Legends
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Summary: Ryouta Kajiki must deliver yearly tributes to an ocean dragon in return for sparing his life. If the rumors are true, the greatest treasure in the world is still out there. They will find it, and become legends. / AU, Spearshipping, Ryouta x Yugi
A/N: Written for round thirteen of the YGO Fanfiction Contest. The pairing is Spearshipping (Ryouta Kajiki/Mako Tsunami x Yugi Mutou). I will be using the Japanese names in this story. This is an AU derived from a heavily fictionalized version of feudal Japan and various mythologies and incorporations of YGO canon and duel monsters. The italicized sections are flashbacks. Enjoy!
There is a wood-block print on his wall, of a long expanse of ocean, a blue so dark it looks dyed with Indigo, and rolling waves that rise in pitches against a sky of gray and one lone boat braving the waters. The storm is in motion, although the sails of the boat are full and confident. He keeps the painting to remind himself of what he had lost and what he had gained in pursuit of one of the greatest treasures known to man.
Not the greatest, however. That designation is given to a treasure that was purported to be so great that Ryouta knew that it could never have been real. His own claim to such similar greatness had landed him near death, tossed to the bottom of the sea from a boat much like the one in the painting, in the midst of a storm much worse than could ever be described with oils and the colors man could devise…
Legends
He remembered the feeling of helpless panic as the waves swept over him, dragging him ever deeper as he reached with blind hands, legs kicking with every ounce of force he could muster, eyes wide to the hint of light slowly disappearing, the outline of his boat growing ever distant and muddled against the dark, cold water.
One strong wave had been enough to knock him from the deck, followed by anything he hadn't had time to strap down to the deck. His struggles renewed as he realized his feet were caught in a cluster of rope that had fallen with him, and as he looked around he was filled with a disappointment so dense that it seemed to sink him more than the weight of the waves and his own unresisting body. He had failed, when he knew the location of the Ryukyu treasure…he was so close, only to fail at the very end of his journey.
He could feel the barest sensation of something slippery touching his arm, before something suddenly wrapped around his ankles and tugged, hard. Ryouta was pulled downward sharply, feeling the water rushing past him as something dragged him further away from the surface and down towards the bottom of the sea. He was moving quickly, changing direction, but still whatever was attached to him refused to let go. Ryouta was too consumed by the feeling of his lungs constricting, struggling with what little oxygen remained, to wonder just what had snatched him from the water. The feeling remained, of something slippery, almost like scales.
He closed his eyes—it was not like he could see anything anyway, after all—only to be yanked upwards this time, and with welcome relief he felt stale, cool air against his face as he was jerked from the water. Ryouta opened his eyes to find himself hung in the air from a long, sinewy tail connected to the body of a giant sea serpent, undulating in waves to the large head analyzing Ryouta with sharp, intelligent eyes.
Ryouta did not like to be examined this way, suddenly wishing to be back in the water where he himself felt most comfortable. The sea serpent flicked his tail, throwing Ryouta through the air to land gracelessly on the hard cave floor, his nose only inches from a gold cup half-buried in the dirt.
The sea serpent settled itself on top of a similar mound of dirt and stacked pieces of gold and other precious metals, from coins and glittering jewelry to cups and crowns. The wealth of an entire kingdom was before him, and Ryouta found himself overcome by the cavernous dwelling and its massive occupant, and as his eyes slowly adjusted to the lack of light he could see just how expansive they both really were. Pale stone columns stick out of the ground near him and at various intervals along the cave wall, stretching as far as he can see.
"Yes, I suppose I am rather impressive." The voice of the serpent was higher-pitched than Ryouta was expecting—he was not expecting that it would even have a voice, to be fair—and it seemed almost musical. "Many more have gawked at the very sight of me and my treasures."
"I do not gawk," Ryouta protested, affronted, before realizing just who he was speaking to. The serpent had saved his life, but he had the feeling that the creature was just as capable of ending it, if it chose to. "I mean, of course the treasure is impressive, but it's nothing compared to what's waiting for me on the Ryukyu Islands."
"You are a treasure hunter?" At this, the dragon seemed curious. "At first I had only intended for you to serve as my entertainment or a light snack, but this could be better."
The serpent slowly slid down the mount of treasure, slinking around the cave before approaching him, the scales shining against the subtle gleam of dirt-rubbed gold. "How would you like to make a trade, boy?"
