made out of thick, charred wood, decorated with iron and adorned with a menacing goats head. It reeked of cedar, a scent that Ryou could no longer stand. Before he arrived, the smell of cedar was comforting to him. He remembered his old home, the small, one story building which housed him, his father, as well as his later mother. His father hand carved the furniture out of cedar so the scent was in every room. It found it's way into the cushions of their couch and chairs, the hallway closet that held their towels, extra blankets and coats. The fragrance burrowed its way into their clothes that were placed in the dressers. He missed snuggling into his Mother's shirt, inhaling deeply as she wrapped her arms around him in a loving embrace.

That was then, before his capture. Cedar had a whole different meaning for him now. The doors in every corridor were made a cedar. The end tables in every room were made the cedar. The King's bed frame was made of cedar. Although painted, Ryou knew the scent that he was forced to inhale and the King held him, his face shoved into the headboard as He mercilessly had his way. The scent sickened him.

With a strong will, he grabbed hold of the intricate handle, and pulled with all of his might. The door protested, groaning loudly, dragging itself along the ornate rug that decorated the cold stone floor. It gave way, exposing the outside world to the boy, teasing him with false freedom, but Ryou knew it was only the courtyard. His days of running free amongst the villagers were over. He looked around.

The inner ward of the castle looked quite large, despite being surrounded by the building's soaring barricades. Ryou took one step forward, his foot landing on the smooth marble pathway that that stretched forward, and wound around the land before him. The pathway divided into multiple directions, lined by Eucalyptus Ghost Gums, baren type trees with white bark and outstretched branches that looked as though they could snatch you out of thin air and tear you asunder. It had an eerie, ominous presence that sent shivers down Ryou's spine.

Ryou made his way down the pathway before him, taking timid steps as to not disturb the surrounding scenery. As he went down the path ahead of him, the trees, although barren, stood tall, blocking out most of Ryou's view as they hovered over him, giving him a sense of claustrophobia. Whipping his head back and forth at every noise he heard, he crossed his arms over his chest, tightly grasping his shoulders as he made his way down the encased walkway. He could see something further down. Could it be the center? His pace increased, heart pounding as he made his way.

Blocking out all of the sights and sounds around him, he persevered. Pushed forward until he broke free from the trees' looming, suffocating branches. It was like a breath of fresh air.

The surrounding pathways conjoined at the center, merging into a circular pattern that sheathed the centerpiece of this twisted maze of decaying flora. Ryou looked around, and if he didn't know any better, he could have sworn it was…

"Snow?" Ryou tilted his head.

White flakes flurried around the night air, covering the walkways that wound around him. His feet stood atop a thickened white blanket that, to Ryou's amazement, was warm to the touch. He outstretched his hand, patiently waiting for at least one flurry to land in his cupped palm. He brought it back, inspecting it closely with quizzical eyes. Although primarily white, it had blackened edges. He lifted his finger and grazed it along his palm, leaving a grayed trail along with it. This wasn't snow, it was ash. Looking downward, his feet and ankles were darkened with soot.

He dusted off his hands, continuing his investigation of the area. It was only then that he noticed what had to have been the crown jewel of his captor's palace.

It was a fountain, but this wasn't like any type of fountain that Ryou had ever seen. The base was round, embellished with rubies of all shapes and sizes, acting as a moat that held in the glistening liquid that engulfed the podium that stood proud, lifting up the ethereal figure that casted its shadow on the small boy.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Ryou spun around, leaving a small cloud of dust around his legs as he faced his King. "One of my many treasures from the Angelic kingdom. We modified it of course to suit our needs. Now it is a symbol. A symbol of corruption. Powerless as it stands, decaying from the inside. Truly a marvel."

The figure's origin was clearly angelic, her soft facial features handcrafted with tender love and care, however the innocence of the piece was forcefully ripped away as it was refitted, giving it a demons' ambience. Amid her flowing locks emerged demon horns that were carved from transparent black diamond giving it a ghostly ombre effect from black to clear faded crystal. It wasn't just the horns that were modified with this effect. Her slender fingers tips were outstretched, tainted with this blackened diamond. In addition, the tips of her endless waves that sprouted from atop her head and the hem of her divine frock also ended in this ghastly crystal. Massive formulated wings protruded from her curved delicate back. Leather like in appearance, they were also made from black diamond. Ryou shuttered, you could see the stress marks, proof that the original design of the sculpture was not meant to hold the weight of the sacrilegious atrocities that were added to it. All this didn't even come close to the almandine gem that looked at though it was shoved forcefully, and carelessly into her chest.

The Overlord stood, a lustful smirk across his face as he gazed at the fountain. Timidly, Ryou walked closer to his captor. Red eyes lazily found their way towards the boy.

"I know there is something inside you. Something angelic. Whether or not you are aware of it yourself, I am unsure" Ryou stood panicked, waiting for the King to continue. This was it. This is where he met his demise by the hands of the demon before him. He turned his head away from the sinister man of power, gaze locking back onto the marble statue. Bakura's eyes followed the boys gaze. He grinned wickedly. Clearly his prize was capturing the small one's attention, maybe he should let the slave witness the statue's qualities first hand and see how captivating it is afterward. It would certainly teach him to turn away from his master while He speaks.

