Chapter 3: Divided They Fall
A young woman with short red hair ran down from her room as lightning flashed. Her blue eyes searched frantically for her lover, but to no avail. She arrived at the living room and noticed something on the table.
"Am I dreaming?" the woman questioned to herself. Her hands trembled as she picked the letter up. She didn't know who left it behind and began to read it carefully.
It read:
"Dear to whomever finds this,
I can't keep doing this anymore. Both Artemis and Pluto are gone and I'm the only left to lead the Guardians. It was foolish of me to believe I was fully capable of being a good leader and king.
Look no further now, your last leader has abandoned the Guardians. Whom you want to blame for my departure should be yourselves. When will I return? Who knows."
The woman's eyes widened in horror as she finished reading. She felt heartbroken about Yukai and headed straight to his room to see if the letter was true. She barged into Yukai's room and to her surprise, he was not there.
"No…" she whispered. The woman fell to the floor on her knees, tears flowing down her eyes. "YUKAI!" Her shrill cries echoed throughout her home as the high-pitched sound awoken the residents inside their rooms.
The drive to the Guardians' home was long and they hit traffic along the way. Jupiter was not in the best mood for this dilemma and she became irritable with the many cars approaching from the city. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as Kiki, who sat in the front passenger seat, turned on the radio.
Yugi and his friends were restless from the flight, and Joey took the time to nap. Mai allowed him to rest his head on her lap as she too drifted off in slumber. Kaiba and Atem stared out the window, gazing at the numerous trees that hid houses behind them. Mokuba adverted the hardened look of Koji, wondering why Kiki's friend was watching him that way. Yugi was slowly falling asleep, but the music that was playing made him remain awake.
The tunes flowing from the radio was a dance mix and the rhythm comforted Yugi. Kiki turned her head and smiled whilst she held her two plushies.
"Like the music?" Kiki asked.
"I didn't know you enjoy dance music." Yugi said.
Jupiter sighed. "I downloaded it. I think the singer is European or something." she replied happily. "The song is called Shadows of the Night."
"Never heard of it." Yugi responded. He realized Jupiter making a right turn and he did not get the chance to see the highway sign, so he would know what exit she took.
Yugi felt like he were back home as the drive seemed peaceful. They passed by homes and stores, and a few minutes later arrived at their destination.
The Guardian's home appeared the same, with the exception that some of the nearby trees in back were cut down. Everyone got out of the van and Jupiter opened the trunk to get their luggage. They were welcomed with a cold breeze and it made Joey shiver.
"Why did we have to come during winter? It's freezing!" Joey complained.
"Well, it's December, did you expect it to be summer?" Kiki remarked.
"Téa's lucky to be in Australia right now." Joey muttered in a shaky voice.
"Everything in the Southern Hemisphere is opposite from the Northern Hemisphere." Jupiter said. "I believe where Téa is should be summer while we experience winter. This is what we get for living above the Equator." She noticed Joey taking his luggage and dragging them over to the far-right house.
"Did you renovate while we were gone?" Joey asked, approaching the door. He realized the two houses had an extra wing in the back which would explain the cut-down trees. Joey opened the front door, but became startled when a sharp object came in close contact with his face. "I don't deserve to die! I don't wanna go!"
"Joey, you big baby, open your eyes!" Mai scolded. Joey cracked opened one eye and he fell back to the ground, dropping his luggage in the process.
"Saturn, what are you trying to do?" Jupiter yelled angrily at the man with brown hair and eyes. He held an scythe in his hand and drew it back.
"Jupiter, it was an accident. I thought he was an intruder." Saturn pleaded. He narrowed his eyes to the rest of the group. "Pardon my behavior, I am Saturn, Guardian of Ice."
"Maybe you should be called Guardian of Almost Trying To Kill Me!" Joey spat irritably. He mumbled a few words under his breath, picking up his things and walking passed the Guardian to get inside.
"I presume that blond idiot is Joey Wheeler." Saturn pondered.
"You can say that." Kiki replied, swiftly moving to the door and assisting Mai with her luggage.
Everyone went inside the home as Mai consented at how the Guardians furnished themselves. She was impressed with the beautiful Victorian living room which led straight to the new wing in the back. Yugi knew someone was watching them, but he had no clue who.
A pair of blue eyes gazed at Yugi as he scanned the living room. The woman stepped out from the shadows, giving everyone a fright when they saw her. She giggled as she approached them.
Yugi thought this woman must have requested for him and his friends to come, so he asked, "Are you the one who wanted us here?"
