SC: (is too busy dancing to notice the chapter has started) Yes! I can actually unleash the creative license now! Ideas that aren't derived from the game plot! WHOO!
(sees Readers staring at her and stops dancing) Oh. Heh heh. Sorry about that. I'm just happy because this chapter starts to break away from the strict adherence to the game plot, and because I have ideas. Yes. Onward.
Badlands
Having defeated Secmayton, Yugi has secured a solid foothold on the mainland and is liberating surrounding areas. But the Imperial forces on the mainland are tough, and the resistance can't seem to make much headway. Seeking to limit damage to his forces, Yugi decides to make a break for the "Beasty Badlands" in central Rondeval and devises a plan that will allow him to attack the enemy from behind. However, the "Beasty Badlands" are a desolate area devoid of human life and controlled by fiendish beasts…
Night had not yet truly fallen, and yet a premature darkness engulfed them all as the high mountains surrounding them seized the sun behind their claw-like peaks. The earth was a charred and barren wasteland, seemingly reduced to its current state by aeons of battle. Deep cracks traced the scars of liquid shadow around them. There was absolutely no movement, save that of the small band of people and monsters traveling slowly across the shadows' land.
"Look at this place…" Yugi half-whispered over the quiet flapping of Seiyaryu's wings. There was no sign of life anywhere, yet an invisible presence had settled in his chest between his shoulders, as though something in the very air was watching their every movement. He was a little ruffled by the feeling but didn't voice it to the others.
"Welcome to the 'Beasty Badlands,'" answered Shimon simply. His voice carried a waver of awe mixed with careful reservation. "Not even the Empire has sought to control this area. However, if we can secure a route through here, it will allow us to hit the Imperial forces in their weak spot.
"We must be extremely careful," he warned, his voice turning suddenly dark. "There are roving bandits and monsters that will attack anyone that tries to pass. There are magical forces here too, known to affect those that wander too deeply into their domain. Furthermore, we cannot expect to find much in the way of supplies. We must not prolong our stay here." Shimon looked to Yugi warily. "Be ready for anything, Lord Yugi."
They continued their travels across wasteland. With every minute the sun grew closer to disappearing from the sky, the weight of the darkness on their shoulders became more cumbersome. The first of the evening stars were coming out, though their flickering light seemed distant here, as though they were reluctant to share their heavenly glow with the tainted earth below. Shimon had warned them previously that traveling at night was extremely dangerous. It was unanimously decided that they would find a safe spot to spend the night. They weren't sure where they could find such a place until they came across the ruins of a wooden fort, seemingly built atop the remains of a much older stone structure.
"What happened here?" asked Tristan as he cautiously stepped over some fallen wooden planks. Debris cluttered the area from the years of abandonment.
Shimon shrugged. "I am not entirely sure – no one is – but it is said that decades ago a team of researchers came to investigate the remains of the stone temple that used to stand here. They came in search of the legendary treasure it was said to contain. Whatever happened, nothing remains of their efforts but this dilapidated fort."
"That's not exactly the best thing to hear before spending the night in the place," said Ryou with a shiver. "It's bad enough that it's so dark out here…"
"Hey now!" Tristan slapped his hand down on Ryou's shoulder, who gave a terrified yelp at the action. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark!"
"N-No!" he spluttered. "I-I just…"
"I think we can all agree that it's going to be a spooky sleepover," said Yugi, scanning the area with his eyes. "As long as we stay together, we should all be fine."
"Yes," agreed Shimon. "Look there – we can use the part where the roof is still intact."
"I'll bring some of these pieces of wood in, so we can have a fire!" Fizdis suggested. The others voiced agreement to the plan; glad that tonight wouldn't have to be as cold as ones prior. Night reached the peak of its solidification as the five of them gathered beneath the last of the rotting roof and settled in.
The night was deathly silent. There were no crickets to chirp their soothing melodies, nor were there trees to rustle their leaves in the wind. Stone gray clouds crept across a moonless sky. The fire they had lit had long since gone out, and steely tendrils of cold were starting to encroach upon their haven once again.
Midway through the night, a pair of violet eyes opened restlessly. Yugi growled quietly; he simply could not get over the feeling that there was another presence among them. He knew it was his imagination, yet still the discomfort wouldn't leave him. Trying and failing to get back to sleep, Yugi finally gave up and stood, aiming to tire himself out by exploring some of the stone ruins just outside. He quietly stepped over his sleeping comrades and into the curling night air.
He didn't notice that Ryou was already gone.
The night was harsher here, out in the open beyond the relative safety of the researcher base. The biting winds that whipped around Ryou's hair tasted more of darkness than of air. The silver-haired youth did not bother to ride on his dragon; instead he walked at an easy pace devoid of fear. He appeared to know exactly where he was going, for never once did he defer from his straight path. His deep eyes bore no highlight.