"I am not a boy—I am Ryouta Kajiki, the greatest seafarer and treasure hunter in the world!" This time, he made no attempt to hide the tone of his voice, from the offense he felt in the first to the pride he felt at the last.
"When you've lived as long as I have, Ryouta, everyone is," the serpent began, adding a dry chuckle to the air. "And I am the Sea Dragon Lord. How would you like a deal?"
"A deal?" He was naturally skeptical, although the way the serpent was curling its body around him gave Ryouta no sense of comfort. The tail tightened again, this time around his waist, lifting Ryouta into the air to gaze level into the face of the serpent. Its scales were a dark green, and as Ryouta gingerly rested his hands against the surface the scales seemed cold and hard, still slick from the water.
"What kind of a deal?" he continued.
The serpent laughed again. "My, how eager to return to the surface, are you? I thought you enjoyed the water." At this, the coils surrounding him squeezed tighter for an instant, but relaxed again as a subtle reminder to Ryouta of just who held the power there.
"You tell me you are a treasure hunter—I believe you. I offer you your life on the condition that you bring me tribute once a year. A small portion of the Ryukyu treasure should suffice."
Ryouta glanced up, meeting the black eyes of the Sea Dragon, set off to the side like a reptile's. "What will stop me from refusing to return next year?"
The coils tightened again. "Your honor," the serpent spat. "And the fact that I will find you if you ever set foot in an ocean again. If you wish to remain on the ocean, you have only to return to the water above this spot and I will find you. With your treasure, of course." The gleaming eyes of the Sea Dragon matched the gleam of the gold already on its hoard.
"Once a year?" Ryouta repeated.
"To this very day." The Sea Dragon nodded its head, the motion carrying through the rest of its long neck and body. "So…do we have a deal?"
"Yes."
He woke up the next morning on a long expanse of rocky shore, his boat pulled up away from the water, somehow relatively intact. In his quarters and pinned to a desk rested a map he'd drawn himself, combining the bits of stories and information gleaned from those he'd encountered in his hometown and on his long travels. Nearly complete, it marked the location of the treasure.
He found it, just as he had believed; a large wooden chest rimmed with rusted metal. He broke the lock, opening it to find stacked bars of gold, each heavy enough that he had to take three trips to carry them all.
It did not matter to him where the gold had come from, or its history. What mattered was that anyone from that point on, when they wondered who had been the one to brave the seas and find it, would remember the name of Ryouta Kajiki.
Ryouta knocks on the back door of the small shop, waiting as patiently as he can for the minute before the door opens and the owner steps outside, his hands already reaching for the basket of fish under Ryouta's arms.
"Three Koban per fish, as we agreed," Ryouta says, pulling the basket back. The shop owner lifts the lid, surveying the contents.
"Three! For this, I'll give you two each. It's still a good deal."
"But we agreed on three," Ryouta insists.
"What, is the famous treasure hunter hurting for money?" The owner laughs, reaching into a pocket for a handful of coins, jingling them in his open palm. "I bet the rumors are true—you didn't even find the Ryukyu treasure. If you did, you wouldn't be living in a hut! Where'd it all go, huh? Taxes?" He laughs again, dropping the coins into Ryouta's palm and exchanging them for the basket of fresh fish while Ryouta silently watches on. "If you were really great, you'd go after the Yakushima treasure. Now that's really a fortune! Riches the likes of which you or I have never seen—that is, if you believe the rumors."
The door closes with a bang, leaving Ryouta standing in the glade behind the shop. He glances at the coins in his palm before clenching his fingers together tightly.
"Till next year," the Sea Dragon Lord answered. Its reply was always the same, always delivered with the kind of superior amusement that it never seemed to shed. The bar of gold was added to the hoard, lovingly caressed with the tip of the serpent's tail.
The trip back was uneventful, although for Ryouta he was acutely aware of each passing second, knowing exactly what he would find when he returned to his home. The large castle complex rested on the edge of the ocean, and Ryouta was one of the city's most successful fishermen. They used the castle's thick boundary walls as protection from the outside world—the forests and mountains where the creatures lived. The oceans were large enough that the creatures were rarer, but they still lurked deep beneath the waters; some believed they even had the power to control the storms and the currents. In return for the city's protection, the daimyo levied taxes on the citizens, but they paid it gladly for the services offered—no one wanted to be at the mercy of one of those creatures, but Ryouta had found himself indebted to one of the more powerful spirits, and his life would be forfeit if he refused to provide the requested tribute.
