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The first thing Kaiba saw was the night sky overhead, the stars like a million small jewels strewn carelessly across a dark canvas. The rumbling of distant thunder promised heavy storm. He was vaguely aware that he was lying on his back, something large and heavy pressing uncomfortably against the lower half of his body. He could hear sirens and frantic shouting, but it seemed muffled and distant, like he was trapped underwater and they were all screaming far above the surface.
Something bad had happened, so unspeakably horrible that his very mind had blocked it out. That much he was sure of. Where was he? Why was he laying on the ground under a sleepless sky?
A pair of strong hands gripped his shoulder and he winced, baring bloody teeth as a wave of nausea racked his quivering form. Metal scraped loudly against asphalt, and the weight left his body, intense pain quickly sweeping in and filling the void it left behind. He couldn’t feel either of his legs. The rear fender of his deep blue Lamborghini was thrown unceremoniously beside him. The custom painted Blue-Eyes decal was almost completely scraped off, only part of the dragon’s head remained. Kaiba drew in a sharp breath, eyes blown wide as the events of the evening suddenly returned to him at full force.
There had been a car accident. He had been in a car accident.
It all happened so fast. He was driving back from his office. It was late, he was tired. The traffic light turned green, he started forward. Then there were two headlights, like bright angry eyes. The rest was a blur. Kaiba could remember his breath being knocked from his lungs as the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass nearly ruptured his eardrums. Then there was simply nothing, shock having claimed the rest of his memory. The young CEO tried to turn his head towards the wreckage, but a sharp pain at the base of his neck quickly dissuaded him. Something was burning, a pungent gasoline smell stung his nose. The strong hands were back. They were gentle this time, carefully pushing matted hair from his face. A voice above the hands cried out, sounding relieved.
More hands crowded towards him, the faces above them blurry and dark. Flashing red and blue lights burned his sensitive eyes as multiple pairs of hands gripped his broken body. He was hoisted onto something soft, every fiber of his being screaming out in pain from being moved. Kaiba tried to shout at them, but only a thick warm liquid left his parted lips. It tasted of iron and fear.
The world spun uncontrollably around him. Someone was barking orders. A woman was crying. He was pushed into something cold and bright, more faces appeared overhead, looking down at him. Again, their features were like empty black voids. One seemed to have unusually spiky hair. The last thing Kaiba could recall was the sound of a terrified young teen shouting his name frantically before everything went black.
Kaiba awoke with a start, jolting upright, forcing air into oxygen-starved lungs. He winced, expecting intense pain, but instead, he felt nothing. The brunette glanced around him, eyes widening in surprise. He was in his personal garden, lying beside the mossy base of a fountain carved in the shape of his most powerful beast, the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Water trickled lazily from the dragon’s open mouths, dripping with a slight echo into the large basin below. A warm mid-summer breeze blew the sweet scents of exotic flowers in full bloom. Overhead, a small flock of bluebirds flew over the mansion’s backyard, chirping as they soared above him. He closed his eyes and sighed, letting his tense shoulders relax.
Was it all in my head? Did I dream up the car accident? He thought to himself, rubbing his temples. The warmth of the afternoon sun soaked into his clothes and he relished it’s soothing feeling. A feeling of life.
A dark shape flickered at the edge of the garden, an unwelcome sight amongst the peaceful scenery. Like a glitch in a video game. Kaiba squinted, bright sunlight partially obscuring his vision. There was something eerily familiar about it. The CEO rose shakily to his feet, feeling unsteady as a newborn deer. He leaned heavily against the fountain, one arm resting on a granite dragon head.
The shadow seemed almost predatory, quickly closing the distance between itself and Kaiba. Wherever its feet touched the ground, plants withered into an ashy dust, blown away like the smoke from a roaring bonfire. It stopped a few feet away, just on the other side of the fountain. The water ceased pouring from the dragon’s mouths. Kaiba stood tall, chest slightly puffed out as the stranger approached.
