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The stolen caravan went over a bump in the road causing the rough linen cover to be torn away. Within the opening a line of red fire and destruction stretching across the horizon could be seen. Other wagons belonging to people less fortunate sat turned over and burning. The people within were fighting to get away from the unforgiving substance but were not fast enough. The sound of screams reached my ears and I turned away from the gruesome scene unfolding before me and stared at the back of the caravan blocking everything out.
My father, Keith, a tall muscular slave, sat down beside me and turned my face to look at him.
"Yugi, I have something I must do and I might not be back for a very long time. From now on my angel, you must be brave." He smiled sadly and ruffled my hair. He started to stand up but I quickly grabbed onto his sleeve.
"Why do you have to go papa? I'm going to miss you!" I cried tears gathering in my eyes. Keith gathered me into his arms and hugged me for the last time.
"Be strong little one"
Then he was gone. Out the back of the caravan, a sword held shining in his hand like gleaming ice. He ran back the way we had come, away from freedom, away from happiness, away from us. Back to a life filled with destruction, pain, hatred, slavery and death. I cried out and tried to follow him but firm callused hands wrapped around my stomach holding me back. I watched my father, my one hero disappear into the haze of smoke and turned to the person holding me. Burying my face into her chest I started to cry.
I wept for my father, for the unknown reason he had left us. I wept for my friends left behind, Ryou, Jou, Malik, I even wept for Seto the arrogant blue eyed mage who was a slave to the king. What would become of them, left alone to fight for their lives? I wept for all the loss and all the pain felt by the slaves and I wept for the dead who would not be following us to freedom. Eventually I cried myself to sleep and my world faded into the darkness not unknown to me. A place that comforted me, nothing could touch me here I was finally safe. Little did I know that soon the darkness I loved so much would soon become something I hated with all my heart.
I awoke sometime in the early morning to the sound of weary footsteps and the cries of pain surrounding me. I slowly cracked open one of my amethysts orbs and saw my mother, Deirdre, sitting in front of me, reigns in hand leading the horses on even though they were to tired to go much further. Everything from the day before came rushing back to me.
The slaves living in the palace of Assyria were mistreated. We were beaten every day and survived on little to nothing besides a few scraps of old bread thrown to us for the nobles' enjoyment. We had been there a few years and I had grown close with the other boys my age despite our harsh environment. My mother and father said we did not always live there, in the palace, hence the reason for our pale skin and fair complexion. They said we were from a land for to the north across the sea where slaves were not kept and everyone lived in peace until the deadly plague came sweeping the country as the angel of death.
When I was only a few months old much of our country had been wiped out and my family, fearing for their lives, stored away on a trading ship with Assyria and quickly escaped, hoping that this new land would not to be effected by the sickness. But alas, they said, when we got there we were taken captive and forced into slavery where we have been ever since.
But we had just escaped. After living in the palace for four years my parents, along with the older slaves, had devised an escape plan. On the night of the eclipse, when the night was dark with no moon, we slipped away stealing the kings horses and wagons and running like thieves in the dead of night. Then something went wrong. Some of the guards had heard about our escape and caught us on our way out of the gates. This is why my friends and I got separated along with the other slaves, the reason my father gave his life to protect me and my mother not knowing it would all be in vain, and the reason I would spend my life without a family.
Yet for some reason I did not cry again. My father's words rang through my head
From now on my angel, you must be strong. Be brave little one.
I stood and walked over to where my mother was sitting, her fire colored hair blowing in the light morning breeze somehow coming undone from her leather thong. I reached her and sat on the rough bench and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Mother, did we make it, are we free?" I asked hope bleeding into my voice. Deirdre sighed and turned to look at me weariness written on her face.
"No my sweet game angel, we are not free yet, still running… always running." She replied a hollow look in her eyes. She let go of the rains and gripped my shoulders tightly.
"Yugi listen to me now, this may be my last chance to tell you this for there is another wave of soldiers coming for us. You are special little one. You have a gift and one day it will come into play. But for now do not let anyone know of it for they would try to take it away from you. Leaving you tainted and destroyed, broken." My face scrunched up in confusion.
"What gift is it mommy? Dreams like yours?"I asked.
"Yugi, my angel, my little hikari, your light is your gift. Your innocence, your kindness, your healing nature, these are what make you who you are, a gift in itself. Save your gift for the one who it is destined to be with for if you don't all this sacrifice we have made will have been for nothing. I to have a gift, as you know and it has never been wrong thus far and I know that today will be our last together. Though you WILL survive and spread hope among the people. I have seen it all and the outcome of what we have begun is still unclear but it rests in your heart and in your faith in the heart of ano-" The wagon was suddenly hit by a great force and flipped over, colliding with the ground.
I heard shouting and screaming coming from the path behind us and the scent of burning flesh filled my nose. I started to feel extremely hot and light headed. I opened my eyes to see that the caravan was on fire, a large beam of wood holding up the roof fell onto my stomach, pinning me to the floor and showering me in thick black dust, stinging my eyes. I immediately snapped them closed and waited for the end to come, as I felt the fire burn closer. Instead I heard a noise.
Peaking blearily through one of my injured and tear filled eyes I saw a little old man with grey hair and a head band making his way slowly through the caravan towards me, dodging falling debris as he went. As he reached me he immediately started to lift the burning piece of wood off me. I felt a searing pain go through my middle and saw no more.
Yuuki: Poor Yugi *sigh*
Raven: Ya! Why'd ya have to go and do that to the poor kid?
Christal: Poor yugi! Poor Yugi? how bout poor me! i had to stay up with you guys and write this no wonder the poor kid is tortured
Yuuki: She has a point there Raven you were kinda anoying to our little hikari when you kept thretening her with your knive collection
Raven: oh suck it up and keep writing christal
Christal: Fine but...
Yuuki: what?
Christal: i want five reviews first *-* pwese? ive never had a review befor :)
Yuuki: she dosnt even care if its a flame :) she enjoys reading mail
Raven: and stealing all my computer time
Christal: oh suck it up :P
Yuuki: R&R