The woman smoothed her red hair with her right hand. "I am the Guardian you seek," she answered. She sat down on a nearby chair, her eyes glinting in the sunlight. "Some people know me as Misty."
"No way!" Atem gasped. "You're the girl who confronted Pluto, weren't you?" He remembered Misty as the girl who stood her ground against Pluto, and nearly risked her life, but he did not expect to see her in person.
"I'm actually the reincarnation of Sephora, so that is what I am called by the Guardians," the woman continued. "I prefer to be named Sephora and I am Guardian of the North."
"You mean, like the Northern Hemisphere, right?" Yugi questioned. He received a nod as her response.
"You all know Yukai, after all he is my fiancé." Sephora said.
"You're going to marry Yukai?" Yugi yelled nearly at the top of his lungs. "He never mentioned anything of marriage to us. Where is he?"
Sephora shook her head. "He's gone…" she responded sadly. "Three years ago, Yukai was put through a lot stress trying to lead the Guardians. He would get into constant arguments, some that were even minor, and before we knew it, he was gone."
"Where is Pluto?" Kaiba asked. His eyes glowered at Sephora.
"He disappeared just before Yukai." She answered.
"What about Artemis?" Yugi inquired.
"Yugi, we haven't received any news of her…" Jupiter replied.
Yugi felt distraught once more. Why hasn't she return? Yugi thought to himself. It was unlikely for Artemis to remain missing, especially for the past six years. The person Yugi loved was now a blur memory in his mind.
"Then tell me, where are the rest of the Millennium Guardians?" Joey questioned.
Sephora's face fell. "They're gone," she said. "Nidoki and Forseti vanished after Yukai left and Apollo and Orpheus haven't come back either."
"Could these disappearances have a connection?" Atem mused. He noticed some of the other Guardians were not present in the room.
"If you're looking for the Genesis, what's left of them are in Animus, trying to control our empire." Sephira explained. "Ceres, Gaia, Stella, Athena, Vulcan and Zephyrus have gone with them to help."
"Shouldn't there be more of you?" Joey asked.
"Most of them are trying to locate our leaders, and some have their own problems to deal with." Jupiter answered.
Kaiba smirked at Sephora, glaring like he did not believe a single word she said. "How the mighty have fallen." He commented. Sephora tensed, clenching her hands tightly. "You just can't face the facts that your leaders have deserted you and they're never coming back."
Sephora abruptly stood up, nearly ready to attack Kaiba. "Bastard! Yukai would never abandon me because he's not like that, and you're nothing but a fool to say that!" Sephora spat. She glared at Kaiba with furious rage. "Never, ever speak that way about Yukai again!"
"You're pathetic," Kaiba murmured. "Yukai probably thought the Guardians were weak and he took advantage when he had the chance, that's why he left."
"Shut up! If I recall, you were the one in hiding during Duelist Kingdom and you nearly risked your life to force Yugi into losing that duel." She said defensively. "He fought with honor and he has saved me many times before."
"How sweet. Defending your boyfriend who perhaps has fallen for another." Kaiba continued. In that instant, Sephora slapped him on the face, his eyes widened in shock. A red mark appeared from where he was hit as he touched it and felt stung.
Silence came into the room as Sephora looked down at her hands, her breathing ragged and deep. She could not believe what she had done and she sat back down. Sephora saw the gazes of every person in the room, trying to block a headache from her head.
"Kaiba, are you alright?" Yugi asked, careful to not provoke him to do more damage.
Jupiter decided to go onto another subject. "Ah, why don't I show you to your rooms, I mean, we've had a rough day." She pushed Kaiba to the corridor as she urged the rest to follow. She waved her hand hysterically at Kiki and Koji.
"Oh, I have to go home." Kiki replied. She walked to the door, noticing Koji was not with her. She went back to him and grabbed his hand. "Come on." With that, the two teens were gone, but Yugi realized Kiki left her plushies behind.
They left Sephora alone in the room as she silently thought to herself. Her eyes diverted to the window shaft on the ceiling, and she reached for the long ladder attached to it. Sephora brought it down and climbed on the ladder to head to the rooftop. She was greeted by the starry night as a cold breeze brushed against her. The chill in the air made her shiver, but she tried to ignore it.
"Yukai…" she whispered as she sat on the roof all by herself.
Jupiter led everyone to their rooms, and she was now directing Yugi to his room. She helped him carry his luggage as Yugi noticed how gloomy the corridor felt. The Guardian did not speak a word to him after Kaiba and Sephora's argument.