“Who are you? Answer me, now!” He demanded, attempting to hide his unease behind an assertive tone. Before him, the shade seemed to flicker and distort, its body splitting into multiple tendrils that curled and twisted around one another. At the center of what Kaiba presumed was its face, three golden eyes opened, locking onto the brunette with a hollow stare. At once the darkness swept over it and dissolved, revealing the figure it concealed. It’s shape suggested male, dressed simply in a black sleeveless top and dark blue jeans. He sported intense spiky locks of hair that jutted upwards in black tipped with maroon. Bright golden bangs framed a face concealed by a red and orange mask in the shape of a snarling wolf. Deathly pale skin was stretched tight over a small, bony frame. From the mask’s eyeholes, bright crimson eyes burned with an intensity Kaiba had not seen before in anyone else.
“Who am I? Your kind has many names for me, Seto Kaiba. The Void. Finality. Eternal Rest. He Who Reaps and She Who Devours. I am the absence and existence of everything.” The being’s voice rang through Kaiba’s mind, a deep timbre that seemed to echo in his skull. He took a step back from the unnatural presence. The pale man held a hand out towards the CEO, palm up in a welcoming invitation. “I am Atem, the harbinger of Death.” Kaiba curled his lip in disgust and swatted the offered hand away.
“No thanks, I’ve got a company to run and a brother to look after, come back in fifty years and maybe we’ll talk.” He said, glaring at him. “Now kindly get the hell off my property.” Atem withdrew his hand and laughed.
“Oh but Kaiba, we aren’t on your property. We are inside your mind.” Atem pointed a slender, bony finger towards the fountain. Slowly, Kaiba approached the edge of the basin, peering into its dark waters with fearful eyes. He could see himself, lying in a hospital bed, all manner of machines hooked up to his bruised and beaten body. The room was abuzz with frantic activity. Several doctors were pointing at screens, making notes on clipboards and instructing nurses, who were administering medication to the limp form on the bed. Kaiba tore his gaze away, feeling tears prick at his eyes. He snapped his attention back to Atem, his body trembling with fear and rage.
“It's not real!” He snarled, backing away from the fountain’s edge, nearly tripping on a loose stone behind him. “This is some sort of sick joke!” Atem looked at the crumbling CEO with empathetic eyes.
“I commend you, Kaiba. You are strong, but I am beyond mortal strength.” Atem spoke, his voice like ice, chilling the very air around them. “Come with me.” He held his hand out again, waiting for the young man to give in. Kaiba shrank back as though he had been struck, eyes wide. He tripped on a second stone, falling backwards with a soundless scream. Death regarded him with a cold stare as the ground rose up to meet him.
He awoke to surprised gasps and the sound of something heavy hitting a tile floor. The steady whir and beeping of various machines filled his ears. Several men and women dressed in white were gawking at him, completely pulled from the tasks they had been performing. He raised his head off the pillow slightly, glancing around the room.
“He’s awake! Mr. Kaiba is awake!” One of the doctors shouted, pointing towards the door. “Get the head surgeon! Now! She needs to speak with him!” Several nurses nodded and ran from the room, their frantic footsteps slowly receding down the hall. Kaiba leaned his head back in his pillow, giving a soft groan as a sharp pain shot up his spine. A middle aged woman hesitantly approached him, clipboard in hand.
"I am the doctor’s assistant. Mr. Kaiba. How are you feeling?” She asked sheepishly, readying a pen by the clipboard. Kaiba rolled his eyes.
“Just wonderful.” He hissed through gritted teeth as the pain returned with increasing intensity. The woman swallowed nervously, before jotting something on paper.
“We will increase your pain medication.” She said, glancing over towards a nurse who nodded and silently left the room. “It’s a miracle that you survived that wreck. Not many in your position ever recover.”