After a time his efforts were rewarded, for nearing him was an outcropping of stone thrust up from the endless flat abyss surrounding him. The stones were so arranged and carved that the structure could have stood as a marker, perhaps a shrine. Ryou knew otherwise, that its purpose was in fact to act as warning. He neared, and an aura of shadows wafted from the stones. Undaunted, he stepped closer and stopped before it with unwavering eyes.
The shadows drifted higher, twisting into an amorphous mass. A voice of rumbling ebony came from within: "You must be living on the edge to violate this hallowed ground."
Ryou was unfazed by this. "Hallowed only to those who do not belong to it."
At once the shadows swirled and coiled around him, never touching his pale skin but keeping a tight boundary around him. "You claim association with the darkness? Not just anyone may make that claim."
"You are right – I don't claim association. I claim control."
"Even rasher." The shadows pulled away and returned to their tight clump. Non-existent eyes bore into him. "A rarity, that someone would declare himself a master of Shadows. Even rarer that it come from a pitiful mortal soul such as yours." All at once the amassed shadows expanded into the towering silhouette of a beast. Warped darkness filled its essence as it brandished fiercely taloned paws. Pinpricks of yellow glared beneath curved devil's horns. "Let's see if you have the power to back up such foolish behavior." Pitch-dark wings flared wide. "Attack when you're ready."
Ryou smirked and crossed his arms. "Au contraire, my servant-to-be: I insist you take the first strike."
The demon of shadows bellowed a laugh. "Though the color of your soul proves you one well-attuned to magic, you cannot possibly have a means to defend yourself. Though, I cannot complain when an arrogant fool invites Death's claws." Black turned blacker as the demon abruptly leapt forward, claws aiming to plunge into Ryou's heart.
A touch of gold shone from beneath Ryou's folded arms. Tainted ebony hardened his chocolate eyes to amber. Locks of silver drifted upward on the magic's current. The demon of shadows never came close to Ryou, as flowing magic released roaring waves upon him. Its claws of midnight melted into thin air beneath his aura. The demon's form dissolved again to wispy shadows that recoiled around the stone structure.
There was a moment of pause as the shadows stared directly at him. "This is the first time in several millennia that I have ever lost. Your power makes you worthy to command me." The shadows crackled with energy as the ebony voice declared openly: " I hereby swear before all that is dark and bestial to serve you as your faithful servant."
The shadows condensed, pressing in upon themselves until they formed a sphere that could fit in the palm of one's hand. Then the darkness dissipated, and a dark gray gemstone fell to the ground. Effortlessly Ryou moved forward to collect his spoils.
"I shall hold you to your oath," he whispered like the shadows themselves. "I may have use for you in the future…"
Yugi paced quietly through the roofless stone corridors. Though originally an effort to help himself sleep, he found he was now wide-awake and intrigued by the ruins' inviting mystery. The complex was of medium size, approximately that of a small church. He could see why many people speculated its religious purpose in times past: scores of runes adorned the time-weary stones, telling some forgotten ritual or spell. However, what remained was not in surplus. The low walls of the structure were essentially the only things still standing. It seemed the researchers had picked over the entire place and left nothing. Though, as he moved about the ordered stones, Yugi couldn't help but notice the gentle eddies of the air felt like the stirrings of a sleeping beast.
He was on his third lap around the complex, still hopeful that maybe this time around something would stand out as different, when his foot caught on a depressed stone and made him stumble. He turned back to look at the spot with annoyance, yet it faded away as he took a closer look at the culprit. That stone was the only one out of the entire floor of the building that sank into the ground like that (he knew, for most of his exploration had consisted of studying runes near the floor). That a single stone should stand out from the rest intrigued him. He looked at the neighboring stones and found an even line of dirt traced around on all four sides. The stone had not always been submerged, and had once been level with its fellows.
Giving a quick glance back towards the wooden area where his comrades still slept, Yugi knelt down to get a closer look at the suspected stone. On closer examination he saw something that had not been visible before. On the side of each stone bordering the sunken one, a single rune was etched in the lightest possible manner. In fact, when he moved his head to see closer and blocked out the light from the stars, they disappeared completely from view, and he had to lean in another direction to persuade them to return. Each of the four symbols bore the same image, that of a jagged line. Yugi was unsure of its meaning, but the fact that he had found something sparked in him excitement. He leaned even closer, and as he did he rested his hand on the submerged stone.
The stone gave a groan and burrowed deeper into the earth. Yugi let out a gasp as the stone moved beneath his hand, and instantly he drew it back. A long moment of silence passed as Yugi contemplated his actions. Then, without any hesitation, he swiftly pressed his weight down on the sunken stone. Its shifting made a scraping sound before something beneath it gave a loud click. Yugi was startled by the noise but didn't have time to ponder it as something in the center of the ruins shifted.
