Shinrinhakai- Forest destruction
Sorry on slowness, I went ta Florida so I was without the computer, but I wrote four pages at least....
Anyway....here we go again! Umph...I'm running out of ideas for the Shadow Realm part....Hum....bit of a disaster time! I think more action in this chapter than all the others....heh, makes life more fun!
Chapter 10! This is always the chapter that seems like a time for me to celebrate, I'm not sure why, but it's also the number where I throw in the Disclaimer again!
Disclaimer: Bah-ha! I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! so NAH XP ya can't go suing me! ::Dances around.:: Ohhh but look! ::Pulls out a long list.:: Buuuut, Lenokei is mine, the "Mistress" is mine, Drazzle is mine, and Shinkou is mine (seen this chap). What? You didn't really EXPECT this whole list to be filled, did you?
Ah, one last thing, I'm still having the Shadow Realm bit in the beginning, but that'll be short and I'll be going back to them again and Marik ish kinda OOC...
"Might I suggest a BIGGER gun?!" -Agent Jay: Men in Black II
******
"Something is wrong..."
"What is it, brother?"
"I....don't know. Something isn't right...CELTIC!" The Dark Magician snapped his head around, looking out towards the elf swordsman who had just came back into the area after escorting Hyosube out of the realm.
"Hn, yes?" He glanced up, fixing his helm slightly.
"I'm worried...I want you to watch over Yugi, something is going to happen....I can sense it."
"But-" Yugi began, but silenced himself and gave a nod. It was best to let the magician do his work, besides...it was kind of cool being by the elf, it was another one of his monsters, after all. He moved towards the swordsman slowly, trying to figure what had caused the confusion to spread through the realm. He glanced up at the warrior. "Do you know why everyone seems nervous?"
"....Just that something dangerous is coming, what that is, I am unsure of."
******
"Shinkou!"
"Mistress...?" A form stalked into the dark room, azure eyes catching the light to a set a glimmer through them. His posture showed his dislike to the place, and even more of what was coming to him.
"You know who the Pharaoh's light is, am I right?"
"Hai...I cannot deny it..."
"I want him here. *Now*," she snapped, eyes aflame as her body rotated to face him. Shinkou gave a faltered look, not moving from his location. "This task is not hard to comprehend, Shinkou!"
"Mistress, I...don't know where the boy is..."
"Baka.." her voice growled out low. "Go. That runt of a hikari is in the central area of the Shadow Realm. Hn. And while you're at it..." at the raise of her hand, a card cut through the air and he caught it. "I easily took this trinket from a fool with a little bit of easy magic. Now, make a mess of that silly little place. I want flames. Understand?"
He gave a nod, looking down at the card he held and flinched slightly.
A Blue-Eyes.
******
"WHERE'S MY BLUE-EYES?!"
"Gee, Kaiba, I never thought you would be one to lose a card," Malik quirked with a smirk. "Especially a Blue-Eyes."
"I DIDN'T lose it!!"
"Oh? Then where is it?
Five sets of eyes shifted towards the moving duo, Yami and Bakura. At the sight, Ryou jumped to his feet, running over quickly. "Yami! What took you two so long!? I was worried! H-" Russet eyes pulled back as he felt his dark half reopen the mental connection.
{What *happened*?}
[You were really worried...?]
{YES!}
Bakura faintly smiled, first time in awhile, but he didn't answer his hikari. He couldn't... Not now anyway. Sharp eyes wandered over the group, Seto's panic, Shadi's meditation, Isis's pointless incantations. An active crew. 'But there were nine...' Again, the deep eyes scouted the roof top, total person count only making seven, including himself.
"Where's Marik and Joey?"
Malik raised his head to the yami. "My dark half is somewhere in the building." He glanced around a moment. "And Joey was up here...probably somewhere in the building too."
"I'm going to go look for him," Yami inquired, turning towards the stairs. Bakura watched him go, rolling his eyes and oddly following afterwards.
******
Joey stood be the door where Marik hid away.
Thirteen minutes. He had been there for thirteen straight minutes, debating whether to go in or not. His hand hovered over the knob and at last grasped it, pulling open and stepped into the gloomy, dark office. "Marik?"
No answer.
"Marik, can I talk ta you...?" Joey pushed on. He didn't need a Millennium Item to know the other was in the room.
"No."
Brown eyes shrank then refocused to where Marik was. A form standing with his back to Joey in a corner.
"MARIK! ...Please....talk ta me..." the blonde bit his lip in a minor panic with the other saying so far a total of one word. "Why are you doing this?! Secluding yourself! Are you jus' tired...?"
'I don't want to be hurt....'
"Is this about that...thing...on the dragon....?"
"Yes...'
"Marik, jus' stop this! Maybe I can't read minds, but I can faces, and I SWEAR you enjoyed it!"
'Maybe...'
"Tell me! Did you, or did you not?!" Joey snapped again, mentally begging the other to face him.
"Why would I tell you?" Marik sneered, voice to Joey, face to the wall 'So you can throw it in my face?!'
"I- because I did and I jus' thought... I jus' though that you......did too...."
Marik turned halfway, looking back at Joey who seemed bent as eyes locked. But the yami turned away and the bent body snapped and fled.
'I don't need my head messed with anymore, Joey...'
******
"Go my mighty beasts! Rain your terror upon these weaker beings! Blue-Eyes, Red-Eyes, and Blackland Fire dragons!" A voice, Shinkou, chortled darkly, hands spread wide as the three cards spread through the Shadow Realm. "And I want the Pharaoh's light, ALIVE!"
((A/N: I'm lazy to add this in the story. Shinkou is controlling the Blue-Eyes, even though it's Seto's....he just....can.))
Two of the monsters moved out, but the Red-Eyes Black Dragon (not Joey's) was on standby as Shinkou stood between its neck and back. "GO!"
