Hi, everyone! It's been another super-busy semester, so I've been cruelly cut off from working on NH (chapter 8 will be finished soon, I swear). Last Friday I also got a bit of a shock when I logged into my strangeliou email for the first time in a few weeks to find that NH:SA had been removed!

Removal and Reposting: An Explanation

The reason for it, from what I understand is that I had a swear word (the rude way of saying 'poo') in the story's summary, which is supposed to be G rated. Haha, I knew my potty-mouth would get me into trouble, but I never thought it would be on the internet!

So I'm sorry for being silly and missing such a simple rule! Mea culpa!

Edits:

BUT I think this is a great opportunity to do some of the edits I wanted to make for a while now! So I'll be updating roughly once a week, the chapters will be almost the same (except for Yugi's parts. Old readers will know I wanted to do a complete rewrite of those). And in the meanwhile I'll work to get Chapter 8 done (though I think that'll have to wait until after my Final Exams =P).

To my amazing, crazy readers:

I've got all your wonderful feedback in my email's inbox =) (sometimes being an email pack-rat has its benefits!) For those who gave me critiques (thank you so much for them!) before regarding chapters, I'll take them all into account as I post the slightly-revised ones. Chapter 8 will be my top priority after my Final Exam Period ends, regardless if I have all 7 chapters up by then. If I don't have them all up, I'll post it in my y!gallery account and put a little message about that in my Profile.

I think that cover's everything!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! and I make no profit out of this work of fanfiction. It is just a fun waste of my time and energy (the best kind!).

Beta: This wouldn't exist without the hard work of my wonderful beta-reader, Tucker's Mayflower!

WARNINGS: None.

GENERAL WARNINGS: The story will include violence, messed up relationships, slavery, vampires that eat people and other slightly less questionable things.

Rating: M, to be safe, though not all chapters will be M rated. However, it will never include explicit sexual content (also known as "lemons" - I don't know why).

Story cover: www DOT y - gallery DOT net / view / 748463 /

(Yes, I have noticed the brand-spanking new image feature! But its too small for the whole cover, so I figured I'd provide the link to the original.)

Onto the prologue!

Chapter 1: Prologue

The Mortal Realm is one in precarious peace. The crippling wars left behind a world divided across three continents, the South broken away from the rest by sea. The East and West are separated by a vast impenetrable 'sea of mountains', referred to by the Westerners as the "Devil's Teeth", and the Easterners as the "Sky Fingers".

The West is made up of four separate kingdoms, Vielkopolska, Terragoza, Tormes and Hrygany, all under the holy rule of the Divine Pope. The East is a union of the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean folk under the iron fist of the Scorpion Emperor. Then there is the South, an Arabic-speaking land that is in constant turmoil, many of its lands colonized by the West, or lost in the struggle of raging Princes.

Beneath it all there is an underworld that few Mortals know about and even fewer understand, three expansive kingdoms belonging only to the horrors of the night.

-o-

There was still time, but it was quickly running out. His foolish brothers had settled on weaklings as their Chosen and somehow thought they could prepare them in the time that was left to carry out the impossible. That couldn't be helped. It was Shadi's obligation to see his Chosen triumph and stop the inevitable.

But there was still so much to do.

Shadi crossed the seemingly fragile stone bridge to the tall, thin castle perched on a sharp mountain peak, its pointed towers and walls dusted with snow. Much had changed since Shadi had last visited the Dark King Maximillian van Crawford, commonly known as Pegasus, the ruler of the Western Vampires, the Strigoi. The last time he visited him, Pegasus was attending Court, making preparations for that year's Council. Now Shadi had to seek him out in the outskirts of the Devil's Teeth, locked up in the most fortified Lair Shadi has ever stepped into.

The gate opened instantly for him and the guards allowed him passage without question. He was probably one of the very few that would be so readily allowed entry.

He noticed the strangely scarce guards, standing rigid as statues at every door. Unlike Mortal guards, they were not covered in shining metal plate, but black leather clothing with black face masks and hoods, to protect them from the sun's touch. A silver plate rested over their Heart stamped with the image of a winged horse, and a silver sword in their ebony scabbard.

Two escorted him mutely through a short corridor, past the entrance hall and into the antechamber, with black velvet sofas and a black bear rug. "Wait here," the taller barked, and Shadi saw one of the guards stationed at the largest and most ornate door, slip through it.

The rumours rang true. Pegasus was still mourning the demise of his Blood Sister. Even better, Pegasus was still desperate for his council. It was clear the guards all knew who he was; Pegasus no doubt told them he was expecting a Southerner dressed in white. Unlike his brothers, Shadi kept his appearance unchanged. Being well known was sometimes the most convenient cover.

The guard returned and both slowly opened the large doors, giving view to the Throne Room.

Although the place was lavishly decorated, it was all black. Black rugs, black banners, black pillows… the only thing there of any other colour were the grey stone walls and the winged silver horse emblazoned on the Crawford Coat of Arms, hung above the throne. The guard saluted next to him and called out, "Shadi the Wanderer!" His voice rebounded off the immense empty space and fell on the ears of its only other occupant.

The guard remained at the door as Shadi crossed a considerable way towards the dais. Pegasus sat slumped into his ebony throne, his face a mask of prolonged misery.

Shadi bowed his head and said nothing.

"You have not offered council in quite some time," Pegasus said softly.

Shadi raised his gaze to meet the Dark King's eye and took a brief note of the simple black eye-patch. Robed in rich black furs and satin, his hair tied back modestly, face drawn and stern, he looked much different from the flamboyant Strigoi Shadi had previously counselled. He looked desperate, just as Shadi needed him to be.

"I have heard of the fate that had befallen your Blood Sister," Shadi said, getting straight to the point. He was glad he no longer had to bat away Pegasus' suggestions for drink and merriment. He had still much to do before the turn of the moon. "The tale has stirred my heart."

"Your sentiment moves me, Shadi." The Dark King fingered the eye patch self-consciously. "Her demise..." He couldn't find the strength to finish his sentence.

Shadi burrowed into his innermost pocket and withdrew a tiny object which nestled snugly in his palm. "I bring you a gift to restore your hope." This was too easy.

The Strigoi King shook his head. "There is no hope, not without Cecilia," he sighed.

Shadi extended his hand and opened it to reveal a small golden ball. "Exactly."

The Dark King's exposed eye widened in disbelief.

So that's that (you may have noticed a few minor changes). The next chapter will be up sometime next week probably. There's a few edits I want to make to it, hence the delay.

Next chapter: Introductions!