From several yards away a heavy thud sounded. Yugi stood up and saw that a portion of the floor had disappeared. Tentatively stepping over the low walls, he saw that it had not simply disappeared but instead fallen partway down, like a trapdoor. A dark opening breathed its cold, ancient breath upon him as he peered down into it. The fallen floor was slanted like a ramp. Without any thought of the consequences Yugi descended into the dark stone depths.
Inside it was frigid, for the sun's rays had never touched it in the thousand years the structure stood. There was only the tiniest amount of light, and yet somehow Yugi knew that the walls here were coated with runes. He could feel a magic in the air that stifled him like a thick humidity. Blindly and yet knowing exactly where he was going, Yugi moved through the dark room, away from the faint light near the ramp and into its gaping center. Then, in the darkness, there came a glimmer.
There was a spire of stone, that much he saw immediately: its three prongs swept up from the floor with deadly grace. Wary eyes then flicked to the thing perched atop it, wedged delicately between the spire's claws. At first glance he thought it to be a marvelous jewel. He paced slowly closer; the movement of air above the chamber's opening made an urgent whispering, though it could have been the noise of the runes along the walls hissing to each other of the foreigner that had entered their domain. Now he stood directly in front of it, enough to examine the object.
What he had thought at first to be a jewel was not truly such, though his estimate had not been far off. It was an orb forged of deep crimson glass. The glass was translucent and he could see a thin chain affixed to the bottom. He wondered if this was the treasure that the guild of researchers had sought long ago. Whoever had put it here had done a good job of hiding it from those who would aim to take it. The runes' whispering intensified, and the magic in the air pressed harder on his chest. Suddenly Yugi was compelled to touch the mysterious sphere. He reached out, fingers gently tracing its edge. The cold glass pulled him into an ensorcelling lull. For a moment he was content with feeling its presence, that is, until it burst into flame.
The sudden bright light piercing the dark room made Yugi jerk his hand back and take several steps away from the orb. Flames burned inside the ruby glass without fuel or touching the sides of the sphere. (1) Flickering crimson light reflected in Yugi's widened eyes. As he watched the dance of the flames they dimmed, turning to smolders before dying out and leaving the orb as empty as it had been. Yugi waited for several seconds to make sure it didn't ignite again. When he judged it safe to approach he stepped back up beside the orb and its spire. Cautiously he touched the orb again. The flames returned, this time much more quickly; Yugi reflexively recalled his hand but paused a moment later. He had not felt any heat from the contact. Before the flames could die again, Yugi replanted his fingers against the smooth surface. He saw the fire burning within the sphere but did not feel any heat. The glass remained cold like ice. He stood for a long moment with his hand resting on the mysterious orb.
The wind stirred and Yugi broke from his thoughts. He looked critically down at the sphere. He reasoned with himself that the thing had been here for centuries… and so no one would miss it if he were to remove it. Yugi wasn't sure what it was, but something about the glass orb seemed to him to be important. It had a definite purpose that was only being wasted by being stuck down here. The clutch of the stone spire was tight, but Yugi thought the orb still looked as though it could be removed. Bringing his left hand up to grip the glass Yugi dug his feet into the ground and pulled. The orb did not come free but Yugi felt it shift. All around him the runes hissed their sounds of excitement. Spurred on by their encouragement Yugi pulled harder. Glass ground against stone; slowly it was moving out of its prison…
After several swirled and hissing seconds passed Yugi uttered a grunt of effort and the orb pulled free. He stumbled backward from the force of his pulling. There was a constricting moment as the runes let out a low, long, final whisper like a sigh of relief. Yugi blinked and looked down at the crimson orb in his hands. It still burned, not as brightly as before but still enough to give off light. A spidery chain fell between his fingers. Yugi stared at it, seemingly in deep thought, and then he lifted it by its chain and draped it around his neck. The light of its silent flames guided him back to the surface.
Day was near, its coming easily recognized by the retreat of the shadows to their underground sanctum. Ryou stood in the resistance's wooden shelter, above where Yugi had been resting prior. Deep eyes narrowed, but before a thought could cross his mind the one missing returned.
"Ryou?" asked Yugi. "What are you doing up so early?"
A smile broke on his face. Ryou rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh, you know. I'm just one for getting up early. And what about you, Yugi? Any particular reason why you're up?"
"I couldn't sleep. I decided to walk around the ruins for awhile," he answered. He was going to continue with his story when a loud snore interrupted from beneath him. Both Yugi and Ryou looked down at a half-asleep Tristan, eyes barely open.
"What's all the noise up there?" he slurred blearily. "Keep it down. I'm tired." Apparently, Tristan had a knack for talking loudly even while exhausted, for the sound of his voice aroused Fizdis from her slumber.