“Is that supposed to comfort me?” Kaiba deadpanned, glaring at the assistant. “Because I certainly don’t feel any better.” The woman shrank back, her face flush with embarrassment.
The door opened and a tall woman strode in, several nurses flanking her sides. She approached the side of the bed, bowing respectfully to the brunette. He sat up in the bed slightly, regarding her with a fatigued stare.
“Welcome back to the living, Seto Kaiba.” She spoke. “My name is Dr. Apurikotto. I am the head surgeon at Downtown Domino hospital. I have been going over the records of the accident that occurred two days ago. Unfortunately, I have bad news for you.”
“Great.” Kaiba replied. He supposed bad news was better than no news at all. “Well? Spit it out.” Dr. Apurikotto nodded.
“When your car was struck, you were thrown from the windshield onto the asphalt. The impact broke several ribs, and punctured both of your lungs. We performed emergency surgery, a respirator is currently assisting your breathing. However, a full recovery is unlikely. I wish I had something good to pair with that, but I’m afraid there is more bad news. Part of the car pinned your pelvis and the lumbar vertebrae. Unfortunately, this has led to lower body paralysis. You won’t be able to walk again.”
Kaiba felt the color drain from his face. His lungs were too damaged to function on their own? He’d have to rely on a machine to help him breathe for the rest of his life! To add insult to injury, he was also paralyzed? He couldn’t duel and run his company from a wheelchair! He felt his vision swim, ears ringing, slowly drowning out all over noises. Intense nausea was making him feel faint. He barely heard the head surgeon shout his name out in alarm as he let his elbows go slack and fell backwards.
Kaiba startled awake, head shooting up from his arms. He was sitting at his massive carved oak desk, a soft evening rain pattered against ceiling high windows. The neon of the city behind him cast an ethereal glow in his dimly lit office. A few yellow and red leaves were plastered against the glass. The burnette sighed, he’d have to get maintenance to come clean them off.
He glanced down at his computer, positioned so prominently at the center of his own little universe. The screen was dark, devoid of its usual stock lists, ongoing projects and annoyingly persistent meeting schedules. He pressed the power button, biting his lip in frustration when the machine failed to start up.
“It’s a nice office, Seto.”
Kaiba’s head snapped up, a fierce glare resting on a dark shape reclining on the couch near the door.
“Go away.” He snarled, thrusting a finger towards the exit. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” The spiky-haired man laughed, sliding himself up into a sitting position.
“Nice to see you too.” Atem replied, untangling his long legs from the lush cushions of the designer couch. He rose to his feet, sauntering over towards the desk. “It's been five days since the accident, Seto Kaiba. How much longer are you going to play this game with me?” He leaned his pale arms on the desk, reaching out and gently closing the laptop. Kaiba frowned.
“As long as it takes you to get your talons out of my sides.” He replied curtly, meeting the stare of death incarnate. Atem sighed and pulled up a spare chair, seating himself on the opposite side of the desk.
“I am an inevitability, Seto Kaiba.” Atem spoke, his voice soothing like a gentle breeze. He held out a hand and the brunette watched with bated breath as a rose sprouted from a slit in his palm, its vibrant red hues matching the intense red of his wolf mask. “You came from me...” He continued, stretching out his fingers so his hand was completely flat, showing off the beautiful plant. “...and to me you shall return.” His fingernails became like claws and he balled his hand into a fist, the flower wilted, disintegrating to a fine dust. “All becomes me in time, Seto.” Kaiba stared at the hand, before shaking his head and meeting the other’s gaze with narrowed, defiant cobalt.
“If you are an inevitability, then for now, I will run from you. I will busy myself with work and dueling and bask in the fullness of all life has to offer.” Kaiba countered, rising to his feet with a loud clatter of his chair. He towered over Atem, glaring down at him. “I will turn my back and deny you. You will be forgotten.”
Beneath the wolfish visage, Atem smirked. He waved away the brunette’s bold challenge with a flick of his wrist. Tilting his hand, he let the dust spill onto the desk. A grim reminder of life’s unavoidable fate.