His house was small, and Ryouta easily located the hidden metal chest, uncovering it to observe the last two bars of gold, stacked beside one another. Two more years of life, according to the Dragon Lord's scale.
The city center is large and impressive, and people are almost constantly moving about; the soldiers head for training, the merchants adjust their wares on stalls and shelves set up against the tall white stone buildings and towers that give the city its striking appearance. Ryouta sits down on a low wall away from the pedestrian traffic, and after a moment another figure drops into place beside him.
"Your day cannot be going any worse than mine is," Ryouta states, tilting his head to watch his friend.
"Well, I could kill you where you sit with any number of weapons, but none of that is going to matter if I'm up against a man-eater bug," Honda replies. "They don't call them that for nothing, you know."
"That's…nice." Ryouta rubs the back of his neck absently, glad he is not dressed in the iron chest-plate and thick leather guards on his arms and legs. It looks heavy and cumbersome, and even in his simple white clothing Ryouta is still warm from the sun beating overhead.
"Hey, tell me what you know about the Yakushima treasure," Ryouta asks, leaning towards the soldier.
"According to my cousin, it's real," Honda says. "I think so, too—the rumors must've come from somewhere, and that's got to have a bit of fact, right?" He lowers his voice, speaking quickly. "It's got to be out there—people have been finding artifacts recently in some of the old temples in the mountains." At this, he frowns disapprovingly.
"Go on," Ryouta encourages, trying not to sound interested. "You're telling a great story, you know."
"It's not a story," Honda insists. "If people can find valuable things there, I don't see why some of the islands wouldn't have all these hidden resources—the mountains are right there, you just have to get past the monsters. You're the only one I know who's skilled enough to get across the sea, so it's no wonder no one's found it yet."
"Sounds good to me," Ryouta says, suddenly standing up. "Where's your cousin live, anyway?"
"Domino," Honda answers quickly. "But you can't seriously be considering going there, you'd never make it on your own!"
"From what I've heard, I'd have to just about cross the country anyway to reach the closest port to Yakushima island," he says. "I'll see what I pick up along the way."
"Will you think about this for a minute! There's no sense in leaving now, you'll only get yourself killed—remember the man-eater bugs!"
"But I have been thinking about this, for a year now," Ryouta tells him. "If I'm going to die, I'm at least going to do something about it."
"You're not making any sense." Honda shakes his head in defeat. "At least—" He reaches for the hilt of his dagger and pulls it out, handing it and its sheath over to Ryouta. "Take this for your own protection. If you're actually going to leave."
"I am." Ryouta takes the dagger. "And thanks. This will protect me from the grass-eating bugs, at least," he jokes.
"If you come back with that treasure, I want a commission," Honda says. "It better be nice."
"Oh, it will be," he replies. "In my mind, I can already see it."
Ryouta uses a small amount of his savings to purchase a horse for the trip to Domino, thinking that he could sell it again once he arrives. It will take several days to reach the city, and he has no desire to wind up prey to one of the more dangerous creatures of the forest. As it is, travel of any kind is risky, but Ryouta's profession is of a different kind of risk management. On the sea he is in constant struggle with the elements and the limitations of his own skill, and he loves being able to break them and command both as he works.
The sun rises and falls twice, and Ryouta knows on sunrise of the second day that he is close to the city. Honda provided a crude map for him to reference, and there is a thin but present path through the forest that grows stronger the closer he gets to Domino.
"And not one sighting of something unsightly," he says to the horse, which pricks its ears in response. "We're doing pretty well for ourselves."
A rustle in the forest to their left draws Ryouta's attention, and he moves the horse into a faster pace. On a few of the trees, he can see the remnants of a glossy, white spider's web, and the sight instantly makes him uneasy. He doesn't see any sign of a Jirai Gumo or any other insects known for residing in this particular forest, but as the rustling increases he can hear the faintest buzzing sound.
He turns his head in time to see a Great Moth emerge from between two trees, its wings twice as large as its body, its mandibles twitching and shining. Eyes wide, Ryouta sharply urges the horse into motion and it complies, but the Moth follows, flitting quickly through the clearing after them.
"Where are you going, delicious treat?" The moth's voice is whiny and off-pitch, almost overshadowed by the clicking noise of its legs and the buzzing of its wings.
"What?" Ryouta is too stunned to say any more, simply urging the horse to move faster and faster, even as the insect is rapidly catching up to them.
