Akushi Bakura

**Akushi Bakura**, also known as **Apophis**, is the Malevolence of Loss.

## Story

### Embodiment of Loss

Akushi Bakura was a young archeologist who found a stone tablet. The tabled tied him to Apophis, a thief cursed four millenia ago. His mind half under Apophis's influence, Akushi went to a **Magic: the Gathering** tournament organized by the Abyssal Witch, on **Hashima Island** where ancient artifacts awaited him.

However, Apophis did not expect to meet there Maya Krius, a reincarnation of Mana, the woman who sealed him away 4000 years ago. He repeatedly influenced Akushi into challenging Maya, but due to a mix of Maya's skills, bad luck and external circumstances, Apophis lost repeatedly.

### Plans for Revenge and Redemption

Akushi, infuriated by this additional humiliation, sought to ally himself with Sekhmet Ishtar in order to capture and defeat Maya once and for all. While Sekhmet attempts to defeat Maya, Akushi trains in order to defeat her, but the fundamental Curse associated to his name prevents him from claiming victory.

Maya finally returns to Akushi, having defeated Sekhmet and seeking to fight him at full strength one last time. Akushi, as Apophis, having perfectioned his deck to terrifying extremes, accepts this final duel, revealing his past and origins as the two fight - as a thief who sought to free himself from oppression and loss by stealing from pharaohs only to find himself cursed for eternity.

Despite Apophis's talent, abilities and superior deck, he was unable to overcome the curse of loss, Maya progressively overpowering him. However, instead of crushing him, Maya chose instead to help Apophis break the curse and achive victory, despite her soul being on the line. This caused Apophis to experience victory for the first time in his life, deeply impacting his mindset. Shocked by his victory, Apophis remains there as Maya leaves to face a final opponent and save the world. His Curse finally overcome, the combination of gratitude and anger felt against Maya would eventually make him Maya's main rival - and eventually, lover.

### Facing the Shedim

Maya and Apophis were later sent by Mia to investigate a mysterious tournament organized by Roman Skyward - which turned out to be a way to create a "shining future" by revitalizing the terrifying threat of Adrammelech. Maya and Apophis proved to be instrumental to stopping him, Apophis played an instrumental role in crushing Adrammelech's defenses, exposing his plan and learning of his decklist, and eventually helping defeat Adrammelech.

## Appearance

Akushi is a young man with silvery hair split in spiky bangs. Under Apophis's influence his skin becomes darker and his eyes glow yellow. He usually wears black shorts and a light red coat.

## Personality

Akushi was once a kind and innocent archeologist but Apophis fused with his mind, making him bitter and vindictive. A thief cursed for seeking to rise from his social position, Apophis was made unable to succeed, in any game, battle, dream or purpose he gave himself. This in turn made him the cursed Malevolence of Loss, the embodiment of failure.

Defined by his inability to succeed and desire to overpower this curse, Apophis bore intense hatred for Mana, the one who stopped him when he was human. The fact that Mana's descendant repeatedly defeated him only increased his anger. Finally however, Maya ended up releasing Apophis of his burden, slowly shattering the pessimistic and nihilistic attitude he held since then and allowing hatred to turn to rivality.

## Powers

* **Soul Manipulation:** Allegedly, Apophis can take and corrupt others' souls to enslave it, but he never did it.
* **Shapeshifting:** Apophis can Shapeshift into an immense snake, although this is as well an alleged abiltiy.

## Decks

* As Akushi Bakura, his **Magic: The Gathering** deck is a Sultai (Blue-Black-Green) **Midrange** deck based on manipulating the dead through graveyard alteration and growth, symbolizing his passion as an archeologist and Apophis's subtle influence.
* As Apophis, his deck evolves to pure Dimir (Blue-Black) **Reanimator** and focuses on hyper-efficient reanimation, quickly bringing back monstrous creatures from the graveyard in the blink of an eye in order to summon them quicker and overpower the opponent.

* He develops a Black-Green-Blue **Reanimator Self-Mill** deck during the Skyward Tournament, based on his Warden **Apep, Bearer of the Curse**.

## Storylines

* Queen of Games : Deep Space Duel features Apophis/Akushi as a recurring antagonist.
* Queen of Games : Moloch the Duelist features him as a protagonist.

## Trivia

* Akushi can mean "Evil death" in japanese, and Bakura is a homage to Yu-gi-oh's Ryo Bakura.
* Apophis is the name of a snakelike Egyptian deity who swallows the sun.