******
"What's happening?!" Kaji cried out, hands clutching around her staff as a ripping sound of crashes chained together from the distance. Wahei and Merodi stood close near the other in part of the forest surrounding the lake and clearing, the air becoming crisp and deadly.
"Get OUT of here!"
The three turned to the voice, the form of a ragged shirt and hat quickly spiraling through the air at them. Once dead, but now act in the act, the Magical Ghost halted before the spellcasters in a panic. "The whole realm is being attacked!"
"By what...?" Merodi questioned in a flow.
"Ne...three dragons...and...some human. They're destroying everything top to bottom in search of the 'Pharaoh's light.' Hell, I have no idea who that is but I'm taking a hike!" The ghost shifted her direction to the side, started off and yelled back. "If you see Doma, tell her that I'm looking for her, onegai!"
Kaji, Merodi, and Wahei all turned to each other with the same, one thought, "Yugi..."
***
Yugi hid in the guard of the Celtic Guardian, unable to help or any of the such. It wasn't his battle, though that never mattered in the past.
Flames up rose all around, crimson orbs shooting into the clearing and obliterating its targets. As instinct, the monsters crowded around Yugi in a circle as north of them (and close) landed the Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
"Foolish monsters. I see that hikari! Don't bother hiding him. It'll be easier on you to hand him over! Hn. Come boy, I know you want your friends to live, come with me and save them! Come to me, YUGI MOTOU!"
******
Joey shuffled his way outside, eyes stung with dry tears. "How can I still care...so much for him...?" He glanced back at the building, unknown in his mind the havoc occurring.
******
Whatever happened, hit hard. Lenokei broke outside for the rod a Marik instead of after the puzzle, men under the mistress charged inside after Yami and Bakura, men on the roof swarming Isis...it was one hell of a mess.
"Sun Dragon!" Marik yelled out in defense, his beast raising from the card and assuming attack position towards the robed figure.
As the hood dropped, Marik was taken aback by the very sight. "LEN!"
"Mm....did you miss me...? Ah, and it's Lenokei to you."
"How...? But you can't be..." Marik backed up and commanded, or tried, for the dragon to attack, but was cut off.
"Have you heard of the coyote attacks in this fair city?"
"Hai...what does that have to do with anything?!"
"Everything."
At that comment, the canine foes prowled behind and around Lenokei. A total of six coyotes "protecting" the dweller of darkness. "Are you ready to finish your petite command now?" The man hissed, just as the six coyotes were....changing.
\Sun Dragon...\
\\May I?\\
\Hai. *Kill* him.\
Gold wings unraveled, eyes narrowing....
...and a dragon in flight.
No longer on four paws, the canines stood erect, snout twitching as their fur attire became adjusted with suitable armor. Forearms grew a longer and sturdy length, legs firmly stable to the ground and claws growing out, convulsing with an old magic.
The Sun Dragon charged in a deadly wave of power, only stopped frozen in the air.
\What happened?!\
\\Can't.....move...\\
Marik sent a glare at a smirking Lenokei, the coyote-type forms relaxing after shooting unseen magic at the ancient god card.
"What did you do to him?!" As its body became incased in stone, mental connections snapping, and the dragon's body hitting the ground roughly.
"Petrified him."
Marik growled and shot out his hand, a glow surrounding it as he yelled out. "Tachimodoru!" The yami gave a sigh as he held the card, now being defenseless.
******
"Where are they?"
"Hush, Pharaoh!" Bakura snapped back, peering around a corner down a hall way and pulling his head back in with a sigh. "They're at the end of that hallway. Don't you have ANY means of defense...?"
Yami grunted, leaning on the wall besides Bakura. "The only usable thing I have is Osiris, and unless you want the entire building crashing to the ground, including those on the roof which includes YOUR light, I think the safer matter would be NOT using him."
"Then what, you suggest we just give up the puzzle and ring?!"
"Hell no!" Yami hissed back quietly, staring around and catching sight of an office down the end of the hall they were in and suddenly got an idea. "Well old tomb-robber, you should be able to pick locks now, am I right...?" He questioned out with a smirk, staring from the office to Bakura who half glared back.
"Yes, but why d-"
"Then pick the lock to that door, then I'll explain," Yami said and simply pointed.
Bakura scowled but saw no other option and moved towards the door, kneeling before in and reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. Yami felt curiosity strike and walked up behind the other to look down at the box. As Bakura opened it, a silver pick and gold thread besides it were within. He pulled out the pick and set the box down, beginning work on the lock.
Yami knelt down and scooped up the box, looking in at the thread within the black velvet lined box. Both the pick and the thread had its own slot. "Eh? What's with the string..?"
"Don't touch that!" The yami snapped, rotating from his work to grab the box from Yami, doing one last twang with the pick in his other hand, hearing the lock click open as he put the pick in the box, closed it up and placed it slowly and safely in his pocket. He stood, not making eye contact again with Yami and entered the dark room, though there was a window, not like it helped though. The silver haired moved infront that very window, hearing Yami click the door behind him. As he looked out and down, all he could see is one street lamp on, not like it lit anything though....they were on the second from top floor, after all. His ring glinted slightly as he pulled out and opened the box again, staring silently into it.
"Eh....look Bakura, I didn't mean anything by picking up that box...." Yami started, walking up besides the other and looking at what he held. "I was just....curious."
"You had no right to touch it!" Bakura snapped, turning towards Yami, the ring's light shining off his glassed over eyes.
"Bakura- what's so important about it...? It's a piece of string!"
"It's thread! A golden thread from Egypt! The ONLY thing I have memory of my mother and you have no right questioning it like it was nothing!"
"You...had a mother?" Yami asked stupidly.