"I was talking about the horse, not you!" the bug shrieks, stopping suddenly as a rock is pelted through the air, smacking the Moth's head. A second and third follow in quick succession, and the Moth shrieks again, curling back as a small figure leaps down from one of the trees, and Ryouta slows the horse down to see who it is.
"Don't stop!" The voice is deeper than expected; the figure is short, the effect heightened from Ryouta's position on the horse. "The town is just that way!"
Ryouta follows the man's outstretched hand, and the two hurry together through the forest, left by the Giant Moth. At the city's gates, Ryouta is reminded of his own home as he gazes upon the seemingly-impenetrable walls, theirs made of a brown stone, and they enter as the doors open for the two.
Once inside, Ryouta wastes no time dismounting and turning to the stranger. "Thanks a lot. What did you do to that Moth?"
The man shrugs, pulling back his hood to display a head full of strange, multicolored hair. "Slingshot." He holds up the object in question, and Ryouta gapes at the simple weapon.
"You took on that thing with a slingshot? You're either very brave or an idiot." Ryouta grins. "I'm inclined to the further. Ryouta Kajiki," he adds by way of introduction.
"Yugi Mutou. Is there anything else I can do to help you? I can tell you're not from around here." Yugi gives Ryouta a strangely familiar, inquisitive glance, but coming from him Ryouta doesn't mind.
"I'm looking for the cousin of a Hiroto Honda. Do you know them?" he asks.
"No," Yugi says apologetically. "I'm sorry."
"That's fine," Ryouta says. "Then, I'm looking for the treasure of Yakushima. Do you know it?"
Yugi's jaw loosens enough for Ryouta to gatch it, and his own mouth forms a wide grin. "I take it you have."
"You're…that Ryouta Kajiki? I've heard of you—the famous treasure hunter!"
"I can think of worse things to be famous for," he jokes. "So—what have you heard?"
"Actually, now that you mention it…"
As it turns out, Yugi had heard plenty about the treasure, and he spends the next several hours telling Ryouta what he knows, detailing the rumors and helping him separate the fact from invention. Domino was a bright, fairly modern city, although it was still clearly rooted in the landscape; trees grew tall beside temples and buildings with ornamental architecture and accents, and the greens and browns of nature were punctuated by the occasional splash of bright red or blue.
"I do have a condition, you know," Yugi says. "For saving you in the forest, and for telling you this information."
"Name it," Ryouta concedes.
"I want to come with you." Yugi waits for Ryouta's refusal almost as if expecting it, yet it never comes. Only silence reaches his ears, and when Yugi looks at Ryouta he sees in his face a look of intense concentration.
"It's going to be dangerous," Ryouta says, finally. "Have you ever been on the sea?"
"…No," Yugi says, hesitantly. "But I want to get out of this town—I want to see more of the world, and have an adventure, and spend some time with…my new friend," he finishes. "Please don't fault me for it, because I really would like to come with you."
As Ryouta looks at Yugi, he cannot find it in himself to tell him 'no,' yet he doesn't want to condone something that might lead into further danger, for the both of them.
"The last time I found a great treasure," Ryouta begins, "I met a great Sea Dragon." Yugi's eyes widened, and Ryouta grinned at his captive audience. "Who knows what we'll encounter this time?"
"We'll?" Yugi's excitement is visible, and his entire body seems to straighten from the word alone. "That's a good start, at least. Maybe we'll meet a magician, or another dragon!"
"If you want to come with me, I'll be leaving tomorrow," he says. "Meet me at the gates at sunrise, with whatever belongings you need."
Several hours later found Ryouta buying a horse for Yugi, wondering why he was doing it. The man could hardly walk all the way to the next port, and while he tried to cover it up, his clothing was patched in places from excessive wear. Ryouta handed over the money without complaint, taking extra care with the second horse. He was doing this for his journey; it would be much faster if neither of them were walking. He certainly wasn't doing it to watch the expression on Yugi's face when he presented the younger man with the gift.
"Next time, Ryouta," the Sea Dragon Lord's toothy, smug grin as he collected the bar was for once not directed at the gold, but at its bearer. "Certainly your Ryukyu riches must be nearing their end, are they not? You were but a boy when you found them...do you have friends, Ryouta? Children? Will someone miss you when you die?"
It curled closer, and Ryouta could feel the sting of the cold scales brushing against his arm. "I would miss you, you know. After you are dead." It laughs, and the sound comes from somewhere deep within it.
