A/N's: Well, this is kind of my first full length YGO fanfic. Sorry if it's not amazing or anything. This is almost an analysis of my own writing so you'll be seeing more Author's Notes at the end of the chapters as the story goes along. This is actually something I wrote for an annual writing contest called NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month. The goal? Write 50 000 in one month. And I did it. This story, although it is not yet fully complete, is more than 50 000 words long. So, there will be something new for you guys to read even as I attempt to finish this story! I hope you like it! I haven't really seen many pirate stories...and I've read a lot of puzzleshipping fanfiction. Also, please note, that I'm editing every single chapter before I put them up. There may still be mistakes afterwards though. I try! Anyway...

(Edited Sept 2017 - General clarity and minor improvements)

I don't own YGO or any of the characters! Please enjoy!

Prologue: Brothers at War

Explosions rang through the air signalling the army's advance. They carried their weapons with a fierce but dazed, lost look in their eyes as they pressed on without pause. Smoke from the burning homes and buildings began to cover up the sky as a disquieting darkness overwhelmed the sacred kingdom. People ran in fear for their lives and their home. Their only one home. Distressed crowds of people had gathered by the docks, boarding any sort of escape they could reach. Those durable enough to get ahead of the storming force ran to the palace. Upon their arrival, the royal family was already making preparations having seen the signs.

"Take the children and flee. When they are strong enough to stop him, they'll return. This is all that we can do to ensure that we do not lose our Prince of Light," the old king told his daughter and son-in-law. They nodded.

"The princess is running off to fetch our young prince now. She mentioned that he was going to take a nap in the studies for awhile. We'll be leaving in a few moments." The old king groaned. My poor grandchildren...

"How the hell did Dartz get in here anyway? Who was watching the gates?" Someone from the crowd of people currently guarding the palace clamored. Others replied with their two cents and theories.

"I bet it was those stinking pirates again! They've been trying to get in here for centuries in order to gain power!"

"Yeah! I hate those canon launching, thieving bastards! I bet you anything that Dartz is after the powers of our Prince of Light."

"Well, stand tall men! Don't let them get it!" They rallied together, prepared to face the worst for their beloved royal family.

Meanwhile, the princess hurried through the halls searching for her younger brother. He was supposed to be in the studies but he had relocated! Even after she had politely inclined him to stay put. He was only four but a hassle to keep tabs on at times. Little brother, let me find you, please! We have to go! She ran into her room and found him staring out the window with games scattered across the floor. She gave him a pensive look. So, you noticed something was happening, huh? She came up behind him, embracing him in a loving hug. The boy whimpered.

"Do we have to... leave home?" he whispered, though the answer was undeniable. The princess nodded, her brother failing to notice.

"Yes. But, one day, you'll come back. I promise." The young boy accepted her response with a light smile.

"Should I clean up your room first? I know how much you hate when I leave it in a mess."

The princess giggled. "Not today, because you see, little brother, we have to win a game in order to leave. We have to find Mother and Father quickly and with the fewest wrong turns! Otherwise, they might leave without us." The boy bore a determined grin.

"Okay! I think we can win, sister, as long as we work together!" The girl nodded and soon enough she and her brother were racing down the halls. (1)

For a while, as they ran down the halls of the palace together, she truly thought that they'd make it back to their parents without any mishaps. The hurried thought was rapidly extinguished. Dark magic projected towards them, cracking through the air like lightning. The strike landed them both side by side on their backs along the floor as a cloaked man approached them.

"Ah, and what do we have here? The princess of Sanctuary and the Prince of Light? Just who I was looking for!" The princess cringed at his greedy, lustful tone. She forced herself up and stood protectively over her youngest sibling.

"You'll never get the power you're looking for, Dartz!"

The man with green hair smirked. "Oh you think so? I don't see you stopping me anytime soon, girl."

Defiant stomps of feet echoed throughout the hall. "My brother is destined to defeat you!" The man's smirk faded and an evil glint appeared his yellow eye while anger flashed in the opposing green one. With incredible speed he bent forward and pressed a single finger to the young prince's forehead, just as he was starting to sit up. Dark light sparked as the princess screamed. She waved her arms out in front of her, producing a violet circle with peculiar phonetic symbols. They swirled about her feet before exploding forwards, knocking her family's nemesis away from them. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done as her brother fell back to the floor, unconscious.

"I'd like to see him defeat me now," Dartz muttered, struggling to pull himself up. The young lady composed another violet spell, knocking the villain back further down the hall, and into a wall. She gathered her stilled brother and dashed off, shoes clacking along the halls against the crystalline floors. She managed to reach the throne room where her parents, including her grandfather waited. Her mother flew to her side when she noticed the prince's condition.

"What happened!?"

"Dartz is already in the palace, Mother. We need to leave now! Otherwise, he'll... the prince...," the young girl lamented. Their father nodded.

"It's time to go. Our transportation is ready." Someone made a tsking sound.

"You're not leaving so fast, are you, King?" Dartz appeared once more, but this time, his eyes were alight with amusement. "Your children are quite entertaining!" He smirked, glancing at the princess who shuddered away. "It's unfortunate that they can't continue their show. I need your son. Your Prince of Light, as you call him. He has something... or at least, can do something that I need," he purred, subtly licking his lips.