"Huh? What's going on?" she asked, her voice light like the morning mist.
Ryou looked back up at Yugi. "I guess we've woken the cavalry, eh?"
"I guess," Yugi said with a grin. Turning back to Tristan he said in a stronger voice. "Well now, I'm sorry if our conversation woke you up, but if you're awake you might as well get up for the day." He laughed at Tristan's frustrated groan.
"Stop tricking me like that," he mumbled.
"Well then, how would you like me to trick you?"
"Yugi!"
Fizdis sat up and rubbed at her eyes. "Is it morning already?" Yugi nodded and gave her a warm smile. "It feels like we just went to sleep…"
"Yugi," Ryou interrupted suddenly. "What's that around your neck?" The unnatural harshness of his voice drew Fizdis's attention to the new acquisition Yugi wore, and even Tristan now sat up to glimpse it. Yugi felt a pang of embarrassment from their staring eyes before answering.
"This…" he began, grasping it almost fondly, "…I found this in the ruins this morning."
"Uh, Yugi… You are aware that thing is on fire, aren't you?" Tristan asked with a raised eyebrow.
Yugi let the orb fall back against his chest. "It's not hot."
"Can I see it?"
"Uh…" Something in the back of his head discouraged the idea, but Yugi stamped it out. "Sure, I guess. Just be careful with it." He pulled it off and passed it to Tristan's outstretched hands. He caught the thing eagerly and moved to take a closer look at it. As soon as the orb touched his palms, however, the brilliant flames lighting it from within sputtered and died. Tristan's face fell from excited to worried.
"Uh-oh…" He held the orb up to his face. "I didn't mean to do that…"
"Tristan, you broke it!" cried Fizdis.
Tristan countered, "I did not!"
"Tristan, let me see," said Ryou gently. Tristan passed it to him irritably and crossed his arms. Ryou held it in his pale fingers and studied its entirety, yet could not find a flaw that Tristan had induced. "I guess it was just by chance…" he murmured. He held it out for Yugi to reclaim. Red glass touched against its liberator's palm, and the flames sprang back to honor the hand that had freed it. Everyone blinked at the orb burning in Yugi's hand. They tried their test again: in Ryou's hand the fires died, in Yugi's they arose again as a phoenix is reborn in holy flames.
By now Tristan was thoroughly confused. "Yugi, how are you doing that?"
"I'm not doing anything!" Yugi said, nonplussed. "…Am I?"
"Yugi, you said you found that thing in the ruins, yes?" asked Ryou. Yugi nodded. "Where?" Yugi hesitated a bit before telling them of how he had come across it. After hearing the tale Ryou shook his head. "That's not good – the fact that it's burning alone means that it's magical, and if it was hidden it might be dangerous."
"Ryou's right," said Tristan. "You should just put that thing back where it came from."
"No!" he cried, surprising everyone, including himself. A moment of pause followed in which Yugi swallowed. "I mean… Just trust me on this. I don't know much about it, true, but I know that it's special. Don't ask me how." As he spoke, he looked down at the innocent flames. "It's important, and for that I'm going to hang onto it." The finality in his tone of voice showed he wasn't going to be persuaded otherwise.
"…All right, Yugi," said Tristan with a sigh. "You win. Now, we might as well get Shimon up and head out, eh? That guy's a heavier sleeper than I am sometimes, and that's saying something."
A few hours later found them traveling once again across the wasteland. The difference night and day made on the place was startling: with darkness it had been a chilling realm of ice, and with the sun blazing in the sky it was a blistering desert. Heat radiated from the parched earth beneath them. After a time the resistance members returned their monsters to their gems for a break and continued walking on foot.
"It's scorching out here!" complained Tristan loudly. "I think I'm going to melt!"
"…Says ye who aren't wearing leather," Yugi grumbled darkly. Tristan grinned sheepishly, having forgotten that his clothes were thinner than Yugi's.
"I can certainly see why the Empire doesn't bother with this place," commented Ryou. He didn't seem quite as bothered by the heat, as his clothes were lighter and colored white. Fizdis and Shimon enjoyed the same slight reprieve. The three of them continued making light conversation amongst them. Tristan seemed too bothered by the heat to join in. Yugi, however, was preoccupied by something different.
His sensation of an extra presence in the air had grown stronger. He didn't know what it was, but he knew that it was definitely something and not just his imagination anymore. He could feel it swirling around him like a breath of spectral wind. Every so often it would touch him, creating a feeling that someone's hand was on his shoulder. The first few times this happened Yugi jumped a bit or brushed it off, yet gradually he came to accept its presence. The feeling hadn't done anything bad to him; in fact, it felt to Yugi as though it was guiding him safely through the desolate land. No part of him ever considered the need to fear the presence.
