Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades DO NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh. We DEARLY WISH WE DID.

A.N.: Thank you very much for everyone who reviewed! Thank you so much for the support! Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated and I'd be very glad if you constantly review, to tell me how the chapter went. I'd like to take a bit of time and answer some of the commentary I've received…

On the plotline of the story, I'm very happy that people like it, but I will have to say that this is only the beginning of this fic. ;; It is, by rights, an epic, or I intend it to be, and will be gobsmackingly long. If you ask me…this whole tournament thing is just the intro. ;; There are lots to uncover.

On Atemu's, er, evilness… I have a reason! I swear I do! XDXD And it's a good one! It won't be revealed anytime soon just yet, but for now, take him as he is. XD Lots of things go on in the Pyramide, and you'll find out in due time why he is as he is.

As always, flames will be laughed at and constructive criticism is welcome. Read and Review!


The Hero

Chapter Eight


"So be it, Emperor," he said in a loud clear voice. "Then without ado, I now demand for you. I demand that you Duel me—right in these arena!"

And the Coliseum exploded into chaos as the entire royal court leapt to its feet, along with the awestruck audience. The time had finally come—the white dragon had demanded for the Emperor at last.


And from the shade of a great pillar at the topmost bleacher, a youth swathed in shadow, with golden bangs falling into glinting purple eyes smiled maliciously.

"Show me your power, white dragon…" he smirked.

A shadow came up next to the youth, bowed slightly and spoke. "My liege, the preparations you have requested for have been carried out."

"You did well, Karim," said the youth, still not taking his eyes away from the spectacle that was in the Coliseum. "Pray, consider this situation. What do you make of it?"

The taller figure seemed rather puzzled, and shed off his hood to reveal his shiny black hair. Like the other youth, he was awash with gold chains and white wrappings on his arms. He took a good look at the proceedings that continued on below—the Emperor, the Dueler, and the tension that were strong enough to crack the very stone the Coliseum had been made of. The court was completely bowled over, but the Dueler on the field—the one with the crest of the white dragon—seemed to ignore all else but the monarch before him.

"He is rather…arrogant, isn't he?" Karim remarked. "Does this interest you, Master Malik?"

There was a smirk from the youth, the intricate golden band around his head glinting ominously in the light. "Does it not you? As we speak, the very future of the empire is laid out before us."

"What makes you say so, sire? Is he not some mere impudent Dueler? Surely, the Emperor will not stand this outrage and do away with him." Indeed, the soldiers were now starting to shift uncomfortably, and the greater centurions had thereupon armed themselves, taking their great clubs and spears into their hands. They were now surrounding the whole Duel area.

The great sorcerer Malik shook his head, smirk still in place. "He is certainly no ordinary Dueler if it came to that. True, he does look rather the commoner, but I believe he's the one we've been waiting for. I didn't expect him to come so soon, though…"

"Is this due to the Oracle's prophecy?" Karim asked, glancing to the tall figure of Isis who stood anxiously at the royal box.

"Oh, much greater—much older than that…" Malik gazed down at the white banner. "He thinks he is merely taking vengeance for what the Emperor has done… but really, he's beginning a chain of events that will lead to our ultimate victory. He is the catalyst we are waiting for."

He held up something that flashed in the light. It was a ring of gold, from which hung several points. An eye was in the triangle within it. "Do you know what this is, Karim?"

The older man now look startled. "Sire, that is—"

"Yes, quite…" Malik now sounded a trifle bored. He stepped forward a bit more, eyes going directly to the Liyir prince. He raised the ring. His purple eyes glowed for a brief instant, and the ring glinted, a great golden flash striking the Liyir prince's eyes.

Instantly, those soft brown eyes grew dark, and the prince froze. Moments later, they became light again, and the prince seemed to rouse himself. Malik began to smirk. "He's the one, all right. There now… Pack our bags, Karim… If my hunch is correct—we shall be taking a very long journey soon. And so will they." He motioned to the Dueler.

Malik sat on mid air, hovering as it were. "I think I'll stay here and watch the bloodbath. Besides—there is one source of power here that yet must be tapped into…"


The entire Coliseum exploded into uproar—people leapt to their feet, stunned at the most audacious statement in the Coliseum's history. Mokuba stared, aghast at Seto who continued to stand with impassive blue eyes, his spear pointed towards the Emperor, who also seemed rather surprised by such a request. The monarch and the Dueler continued to lock eyes in silence, but otherwise made no movement, like they were on some vivid tapestry. The rest of the court was completely blown away.