"I was born now, wasn't I?!" Bakura turned back towards the window, closing the small box and gripping it within both hands. "She left when I was very young...chased away by my father....leaving me with it, the thread that is...." He couldn't figure why he was explaining his past to Yami, didn't really care actually, the gears had turned and locked, he couldn't keep the memories blocked up in a walled room anymore. "At age eleven, I finally got tired of being abused by my father and left my home to the streets, that was where I spent my tormented life until YOU sealed me away into this cursed ring..." his eyes dropped to stare at the ring, clouded. "My life would have been easier to live if it wasn't for your damn guards..."
******
"Stay there, Yugi!" Waizu yelled out over the roar of Shinkou's Blackland Fire Dragon, which joined besides the Red-Eyes. The Witch of the Black Forest stood firm besides the magician, staring as if hope were fading. "Where's my sister?!" He snapped out towards Yuumei, who just shook her head with no idea. His right hand held tight to his staff, feeling its energy rise as he yelled out with it pointed towards Shinkou. "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!"
"Fool."
The magician backed up in shock as a second attack from nowhere crossed before him and blew his attack to the ground. Yugi and the monsters stared up in surprise as the last dragon join the other two, the Blue-Eyes, landing on the other side of the Red-Eyes. "Isn't he just lovely..?"
"B-but...there are only three of those left! Kaiba has all three, and even if you did get it, you couldn't control it!" Yugi yelled out in panic.
"Oh really now? Blue-Eyes! I command you to attack that rat besides the boy!"
Yugi looked down at the Prevent Rat by his feet, trying to protect him and back at the dragon who was already charging an attack.
Kuroi's eyes shifted to look out at him and cried loudly. "Yugi, get out of the way, you'll be hit too!"
"I have him!" Celtic voiced back, grabbing Yugi and jumping to the side before the boy knew what was happening. But he knew what he saw. The rat being devoured by the bolting blue-white attack.
"NEZU!!" Yugi wailed out, as nothing was left in the monster's place.
"Now...who's next.....who shall be annihilated next...?" Shinkou pondered loudly, rubbing his chin as he examined his azure eyes over the crowd of monsters. He caught sight of the house in the back of them, the house that had more books than anyone could ever have. And he chuckled. How fun his job was. Shinkou's hand lifted, index finger shooting out to point down at Kuroi. "My Red-Eyes....I want you to destroy that house back there.....and Blue-Eyes? Use your White Lightning on that witch!"
"NO! Stop it, please!" Yugi begged, trying to break free of the Celtic Guardian's grip around him. "Don't hurt anyone else! I beg you! DON'T!"
Shinkou ignored him as the two commanded attacks were already launched from the jaws of the dragons, one crimson and orange, one blue and white. Heat could be felt off the now burning cabin, catching on the trees around the clearing and lake sending a ring of uproar flames like an arena around them.
The Dark Magician attacked against Seto's dragon, trying to block the attack heading for Kuroi, but did not prevail. Hopelessly he watched as the witch was overcome by the lightning and done away with just as Nezu. He stood, shaken, oblivious to everything else as the truth of her death sank in.
"Should I start a line now of who to kill...?" He raised a brow and smirked. "I mean really though, you've already lost five of your monster friends, how sad. Oh boo hoo, watch me cry."
"F-five....?!" Celtic coughed out in shock, losing grip to Yugi at last. "No, Yugi!"
"Let's see now.... That rat, the witch..." He glanced at his Red-Eyes a moment, as if seeking the rest of the information. "Right. The Magician of Faith, seems she has none to give you now, the Mystical Elf, and.....oh right! *His* little sister. The Dark Magician Girl!" He laughed out as Waizu's face waned. "Would you like to join her, little magician...? I can make you burn to death like her.." His voice crackled as an arm raised, readying to give the signal for the Blue-Eyes and Red-Eyes to attack, but a certain tri-haired crossed into vision infront of Waizu. "And what do you want, boy?!"
"Stop it! Stop hurting and killing my friends! I'll come with you, just leave them alone!"
"Oh....goody!" He murmured sarcastically and sent a side glance to the Blackland. "My precious, take this boy and we can be on our way."
Its head loomed into the air as Yugi ran forward before the Dark Magician could grab him, the dragon's head ducking back down to grab the back of Yugi's jacket and pulled him off the ground.
Waizu held to the staff, panicking as he attacked the dragon taking Yugi, but again the attack was tossed to the ground by the guarding Blue-Eyes. "YUGI! No, don't take him!"
"So long! Ta-ta! Ja you little monsters!" Shinkou mocked and waved as they could do nothing while the Blue-Eyes was held in his control. "Oh, but a parting gift is in order...hn....now what shall I give you....OH! Ha, I know!"
"No!! Don't hurt them anymore! You have me, you have ME!" Yugi saw what was coming, yet could do nothing. It was painful to watch as Kaiba's own Blue-Eyes White Dragon was instructed to put an end to Ryu-Kishin, the monster who brought Yugi to the Shadow Realm in the first place. It was painful to watch as Shinkou's Red-Eyes Black Dragon set fire to more and more of the area around his friends. And it was painful to feel the Blackland Fire Dragon take him away, unable to help. He couldn't help his friends anymore, and now he couldn't even help himself.
******
Joey turned back towards the Kaiba Corp building he had tried to get away from, how hopeless that was. He knew something just was drawing him there, and he did find out why. Eyes caught sighting of a gold glow he knew well to be of the God of the Sun, Dragon Ra, but instead of forming, he could make out a stoned form fading, obviously as a card.
His pupils shrank as a thought hit him. 'If the Sun Dragon was out....that means Marik is outside.....but if the dragon looked like it was useless and was summoned back as a card....Marik is defenseless to whatever may be happening...'
The boy bit his lip and lowered his head, hair slipping over his eyes and he choked out a word as he ran back towards the building. "Marik..."