Yugi had some of the answers he was looking for, but there was still one lack of information he believed Sephora was going to get to until Kaiba intervened. Then he sensed they were being followed. Yugi turned around to find no one.
"Yugi, here's your room." Jupiter said as she opened the door.
Both of them dropped Yugi's things on the floor as Jupiter stood over to the doorway. Before Yugi could say anything, she had already left, closing the door. Yugi sighed as he began to unpack, but decided not to. He sat on his bed, welcomed by a puffy white blanket to lay with.
Yugi removed his belt and took out his deck from it. He checked every card thoroughly and found the three Egyptian God cards. Then he found Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, followed by Maiden of the Moonlight. He finally discovered his desired card and placed it with the ones he had laid out. Although the room was dark, he saw Ra glimmer in the little light of the outside world entering his room. The seal was still on the card, and he became frustrated by it.
"Do you want to know the origin of that seal?" Tyche's voice said beside him.
Yugi scanned the room as he felt something climb on the bed. He rushed to turn on the light and found nothing. He sighed in relief until his eyes caught Kiki's plushies on his bed, staring at him. Yugi immediately panicked and ran to the door.
"Calm down!" the purple plushie begged. She flapped her small wings as she headed to Yugi. "I am Tyche."
Yugi gaped at them like he had gone insane. "I'm going to need to visit a therapist." He replied. It took him a moment to realize who they really were. "Wait, you two are the same creatures from the battle, but you're now tiny, and cute."
Heka rolled his eyes in disgust. The ruby orbs glared at Yugi and he decided to fly over to him. "Mortal, do not define me as 'cute'." Heka said. "These are merely our borrowed forms, alike to the Guardians in their human forms."
"Who are you?" Yugi queried.
"I am Tyche, Guardian Beast of Fortune." Tyche introduced. "You could say I'm almost like Lady Luck except there's been times I've given out misfortunes to those deserving it."
"I'm Heka, Guardian Beast of Ka." Heka replied. He noticed Yugi looking at him puzzled. "My abilities allow me to influence the magical forces around us, including the Ka which you and your comrades summon."
"You said you could tell me the origin of this seal." Yugi said, looking towards Tyche. He held out Ra as the seal glowed.
Tyche backed away, her violet eyes quivered. "The Seal of Chaos," She hissed the words as if they were venomous. Yugi insisted on her to proceed. "The Beasts of Chaos were the servants of the Galactic Dragon and they once rampaged all five worlds. The Phoenix Dragons were unable to stop them, so they sent their servants to destroy the monsters."
"After the Phoenix Dragons perished, their servants had new masters which were the former Genesis at the time." Heka continued. "These servants were the only ones to ever defeat the Beasts of Chaos."
"You mean the ones I saw in Domino and on the plane flight coming here?" Yugi questioned.
Tyche nodded. "The time has come for the Neo Guardians to arise once more to serve their masters again and stop the traitor of the Dragon Dynasty."
"Ra, the Seal of Chaos is the magic of the Galactic Dragon and it vowed to curse the beings whom were involved in the war," Heka explained. "The Galactic Dragon cursed the children of Horus, Apophis and Skyros."
Suddenly Tyche and Heka began fading into the shadows. Yugi did not know the traitor Tyche talked about and he had no idea who were the Neo Guardians. He tried to prevent them from leaving, but they vanished. His thoughts wandered to the Millennium Guardians.
"No, they couldn't be!" Yugi gasped. He faced the windows, the stars illuminating his form. Frightened violet eyes stared in shock towards the night, pushing all thoughts from his mind, but he couldn't suppress his anger. "ARTEMIS!"
Sephora heard Yugi's yells of anguish and could not help but remember how she mourned for Yukai. She still sat on the rooftop, gazing at the sky. "I guess we both lost the ones we love…" she sobbed. Her eyes narrowed to the shadows, seeing if someone was watching. No one was there. Sephora continued staring towards the sky as a shadowed figure stood in the treetops, examining her.
"Sephora, you haven't lost me…" Then the being drifted back to the shadows of the night.
Author's Notes: Some questions looming about should be answered, and some more trouble should come upon Yugi and his friends.
The mystery concerning the Neo Guardians plights Yugi, and why haven't the Guardians heard of them? The truth surrounding the Seal of Chaos becomes a dilemma once another seal prevents Ammon from being summoned. What can Yugi do without the aid of the Phoenix Dragons? On the next Struggle of Chaos - Chapter 4: Awaken From Thy Slumber, Neo Guardians! Yugi's Servant Arises!
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