"Attack!" roared Seto.

Voarse Raider plunged into the sea of enemies as Rude Kaiser focused on keeping the approaching monsters from crossing the moat.

The air was filled with the sound of metal on metal.

"There're too many Blade Knights for Voarse Raider to defeat," Seto realized. "And the Big Shield Gardnas are too strong… But there has to be a way to win…"

"Press forward, you cowards!" the King's Knight roared. "Forward, I said! You outnumber them!"

The Blade Knights charged ahead.

"Get that beast out of the way!" ordered King's Knight, referring to Voarse Raider.

One of the Big Shield Gardnas obediently knocked Voarse Raider into the moat with such a force that for a moment, he was too stunned to resurface.

Seto's breath seemed to leave his own chest as well. Unable to draw in air, he sank to his knees.

"Seto? Seto!?" asked Mokuba. "What's happening to you!?"

Voarse Raider surfaced, and Seto's breath returned to him as well.

That was something he hadn't bargained for.

"What was that…?" he asked himself. "That was like Wheeler's duel with Marik in Battle City… The duelist faces the exact same fate of his monster…"

"Get the other two!" roared the King.

"Seto, we'd better go," said Mokuba.

"No…" he replied, his eyes widening as he formed a plan. "Take my place, little brother."

With that, Seto jumped into the moat.

"What are you doing!?"

"Take my place!" he repeated, swimming underwater.

"You… you heard him, Kaiser!" said Mokuba, trembling now. "Don't let them get any closer!"

"Take the crocodile out next!" ordered the King.

Another strike from a Gardna sent Rude Kaiser flying.

"Kaiser, come on!" said Mokuba. "Seto put us in charge!"

Rude Kaiser struggled to its feet. The crocodile tensed, trying to brace itself for the next onslaught.

"Stop! Stop now!" cried King's Knight.

The Blade Knights and Gardnas paused, bewildered.

"Surrender to them now!" he went on. "Now! Lay down your arms! Throw them into the water and return to the castle!"

The servants obeyed, and after they turned to retreat, Mokuba noticed that Seto had the commanding Duel Monster in a headlock with Voarse Raider standing between him and the servants. With so many knights to contend with, Seto had realized that the only way they could've won the match was to go for the top. And so he had done just that.

"You heard him," said Seto. "Inside, all of you."

The servants filed into the castle. After they had all left, Seto relieved the King's Knight of his sword and released him.

"I ask for nothing," Seto said, glaring at him. "Just tell me how I can get my brother out of this world of yours."

"I'll tell you anything," sobbed the King's Knight. "I'll give you anything you desire; I'll even give you my kingdom! Just please… please tell me what you did to my son!"

"What…?" asked Seto, caught off guard.

"Just tell me if he's alive or dead!" the Duel Monster pleaded. "Where did you see him last? Or did your follower take custody of him?"

"First of all, he's most certainly not my follower," Seto informed him. "He is my younger brother."

As he spoke, Mokuba came forward to help, and now the King's Knight kneeled before him.

"Please, whoever you are, I beg you to tell me what you know about my son!"

"We don't know anything!" said Mokuba, casting a bewildered glance at his brother.

"Don't you lie to me, Boy!" the King's Knight roared. "My son told me he was to guide a human through the marshlands and would return upon the completion of the task! It's been a fortnight, and I haven't heard from him since! Out with the truth, or I'll--"

"You will not threaten my brother, is that clear!?" countered Seto. "And, anyway, we arrived only yesterday!"

The fight left the Duel Monster rapidly.

"I… I see…" he said.

"Now if that's all," said Seto. "We're leaving."

"Seto, wait…" said Mokuba. "Maybe we should help…"

"We have our own problems," he replied, turning to leave.

"Seto, think about it," the boy went on. "If there's another human here somewhere, we could find out what this place really is!"

In truth, Mokuba was just trying to come up with a delaying tactic to prevent Seto from sending him back so soon. If Seto needed to investigate something, then Mokuba would try his best to be there.

Seto had known his brother long enough to sense his ulterior motives. But on the other hand, he had brought up a good point about another person being present in this world. Whoever it was may have some knowledge of this world, and perhaps even some information on the power hidden within it.

Seto turned back to the King's Knight.

"Exactly where did your son say he was going?" he asked.

"The marshlands about a league from here," King's Knight answered, showing the way. "The queen has been most aggrieved by our son's disappearance; she won't even leave her chambers. I fear her health might suffer should she continue to worry for his absence."

"I didn't ask for a novel…" said Seto, with a roll of his eyes.

"Please! If you find my son, I shall give you anything you wish for!" the King promised.

"I'll keep that in mind," Seto replied, and he turned to his brother. "Mokuba, I want you to wait here until I return..."

He trailed off as he noticed that his brother was not there, and was instead ordering Rude Kaiser to hack a pathway through the forest.

"You coming, or what?" Mokuba called, waving to his brother.

Seto's expression was unreadable.