******
The mentioned yami fell against the ground, eyes narrowing to glare at the smirking Lenokei, but soon altered direction to the coyote form that had struck him down by a claw. "What, you aren't liking my little games with your strained body..?" His brow raised mockingly, arms folding over his torso as he chuckled, calling back the canine that had been hitting Marik until the other became fallen. "Fine, fine, what do you say we wrap this up then? You become dead, I receive your Millennium Rod....no worries! Oh...and I'll be sure that this is as PAINFUL as possible!"
A croaked laugh reached Joey's ears as he came in good range to the battle, gaping at the sight as four of six creatures were storming together spherical attacks between their claws. The blonde fell forward, catching himself before hitting the ground and continue to run in.
"Oh come now! Get off that dirty ground! You want to die as if you fought to the death, don't you? Not this pathetic person you're displaying to me now.." But Marik didn't move and Lenokei simply shrugged. "By the way, you'll still live after this....sadly only all six of my furry friends can kill you. Now I told my mistress I'd be back soon but it's too fun to have you suffer! Attack my four fiends!" His voice finally lashed out, position of body changing as he shot his hand to point out at Marik, who was just rising to his feet as he saw the four spheres join as one attack and move towards him.
"No one is suffering!!!!!"
Marik reeled back as a form stood, arms out stretched infront of him by a few yards, it becoming a silhouette due to the engulfing of the attack. Silence ensued and the figure fell to him knees, the yami feeling a clutch against his heart as he ran to kneel by the form, shaking him in a panic. "JOEY!!"
******
"Kaiba! What are you doing?!" Isis yelled, watching Seto jump before the group of men, one silver robed form standing before the other two, the rest dressed in a black. The silver robed man, holding out three cards in his hand.
"He wants a duel, I can tell! Is that it, you want to duel me?!" Kaiba yelled back and the man merely chuckled.
"If you mean duel for your lives, than I guess so."
"Fine, we can use my duel system!"
"Oh no, no, no, see....*I* have the advantage here. This little game is using my rules, but I doubt you can play, because I know a lowly human like you cannot summon monsters in your own world," the man mumbled, hand grazing over the three cards in his hand as if trying to decide on something. Seto stepped back without a clue now, staring at his pocket which stored his deck. Useless at the moment. "Flame Cerebrus! Gazelle, King of Mythical Beasts....come before me!"
"Ok...we're doomed...." Malik murmured, backing up with the others.
"Hyosube, Giltia!"
"Eh?" Malik blinked over as Shadi stepped forward, two monsters of his own coming to his side.
"You want a battle of monsters, then let's have it. Hyosube, stay back, Giltia, destroy Gazelle!"
The silver robed watched as one monster was down, but his pyro creature was already charging at Giltia to finish the job. "Is that the best you can do? Your monsters are weaker than mine!"
"Really now? And I thought they were stronger?" Shadi mocked, flicking a card out as it sank within his warrior. Before the other men knew what hit them, both their monsters were destroyed. "Seems Giltia was strong enough." He summoned the three cards back to their normal form, the Sword of the Deep-Seated in the front of the collection as he slid them into his pocket. "Get out of here, now, whoever you all are."
"You....bastard...." the man lowered his hood and grimaced. "But no....I am not leaving....my mission will not fail....I'm having a good time anyway...." He moved into a line with the other two men, taking a card from one of them. "You're in a perfect place too. Trap Hole!" The building crumpled down in formation, destroying the top floor and trapping them in a hole of the debris.
The robed man moved smoothly over to it, taking out another card that formed the Sword of Dark Destruction into his palm as he pointed it down into the hole. "Surrender the Tauk and Ankh and no one will be harmed."
******
"Joey! Joey wake up!" Marik stared down at the bruised boy, still shaking him but it wasn't as hard. He was about to go into a panic when the blonde below him ached forward in the motion of a cough, helped to be sat up by the yami. "Why the hell did you do that?!"
"I told you........I care...." He murmured back, hardly audible.
"That was stupid though!" Marik hissed, beginning to think maybe Joey wasn't pulling his strings earlier. "You could have been killed!"
"He would have killed you....and gotten the rod...."
The yami realized the logic and stood up over the boy, glaring at Lenokei who was utterly surprised at the moment. He growled and reached into his pocket, stretching his arm back out to the side and flipping the card over so he could see the image of the ancient beast. 'Time to wake up sleeping beauty....' Marik thought to himself, throwing the card straight up as it awakened again to a fully healed dragon.
\You feeling up to flying?\
\\Hai.\\
\Good.\ Marik glanced back at Joey's weak form and felt his mind soften, but he shook the feeling and ordered over the link. \Then take Joey into the air and keep him safe! Understand? Do not bring him back no matter WHAT.\
\\Understood.\\
Marik lifted Joey into his arms and held the boy out, handing him off quickly to the dragon's back and the beast arose back into the sky to look over the battle, trial two. "How dare you hurt that boy..."
"Ohhh....I'm just so scared of you, but I'll be-"
"Oh you should be scared, damned as hell you should be," Marik's voice echoed, third eye flickering over his forehead before burning fully into place. The yami stepped forward some, stopping with fists clenched at his side as a circular bit of light shone beneath where he stood. He smirked, gathering power to form up around his body, a pillar of hieroglyphics, scathing the air as they spun around him rapidly, moving high into the sky. "I'll show you, that you have a lot to fear, Lenokei. I swear by it."
******
Weird way to end the chapter, but I figured it was good to stop at Marik's rage, heh, gotta love it. And poor Bakura, he's having issues....and then we have the group on the roof of Seto, Isis, Shadi, Ryou, and Malik all stuck in a hole with no way out o.O;;. Man, life just SUCKS for 'em. A-and in the Shadow Realm! So much FLAMMMMEEEE and deaths and Yugi is CAPTURED! Heheh, how I love this fic.....
