Reiko watched as the young man's life points fell to zero and he toppled onto the arena floor, motionless. The crowd around her laughed and cursed, some lauding their new champion, others bemoaning the fall of their favorite duelist. None of it mattered to her, for her attention was fixed on the fallen duelist in the arena. To a normal viewer, it would seem that he had simply fallen unconscious, overwhelmed by the force of his opponent's attacks. But Reiko could see what the mundane could not.
Her brown eyes glowed intensely and she focused her gaze on Akira, staring not at his body, but at his aura. What she saw confirmed her suspicions and filled her with a dread. A normal aura was a pleasant blue, indicating health and strength, with some extraordinary individuals possessing a dark blue aura, signifying great strength of will. The boy's aura was a blood-red, shining brighter by the minute.
Reiko gasped involuntarily, and quickly got up from her seat in the stands, if Akira didn't receive medical assistance soon, he would die. As Reiko rushed down the stairs to the arena floor, she caught a glimpse of Hasam exiting the arena. She didn't have to see him to know that his aura was a pitch-black, shining with dark power and black evil. She had witnessed the entire duel, had seen it on a level that no other spectator could.
Hasam's power had given life to the duel monsters in a way Reiko had never seen before. This had been no mere game, but a deadly duel, involving magical spirits that had been able to attack the opponent's very essence. She didn't know who Hasam was, but she did recognize the power that he wielded, her mentor had once told her of a dark magic that could create games with life and death stakes. The same dark magic that had taken her father from her at such an early age, and left her to fend for herself in a strange and hostile world.
She reached the arena floor, just in time to see a pair of burly bouncers dragging the young man's unconscious form out. Rather than interrupt the process, for she knew that the guards would not allow her to interfere, she simply watched from a distance, as the men tossed the young man's body into a nearby alley.
As soon as the men were gone, Reiko rushed over to the young man's side, whispering words of healing. Her abilities were very limited, but she was able to focus her energy on Akira's life force. The young man gave an agonized moan, and his aura began to pulse violently. At the same time, his pulse began to fade, and Reiko realized that the man was dying.
For a moment she hesitated, not certain of what to do.
What is your power for if not to help others?
Her mentor's words, from so long ago echoed in her mind, and in that instant Reiko knew what she had to do.
Grasping the man's cold, callused hand in her own delicate fingers, she concentrated her power, mustering all of her reserves of energy for the powerful spell. Drawing her own energy into her hand, she began to pour it, like water from a pond. She took her own precious life force and slowly siphoned it into Akira.
She instantly began to feel cold, her fingers were growing numb and she was feeling very faint. However, even as she considered halting the process, Akira began to stir, his pulse steadying and his hands filling with warmth. Just as her vision was beginning to fade into darkness, Reiko summoned the last of her strength and jerked her hand away.
She stumbled and fell backwards, collapsing on the filthy pavement, her breath coming in short, desperate gasps.
After what seemed like hours, she managed to get up, her head pounding like a drum, but her legs steady and her vision clear.
Akira was leaning against the alley wall, his hands shaking, and his eyes were closed as if trying to avoid a nightmare that was in front of him. Reiko took a few steps and then carefully placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Are you all right, young man?"
Akira felt like death, he had been through hell and back, and had never felt this way before. It was as if he had died, and had been somehow spared from the black abyss. He gasped as he tried to recall what had happened to him, he'd been in a duel, against a strange man, and he'd…., he'd lost, and then he'd felt blackness. Something dark, squeezing him, choking him, not his throat, but his heart, he'd felt like he was dying.
And then, he'd felt something else, a warm presence, something hot and soothing, that had chased away the cold darkness, burning it away with its power. Then the warmth had departed, leaving Ain feeling alive. He felt like shit, worse than any hangover he'd ever had, but he felt alive, inexplicably and assuredly alive.
"Are you all right, young man?"