“Ah, but Seto, you can only deny for so long. For each time you are reminded of me, your perfect world will shatter.”
“Nii-sama! Nii-sama! You’re awake!” A young voice cried out. Kaiba’s eyes fluttered open, the bright, fluorescent lights above burning into his retinas. He squinted, glancing towards the shape leaning on the side of the hospital bed. As his vision came into focus, he found himself almost face to face with a teenage boy, dark circles framing tired gray eyes. Shoulder length raven-black hair was tied messily behind his head with a bright green scrunchie.
“Mokuba…” Kaiba breathed, his disused voice coming out a hoarse whisper. Mokuba leaned forward, gently taking his brother’s left hand in his own.
“They didn’t think you were ever going to wake up again, Seto.” Mokuba spoke, voice trembling. “I've been waiting for days just to see your eyes open.” Kaiba felt guilt gnaw at his insides as tears cascaded down his younger brother’s cheeks. “I heard what they told you, about your lungs, and paralyzed legs.” Mokuba paused, wiping tears from his face. “I’ll push your wheelchair Nii-sama.”
Kaiba’s features melted at his brother’s altruistic offer. Slowly, he closed his long fingers around the smaller, shaking hand. Grasping onto it as though that simple touch alone could cure his wounds and make him whole again. He put on the bravest smile he could muster.
“Thank you.” Said Kaiba, the guilt growing as he saw his brother break down again. Mokuba rested his head on the blanket covering Kaiba’s useless legs, letting his tears soak into the sterile fabric. The CEO paused, giving the other some time to cry, biting his lip as he thought of what to say next.
“Hey, Mokey.”
Mokuba’s head shot up from the blanket, eyes wide. It had been many years since he last heard his brother call him by that name. “Seto…”
“Do you remember MoMo?” Kaiba interrupted, feeling a bit dizzy. The claws of unconsciousness were starting to dig into the corners of his vision. Even with the respirator’s help, it was getting hard to breathe. He figured he didn’t have much time left before he was dragged under again. Where he would be waiting. The pale man with the wolf mask.
“Mother’s white cat? A little. I think I remember her sleeping in that old chair in the corner of the living room.” Mokuba replied, looking at this brother with confusion. “Why?”
“I saw her. In a dream. She was in my office back at Kaiba Corp. I couldn’t get her off the desk.” Kaiba spoke, forcing his head up from the pillow, fighting to maintain consciousness. “No matter what I did, she would sit over my keyboard and I couldn't get any work done.”
He supposed it wasn’t actually a dream, but rather some otherworldly encounter he experienced when he was torpid. Less of a passing thought and more of a promise of what could very well come to pass. A visit from a dear old friend, long gone from this world. Perhaps Atem was not the only one trying to lure him to eternal rest. Not that Mokuba needed to know about any of that.
“I know you’ve been wanting a pet for some time. If I recover, we will go out and adopt a cat.” Kaiba continued. “MoMo the second.” Mokuba lit up a bit at his brother’s words.
“Not if, when you recover.” Mokuba corrected. “Please promise me that.”
Kaiba simply stared at Mokuba, his vision rapidly deteriorating as the call of restless slumber sunk its claws fully in. His consciousness slipping away.
“I’ll try.” Kaiba breathed, letting his head rest back on the pillow. Tears pooled at the corners of his bright blue eyes. This could be the last time he ever saw Mokuba. There was no point in pretending anymore. Kaiba was scared. He let his usual mask of cold confidence down, his raw emotions bared to his brother. “If I don’t recover, I want you to know that you were the best brother I could ever have asked for. I love you, Mokuba.” He felt two arms embrace his chest. With the last of his strength, he wrapped an arm around his brother’s back, before the void claimed him once more.
