Disclaimer- I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters/props associated with it, no matter how much I wish I did. Let us all praise and thank Kazuki Takahashi for creating this awesome series and game, along with 4Kids entertainment for translating it. Also...Um. I think I'll stop there.
Darkest Shadows
Yugi Motou walked into the Turtle Game Shop, tired from the hard day at school, and not really looking forward to helping his grandfather with the shop. As he entered, every last customer turned, gasped, and parted a little path for the number one Duelist in the World. Yugi preferred not to get this attention, but ever since he had solved his Millennium Puzzle and unlocked the ancient magic within it, it couldn't be helped as long as he was fighting for his friends and family.
He went up to his bedroom above the shop and placed his school bag on the desk and sat down on the bed. He closed his eyes and felt his soul leave the mortal world and enter into the soul chambers of the puzzle. A young man was waiting for him. He looked like a mirror image of Yugi, but taller, sharper, more confident. His hair spiked strait instead of the soft wavy look that Yugi had. His cloths clung to his body, the end of the jacket spreading outward as if in defiance of gravity, and instead of sneakers, his legs and feet looked as if his pants extended down and became boots. His face was stern and serious, unlike Yugi's always cheerful visage.
"Yami, you wanted to talk?" Yugi questioned the spirit that resided within him.
"Yes Yugi. I have been sensing an alteration of balance between forces that I have not felt since my days as pharaoh in Egypt five thousand years ago. However, I'm not sure what it is. My memory is still not complete. I've already taken the liberty of summoning Shadi. He said he would investigate a little before coming. I don't know when it will be, but I pray it will be soon. I..." he was cut off as Yugi was forced to return to the mortal realm by his grandfathers voice outside the door.
"Yugi, there's a stranger here to see you. And why didn't you come downstairs for your shift. I'm already closing the shop. Could you come down and lock up?" Solomon said as he walked away.
Yugi walked downstairs, expecting to see Joey or Tea, or another of his good friends. But no, it was a man in his mid twenties wearing white arabic robes with a cape and turban. His eyes were a cold and emotionless blue, and his skin was very dark. He was excessively bruised and cut, but that had no effect on his expression.
"Shadi." Yugi breathed, humbled by the presents of the tomb guardian and keeper of the Millennium Items. "What happened?"
"To tell you in full would take many ages, but I will try and summerize. I have found the source of the disturbance. It is Osiris and his brother Set. As you know, as the creatures of the Shadow Realm were getting out of hand of the kings, Osiris was betrayed by his bother, murdered, cut to pieces, and put in a chest which was sent adrift on the Nile. When this happened, his power was shattered into many different sects. The three largest to form as the trinity of creatures you know of a God Cards, becoming the demons that you struggled with only months ago. Obelisk, lord over light and dark. Ra, overseer of the sky and earth. And Saint Dragon Osiris, named after the being that it spawned from, guardian over good and evil. In taking upon them these forms, the raw powers that they once were could not be summoned back to Osiris, which is what Set had been hoping for. Now, Five thousand-three-hundred and twenty-seven years later, Set has learned that the incredible power was never recovered by the gods, and now reside in three shadow cards. He has frozen Osiris's soul and bound Anubis and Thoth. You must go and rescue them, Innocent One. You are the chosen one who bares the soul of the Pharaoh. You must go. I cannot travel undetected, but your magic may be able to mask you from Set and his minions. I can open a gateway for you however."
"Wait. Don't I get a say in the matter?" Yugi insisted.
"Would you do it if I asked?" Shadi countered.
"Yes." Yugi said without hesitation, but not rushed or hurried.
"I will return tomorrow to open the gates. It will be up to you after that." And with that, he was gone. Not out the door, but just sank into the floor, as if on an elevator, the ground rippling around him.
***
"Wait Yuge. (Pronounced YUeG. Nickname.) " Joey nearly shouted at him as the group gathered around the playground outside the high school, and Yugi began to tell them about what had transpired the night before. "No way are we going to let you go through legions of..."
"Ooh. Legions. Joey, can you even spell that?" Tristan cut in.
"Watch it. Don't make me mad." Joey fired back.
"Yugi," Tea spoke up. "Joey's right. You can't go in there. Not by your self. Can't we help?"
"I wish you guys could," he said to them, gazing right into their eyes. "But this is something I need to do by myself. Actually, I.'m surprised you guys believe me."
"Hey, we've seen and heard weirder. I mean, there was Pegasus and his snatching souls from people, that Malik kid and controlling us with his Millennium Rod, Bakura trapping our souls into our favorite cards so that we became them, you and that ancient spirit, and..."
"I think Yugi gets the point." Tea cut him off. "But I think we should at least see him off. Is that ok Yugi?"
"We'll have to ask Shadi."
***
They made there way up the sidewalk, only to find Shadi in wait for them outside the shop. However, in no hurry to be separated, it took another few minutes to reach him.