Sorry on slowness, I went ta Florida so I was without the computer, but I wrote four pages at least....
Anyway....here we go again! Umph...I'm running out of ideas for the Shadow Realm part....Hum....bit of a disaster time! I think more action in this chapter than all the others....heh, makes life more fun!
Chapter 10! This is always the chapter that seems like a time for me to celebrate, I'm not sure why, but it's also the number where I throw in the Disclaimer again!
Disclaimer: Bah-ha! I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! so NAH XP ya can't go suing me! ::Dances around.:: Ohhh but look! ::Pulls out a long list.:: Buuuut, Lenokei is mine, the "Mistress" is mine, Drazzle is mine, and Shinkou is mine (seen this chap). What? You didn't really EXPECT this whole list to be filled, did you?
Ah, one last thing, I'm still having the Shadow Realm bit in the beginning, but that'll be short and I'll be going back to them again and Marik ish kinda OOC...
"Might I suggest a BIGGER gun?!" -Agent Jay: Men in Black II
******
"Something is wrong..."
"What is it, brother?"
"I....don't know. Something isn't right...CELTIC!" The Dark Magician snapped his head around, looking out towards the elf swordsman who had just came back into the area after escorting Hyosube out of the realm.
"Hn, yes?" He glanced up, fixing his helm slightly.
"I'm worried...I want you to watch over Yugi, something is going to happen....I can sense it."
"But-" Yugi began, but silenced himself and gave a nod. It was best to let the magician do his work, besides...it was kind of cool being by the elf, it was another one of his monsters, after all. He moved towards the swordsman slowly, trying to figure what had caused the confusion to spread through the realm. He glanced up at the warrior. "Do you know why everyone seems nervous?"
"....Just that something dangerous is coming, what that is, I am unsure of."
******
"Shinkou!"
"Mistress...?" A form stalked into the dark room, azure eyes catching the light to a set a glimmer through them. His posture showed his dislike to the place, and even more of what was coming to him.
"You know who the Pharaoh's light is, am I right?"
"Hai...I cannot deny it..."
"I want him here. *Now*," she snapped, eyes aflame as her body rotated to face him. Shinkou gave a faltered look, not moving from his location. "This task is not hard to comprehend, Shinkou!"
"Mistress, I...don't know where the boy is..."
"Baka.." her voice growled out low. "Go. That runt of a hikari is in the central area of the Shadow Realm. Hn. And while you're at it..." at the raise of her hand, a card cut through the air and he caught it. "I easily took this trinket from a fool with a little bit of easy magic. Now, make a mess of that silly little place. I want flames. Understand?"
He gave a nod, looking down at the card he held and flinched slightly.
A Blue-Eyes.
******
"WHERE'S MY BLUE-EYES?!"
"Gee, Kaiba, I never thought you would be one to lose a card," Malik quirked with a smirk. "Especially a Blue-Eyes."
"I DIDN'T lose it!!"
"Oh? Then where is it?
Five sets of eyes shifted towards the moving duo, Yami and Bakura. At the sight, Ryou jumped to his feet, running over quickly. "Yami! What took you two so long!? I was worried! H-" Russet eyes pulled back as he felt his dark half reopen the mental connection.
{What *happened*?}
[You were really worried...?]
{YES!}
Bakura faintly smiled, first time in awhile, but he didn't answer his hikari. He couldn't... Not now anyway. Sharp eyes wandered over the group, Seto's panic, Shadi's meditation, Isis's pointless incantations. An active crew. 'But there were nine...' Again, the deep eyes scouted the roof top, total person count only making seven, including himself.
"Where's Marik and Joey?"
Malik raised his head to the yami. "My dark half is somewhere in the building." He glanced around a moment. "And Joey was up here...probably somewhere in the building too."
"I'm going to go look for him," Yami inquired, turning towards the stairs. Bakura watched him go, rolling his eyes and oddly following afterwards.
******
Joey stood be the door where Marik hid away.
Thirteen minutes. He had been there for thirteen straight minutes, debating whether to go in or not. His hand hovered over the knob and at last grasped it, pulling open and stepped into the gloomy, dark office. "Marik?"
No answer.
"Marik, can I talk ta you...?" Joey pushed on. He didn't need a Millennium Item to know the other was in the room.
"No."
Brown eyes shrank then refocused to where Marik was. A form standing with his back to Joey in a corner.
"MARIK! ...Please....talk ta me..." the blonde bit his lip in a minor panic with the other saying so far a total of one word. "Why are you doing this?! Secluding yourself! Are you jus' tired...?"
'I don't want to be hurt....'
"Is this about that...thing...on the dragon....?"
"Yes...'
"Marik, jus' stop this! Maybe I can't read minds, but I can faces, and I SWEAR you enjoyed it!"
'Maybe...'
"Tell me! Did you, or did you not?!" Joey snapped again, mentally begging the other to face him.
"Why would I tell you?" Marik sneered, voice to Joey, face to the wall 'So you can throw it in my face?!'
"I- because I did and I jus' thought... I jus' though that you......did too...."
Marik turned halfway, looking back at Joey who seemed bent as eyes locked. But the yami turned away and the bent body snapped and fled.
'I don't need my head messed with anymore, Joey...'
******
"Go my mighty beasts! Rain your terror upon these weaker beings! Blue-Eyes, Red-Eyes, and Blackland Fire dragons!" A voice, Shinkou, chortled darkly, hands spread wide as the three cards spread through the Shadow Realm. "And I want the Pharaoh's light, ALIVE!"
((A/N: I'm lazy to add this in the story. Shinkou is controlling the Blue-Eyes, even though it's Seto's....he just....can.))
Two of the monsters moved out, but the Red-Eyes Black Dragon (not Joey's) was on standby as Shinkou stood between its neck and back. "GO!"