"This statue is not only a decoration. Within her marble frame resides a terrible ability." The King grinned wildly as he paced around the base, dragging is clawed fingertips against the darkened marble. Ryou stood, eyes never leaving the form.

"What is it?"

"Move close." Ryou moved closer to the fountain's base. Black water glittered with a reddish tint as the Moon's glow engulfed the area. He reached out, bringing his touch to the fallen angel's outstretched hand. It was cold, almost painfully so. Ryou lifted his eyes to the beautifully crafted face, and it broke his heart. Her eyes were expressionless and a saddened smile adorned her flawless face. It looked as though she was stuck in a memory, a memory that promised a hopeful future, but was completely undone and she was powerless to stop it. He traced his hands from the tips of her fingers, down the hand sculpted folds of her flowing gown to the edge of the fountain's base.

It was covered by water droplets from the pool it surrounded. He dragged his fingers through the liquid for a brief moment until he quickly retracted, grabbing the palm of his hand in pain. It burned. The liquid had burned him with such an intensity it nearly blistered. Ryou looked up in horror.

The gem inside the statue's chest glowed as the water started to boil. The bubbles doubled, tripled, quadrupled in quantity. Ryou backed away. The King was motionless, fangs glowing as he extended his sadistic Cheshire gin. Black smoke surrounded the fountain, making the surrounding area grow darker and darker. Suddenly the water burst upwards, knocking Ryou to the ground. It shifted, from tall pillars to slender outstretched arms, complete with jagged nails. The air was so thick with the heat that the fountain was giving off that Ryou was barely able to breath.

That was when he felt it. It felt like a white-hot razor blade was dragging itself across his calf. He carried himself away, attempting to catch his breath. He inspected his leg, terrified on what he would discover as the pain was maddening. To Ryou's surprise, there was nothing. Not a single mark was made. Perplexed, he looked around, only to find the fountain surrounded by tens of hundreds of outstretched arms, He lifted himself off of the ground slowly. The jagged talons of the offending hands surrounded him from all directions. He covered his mouth in a vain attempt to keep the thick fog out of his lungs. He took small, timid steps backward.

The hands swooped in, fast as lighting and aiming right for Ryou. He let out a terrified scream as they grabbed onto him. Each swipe of their claws burned like hot iron on his delicate skin. He tried with all of his might to pull away, using all of the force that he could muster, but with every passing second, the pain grew worse and worse. The aching boy fell to his knees, pushing the resting ash that lay on the ground upwards, forming into a cloud that swallowed his frame. He was dirty. His light skin smeared with blackened soot while his white tresses turned onyx. Tears flooded down his cheeks, clearing the dirt that resided there, but leaving stains that ended at the bottom of his chin. It hurt so much, he just wanted it to end as he curled himself into a ball, trying his hardest to block it out.

The demon took small strides to catch up with the boy. He loved seeing him like this. The pain in his eyes, the tears that fell. It was intoxicating. Raising his hand slightly, the gem's glow started to pulsate. The shadows halted their assault and everything stood still.

"It's truly a wonderful ability. All it needs is a command from one whom it deems worthy, and it won't stop until it is ordered to do so, or until the object of its assault is dead. As you have just witnessed, it doesn't leave a single mark on you, but it drives you mad. Every claw that you witnessed impale your skin felt real, didn't it? You could feel your skin being torn to pieces as you tried to get away. That is the power of this marvelous piece."

"W-what?" Ryou opened his eyes, lifting himself off of the ground partway and looked around. "You mean to tell me that none of this has happened?" His body throbbed. There was no possible way that wasn't real.

"Oh no, it happened. At least, your mind thinks it has. That and the power of divine intervention of course. I demand the execution of another; the fountain will deliver the corpse of whomever I chose. The vapor that the fountain expels gets into the mind of the victim and twists it until they break. They see everything I want them to see. They feel what I want them to feel. The fountain listens to me because I am the only one worthy of it listening to. So as long as I am in power, this will be my own personal weapon. My own Queen Jezebel!" Lowering His hand the outstretched arms retreated into the black liquid. The gem went dim and the air was cleared. Ryou could breath again.

His looming shadow came over Ryou as he lay on the ground, panting heavily in a vain attempt to regain his breath. His crimson eyes narrowed at the fallen being. He lowered Himself on bended knee, grabbing a fist full of tussled locks, yanking backward. Ryou let out a low moan, eyes tightly shut. The King's lips moved in close to Ryou's ear, inhaling the scent of vanilla that radiated off the boy. He whispered:

"I will rip out every ounce of purity from your soul. All that will be left is an empty shell. A shell that I can fill with whatever I wish. The thought alone excites me." The Demon King pushed the boys head back down as He rose.