"I won't be dying anytime soon," he responded.
"Really, now?" The serpent inclined its large head, eyes slitted. "Well, you can rest assured that the sea or nothing else will kill you while your life belongs to me. I will not have you dying while you've paid your dues to me, you see."
"How can you—?"
"Have you wondered why your catch is always better than the others? How you navigate the oceans better?" The serpent laughed again. "It's because of me, Ryouta."
"No, that's not true." Ryouta was adamant. "It's because I'm the best."
The Sea Dragon's smile was sly and knowing, and he curled closer, tossing the gold bar with its tail to the hoard behind its back, never once looking back. "You're a wonderful treasure, Ryouta, and I would love to collect your bones some day. Would you like that?"
"It's not true. It's not—"
"Oh, but you know it is," the serpent replied. "Some of us—the more powerful ones, of course—have that power, you know this. I am the Lord of the Ocean—I can control it. I do so to both help and hinder you—it's so much fun to watch you struggle against it. Against my power."
"Return me to the surface," Ryouta asked firmly. "I will be back in one year."
"To the day, now," the serpent reminded.
"Of course," Ryouta said. "How could I ever forget?"
The deck of the boat is built sturdily, and Ryouta has no complaints with its manufacture. He feels comfortable with its mechanisms, its coarse ropes binding large white sails and barrels of water to the deck surface. The sun beats strongly far above their heads, and Yugi's curiosity at the sight of the boat is almost as endearing as his reaction was to the gift of his horse. Both have since been sold to finance the boat, in addition to the rest of Ryouta's savings—and it is nice, every bit as well made as his older boat is—and he instantly approaches the steering lever, marveling over every inch of the boat.
"Well," Ryouta says finally, folding his arms over his chest, both unable to keep from grinning at the purchase of the boat. "It isn't going to sail itself, you know."
Two days see a vast improvement in Yugi's sailing skills, although he can never quite replicate the ease that Ryouta moves throughout the rigging and sails, leaping up to the railing at times of calm water to look off into the distance, using the stars at night to plot their course.
They lie on the deck and listen to the waves as night passes, often in conversation. Ryouta finds himself drawn to Yugi's simple take on life, and Ryouta himself has no shortage of stories to pass the time.
"Do you consider me your friend, Ryouta?" Yugi asks, late one evening.
"Of course," he replies. "You have become one of my closest companions."
"Well, if so…why haven't you told me about the Ryukyu treasure yet?" Yugi immediately ducks his head, tilting it away from Ryouta and closer to the rough wood planks of the deck floor. "I mean, no one knows how you found it, and I was just wondering why you haven't told me why."
Swallowing, Ryouta reaches for Yugi, touching his arm lightly; Yugi turns back, and Ryouta withdraws his hand, settling himself back as comfortably as he can. The solid wood is an acceptable substitution for slippery scales, but the sensation is still ever-present in his mind. The warmth of Yugi's skin is another acceptable substitution, but Ryouta tries to bury that particular sensation back down in his mind to be able to focus on his words.
"It just seemed like you went out one day, and that evening a terrible storm hit the entire kingdom," Yugi continues. "The very next day you came back with the treasure, or so they say."
"Something like that," he mumbles. "I suppose you should know, as it could concern us both. In the storm, I got tossed from my boat and pulled under the water, where a sea serpent took me to its lair. In return for saving my life, I give it tribute once a year. That's why I'm looking for the Yakushima treasure—because the old one is running out. If I can't pay, I can never return to the ocean again."
"There must be some way—" Yugi yawns, instantly looking sheepish. "I'm sorry—the sea is just so calm, it's like being rocked to sleep! But what can we do to break the serpent's hold on you?"
"We?" At the word, Ryouta is filled with an elation so buoyant, it could keep their boat afloat on the air. "That's a start, at least."
"Of course," Yugi replies. "We'll find a way."
As Yugi sleeps, Ryouta suddenly sits up with a start, moving to the edge of the railing and glancing over, Yugi's earlier words echoing in his head.
The sea is just so calm…why hasn't he noticed it before? The expanse of ocean before him is glassy smooth, and the blue of the water is vibrant even with only the half-moon to light it. The Sea Dragon Lord's own words haunt him, reminding him that even their current progress could be a result of the creature's assistance. Could it really be watching them from the deep, making their advancement easy just because it can? Because it knows that it would benefit from their discovery just as much as they would?