"Is he crazy?" Anzu gasped, dropping her feathered fan.

Prince Yugi, unlike the others, however, turned to the monarch only as surprised as one would be if they were told a trivia which they previously did not know of. "Sire…?" he asked him.

At this prompting, the Emperor slowly began to smirk. And then he laughed, causing everyone in the arena to fall silent and stare at him. Seto felt his blood turn into fire and he began to feel quite angry, the soldiers threatening around him notwithstanding. He had better not be thinking this to be some joke or I swear, I'll summon out something and take that crowned head off his shoulders, soldiers or not.

But the Emperor instead struck his staff to the ground with a smirk at him. "I must say, I've never quite have had a Dueler so impudent in my Coliseum before. Sounds interesting."

"Your Majesty—" alarmed, Isis made to step forward but Pegasus blocked her way. She stared up at him. "What do you think you're doing? This is—"

"His Majesty is free to do as he pleases," Pegasus answered coolly. "You forget your place, Oracle."

Isis clenched her fists but held her ground. "Do you not yet understand? Confrontation with him—"

"The Emperor knows what he is doing, I assure you," Pegasus answered calmly. He forced her back to where she was previously standing. "Now. I suggest you remain there and watch. This insubordinate Dueler won't be tolerated, you know."

Isis stared at him in amazement, then at the blue-eyed youth and his little page. What does the Emperor intend on Dueling? Surely, he doesn't intend on indulging this ludicrous request.

Seto now spoke again, his voice clear and confident. "Emperor, you have not yet answered my question. Do you intend on not granting me my winnings? If so…" and here he began to smirk. "I do hope you have a very probable reason for doing so for it questions your integrity."

Mokuba stared at his outright audacity. "Niisama, have you lost your mind?" And there was, of course, no answer to this.

Seto glared up at the purple-eyed monarch who seemed to be considering. Whatever it was, he certainly did not seem any inclined to tell the guards around them to tie up the Dueler, so at least this could be taken as a sign that his request would receive a favorable answer. However, at the same time, the emperor looked somehow uninterested almost bored—as if this sort of thing happened commonly—and it drove Seto's fury to all new levels.

Finally, the Emperor spoke. "All right, Dueler. I will face you."

For the second time, the Coliseum erupted into uproar. It must be confessed that majority of the court had swiveled around in their seats to stare, openmouthed, at the young ruler, who was just smiling, seemingly unperturbed by the healthy amount of shock that was going his way.

Seto's eyes widened for only the barest fraction of a millimeter before it hardened into the fire-like gaze that was, by now, so familiar of him. It was as though those very eyes would dare singe the monarch who stood before him. Within himself he felt the fury of ten years gathering, and he said, "Well? What are you waiting for? Have your nerves failed you?"

"So impatient," Atemu murmured before saying, "I said I would face, you, Dueler, don't question me." And he paused and began to smile. "However…"

Seto's eyes widened.

"There's a catch…I knew it," Mokuba groaned.

Atemu now raised his voice for the Coliseum to hear. "I am sure that no one in the Coliseum would disagree that before I deem you worthy to combat me, I will test you. After all—others who may have given the same challenge would already be known in their own right. You, however, Seto of the White Dragon, are a newcomer here in Dulle and it would be within my rights to see if you are worthy to fight me to begin with."

At this pronouncement, there seemed to be general assent from the public and the court that surrounded the Emperor. Ryou gaped at him, and turned to the Dueler on the field. A test…? What kind of test? A thought struck him and he looked up to the Emperor's side. Could it be…

Frowning, Seto looked up at him. "What is your test, then?"

Atemu smiled. "I'm glad you asked." And from his side, Prince Jounouchi of Wingild rose to his feet, his armor gleaming in the light as he smirked down at him.

"I'll be the one to test you, Seto of Gilheim," he said in a loud voice that carried over the entire Coliseum. He was grinning triumphantly. "If you can defeat me, the Prince of Wingild, then you may face our Emperor."

"Your emperor," Seto snarled. "Not mine. Not ever."