Seto had intended to give his brother a telling off for heading recklessly into the forest as he had done, but realized that there was no point. As of late, Mokuba had seemed to become nearly as stubborn as Seto was, and telling him off might end up pushing him to further rebel.

The forest eventually gave way to the marshes. Green-colored bogs surrounded them, with steam and fog clouding the path ahead.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Mokuba, leaning over the water's edge.

"Mokuba, I wouldn't do that if I were--" Seto began.

He was cut off by a green slime-like creature erupting from the surface of the water. Mokuba stumbled backwards, trying to get out of its way.

"Bad Dorover!" scolded Mokuba. "Down!"

He grabbed a fallen branch and struck the Dorover, which roared in pain and sank back beneath the surface. Considerably smug, Mokuba snapped his fingers in superiority.

"He's my brother, alright…" Seto thought, with a roll of his eyes.

The surface of the water broke again.

"Ah, you want more?" asked Mokuba, branch at the ready. But his confidence left him as, this time, the Dorover was joined by a dozen more.

"Next time, little brother, choose your battles!" Seto reproached him, summoning Voarse Raider.

Voarse Raider leaped into action, but the swirling fog made it nearly impossible to see the Dorovers as they attacked. Seto bit his tongue to avoid crying out in pain as he felt the same blows that were dealt to Voarse Raider.

"It's no good!" he called at last. "Fall back, Voarse Raider."

The Beast Warrior returned back into its capsule as a new monster appeared.

"Go, Invitation to a Dark Sleep!" ordered Mokuba.

The mage, in an instant, lulled the slimy creatures to sleep.

"Lucky I found that capsule when I jumped back from the water," he said. "Are you OK, Seto?"

"Do you now see why I want you back to our world?" Seto asked, through gritted teeth.

"But, Seto--"

"It was foolish enough to go near the water as it was, let alone to instigate that attack!"

"But I got us out of it!" Mokuba protested.

"We're not discussing this any further, Mokuba," said Seto, with an air of finality. "As soon as we find the King's son, you will be going home."

"This isn't fair…" Mokuba muttered quietly.

"How fair would it have been if something had happened to you?" Seto replied, overhearing him.

Mokuba didn't reply; he just vented his frustrations by kicking a nearby rock.

"I'm only trying to look out for you, Mokuba," Seto went on, his voice less austere now.

"I know, I know…" he replied. "But it's just that--"

He was cut off by a strange glow coming from the mist ahead of them. They ventured forward and discovered a small shrine in the middle of the bog.

"What is that supposed to be?" asked Seto, not impressed.

"Dunno, but whatever it, you certainly don't see it everyday…" said Mokuba, heading for it.

"Mokuba, stay right there," Seto ordered.

"I was just going to see--"

"It might be a trap," he went on, overtaking his brother.

"Oh, and that makes it OK for you to check it out…?" Mokuba asked.

Seto didn't answer; he cautiously approached the shrine to find a sealed stone coffer with hieroglyphs carved upon the lid.

"Is that a sarcophagus…?"

"Possibly…" Seto replied, glancing at the carved symbols. And in an instant, his mind interpreted the ancient writing without effort.

Ye shall have need of these contents
Before your grueling quest is done;
The golden mail within this chest
Allows master and servant to become one
.

Pride and better judgment went to war yet again. Surely the "quest" the carving spoke of was of the power he sought! But he had vowed to send Mokuba home before anything else happened to him. On the other hand, it wouldn't hurt to acquire the so-called "golden mail" he needed now instead of returning here later.

Having rationalized his actions, Seto proceeded to move the stone lid off of the large coffer.

"Wait! What are you…?" Mokuba began, but trailed off at the sight of a magnificent piece of armor made from gold and emblazoned with the Wadjet Eye.

As though it had a life of it own, the armor rose into the air and locked itself onto Seto's torso. He tried, without success, to remove it.

"What is this thing!?" he asked, frustrated.

"Well, it's definitely you…" commented Mokuba. "And it's a perfect fit!"

Seto had to ponder over his brother's words. It couldn't be a coincidence that the armor just happened to fit him. Someone had expected him to come here.

"There's something else in here, too," Mokuba went on, lifting a segmented violet pendant out of the coffer.

But before Seto could have a chance to inspect it, a low groaning made him turn. The Dorovers that had been asleep had now awakened and were slithering towards them again.

"I'm beginning to get the idea why we aren't finding the King's son," he growled, searching for a way out.

"You don't think…?" Mokuba began, pointing to the approaching monsters.

The back wall of the shrine lit up, revealing an open portal.

"Where does that lead to…?" Seto wondered aloud.

"I'll go take a look!" the boy replied, grateful for a chance to lead the way.

"Mokuba--" Seto began, but he had already gone through the portal. Seto stayed behind for a moment, unable to comprehend his brother's recklessness.

"What am I going to do with him…?" he asked, to no one in particular.

Seto noticed now that the Dorovers were almost upon him. Resisting the temptation to try to battle them again, he retreated through the portal, which closed behind him.