They traveled through the day, stopping only at noon and at intervals to rest. Late afternoon befell them and the intense heat finally began its decline. The group was once again on foot while their monsters rested. Currently they were passing beneath the shade of a rocky hill, one of the only upsets in the flat land. They kept going without stopping to take a break. After they had cleared the shade, they stopped suddenly as a voice called out to them.
"And just where do you think you're going? How dare you try to pass me without so much as a greeting!" The five of them turned to see a figure standing in the shade of the hill. It appeared to be a person, wearing dark crimson clothes. A silver mask hid its entire face from view. It also carried a cane, which it leaned jauntily upon. It had not been there as the five of them had passed.
"Wha'…? You weren't there a minute ago!" Tristan exclaimed.
The figure raised his finger and waved it, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "That's no excuse." It took its weight off the cane and stepped forward into the sunlight. Once there Yugi's eyes widened.
"That's no person… That's a duel monster! The Illusory Gentleman!" he observed. Said monster gave a grand bow at the mention of his name.
"Very good. Although, just because you can identify me doesn't erase your deed. Such impolite behavior must not go unpunished." Suddenly there were two more monsters visible behind him. One was a tiny magenta-colored imp that carried a huge scythe; the other was a towering crimson dragon-like fiend: a Neck Hunter and an Archfiend of Gilfer. (2) "My friends don't have the ability to speak to humans like I do, so allow me to do their talking for them. They're not pleased that you didn't honor their presence as they passed. Now they're eager to take their anger out on you." The Neck Hunter gave a scraping laugh, clutching his giant scythe tighter.
"That's not fair though!" cried Fizdis defiantly. "You weren't there! We didn't see you! You could have said something to make us stop!"
"True, but we were looking for fun anyway; no one's come through here in so long," he said craftily. "Now, though, we have something to attack." He raised his staff and pointed it at them. Immediately Yugi moved to stand between the resistance members and their attacker. He was surprised to notice that Ryou had done the same.
The Neck Hunter and Gilfer had expressions of violent desire on their faces and were about to leap into an attack when the Illusory Gentleman held out his arm. "Hold on, my comrades. It seems we have something interesting standing in our way." He peered closer at Yugi, or rather, the jewel around his neck. He had put the gems of his monsters in his pocket to help cool them off, so all that remained was his own and the orb. The Illusory Gentleman seemed to study Yugi's jewel for a moment, then suddenly gave a start back. "My word! Friends, we cannot attack them! They have the soul of a magic user on their side! … Two souls!" he added after seeing Ryou a moment later.
Though he held his countenance stern, Yugi was a bit puzzled. A magic user's soul? What does he mean?
"We're awfully sorry for bothering you! We weren't aware that you were so strong of travelers." The Illusory Gentleman dropped his cane and knelt before the two of them, babbling on. "I'm sorry. I give up. I hereby submit myself to your care. I pledge my loyalty to you. I'll do anything you ask of me." By now Neck Hunter and Gilfer were nodding vigorously in agreement with what he said.
Yugi just stared blankly. "Ryou, do you have any idea what's going on here?"
"Not a one," he answered, shaking his head. "Although, it looks almost as though they're afraid of us."
Turning back to the three monsters Yugi saw that they were quivering slightly. Though he was still unsure of why they were afraid, he decided to not let an opportunity like this one go to waste. "All right then. I accept your offer. I have a job for you…"
"Yes, anything!"
"I want you and your partners to stay here in the Beasty Badlands. We're currently fighting against the Empire, and are using this as a way to sneak up on them. It's likely that the Empire will try to use this area in the future. I want the three of you to stay here and keep an eye on anything that happens. Should it be something concerning the enemy, I want to know about it immediately."
The Illusory Gentleman bowed again. "Yes! We shall take on this mission with honor, sir!" He stood and turned back to the fiends. "Come! There is work to be done!" Then they vanished in the shade once more.
"That was different," Ryou observed quietly. "Nice quick thinking on your part, Yugi."
"Thanks," Yugi replied absently. He then asked, "Ryou, you can't use magic, can you?"
"Not to my knowledge."
"Neither can I. So then why did he call us 'magic users?'"
"Yeah, why is that?" inquired Fizdis. She turned to Shimon, as he usually held all the answers. It seemed he knew something of this too, for he opened his mouth to speak.
"He made that assumption based on the color of Lord Yugi and Ryou's soul gems," he explained. "Though not an exact science, it often provides insight into the skills of a person, as well as their personality."
"'Soul gem?'" Yugi repeated.