"So then, Innocent One, are you prepared to undergo this perilous mission?" he inquired. Yugi nodded. "Very well then." He took his Millennium Key from around his neck, as a golden scale appeared in his hands. He put the scale on the ground, inserting the key into the Eye of Anubis in the center. He twisted, and a glow came from them, a rift slowly materializing before them. Then Yugi's Millennium Puzzle hanging from his neck, and the Millennium Tauk on his wrist. The two released a golden beam, both of which cutting the rift open, widening it as well. The gateway was filled with a black cloud that slowly twisted and shifted . "Now you must go, Chosen One. Make haste, and trust the magic of the Millennium Items that which you hold. And do not summon Saint Dragon, for Set will sense it and destroy you before you can ever reach him."
Yugi stepped up to the doorway, looking back only once, smiling one last time. Then, he was gone.
"Good luck, Yugi!" Tea called in after him as the gate faded.
***
Yugi wandered through the Underworld. It reminded him of the Shadow Realm where the Shadow Games had taken place so many eons ago. He began to feel weak and his mind was clouded. He didn't know how long he could hold out, but he was determined to make it through the darkness.
"Yugi, you can't hold out in this realm. This is where the Shadow Realm begins. Here is where it is raw. If you don't allow me to take over, you could be torn to pieces. Please!" The spirit within him pleaded.
"No. I'll get us through here. You can take over once we get to the main caverns."
"Yugi, how did you know about that. About the caverns of the Underworld?" Yami asked.
"I'm not sure. I...Just...Knew. I don't understand."
They walked for another five minutes or so before the black vapor diminished and they found themselves in what Yugi was sure had to be a crypt at one point in time. A round tunnel with stalagmites and stalag tights all over. Yugi stepped out and collapsed onto the ground on his hands and knees. "Yyya..Mmi. It's a..ll uuup to you." he said as he fell to the earth. A light burned from his puzzle as the two souls switched. Yugi crawled into his spirit room to recuperate while Yami left his labyrinth chamber to take control of the physical vessel that they shared. The white t-shirt disappeared, the blue jacket became a cape, his shoes morphed into the strange boots, his entire expression changed, and he even grew taller by a few inches.
He pulled his Dueling Deck out of his pocket and sifted through it. Finally, he came to the one he was looking for, and pulled it out before returning the cards to his pants. "Curse of Dragon, I summon you." he shouted as he threw the card out in front of him. What appeared to be the skeleton of a serpent dragon with no legs, two large leathery wings, and a barbed tail appeared. It laid itself down and Yami Yugi stepped onto its head. It rose and soon was air born, flying low so as not to harm Yami.
However, not long after that did he encounter a tall worrier in silver and black armor standing in his way. "Gearfried, the Iron Knight. You dare to stand in my way." he seethed. "Curse of Dragon, attack with Dragon Flame!" he commanded. The monster which he rode on opened its mouth and released a stream of fire that engulfed the worrier, but did not make it through Gearfried's armor. "Well then, I summon the Celtic Guardian. Attack!" He shouted as an elf in leather and metal armor, wielding a large broad sword came out of the new card he threw ahead of himself. It rushed forward, cutting through the weakened armor with ease. As Yami passed, he grabbed the Celtic Guardians card, returning it to its paper form.
This process continued, with Yami releasing a multitude of monsters to fight through every obstacle. It wasn't long before he was in the main chambers, where he found a fork. He noticed an inscription on a wall, which he remembered from his days as ruler over all of Egypt. It read "Chambers of Anubis and Thoth." He could only assume that the other one lead to Osiris' room. He recalled Curse of Dragon and slid his deck from his pocket, and inserting it into a small holster on his belt. He breathed deeply, and walked off towards the tunnel. Soon, he heard a mad, manacle laughter that shook his bones and froze the blood and marrow there within.
Soon he was standing in a massive hall with oracles everywhere. Sercophicies lined the walls. Intern jars were set into the golden coffins. Normally, Yami could stand up boldly no matter what, but this sickened him. Especially one he recognized immediately. He knew that it was the one that had been fashioned for him, and that the dust that had once been his bones resided in there. It made his stomach curl.
He heard the laughter again, and looked up to see a large marble throne with a man sitting on it. He had platinum hair that spiked everywhere. His skin was as dark as Shadi's, but was more revealed by Egyptian garments. But it was his face that was disturbing. It showed a lust and hunger for power. His eyes looked crazed by some thought, and glowing in the center of his forehead was the Eye of Anubis. Yugi recognized the body immediately.
"Malik!" he cried.
Malik Ishtar simply laughed at him and stood up. "No, I am not Malik. But I thought that this form would be more suitable for a Shadow Game with you. For I am Set. Now young Pharaoh, prepare yourself." he replied. Set held up a Duel Monsters Deck. "I thought I'd borrow this from both your rivals. I believe you call the one Seto Kaiba, and the other Malik Ishtar. Yes, I believe that's it. Yes, yes of coarse. Now, time to Duel!" he concluded.
In front of Yami Yugi, a translucent grid formed. It was seven columns wide, and two high. He set his deck in the lower right corner, and drew five cards. Set did the same.
"Two thousand life points. Ready." Malik spat out quickly. "I'll attack with La Jinn, the Mystical Genie of the Lamp." he said, placing the card down.
To Be Concluded: Want the end. Give me more time to finish it. Muhahahahahaha!