"The map says that the only way to cross the B'tartan River is to cross the B'tartan Bridge," Yugi said, peering closely at his new magic map. "I guess that's kind of obvious."
They had walked for the last two days, moving ever northward. The wide, deep, rushing river in front of them was the first real obstacle they had encountered in their journey. The road was still calm in the presence of Minavre, even though the city had fallen into decay.
"Ya couldn't have told us before we came all da way here, Yug'?" Joey asked, rubbing his head in frustration. "You've been lookin' at that map all day long!"
"Sorry, guys," Yugi apologized. "I just never realized how big Ishravitas really was… There are all sorts of cities on this map that I've never ever heard of. I wasn't really focusing on the river while I was looking at them."
"Don't worry, dude, it's understandable," Tristan said. "Besides, the river's kinda nice, isn't it?" He lay down on the grass and rested his hands behind his head. "It's not as good as the palace, but it's better than mossy cobblestone."
Tea looked down at the water sadly. She didn't dare put her feet into the stream, for she knew that it was poisoned, just like the rest of the water in Ishravitas. "The grass…" she said softly. "The grass is crying."
And indeed, the blades of grass at the riverbed were bent over with pollution, as if hanging their heads in sadness. Small drops of dew dripped from their tips. "I think it knows that it's going to die," Tea continued. They stared at that grass, remembering why they had come.
"Let's go," Yugi said, and began walking east towards the morning sun, following the river to its only bridge. They traveled for many hours, until the morning sun had aged and moved behind them. Near sunset, they approached a broad and sturdy bridge made of stone. Dozens of disfigured shapes covered it.
"I wonder what they're doing," Tristan said as they walked up. Yugi observed by the bright and varying color of their clothes and skin that they must not have been human.
"Doesn't it seem like they're watching something?" Tea observed. She was right – all of the creatures seemed to be circled around the center of the bridge. Sounds of clashing metal and fierce roars echoed through the plains around them, mixed with the cheers and the cat calls of the monstrous onlookers.
Suddenly, a man with a large staff and green robes walked up to them. "Do you think that you can cross the bridge without having to pass the test, humans?" He saw Tea. "And fairy, it seems."
"What test is this?" Tristan asked. "Does this have anything to do with your guys' little show over here?"
The green-robed man bared his teeth at Tristan in anger. "How dare you call this a show!? This is a tournament, a test of strength!"
"A tournament?" Yugi asked. "Wait… You're Duel Monsters!" he exclaimed. "I've heard stories of you since I was a kid! I can't believe I didn't recognize you earlier. You're Giltia the Knight, three time champion of the five-star monster finals!"
Giltia smiled against his will. However, that smile quickly faded. "I see that news of our tournaments has reached your human ears. Yet I believe that coming to see our training personally was not your reason for coming here. Tell me, what is it that you want?"
"We just want to cross the bridge, Sir Giltia," Yugi replied.
"Such privileges are not allowed to the untried. One of you will need to defeat one of us before we can let you go to the other side," said Giltia. Yugi frowned. Duel Monsters were infinitely more powerful than humans; they would never be able to win in a one-on-one battle.
"Ah, I can take 'em!" Joey declared, pumping his fist in the air and grinning madly. "Who wants some?"
Giltia looked Joey up and down coldly. "If you wish, you may fight Mystical Elf." A blue-skinned, green-clad woman floated up to them, smiling serenely at them. "Mystical Elf, this human wishes to duel you," Giltia said to her.
Joey and Tristan gaped at the woman, who bowed respectfully. "I'm not gonna fight a woman!" Joey said. "That's dishonorable!"
"I think Mystical Elf can handle herself, Joey," Yugi disagreed softly. Even though Mystical Elf was a female monster, and she did look rather frail, Yugi knew that Joey wouldn't be able to stand a chance. However, Yugi also knew that he wouldn't be able to convince Joey of that until he experienced it himself.
A winged fairy held up a round one sign. "Match twenty-seven – Joey Wheeler versus Magical Elf. Fight!" She flew off quickly, leaving Joey and Magical Elf to their duel.