******
"What's happening?!" Kaji cried out, hands clutching around her staff as a ripping sound of crashes chained together from the distance. Wahei and Merodi stood close near the other in part of the forest surrounding the lake and clearing, the air becoming crisp and deadly.
"Get OUT of here!"
The three turned to the voice, the form of a ragged shirt and hat quickly spiraling through the air at them. Once dead, but now act in the act, the Magical Ghost halted before the spellcasters in a panic. "The whole realm is being attacked!"
"By what...?" Merodi questioned in a flow.
"Ne...three dragons...and...some human. They're destroying everything top to bottom in search of the 'Pharaoh's light.' Hell, I have no idea who that is but I'm taking a hike!" The ghost shifted her direction to the side, started off and yelled back. "If you see Doma, tell her that I'm looking for her, onegai!"
Kaji, Merodi, and Wahei all turned to each other with the same, one thought, "Yugi..."
***
Yugi hid in the guard of the Celtic Guardian, unable to help or any of the such. It wasn't his battle, though that never mattered in the past.
Flames up rose all around, crimson orbs shooting into the clearing and obliterating its targets. As instinct, the monsters crowded around Yugi in a circle as north of them (and close) landed the Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
"Foolish monsters. I see that hikari! Don't bother hiding him. It'll be easier on you to hand him over! Hn. Come boy, I know you want your friends to live, come with me and save them! Come to me, YUGI MOTOU!"
******
Joey shuffled his way outside, eyes stung with dry tears. "How can I still care...so much for him...?" He glanced back at the building, unknown in his mind the havoc occurring.
******
Whatever happened, hit hard. Lenokei broke outside for the rod a Marik instead of after the puzzle, men under the mistress charged inside after Yami and Bakura, men on the roof swarming Isis...it was one hell of a mess.
"Sun Dragon!" Marik yelled out in defense, his beast raising from the card and assuming attack position towards the robed figure.
As the hood dropped, Marik was taken aback by the very sight. "LEN!"
"Mm....did you miss me...? Ah, and it's Lenokei to you."
"How...? But you can't be..." Marik backed up and commanded, or tried, for the dragon to attack, but was cut off.
"Have you heard of the coyote attacks in this fair city?"
"Hai...what does that have to do with anything?!"
"Everything."
At that comment, the canine foes prowled behind and around Lenokei. A total of six coyotes "protecting" the dweller of darkness. "Are you ready to finish your petite command now?" The man hissed, just as the six coyotes were....changing.
\Sun Dragon...\
\\May I?\\
\Hai. *Kill* him.\
Gold wings unraveled, eyes narrowing....
...and a dragon in flight.
No longer on four paws, the canines stood erect, snout twitching as their fur attire became adjusted with suitable armor. Forearms grew a longer and sturdy length, legs firmly stable to the ground and claws growing out, convulsing with an old magic.
The Sun Dragon charged in a deadly wave of power, only stopped frozen in the air.
\What happened?!\
\\Can't.....move...\\
Marik sent a glare at a smirking Lenokei, the coyote-type forms relaxing after shooting unseen magic at the ancient god card.
"What did you do to him?!" As its body became incased in stone, mental connections snapping, and the dragon's body hitting the ground roughly.
"Petrified him."
Marik growled and shot out his hand, a glow surrounding it as he yelled out. "Tachimodoru!" The yami gave a sigh as he held the card, now being defenseless.
******
"Where are they?"
"Hush, Pharaoh!" Bakura snapped back, peering around a corner down a hall way and pulling his head back in with a sigh. "They're at the end of that hallway. Don't you have ANY means of defense...?"
Yami grunted, leaning on the wall besides Bakura. "The only usable thing I have is Osiris, and unless you want the entire building crashing to the ground, including those on the roof which includes YOUR light, I think the safer matter would be NOT using him."
"Then what, you suggest we just give up the puzzle and ring?!"
"Hell no!" Yami hissed back quietly, staring around and catching sight of an office down the end of the hall they were in and suddenly got an idea. "Well old tomb-robber, you should be able to pick locks now, am I right...?" He questioned out with a smirk, staring from the office to Bakura who half glared back.
"Yes, but why d-"
"Then pick the lock to that door, then I'll explain," Yami said and simply pointed.
Bakura scowled but saw no other option and moved towards the door, kneeling before in and reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. Yami felt curiosity strike and walked up behind the other to look down at the box. As Bakura opened it, a silver pick and gold thread besides it were within. He pulled out the pick and set the box down, beginning work on the lock.
Yami knelt down and scooped up the box, looking in at the thread within the black velvet lined box. Both the pick and the thread had its own slot. "Eh? What's with the string..?"
"Don't touch that!" The yami snapped, rotating from his work to grab the box from Yami, doing one last twang with the pick in his other hand, hearing the lock click open as he put the pick in the box, closed it up and placed it slowly and safely in his pocket. He stood, not making eye contact again with Yami and entered the dark room, though there was a window, not like it helped though. The silver haired moved infront that very window, hearing Yami click the door behind him. As he looked out and down, all he could see is one street lamp on, not like it lit anything though....they were on the second from top floor, after all. His ring glinted slightly as he pulled out and opened the box again, staring silently into it.
"Eh....look Bakura, I didn't mean anything by picking up that box...." Yami started, walking up besides the other and looking at what he held. "I was just....curious."
"You had no right to touch it!" Bakura snapped, turning towards Yami, the ring's light shining off his glassed over eyes.
"Bakura- what's so important about it...? It's a piece of string!"
"It's thread! A golden thread from Egypt! The ONLY thing I have memory of my mother and you have no right questioning it like it was nothing!"
"You...had a mother?" Yami asked stupidly.