Asked a voice, a voice he'd never heard before, and yet sounded so very familiar, like the pleasant tone of an angel, a gentle being. Ain slowly opened his eyes, terrified that he'd awake to the same blackness that had almost killed him.
To his surprise he could see light, the bright light of the full moon shining through a clear sky and the twinkling points of the stars. He felt a hand on his shoulder and jerked slightly, and then turned to face the stranger.
It was a woman, with long auburn hair and warm soft almond eyes, and a concerned expression on her lovely face. It was the face of an angel, thought Akira, and then he heard the woman repeat the question, her pretty face lined with exhaustion.
He blinked and then stammered, "I, I think I'm okay, I feel awful, but I'm alive."
A look of relief came across the woman's face, and she gave him a weary smile, "That's good," she said, "I was afraid you'd succumbed to the darkness."
Akira's eyes narrowed, "You saved me," he said, "But how did this happen to me, I was in a duel, a regular duel, how did I almost die?"
The woman looked hesitant, and Akira pressed her, "I want to know what happened, that duel, it felt different. Like I was really being attacked by actual monsters."
The woman nodded, "In a way, you were." She glanced out of the alleyway, "I have to go," she said, "I must deal with another matter."
"Wait," said Akira, I need to know, how did Hasam do that, what device did he use to make me feel that kind of pain."
The woman stepped past him, "I can't tell you, and all you need to know is that dueling in the Underground is more dangerous than you know. You should find another profession, something safer."
She reached the mouth of the alley and abruptly stumbled, wobbling on her feet. Akira rushed forward and barely managed to catch her as she toppled backwards, catching around the arms.
He quickly propped her up against the alley, and pressed his hand to her forehead, and quickly recoiled in shock, she felt very cold, and it was a similar cold to what he had felt himself, only a few moments ago.
He quickly slung an arm around her shoulders, and began to half-drag half-carry her out of the alley. He needed to get her to a doctor.
Reiko felt a harsh light burning through her retinas and opened her eyes to find herself staring up at the ceiling. A wave of panic surged through her body and she quickly got to her feet, only to be overcome by a wave of dizziness. A pair of strong arms caught her before she fell, and settle her back down on the bed. She blinked a few times, and heard a warm, concerned voice, "Don't try to get up," it said, "The doctor will be here soon."
She rubbed her eyes for a moment, and then stared up at the voice. It was Akira, looking slightly less pale and pained, but very worried.
"Where am I," she asked, "what happened?"
"You collapsed when you tried to leave the alley," he said, "I brought you to a hospital as soon as I could."
"You shouldn't have done that," said Reiko, and she got to her feet, barely wobbling this time, "I'm fine, I just spent more energy than I thought trying to save you."
She looked around; she was in a pleasant looking room, with white walls and a clinical smell, probably a medical examination room. She grabbed her coat which was sitting on a chair and headed for the door, she had no desire to see a doctor.
"Wait," cried Akira, "You need to see a doctor, you almost collapsed."
She turned and looked him directly in the eye, "The same thing that happened to you is what happened to me, only less intense." She placed her hand on the doorknob, "I told you, you should consider getting out of the Underground." She turned the knob, "I have work to do."
She discreetly exited the room and slipped out of the hospital, aware that Akira was following her, but more intent on getting out than getting rid of him.
"Wait," said the man, and now Reiko was getting annoyed, she had already saved his life, what more did he want?
She spun to face him, letting her frustration show on her face, "Look, I already saved you and I told you what to do to prevent that from happening again, so why don't you just leave me alone!"
Akira blinked, and then annoyance shone on his face as well, "No, not until you tell me how I can get back at that bastard for almost killing me."
Reiko gave an exasperated sigh, and then glanced around, spotting an all-night café. "Fine, let's go in there, but I'm going to make it quick, I don't have all night."
She wasn't joking, after the spell she'd just enacted, she needed to replenish her energy, and there were special herbs she kept at home that could hasten the process. Still, sugar and coffee could do an adequate job for now, and perhaps the young man did deserve to know what had happened to him.