Joey raised his clenched fists and spread his feet apart in a battle stance. He would go easy on this elf, Joey decided, and try not to hurt her too badly. He rushed forward, prepared to pull any punches, and the Mystical Elf floated completely still, clasping her hands before her in a stance of ease.
Joey swung at her stomach, hating that he had to fight a female, but she flew into the air and dodged him at inhuman speeds. She landed behind him lightly, making no sound. Joey turned around, raising his leg for a spinning kick, and she lifted up her hand and held his foot in midair. She lifted his leg until it was parallel to the rest of his body – Joey let out a squeak of pain – and then, discreetly, she used her other hand to grasp the collar of his shirt and pull him in one swift motion to the ground.
The fairy flew back into the ring, holding a round two sign. "Ready!" she yelled. Joey picked himself off the ground and returned to his corner, brushing the dirt off his face. She was tougher than he thought. He wouldn't go quite so easy on her next time. "Fight!"
Joey chose to let the elf make the first move this round. Joey waited, holding an offensive stance, until the Mystical Elf rushed forward so quickly that she was only a colorful blur in Joey's eyes. He spun blindly and punched the air, and was met with a forceful palm strike to the forehead. Joey fell to the ground, his world spinning before him, and he realized to his horror that the Mystical Elf was actually going easy on him.
She placed a slipper-covered foot on his back, keeping him on the ground. The fairy flew forward and began to count to ten. Joey struggled to get back up, but the Mystical Elf's strength did not diminish. Joey was defeated at the end of round two, and he was sure that he would have been beaten in the first minute if Mystical Elf had used her full strength.
"How are we supposed to cross the bridge if none of us are powerful enough to defeat the Duel Monsters?" Tea asked. "Yugi, you said that there was no other way over the river, didn't you?"
Yugi shook his head. "Nothing on this map. But there has to be some way that we can cross." He turned to Giltia. "Please, this is very important! Isn't there some way that you can… bend the rules, or something?" Meanwhile, Tristan had rushed into the ring to free Joey from Mystical Elf before the next match started.
"Bend the rules?" Giltia repeated, tinctures of disgust in his voice. "It is impossible, no matter how grave your situation may be."
"Sir Giltia, please, we need to cross, we have to!" Yugi begged. "But we're not strong enough to fight you. We're just humans!"
Giltia sighed. He seemed to feel for their plight, but couldn't do anything about it. "There is a way," he admitted. "But it is frowned upon by most of our people."
"There are more things at stake her than just our reputations, dude," Tristan argued. "Just tell us what it is, and we'll work out our morals for ourselves."
"There is a person who lives near here. We call him the Deckmaster," Giltia explained. "He was once a servant of the pharaoh, but his greed and envy drove him from the palace to pursue a more… profitable career. Now he uses the magical arts to trap our souls within small wooden tablets, tablets he calls cards. He sells these cards to humans who want to cross the bridge but do not have the strength to do so. I believe another human passed by here a few months ago, carrying one of the Deckmaster's cards."
"Another human?" Yugi asked. It couldn't be… or could it?
"Yes," Giltia replied. "He was white as snow, skin and hair alike, and he toted a large wagon with him. What that wagon contained, I do not know, for it was covered with burlap."
"Bakura," Joey breathed. "That thief did what we're going to do."
"No," Yugi said shortly. "We'll just ask the Deckmaster to release the Duel Monster's spirit after we come back. Then we'll be buying his freedom, not making him more of a slave."
"We would be most grateful if you will keep your word," Giltia said. He nodded at Yugi and left to watch the rest of the tournament, where Gaia the Fierce Knight and Mystic Horseman were engaged in a jousting match.
Yugi opened up his map and zoomed in on the south riverbank. Yugi saw a small house with the title of "Deckmaster's cottage" over it. "I guess that's it," Yugi said. "We just have to walk a little farther east."
"Wait," Tea interrupted. "How are we supposed to pay him? We don't have any money."
"I guess we'll hafta give him somethin' else he wants," Joey said thoughtfully. "But it'll be all right. I'm sure King Atem gives refunds."