"I was born now, wasn't I?!" Bakura turned back towards the window, closing the small box and gripping it within both hands. "She left when I was very young...chased away by my father....leaving me with it, the thread that is...." He couldn't figure why he was explaining his past to Yami, didn't really care actually, the gears had turned and locked, he couldn't keep the memories blocked up in a walled room anymore. "At age eleven, I finally got tired of being abused by my father and left my home to the streets, that was where I spent my tormented life until YOU sealed me away into this cursed ring..." his eyes dropped to stare at the ring, clouded. "My life would have been easier to live if it wasn't for your damn guards..."
******
"Stay there, Yugi!" Waizu yelled out over the roar of Shinkou's Blackland Fire Dragon, which joined besides the Red-Eyes. The Witch of the Black Forest stood firm besides the magician, staring as if hope were fading. "Where's my sister?!" He snapped out towards Yuumei, who just shook her head with no idea. His right hand held tight to his staff, feeling its energy rise as he yelled out with it pointed towards Shinkou. "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!"
"Fool."
The magician backed up in shock as a second attack from nowhere crossed before him and blew his attack to the ground. Yugi and the monsters stared up in surprise as the last dragon join the other two, the Blue-Eyes, landing on the other side of the Red-Eyes. "Isn't he just lovely..?"
"B-but...there are only three of those left! Kaiba has all three, and even if you did get it, you couldn't control it!" Yugi yelled out in panic.
"Oh really now? Blue-Eyes! I command you to attack that rat besides the boy!"
Yugi looked down at the Prevent Rat by his feet, trying to protect him and back at the dragon who was already charging an attack.
Kuroi's eyes shifted to look out at him and cried loudly. "Yugi, get out of the way, you'll be hit too!"
"I have him!" Celtic voiced back, grabbing Yugi and jumping to the side before the boy knew what was happening. But he knew what he saw. The rat being devoured by the bolting blue-white attack.
"NEZU!!" Yugi wailed out, as nothing was left in the monster's place.
"Now...who's next.....who shall be annihilated next...?" Shinkou pondered loudly, rubbing his chin as he examined his azure eyes over the crowd of monsters. He caught sight of the house in the back of them, the house that had more books than anyone could ever have. And he chuckled. How fun his job was. Shinkou's hand lifted, index finger shooting out to point down at Kuroi. "My Red-Eyes....I want you to destroy that house back there.....and Blue-Eyes? Use your White Lightning on that witch!"
"NO! Stop it, please!" Yugi begged, trying to break free of the Celtic Guardian's grip around him. "Don't hurt anyone else! I beg you! DON'T!"
Shinkou ignored him as the two commanded attacks were already launched from the jaws of the dragons, one crimson and orange, one blue and white. Heat could be felt off the now burning cabin, catching on the trees around the clearing and lake sending a ring of uproar flames like an arena around them.
The Dark Magician attacked against Seto's dragon, trying to block the attack heading for Kuroi, but did not prevail. Hopelessly he watched as the witch was overcome by the lightning and done away with just as Nezu. He stood, shaken, oblivious to everything else as the truth of her death sank in.
"Should I start a line now of who to kill...?" He raised a brow and smirked. "I mean really though, you've already lost five of your monster friends, how sad. Oh boo hoo, watch me cry."
"F-five....?!" Celtic coughed out in shock, losing grip to Yugi at last. "No, Yugi!"
"Let's see now.... That rat, the witch..." He glanced at his Red-Eyes a moment, as if seeking the rest of the information. "Right. The Magician of Faith, seems she has none to give you now, the Mystical Elf, and.....oh right! *His* little sister. The Dark Magician Girl!" He laughed out as Waizu's face waned. "Would you like to join her, little magician...? I can make you burn to death like her.." His voice crackled as an arm raised, readying to give the signal for the Blue-Eyes and Red-Eyes to attack, but a certain tri-haired crossed into vision infront of Waizu. "And what do you want, boy?!"
"Stop it! Stop hurting and killing my friends! I'll come with you, just leave them alone!"
"Oh....goody!" He murmured sarcastically and sent a side glance to the Blackland. "My precious, take this boy and we can be on our way."
Its head loomed into the air as Yugi ran forward before the Dark Magician could grab him, the dragon's head ducking back down to grab the back of Yugi's jacket and pulled him off the ground.
Waizu held to the staff, panicking as he attacked the dragon taking Yugi, but again the attack was tossed to the ground by the guarding Blue-Eyes. "YUGI! No, don't take him!"
"So long! Ta-ta! Ja you little monsters!" Shinkou mocked and waved as they could do nothing while the Blue-Eyes was held in his control. "Oh, but a parting gift is in order...hn....now what shall I give you....OH! Ha, I know!"
"No!! Don't hurt them anymore! You have me, you have ME!" Yugi saw what was coming, yet could do nothing. It was painful to watch as Kaiba's own Blue-Eyes White Dragon was instructed to put an end to Ryu-Kishin, the monster who brought Yugi to the Shadow Realm in the first place. It was painful to watch as Shinkou's Red-Eyes Black Dragon set fire to more and more of the area around his friends. And it was painful to feel the Blackland Fire Dragon take him away, unable to help. He couldn't help his friends anymore, and now he couldn't even help himself.
******
Joey turned back towards the Kaiba Corp building he had tried to get away from, how hopeless that was. He knew something just was drawing him there, and he did find out why. Eyes caught sighting of a gold glow he knew well to be of the God of the Sun, Dragon Ra, but instead of forming, he could make out a stoned form fading, obviously as a card.
His pupils shrank as a thought hit him. 'If the Sun Dragon was out....that means Marik is outside.....but if the dragon looked like it was useless and was summoned back as a card....Marik is defenseless to whatever may be happening...'
The boy bit his lip and lowered his head, hair slipping over his eyes and he choked out a word as he ran back towards the building. "Marik..."