"The jewel that represents a person's soul. Every marshal has one. Its color can vary based on a person's personality, talents, and even the strength of the soul itself." He turned to the two jewels on Yugi and Ryou. "You two both have purple soul gems. Purple has always been associated with the magics of the world. Those with purple soul gems are said to have great strength at sensing the inner workings of the magical forces around them. Some have even been known to cast spells of their own. Illusory Gentleman saw this and assumed you both could command magic." He looked to Yugi with keen eyes. "Though, your gem is so vibrant, Lord Yugi, that I'd wager you could do that."
Fizdis looked to Yugi with awe. "Wow. That's so cool how you can know all that stuff just by looking at a person's gem!" Shimon, however, shook his head.
"Like I said, it is not a very precise ordeal. Purple is really the only color that can be pinned like that, as it's so rare. The fact that we have two purples with us is astounding in its own right. The other colors are so common that they can mean almost anything."
"As interesting as all this is, I think we should get a move on," Tristan cut in. "We don't want to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere when night falls."
Yugi nodded, and called Seiyaryu from its jewel. His dragon gave a quiet purr as he climbed aboard. "Right," he said, gripping the reins. "Let's head out."
Night was slowly coming upon them again, as it had the previous day, but this time the group kept moving despite the growing shadows. They were getting close to the edge of the badlands, and so they kept traveling with the intent on getting as far as possible before sunset. The heat had long since gone and its relentless counterpart, cold, was moving to the fore with gusts of icy wind. Shimon was leading the group atop Kaiser Dragon, as he knew the way out.
Yugi flew on Seiyaryu just behind, but wasn't truly following him. He was more intent on following the presence he felt. Its touch never left him now, be it on his shoulder or within his very heart. He could feel it like a weight in his chest, a constant reminder that he was not alone. As though he had a compass Yugi knew that the focus of the feeling was somewhere in the land in front of them. He hoped that Shimon would not veer from his course. He wanted to find the feeling's source.
They kept going. The weight expanded like a balloon the farther they traveled. As it grew Yugi felt it begin to pulse, like a second heart within him. His entire attention was now focused inwardly on the presence. The second heart strengthened the rhythm of its pulses, till it moved with as much regularity as his original one. Warmth and comfort circulated silently within him. He submersed himself so deeply in the feeling that he wondered why no one else seemed to have noticed it. It was all around them, swirling on air, surrounding their very being! What fools they were to not see it!
Magic. The thought came to him as he scorned them for their naïveté. Could this feeling be not just a feeling, but a web of magic? That certainly would have explained why no one else had picked up on it; but then Ryou should have sensed its presence, if Shimon's reading of his soul gem were true. Yugi let some of his attention return to the outside world. His eyes darted to Ryou, searching for anything out of the ordinary in his friend. He could find nothing. It appeared as though Ryou was ignorant of the entity that accompanied them.
Just then Shimon indicated that this was their turn, and Kaiser Dragon banked to the right. Seiyaryu followed without instruction from Yugi. As soon as they aligned with their new path, Yugi choked. The second heart began pulsating wildly, angrily. Its throbbing filled the back of his throat, and coupled with the strength of its pounding his breathing was constricted to erotic gasps. His entire body felt like he was being wrenched to the left, even though on the outside he didn't move at all. His eyes lost focus and he shut them quickly. He clutched at his heart, keeping his eyes clenched.
"Yugi?" Tristan directed Gazelle to move beside him. Seiyaryu flew lower to the ground so that Tristan could more easily speak to him. "Hey man, are you all right?" He had noticed that Yugi had been acting a bit strangely before, but now it had grown to a level that couldn't be written off as his imagination.
Past rigid teeth Yugi hissed, "We can't go this way."
"Why not?" By now the others were alerted to the situation and had turned away from their traveling. Seiyaryu fluttered gently to the ground to allow them to circle Yugi. "Why can't we go this way?" Tristan asked again, cautiously, as though he expected Yugi to lash out at him. "Shimon says this is the way out of here. What's wrong with it?"
BA-BUMP! BA-BUMP! The second heart pumped its magic into Yugi's veins. The extra energy filling him made him quiver, his very essence teeming with throbbing magic. He lurched forward on Seiyaryu's back, digging his nails into his chest. "We can't go this way… It doesn't want us to…"
Shimon's eyes were fearful. "Lord Yugi! What has come over you?"
Suddenly Yugi's eyes snapped open. Above his violet irises was a layer of shifting smoke, clouding his vision. Ryou saw this and let out a gasp. "There's magic!" he exclaimed. "All around him, inside him…!"
"WHAT?" hollered Tristan.
"It's true! I hadn't noticed it at all before… but now that I know something's wrong, it's plain as day!"
"Lord Yugi must have picked up on some magical energies!" Shimon cried.
Yugi's swirling eyes turned cold. "I can't take it anymore!" He gripped Seiyaryu's reins and jerked on them roughly, causing Seiyaryu to rear up. "Fly!" he commanded. Seiyaryu obeyed without hesitation and thrust its wings down. With a roar it took off through the skies.