It took some time for Kaiba to get the strength to open his eyes. He was lying prone on an outcropping of smooth stone in a field. The cold, hard ground was freezing his skin. All around him were old tombstones and ghoulish statues, worn smooth with time and covered in moss. Wild, overgrown vegetation obscured much of what had been a stone path that led towards a long abandoned church. A fine dusting of snow covered the landscape. Surrounding the field was a massive forest, its ancient, barren trees clawing at the heavens like millions of bony fingers. The sky above was pitch black, the stars and moon hidden behind thick clouds. A thick fog swirled through the air. He pushed himself up, resting his weight on his hands and knees. A bone-chilling breeze billowed his signature white trench coat out behind him. Kaiba shivered, shifting himself to a kneeling position, wrapping his arms around himself for warmth. He heard approaching footsteps, crunching snow and frozen grass. He looked back over his shoulder. It was him.
Atem walked slowly towards the brunette, holding a large iron lantern on a long wooden pole. The soft glow of the flickering candle illuminated his masked face.
“Welcome back.”
Kaiba glared at him, slowly rising to his legs. He briefly mused that only here, in this half-dead hallucination, would he ever know the simple joys of walking on his own two feet again. Atem tilted his head, the bared fangs of the wolf looked like a mocking smile.
“It has now been an entire month since the accident. Your body is wasting away in that little room. Why do you still fight me? Why do you cling so desperately to that last thread of life?”
Kaiba glared at Atem. “Maybe it all seems inconsequential to you, but I can’t just give up.” He folded his arms across his chest defensively. “I’m not…ready to go.”
“Very few are ever truly “ready to go.” Atem spoke. “Especially at such a young age. That is why I am here, to guide you to the next world. You are exhausted, Seto. This is not a battle you will win.” Atem held out his hand again. “It is time. Do not be afraid.”
Kaiba looked at the welcoming hand. It would be so easy to simply grasp it. Take it firmly in his own hand and let all the pain end, the fighting to cease. He would see them again. Mother, Father and beloved, little MoMo. Would they recognize him? Their eldest son, all grown up, yet gone at such a young age. He didn’t want to admit it, but Atem was right. Kaiba was exhausted. He let his arms fall to his sides, showing his vulnerability to Death.
“You’re right. I’m so tired.” Kaiba spoke, defeated voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t do this anymore.” He looked at Atem, his cobalt eyes, once so fierce and bright, were dull cerulean orbs. Empty like the endless void. “Even if I were to recover, things would never be the same.”
“You’re right, Seto. They wouldn’t.” Atem planted the lantern into the ground, holding out his second hand. “Come with me, and suffer no more.”
Kaiba reached for Atem’s hands. He thought of his brother. What would Mokuba do without him? “What about my brother?” Kaiba rasped, feeling fear gnaw at his chest. Atem blinked slowly and nodded.
“You need not fear for him. Mokuba will be alright. It won’t be easy, but he will move on. In your memory, he will lead Kaiba Corporation into a new age of glory before his own falters.”
Kaiba nodded. It was comforting to know that Mokuba would be able to move forward, not matter how painful it would be. He also knew his brother had Yugi and all those people Yugi called friends to help him. Maybe that “Nerd Herd” wasn’t so bad after all. He hesitated, his fingers lingering close to Death’s. There was still one more question he needed answered.
.
“Atem, why are you wearing such an awful mask? If I come with you, can I see your face?” Atem tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at Kaiba. He had been expecting this.
I am not wearing a mask, Seto.” He paused, letting Kaiba process his words. “What you see is a reflection of your fear. Mortality is a question asked by life, and answered by death.” Atem leaned closer, closing the small gap between himself and Kaiba. “Yours has now been answered. Now look at me for the first time with eyes unclouded by fear and hate.”