******
The mentioned yami fell against the ground, eyes narrowing to glare at the smirking Lenokei, but soon altered direction to the coyote form that had struck him down by a claw. "What, you aren't liking my little games with your strained body..?" His brow raised mockingly, arms folding over his torso as he chuckled, calling back the canine that had been hitting Marik until the other became fallen. "Fine, fine, what do you say we wrap this up then? You become dead, I receive your Millennium Rod....no worries! Oh...and I'll be sure that this is as PAINFUL as possible!"
A croaked laugh reached Joey's ears as he came in good range to the battle, gaping at the sight as four of six creatures were storming together spherical attacks between their claws. The blonde fell forward, catching himself before hitting the ground and continue to run in.
"Oh come now! Get off that dirty ground! You want to die as if you fought to the death, don't you? Not this pathetic person you're displaying to me now.." But Marik didn't move and Lenokei simply shrugged. "By the way, you'll still live after this....sadly only all six of my furry friends can kill you. Now I told my mistress I'd be back soon but it's too fun to have you suffer! Attack my four fiends!" His voice finally lashed out, position of body changing as he shot his hand to point out at Marik, who was just rising to his feet as he saw the four spheres join as one attack and move towards him.
"No one is suffering!!!!!"
Marik reeled back as a form stood, arms out stretched infront of him by a few yards, it becoming a silhouette due to the engulfing of the attack. Silence ensued and the figure fell to him knees, the yami feeling a clutch against his heart as he ran to kneel by the form, shaking him in a panic. "JOEY!!"
******
"Kaiba! What are you doing?!" Isis yelled, watching Seto jump before the group of men, one silver robed form standing before the other two, the rest dressed in a black. The silver robed man, holding out three cards in his hand.
"He wants a duel, I can tell! Is that it, you want to duel me?!" Kaiba yelled back and the man merely chuckled.
"If you mean duel for your lives, than I guess so."
"Fine, we can use my duel system!"
"Oh no, no, no, see....*I* have the advantage here. This little game is using my rules, but I doubt you can play, because I know a lowly human like you cannot summon monsters in your own world," the man mumbled, hand grazing over the three cards in his hand as if trying to decide on something. Seto stepped back without a clue now, staring at his pocket which stored his deck. Useless at the moment. "Flame Cerebrus! Gazelle, King of Mythical Beasts....come before me!"
"Ok...we're doomed...." Malik murmured, backing up with the others.
"Hyosube, Giltia!"
"Eh?" Malik blinked over as Shadi stepped forward, two monsters of his own coming to his side.
"You want a battle of monsters, then let's have it. Hyosube, stay back, Giltia, destroy Gazelle!"
The silver robed watched as one monster was down, but his pyro creature was already charging at Giltia to finish the job. "Is that the best you can do? Your monsters are weaker than mine!"
"Really now? And I thought they were stronger?" Shadi mocked, flicking a card out as it sank within his warrior. Before the other men knew what hit them, both their monsters were destroyed. "Seems Giltia was strong enough." He summoned the three cards back to their normal form, the Sword of the Deep-Seated in the front of the collection as he slid them into his pocket. "Get out of here, now, whoever you all are."
"You....bastard...." the man lowered his hood and grimaced. "But no....I am not leaving....my mission will not fail....I'm having a good time anyway...." He moved into a line with the other two men, taking a card from one of them. "You're in a perfect place too. Trap Hole!" The building crumpled down in formation, destroying the top floor and trapping them in a hole of the debris.
The robed man moved smoothly over to it, taking out another card that formed the Sword of Dark Destruction into his palm as he pointed it down into the hole. "Surrender the Tauk and Ankh and no one will be harmed."
******
"Joey! Joey wake up!" Marik stared down at the bruised boy, still shaking him but it wasn't as hard. He was about to go into a panic when the blonde below him ached forward in the motion of a cough, helped to be sat up by the yami. "Why the hell did you do that?!"
"I told you........I care...." He murmured back, hardly audible.
"That was stupid though!" Marik hissed, beginning to think maybe Joey wasn't pulling his strings earlier. "You could have been killed!"
"He would have killed you....and gotten the rod...."
The yami realized the logic and stood up over the boy, glaring at Lenokei who was utterly surprised at the moment. He growled and reached into his pocket, stretching his arm back out to the side and flipping the card over so he could see the image of the ancient beast. 'Time to wake up sleeping beauty....' Marik thought to himself, throwing the card straight up as it awakened again to a fully healed dragon.
\You feeling up to flying?\
\\Hai.\\
\Good.\ Marik glanced back at Joey's weak form and felt his mind soften, but he shook the feeling and ordered over the link. \Then take Joey into the air and keep him safe! Understand? Do not bring him back no matter WHAT.\
\\Understood.\\
Marik lifted Joey into his arms and held the boy out, handing him off quickly to the dragon's back and the beast arose back into the sky to look over the battle, trial two. "How dare you hurt that boy..."
"Ohhh....I'm just so scared of you, but I'll be-"
"Oh you should be scared, damned as hell you should be," Marik's voice echoed, third eye flickering over his forehead before burning fully into place. The yami stepped forward some, stopping with fists clenched at his side as a circular bit of light shone beneath where he stood. He smirked, gathering power to form up around his body, a pillar of hieroglyphics, scathing the air as they spun around him rapidly, moving high into the sky. "I'll show you, that you have a lot to fear, Lenokei. I swear by it."
******
Weird way to end the chapter, but I figured it was good to stop at Marik's rage, heh, gotta love it. And poor Bakura, he's having issues....and then we have the group on the roof of Seto, Isis, Shadi, Ryou, and Malik all stuck in a hole with no way out o.O;;. Man, life just SUCKS for 'em. A-and in the Shadow Realm! So much FLAMMMMEEEE and deaths and Yugi is CAPTURED! Heheh, how I love this fic.....