Ryouta steps back from the railing, moving to the front of the boat. The soft creaking of the wood and ropes adjusting is comforting, but his mind will not be put at ease tonight. For once, such a thing will only happen when his feet once again touch dry ground.
They spot land sometime in the early morning; a tiny crescent of land against the hazy sky that grows ever larger as they get closer. They beach the ship at high tide, and Yugi is the first to leap overboard and land upon the soft white sand of the narrow coastline. Ryouta follows soon afterward, casting a nervous glimpse to the sky where already it is beginning to get just a shade darker.
"Let's try this way!" Yugi is already halfway up the shore, gesturing towards the clusters of tall, thin trees that form almost what appears to be a barrier between the forest and the coast. Ryouta is close behind him.
"Let's keep going. The further inland, the better. I'd wager that the temple we're looking for is in the exact middle of the island." He points himself to the gentle slope of the terrain, not quite a mountain, but still visible in the distance before him. "I don't think we'll find any creatures on this island…it's too far from the mainland."
They walk together, the slope of the landscape becoming more pronounced the farther they travel. The trees are thicker, the browns and greens so bright, untouched for what may have been decades.
"Why would anyone put something so valuable on a place like this?" Yugi steps over a fallen tree, increasing his stride. "It was so easy for us to get here. Why has no one claimed the treasure before?"
Ryouta's mouth is set in a grim line as he follows Yugi's footsteps. "I saw the cliffs further down the island as he landed. This place is typically constantly in the middle of storms, I would bet—everything demonstrates it."
Small pieces of broken statues litter the ground at seemingly random intervals, and the curtain of bright green foliage gets thicker, acting almost as a canopy above them and a wall of undergrowth before them to keep them out. Brushing aside branches, they work their way deeper into the forest, searching for any sign of the temple. Suddenly, they can see it, a wooden structure coming into view in what was once a clearing, but is now overgrown by tall grasses and overhanging branches and mosses.
The stairs are uneven, but they hold as the two walk up and around the exterior of the building, simply taking in the austere temple, square in design and tipped with a tiered brown roof. At the door, Ryouta does not hesitate, pushing it open and stepping inside.
"I think that the Sea Dragon controlled the currents to eliminate the storms that would be surrounding this area." He keeps his voice soft, even though there is no real reason for it; it is not like they are disturbing something, as they are the only ones there. "It desires the treasure, so it is waiting for us to claim it, and the second we get onto the water it will grab it for its hoard."
"Then the Sea Dragon must have been planning this for a long time," Yugi observes. "Longer even than we may know."
The narrow entry tapers out into a wide, square room, taking up most of the available space under the roof. The entire room is bare, containing only a small wooden pedestal, upon which rests a small pyramid of gold. Ryouta approaches it, glancing quickly around the room once more, wondering if this really is all that the island has to offer.
"Is…this it?" He observes the pyramid; small indentations cover its surface like seams, running the length of each side. On the third side, a funny symbol is raised from the surface.
"What about this could be so valuable?" Yugi's own voice is more of a hush spoken to himself than words meant for Ryouta's ears, but as he reaches for the pyramid Ryouta wants to shout out a warning, unsure why. The instant Yugi's fingertips touch the gold, a bright light emanates from it, and he lifts it from its base, turning it around in his hands.
The light only grows brighter, filling up the room and beyond to the point where Ryouta closes his eyes from the harshness of it. He opens them a moment later, surprised to find the light gone and in its place a third occupant has joined them inside the temple building.
A figure stands clad all in purple, from the slightly curved boots to the robe and headdress that covers just about every inch from fingertips to chin. In his hands rests a long staff, and Ryouta glances quickly from the pyramid in Yugi's hands to the figure standing before them.
"Are—Are you a magician?" Yugi asks. The magician nods.
"Where is the treasure?" Ryouta cannot believe that the only object in the room is this magician's container. "Is it somewhere else on the island?"
"What do you mean by treasure?" says the magician, casting blank, purple eyes on Ryouta. "If you mean merely objects of material wealth, then there is none beyond this pyramid, which if it should be sold, the value you receive would not even equal one tenth of its actual value."
"But there was supposed to be—"
"If you mean treasure of a different kind, then you are right in assuming that freeing me from this pyramid entitles you to certain benefits or any offerings that I could provide." The magician is facing Yugi now, completely ignoring Ryouta, who still looks on in disbelief that after everything the treasure room could be so bare.