Kaiba reached out and grasped Atem’s hands. They felt like ice, a numbing sensation quickly spread into his own skin. He closed his eyes, feeling the chill rush into every inch of his body. There was no turning back now. Slowly, the former CEO opened his eyes. The snarling wolf mask was gone. Atem was staring at him, a reassuring smile gracing his handsome face. His red eyes were vibrant and bright, skin pale yet shiny and soft.
“You’re...beautiful.” Kaiba whispered, taken aback by the other’s appearance. Atem’s eyes widened. Kaiba let go of his hands and brought one up to his cheek, gently brushing a finger against the soft skin. Without another thought, he leaned forward and gently pushed his lips against Atem’s. He could feel him jolt in surprise, before he leaned into the kiss. Once they parted, Death was staring at him with a sad smile, tears running down his cheeks.
“Why are you crying?” The brunette asked, surprised. Atem wiped the tears from his eyes.
“No one has ever called me that.” He spoke. “I have guided countless souls to their eternal rest, and not once have I been called beautiful.” Kaiba gave Atem a friendly, genuine smile. Gently, he took hold of his slender hands again.
“It seems I now have eternity to fix that.” He said, gently nudging the smaller man. “I'm ready. My fate is in your hands.” Atem nodded and pulled Kaiba into a tight embrace. Shadowy tendrils wrapped themselves around the two men, opening up the endless void for them to travel to the next life.
The funeral was a somber one. Only a few were permitted to attend. Mokuba had personally seen over the planning of the small event, perfecting each detail exactly to what he believed his brother would have wished for. It was a chilly fall day, a light rain gently fell, the gray clouds mirroring the mood out in the graveyard.
There was no service, Seto had never been a religious man. Instead, Mokuba invited Yugi and his friends, taking comfort in their presence. They had accompanied him and his brother through so many hardships, from Duelist Kingdom to Alcatraz. Seto had never truly admitted any kinship with the small ragtag group of teens, but deep down, Mokuba knew he would have eventually came around, had he been given the time.
They buried Kaiba beside his parent’s graves. His polished granite headstone stood out beside the two mossy stones beside it. At Mokuba’s instruction, the stone was carved with a Blue-Eyes White Dragon and the logo of Kaiba Corporation. Back at the company headquarters, a statue in the shape of the iconic dragon would be erected in his memory.
Isono stood by the partially overgrown path, a little ways away from the line of headstones. He leaned against the subtle black Pontiac, head bowed in respect as he allowed the younger Kaiba space to mourn. The other guests had departed, save for one. Mokuba knelt on the ground beside the headstone, not caring that the muddy earth was staining his slacks. Beside him, a familiar spiky-haired teen stood, holding an umbrella over the boy’s shaking body. Yugi stood still, glancing down at him with empathetic eyes.
“I’m so sorry Mokuba.” Yugi spoke, repeating his comforting, yet useless apology for what felt like the hundredth time. He gently let a hand rest on the younger Kaiba’s shoulder. Mokuba sighed and reached into a small sack by his side. At the base of the headstone, he placed a small wreath of blue roses, in the center were dozens of cards.
“When Nii-sama was still in the hospital, I read all the birthday cards to him that came in. I really hope he was somehow able to hear all of them.” Mokuba spoke softly, as though he was keeping a secret from the world. "He would have been nineteen." From his pocket, he took out a final card. It was a simple white sheet, a hand-drawn Blue-Eyes covering the front stared back up at him. He smiled weakly at it, before setting it on the top of the pile. “The birthday card you made for him was especially nice. Thank you.”
Yugi nodded. Now that Mokuba was alone, he would need all the help and support he could get. He was prepared to do whatever was needed to help the teen manage the company that had been suddenly thrust into his hands. It was the least he could do, in memory of the man he would always consider his greatest rival and friend.
Mokuba turned from the graves and started for the car, Isono opened the back passenger door to allow him in. Yugi followed, giving one last look at the tombstone before he entered the car.
Seto Kaiba
10/25/1980 to 10/25/1999
Until we meet again, may he rest in peace with MoMo on his keyboard.