"YUGI!" hollered everyone in unison. Ryou and Shimon dug in their heels and laid chase. Gazelle and Uraby followed suit from the ground. "What's gotten into him?" Tristan hollered up to the aerial Shimon.
"This magic must have great strength to cause this!" he yelled back. "Its energy is so great that it is triggering a reaction in Lord Yugi that clouds his judgment. He is unable to distinguish between his own thoughts and the ones the magic is sending him. He doesn't realize that by going to it he is acting on the magic's wishes!"
"We have to stop him!" Tristan urged Gazelle to run faster, yet for all his efforts he still trailed behind the swift dragon Yugi rode.
Kaiser Dragon beat its grand wings and managed to fly parallel to Yugi and Seiyaryu, allowing Shimon to call out: "Lord Yugi, you are not thinking rationally! Don't be persuaded by the magic's attempt to influence you!"
Yugi shot his ruthless gaze to him. "Shining Plasma!" he snarled. Brilliant flames formed in Seiyaryu's throat. Kaiser Dragon only barely had enough time to stall and dodge the fireball that was aimed for him. In those few seconds the rose-colored dragon pulled ahead of its pursuer.
A wave of fear came over Shimon. This force is truly dominating him! There is no telling what he might do while in this state! To the others he said: "Be careful! Lord Yugi is out to seek the magic by whatever means!"
"Well then, maybe we should use any means too!" said Fizdis. Uraby growled fiercely and poured maximum strength into running. Slowly, he was catching up to Seiyaryu, and soon was just beneath. With a roar he put all force into coiling his leg muscles; like a catapult he launched himself up into the air. Seiyaryu was just low enough that he could reach forward and seize its foot in his jaws. The dragon roared with pain but gravity was already starting to affect them. Seiyaryu was being pulled out of the air by the massive dinosaur hanging onto its foot. Time seemed to slow down as they fell back to earth.
WHUMP! The impact sent up clouds of dust to roll in the air. Fizdis was okay, as Uraby had taken the fall for her, but she could not see Yugi through the dusty veils. Gazelle skidded to a halt just beside them. Tristan immediately jumped off and moved through the dust to where Seiyaryu lay on the ground. "Yugi!" He saw his query, dazed by the fall, and gripped his shoulders.
Yugi's eyes flew open at contact with Tristan. He jerked away with a fierce "No!"
Tristan managed to seize him again and hold him steady. "Yugi, come on! Snap out of it!" he pleaded.
"Let me go! I have to find it!" was the only answer he received, as Yugi began thrashing madly to break from his captivity. Tristan applied more force and pushed him back so that he was lying on the ground. He pinned Yugi's arms to his sides and had to practically sit on him to keep the rest of him still. "Let me go!" Yugi cried again, almost howled. "It wants me!"
"Yugi, think! This magic is evil! It has to be if it's affecting you like this!" he tried again, yet as he looked into Yugi's wild eyes he knew his words had no effect.
Parrot Dragon landed and Ryou leapt off quickly. "Let me see him, Tristan." He knelt beside his afflicted friend and watched his struggle with wary eyes. Tristan turned to him quizzically.
"Ryou, what're you doing?"
"I'm trying to get a gauge on the magic inside him," he answered. "I mean, I can already sense that it's there, but if I can see enough of it to figure out what type of magic it is or what's causing it, maybe we can help him."
Tristan blinked. "Wow Ryou, you sound like you know what you're doing."
"I don't, really. I mean, it just occurred to me today that I could even see this stuff; I hadn't known before Shimon mentioned it… Although, I've never really come across any magic until now, so I don't know. It's all just common sense." He peered closer at Yugi, leaning over him to get a better look into his eyes. Yugi paused in his struggles to glare back at him. The swirls in his eyes rumbled like storm clouds. After a moment Ryou saw something in those clouds that caused him to gasp and recoil a bit.
"What is it? What did you see?" asked Tristan anxiously.
Ryou shook his head. "This is… well, it can't be good."
"Why? What is it?"
"I saw the magic inside him…" he began slowly, turning to look at Tristan, "… but I can't distinguish between the magic and Yugi's own soul."
Fizdis had sidled up to them, and Shimon stood over the scene as well. "Is it because you don't know which is which?" she asked.
"No… It's because there is no division, no difference in their energies. He wants to find this force himself as much as it is telling him he wants to. It has blended with his soul so well that no separation is visible." Fizdis let out a gasp.
"Does that mean it has taken him over?" she cried.
"On the contrary. He is still technically in control of himself, and I can't detect any changes that have been made to his soul."
"…Which means that whatever this thing is had the same energy as Yugi's soul to start with?" Tristan finished.