"I want you to defeat the Sea Dragon to release Ryouta from their contract," Yugi says, turning a bright smile to Ryouta. "That is all—we can handle anything else that comes our way."
"If that is what you wish," the magician says. "The Dragon Lord waits for us at the beach. We will join it."
As they walk away from the clearing, Ryouta turns around one last time to see the temple before it disappears under the cover of the trees. Yugi does not, merely alternating glances between the magician and Ryouta, before reaching down and taking his hand, squeezing it once for consolation before releasing it. The magician picks his steps carefully, almost seeming to glide over the uneven terrain.
In what seems like only a matter of minutes, they arrive to see the dragon half-submerged in the shallow waters, its head leaning over the beach, scaly body and talk wrapped in coils on the sand, hit by the waves as they fall against the shore. Above them, the sky has grown dark, scattered by angry gray clouds and a present wind.
"So, Dark Magician, to what do I owe the pleasure?" the Sea Dragon Lord speaks snidely, tossing its head back and forth. "My treasure, Ryouta, I'm waiting."
"You are looking at the treasure," he calls out. "I…I'm not working for you anymore. The treasure you want, you won't find here."
"We'll see about that." The tail lashes out, and Ryouta pushes Yugi out of the way as it strikes, wrapping itself around Ryouta instead, pulling him into the air and tightening with each passing second.
"How about I offer you a new deal, hmm?" the dragon's voice is sharper, higher-pitched with anger. "If you let me have this other boy, our deal will be complete. A life for a life—how does that sound?"
Ryouta manages to free his arms, struggling against the tightening bond. In his hands he holds Honda's gift, raising it swiftly before plunging the dagger against the scales. The dragon shrieks, and while the dagger doesn't puncturedeep, it still releases him to the water below. Before he can fall, the magician's staff glows, and Ryouta is returned to the sand by their side unharmed.
"It is at their request that I vanquish you," the magician's voice is flat but firm, and he lifts the staff again; it glows with a light that gets brighter as he directs it at the serpent. "So you will never harm either of them again."
He aligns his other hand so it is outstretched towards the serpent. "Dark Magic Attack!"
The brightness of the light is so intense that once again Ryouta looks away. When he opens his eyes the serpent has fallen beneath the water and its surface is churning.
"It may never resurface again," the magician states. "Never to harm another ship, never to gaze upon its own treasures."
"Suitable punishment, don't you think, Yugi?" Ryouta asks.
"I will leave you now, my own contract is fulfilled." The magician's staff glows again, but in a blink he has disappeared.
The beach is silent for a moment, before Yugi runs to Ryouta, throwing his arms around Ryouta's neck in a crushing embrace, resting his cheek against Ryouta's shoulder. "I'm so glad you're safe." The words are delivered almost in a whisper, and Ryouta returns it, bringing his own arms up to return the embrace.
"You saved me once, don't forget that," Ryouta says, drawing back. "I was merely returning the favor."
"Now we're even," Yugi says. "That's…suitable."
"This deserves a suitable reward, am I right?" Ryouta continues with a smile, letting Yugi lead the way back to the boat, still resting high on the sand.
"I believe we can come up with something." He holds up the pyramid with one hand, tilting it so the light catches off each side. "We've still got this—that's part of the treasure, at least."
"I don't need it anymore," Ryouta says. "Besides, even without a ship full of gold, everyone will still believe we discovered the treasure of Yakushima."
"Why is that?" Yugi asks.
"Because we're the greatest seafarers and treasure hunters in the world, that's why," he answers.
"We," Yugi says. "I like the sound of that."
End.
Notes:
1) The Sea Dragon Lord is based off of the card 'Sea Dragon Lord Gishilnodon.' The underwater cave is based off of a combination of the card 'Forgotten Temple of the Deep' and 'A Legendary Ocean.' The insect card is the 'Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth' and the magician at the end should have been recognized as the 'Dark Magician.' With an attack value of 2300, the Sea Dragon Lord was easily defeated by the Dark Magician's 2500, as evidenced by the brief battle at the end.
2) Ryukyu and Yakushima are real places in Japan, chosen with a fairly random process. The information/descriptions about the money/castles/etc was as realistic as I could make it, but please allow for some fictional deviations.
3) I appreciate and value your reviews and look forward to reading anything you have to say. Thank you for taking the time to read my story!
~Jess