There was a stricken murmur that reverberated around the area and it must be confessed that even Mokuba's eyes widened at this. Never had such irreverence been spoken before in the Coliseum. The people of Dulle whispered among themselves as Jounouchi frowned and slowly made his way down to the Duel ground.

"You are brazen, Dueler," Jounouchi said, "to say that of the Emperor in his presence."

"Do you very well think that if I had cared, I would bother even saying it at all?" Seto raised an eyebrow.

Jounouchi looked angry now and he drew his sword. The populace gasped as he lunged at Seto, but the taller Dueler had batted it away with a gauntlet-covered arm. Seto glared at the prince and Mokuba ducked with a gasp.

"I won't forgive you for this!" Jounouchi exclaimed. "We shall settle this in a Duel! Shizuka!"

"Yes, brother?" called his sister from where she leaned over the divider, watching the on-goings apprehensively.

"Come here," Jounouchi replied, frowning. "I shall use all my power to settle this. There is no way that this impudent commoner will be worthy enough to challenge the emperor."

Ryou's heart sank. He's got a Caster… he looked to where Seto stood, seeming to protect his little page from the fury that could barely be contained in Jounouchi's person. But he noticed now, that for all the fury that shone out of those blue eyes, Seto held himself in cold silence that none of Jounouchi's fire could reach. What do you intend to do now…? he wondered. For sure, you know that this can't be nothing more than a game. There is no way the Emperor nor would his court allow you to come near…

Jounouchi was now holding an amulet in his hand, the ruby eyes on his helmet flashing. "So. Seto of Gilheim, do you think you can beat me?"

The wind caught the black dragon banner and stretched it out. Seto glared at it like he would set it on fire. The wind blew, and his own banner began to stream into the wind, white, the stark contrast to the black dragon. He now smirked at the youth known as the prince of Wingild.

"Yes. I can certainly manage it."

Jounouchi frowned at his obvious lack of fear towards the matter. "So be it, then!"

A thunderous roar of applause and cheers met this. By his own right, Jounouchi was famous in the Coliseum, known to frequent the capital to partake in the duels. He was, until present, quite unmatched save for a handful of Duelers, and was known as someone whom the Emperor has bestowed his favor upon. But without a doubt, Seto had proven he was certainly powerful in this tournament—but would it be enough? The newcomer certainly thought so.

Seto looked up when he saw white flash at the barricade. Instinctively, he knew who it was without having to see completely. He locked eyes with the brown-eyed boy, whose gaze seemed to be a mix of concern and determination, as well as seeming to ask if he was going to be all right. For the life of him, Seto did not know why that boy seemed to give him more favor than that which he asked for, all without saying a word.

Please… that gaze seemed to say, be careful.

And in return, Seto's gaze replied, I don't have to be. He has to. And that was punctuated by a glare going Jounouchi's way. The black-armored teen was now currently in deep discussion with his sister, who seemed, if anything, rather disturbed.

"What are you talking about?" Jounouchi stared at her.

Shizuka shifted uncomfortably. "Really, brother. I do trust your skill… It's just that…" and here she glanced at Seto, who was being spoken to by Mokuba, "…there is something about him that I think you should be wary of. There may be more to him than meets the eye."

"Spare me, sister," the prince scoffed. "We've seen what he can do! We bloody dropped out of the tournament just to sit and wait! He has not disappointed, true, and has proven himself rather formidable an opponent but surely there is no cause for your anxiety."

"It's just that…he seemed to have shown so little effort…" she remarked. "As though it's not what all he can do. I only worry for your safety."

"Bluffing! Now get that nonsense out of your head. I willbe victorious today, trust me." And he patted her shoulder comfortingly. This seemed to comfort her some. He glanced to his opponent, who was talking to his page—or, rather, the page was talking to him.

"He uses brawn a lot," Mokuba said, looking up at Seto as he fixed his shield. "And he's got luck on his side, apparently. He's a big gambler, really, so you can count on him to take reckless chances and come out on the better end sometimes." He paused. "Oh. And you do know what his favorite Summon is." He motioned to the dragon on the banner. "What are you to do, niisama?"

Seto stared hard at the dragon on the banner. Slowly, he gripped the amulet inside his tunic without tearing his gaze away.

"…it may be time after all," he murmured, "…for another dragon to rise."


So it might be indeed! The next chapter holds the battle between Seto and Jounouchi—and Malik's presence might be something of a wild factor… Reviews please!