"Get back in the castle. You are to never enter here again unless otherwise instructed by me. Let this experience be a lesson to you. Never double cross me. Never hide anything from me. You belong to me, and I will have no problem enlightening you on the countless ways I can show it." Chocolate eyes met with crimson as the demon turned, leaving the poor boy on the ground.

He blinked, and his captor was gone. Looking around, he gulped as he slowly brought himself to his feet. His body shook in pain and he put one foot in front of the other, trying to block it out. He needed to go back into the prison they called the castle, and he needed to do it fast. Gritting his teeth he took off, the muscles in his legs screaming in protest as he ran through the ghostly trees, down the forward pathway that lead to the giant cedar door, back to the shadow infested hallway. He turned, grabbing hold of the hinged door and pushing it closed with all of his might. He heard the click indicating it had locked. Turning around, Ryou rested his back against the door and slid downward, grabbing his arms. He needed to control his breathing. Just a moment to gather his thoughts before steadying himself on his own two legs to make the rest of the journey back to his quarters.

His mind was occupied on the events that had previously played out. So much so he lost track of where he currently was and where he was going. It was as though his body was on autopilot, turning him when it deemed it time to turn. The paintings on the wall, and the curtains that hung over the windows blurred past him as his paced quickened. The pain dulled the more he moved, but the psychological torment lingered. How could this demon have the power of psychological warfare? How did he get his hands on such a device? How many others suffered under the suffocating haze of the cursed fountain? He should have felt lucky, he was granted mercy and was left to live. Or was it mercy? Wouldn't it have been easier if the white haired demon just ended him there? Why let this torment continue? Why him? Clearly Ryou had the qualities that the Demon King loathed, so why keep him alive? One would think he could be a potential threat. The young boy chuckled nervously. Him, a threat? He would sooner be a blood stain on the corridor's many elaborate rugs before he caused harm the the Overlord.

Deep in thought, he whipped around the corner, only to come crashing into a sturdy figure. Ryou let out a muted yelp as he was knocked backwards, eyes wide as he stared at the demon in front of him.

"You..." Seto stood surprised at Ryou's current state.

The boy was trembling, holding himself tightly and digging his nails into his shoulders, deep enough that small trickles of blood were flowing from the self inflicted wounds, down his arms and onto the floor beneath him. His eyes were red and swollen, no doubt from tear shed as shown by the trails that lead from his eyes to the base of his chin. He was covered head to toe which according to Seto, looked like dirt. His hair was matted, covered in sweat and blackened. Loose strands that were normally soft and pristine were sticking out wildly from every angle. His bangs covered parts of his face, partially hiding his broken, yet horrified expression.

"Seto…" he whispered as his strength gave out, plummeting him to the floor. The general was faster, appearing right at his side wrapping his arms around little Ryou.

"Ryou, what happened to you?" Eyes of blue looked over the fallen 'angel'. He removed one of his hands, closely inspecting it. This wasn't dirt, it was ash. Seto only knew of one location hidden within the castle walls where ash like this is in abundance. Eyes widened in realization.

"He took you to Jezebel, didn't he?" The smaller of the two nodded. What the hell was the King thinking?! Seto furrowed his brow in rage. Grown demons don't even have the mental capacity to handle the mental trauma that Jezebel produces, let alone a human boy. Even with Ryou's special gift, the stunt was too risky. A risk that put Seto on edge. He lifted Ryou with ease and carried him down the hall. Ryou looked around in confusion.

"I need to go back to my chambers. His Majesty ordered it! If I don't-" Seto cut him off.

"No. You're coming with me. Your mind is under a tremendous amount of stress. The king was a fool to force you to endure it. No. The worse thing you could possibly do is be by yourself in this state." Seto took an unfamiliar turn forcing Ryou to panic. The decor changes drastically, from warm to cool colors. The blues that adorned the walls were magnificent, and reminded Ryou of a certain demon's eyes. The King's servant felt the young one's muscles tense up. He tightened his grip slightly, reassuring the boy that it will be alright.

"The King is not likely going to be checking in on you tonight, I can assure you."

"How do you know?" Seto chuckled, passing one of many reptilian like statues that helped guard the halls.

"You forget, I am his right hand. I have strong Intel on the King's daily schedule. I know for a fact that he has an important meeting to attend to this evening and will be tied up until the early hours. Your presence will not be missed by His Highness tonight." Ryou settled upon hearing Seto's words. He let out a sigh of relief he relaxed into the demon's embrace as they made their way towards Seto's domain.

Before long, they reached the wooden doors that separated the rest of the castle from Seto's resting place. With a flick of the wrist, the key was inserted into the lock, and the lumbering doors swung open as they made their way inside. Once inside, the doors shut, locking the two inside the frigid, somber chamber.

BPM: So, what did you think? Great ending huh?! I bet you wished I continued with this chapter now! Bwahahaaa! Next chapter is underway, but please be patient as I have a bunch of stuff going on personally, but I will get as much done as I can. In the mean time, please review, like, and fave this story if you love it! I appreciate all of your feedback! Thanks for stopping by and I will see all of you in the next chapter!