"Go to hell, Dartz!" The current king withdrew his sword. "My son comes with us and nowhere with you." The old king held up his hand.

"No. All of you must leave now. I will deal with Dartz." Dartz cackled.

"You, old man? You'll sacrifice yourself in order to let them flee for their lives?" The family ignored the villain's toxic directives as the Queen hugged her father.

"Good bye, and may the light guide you," she told him with tears in her eyes. The old king nodded.

"And may it be long before the light guides you, my dear. Take care of the children. Do not let our preparations go to waste." The old king and the current King shook hands. As Dartz began to wield thunderous abilities, the remainder of the royal family fled their throne room without looking back. They refused to slow their pace until they were outside and rushed into a carriage.

The princess sat her still unconscious brother next to her and moaned dejectedly. She had failed him completely. What a miserable guardian she made. All that had to be done was keep him from harm and yet still her reaction had been too slow, too late. The girl tearfully touched his cheek. She would have to take better care of him from now on. Their mother looked him over and whimpered.

"Oh, my poor boy," she cried. "What's happened to you?"

"Whatever it was, Dartz needs him alive. Once we're in the clear, we'll do everything we can to wake him up. Have no fear," the King stated as the princess wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"I'm sorry, little brother. May it yet be long before the light guides you," she gently murmured. Her parents echoed her as mutters under their breath.

The boat rocked gently along the water passage leading to the caverns. A group of men armed with spears as well as some children, about the ages of six, sailed together nervously. A blond boy and another kid with brown hair, both being around the same age, used paddles to push the small boat along, as their friend, a feisty teen with tri-coloured spiked hair, glared at the approaching cavern. The three of them had planned on coming here on their own but, the elders had caught them and joined them in their mission instead.

"He must be in there. We're not far now," one of the men said quietly. The current captain of the boat sighed.

"Why did that boy run to here? It just doesn't make any sense!" A few others murmured their agreements as Yami rolled his wine-colored eyes.

It makes perfect sense... Yami grumbled in his thoughts. He knew his brother inside and out. He knew why he had come, but Yami swore to be the reason for his brother's return.

"We'll have to make this mission quick. The longer we stay here, the more I feel like we're being watched." There was a silent approval but Yami merely stared silently at their approaching destination. There wasn't a chance in hell that he'd give up on his brother, no matter how long it took. They had gone through too much with each other, their families... There was no way he was going to allow his brother to be ruined by the mind of one psychopath. He especially wasn't going to allow his elder brother to become one, may the gods of the sea so help him.

"So, what will you do when pirates attack your boat?" A young, cheery Yami asked his older brother with pride, who was building his first boat.

"Hah! I'll take them out with my sailing skills, that's what!"

The same boat his brother had helped build sailed straight into the mysterious caves. Yami knew where they were, and what lay within the rocky, moist walls. His paddlers, his friends, knew as well. And not one of them liked the look of the situation. His two friends, a blond named Jounouchi and a brown haired kid named Honda, gave him wary, nervous looks. No one felt particularly optimistic.

"Have you ever heard of Sanctuary, Yami?"

"Sanctuary?" The boy's head tilted to the side in confusion and worry at his brother's dead pan voice.

"It's a place...of great power." Yami shivered, not understanding Atem's greedy tone.

Yami gripped the side of the boat, his knuckles turning white. No. He was leaving with his brother, whether Atem liked it or not! They went a few more miles into the cave, as Honda lit a lantern. They reached a small beach, and proceeded to exit the small craft and continued deeper into the caves. The men looked around cautiously, but Yami and his two friends, one on each side, lead the way. They knew the myths best and thus, knew the way to go.

Within the cave was a large temple space. It was made out of a blue-green marble that sparkled from the reflections of the torch fires in there. The group of three: Yami, Honda and Jonouchi, reached the back of the room followed by the elders from their hometown, where a man sat on a throne with his head down. As they drew near, Yami tightened his hands into fists, recognizing his brother. The men murmured their confusion. They stopped simply a few meters from him and waited in silence.

At first, nothing happened. Nothing until Atem, as if possessed by some kind of haunting, vengeful spirit, raised his head and locked eyes with Yami. The two of them stared each other down for what seemed like eternity. Strange beasts stalked quietly towards the group, hissing and growling and scratching. The group now nervously realized the dangers they found themselves in.

"We're surrounded," one of the men whispered to Captain, or the Lead Elder, as they knew of him. He nodded in response, his grey hair seeming grow greyer as each moment passed.

"I know," he replied gravely.

"Atem, we're going home," Yami told the elder brother firmly. They jumped simultaneously when he burst out laughing in reply. A few of the men began to grow terribly anxious and worried.

"Me? Go home? Yami, my dear little brother, do you have any idea what I can do here? What I can gain?" Yami's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Don't tell me... Atem stood and gracefully approached his brother. He pulled him closer to him, away from his group, before giving him a pat on the head and leaned closer to his face. "There is a great amount of power to be taken here, littel brother. I could easily share some of it with you, if you'd join me and the others." Yami gasped in shock and stepped away. Jou and Honda braced fro a fight, and the men behind them tensed.

"What? But - Atem, what did you do? Don't tell me that..." His brother withdrew a long sword that had been sitting in a sheath that hung from his waist. He then began to shine it on his shirt, his eyes glowing with corruption. It was strange seeing an nine year old act the way Atem was. Yami felt his eyes brimming with tears. Why was this so complicated? (2)

"You see, dear brother, I have no intention of going home. Not anytime soon anyway. I have my own work to accomplish."

"Oh, and just what would that be, Atem? What is that's stopping you from coming home with me? Coming home and working on your own boat?" Yami cried, a bit childishly, shaking his fist at his brother.

"One word, Yami. One. Sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?" Jonouchi asked, becoming wary of the creatures slowly surrounding them. He nudged Honda who nodded in reply. The men behind them noted their movements and braced for a fight, surrounding the younger children. Atem continued.

"Yes. Sanctuary. A kingdom of peace. But also a place where great power can be found. I want it. So far, it's apparently been only legend. However, I believe it exists. And I will find it. I have enough sources to help me pin point it's location. All I need is the key."

"And what is this key?" Yami asked, trying to keep Atem talking. He glanced at the elder who gave him a stern look. I need to keep him distracted. He was scared. He had only wanted his brother to come back home with him where he belonged. Yet, that man who had come and told his brother strange things... and offered to show him where he could everything he wanted... Why was his brother acting so strangely? The men all drew their weapons, slowly. Atem paused.

"They say if you can find the Prince of Light, who would be the prince to Sanctuary, he can open the door. If he's the key - at least, he may be one of the possible keys to entering. Now." Suddenly, Atem snapped his fingers and all the creatures halted in their place. "Let's have a gamble, my dear brother. You know how much I like a game." The elder stomped his feet, vexed with the boy.

"This is no game, Atem! Come back home, and give up on these delusions! Whatever that man told you was not the truth! Look at you! You're radiating darkness!" Atem chuckled at the man's words.

"He didn't lie. For a simple exchange, I've already received many of the things that I wanted," he said as his face darkened as he returned his attention to Yami. "Now, listen. How about we have a little race to Sanctuary? Whoever gets in and manages to reach the great power foretold there, will be declared the winner and they can get any wish they claim. If I win, you'll join me." Yami wiped his eyes, trying to fight off any tears possible. His childish thoughts winning against all reason, he quickly agreed.

"Alright. If I win, you'll come back home."

"Yami!" Jounouchi shouted, surprised at his friend for agreeing so quickly. Atem chuckled darkly.

"So be it. The bet's set then. Oh and don't feel too pressured, dear brother. This race will take much much longer than you think. Now, I hope you and your men can run..."

"ATEM!" Yami cried out in grief, as Atem unleashed the hounds under his control. Yami sank to his knees as the tears rolled down his face. I'll beat you, Atem. I swear it.

A bright light soared into the sky, like a beacon of new beginnings and hope. While it foretold a tale of opportunity for some, it whispered dark omens for others. Many saw this odd light, most not having a clue as to what it meant. Many just blinked at the sight, giving it a thought of awe in their minds, and continued on in their daily works. Others, like pirates for example, acknowledged the light for what it was. The Light of Sanctuary. The gate had opened, revealing its existence to the world.

A young girl watched from her castle in the middle of the night, holding her teddy bear close to her. She stared on with tears sparkling in her little eyes. Her friends had gone to find another friend, and she missed them all dearly.

"Jou... Yami... Atem... please come back home."

Two other young sailors, already on the road to becoming pirates watched the light in amazement.

"What the hell is that?" The white haired one asked as the sandy blonde kid smirked.

"Sanctuary's opened up. Looks like someone rather important might have left."

Another man stood at his window. With his silver silky hair lingering gently in the air around him. He looked quite feminine but also had an aura of royalty. He eyed the strange occurrence of the Light of Sanctuary with lustful curiosity as he lightly twirled the champange in his glass. The light twinkled against his golden eye.

"Hmm, so Dartz chased the royal family out of Sanctuary." He stood and walked away from his window with a smile. "It looks like wheel has begun to turn. Ah, destiny calls! How fabulous!"

Their paths, that had all started in different directions, were soon to cross. New friendships would be formed, hearts would be broken and destinies would be unfolded. Nothing could stop the roller coaster that fate had deviously created for the people at hand.

(1) This tid bit here with the 4 year old prince is a little bit confusing. As the Prince is by the window, and says he they have to leave home, he shows even though he is young, that he can understand a lot about the things happening around him. However, his sister somehow manages to convince him its all a game and he appears to fall for it. This gives birth to the idea that perhaps, the young Prince is merely allowing his sister to think that he is much less able to see things than he really is.

(2) As you can see, everyone's kind of young at this point. Yami is six, Atem is nine, Jou and Honda are seven. They might be acting as though they are a bit older. Atem, however, is supposed to seem possessed, while Yami is supposed to seem slightly more childish.

Well, there's the prologue. I'll probably be updating this eventually. Let me know what you think!