"Yes, that appears to be the case." Ryou looked down to Yugi who was once again struggling against Tristan's hold. "That may be why it has affected him so deeply." (3)
Shimon commented, "We must figure out what to do with him, until we can find a way to remove this force."
Yugi growled suddenly, the storms in his eyes flashing with lightning. "I must go to it! Trapped for so long…" He made a sound almost like a cry of defeat. The others watched as his wrathful state dwindled into one of near sobbing. "Swallowed by shadows… It wants freedom; I must release it…" They were surprised to see actual tears in his eyes. "I have to…"
They watched his sobs in silence for a moment. Then Fizdis posed the fateful question: "Guys… What if… What if we let Yugi go?"
There was an almost immediate exclamation of "WHAT?" from Tristan, but Ryou held up a hand to shush him. He looked to Fizdis to signal that she could go on. She swallowed. "I mean, if the magic is the same as Yugi's soul, I don't think it can be evil. We know Yugi's good, so whatever this is has to be good too, I think. Just look at him: he's actually in pain over this. He obviously wants to go, and he keeps saying that he needs to… but what if he really does need to? Like, if a part of himself is on the line because of it…" She trailed off with uncertainty.
Ryou smiled at her. "Thank you, Fizdis. I was thinking the same thing." He anticipated Tristan's outburst and interrupted it. "We can always follow him to wherever he's going, to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble. I have a feeling it's somewhere nearby. If push comes to shove we can step in and keep him from getting hurt."
Tristan stared hard at him, then sighed. "All right, fine. You win." He released his hold over Yugi. It took a few seconds for Yugi to realize that he was no longer pinned to the ground. He sat up quickly and looked fearfully at all of them like he was expecting one of them to tackle him. When no one made any move to do so he leapt to his feet, heading straight for Seiyaryu. He was on board and in the air before any of them could say a word.
"Come," said Shimon. "Let's follow him."
Yugi directed Seiyaryu to fly northeast. They followed a fair distance behind him, close enough to keep him in sight but far enough away to where he wouldn't think he was being chased. Soon the area over which they traveled turned rockier as they came closer to the sun-snatching mountains they had seen the previous day. The sun was already filtering around their peaks but Yugi did not let up in his quest. For a time they believed him to be leading them somewhere in the mountains. They found this to be a false assumption when a dark object appeared in the distance, looming over the land with an archaic authority. Drawing closer they found it to be an ancient castle, crumbling away with the sunset. A dark river lay waiting just beyond: the castle was on the edge of a deep canyon that twisted across the land. Yugi flew straight for the castle with rejuvenated energy.
"This must be where the magic is coming from," Fizdis noted. "Yugi's headed right for it."
Ryou nodded. "Yes. I can't sense the source itself, but what I feel from Yugi has grown much stronger. Soon we'll find the cause of all this."
Seiyaryu flew to the front of the building and landed before the entrance. The others landed just as Yugi returned his dragon to its jewel and ran inside. They followed, finding themselves in the vaulted stone entryway. Corridors radiated from the central room in every direction like a labyrinth. Yugi stood in the center of the room, looking at all the doors, determining which one was the right one. He looked to one on the right and froze. He stared at it for several long moments without moving a muscle at all. Then he bolted for it full force.
"Yugi!" Tristan was the first to make a break for him. Yugi did not react to the call, or even seem to hear it. Over his shoulderTristan called back to the others frozen in place: "Well, are you just going to stand there, or are you gonna' follow him and find out what's causing all this?" A few muttered words of contrary and they jogged after him.
The four of them had no choice but to follow where Yugi led them. In his trance he descended into the castle's dark depths, far beyond what should have been the bottom. Their path seemed to lead into the earth itself. Around them it was dark but Yugi somehow avoided its touch and remained lit.
"Is he ever going to stop?" asked Tristan, slightly irate.
"When he reaches the magic, he will stop," Ryou answered. As though he had heard what Ryou said, Yugi halted in his tracks. Just in front of him was a doorway to a room of blackness. Far away within the room was a tiny speck of purple light. Tristan pointed at it eagerly.
"There it is! That must be what Yugi's picking up! Finally!" He moved around Yugi and dashed forward. He had almost entered the room when Ryou seized the back of his jacket tightly.
"No," Ryou said sternly. "You can't go in there."
"What? Why not?" demanded Tristan.
"The shadows will rip you apart if you do."
"Shadows? What shad–" Tristan cut off as he looked into the room. Previously, all his attention had been focused on the speck of light. Now, though, as he looked at the rest of the room, he could see the warped tendrils of shadow slithering and twisting over the stone walls. Occasionally they would splay outward and lash at the air threateningly, daring a soul to befoul their domain. "Holy crap–!"
Fizdis recoiled from the room. "If this is the thing Yugi has to free from the shadows, then that means he has to go in there…! We can't let him get killed!"
The violet speck engulfed by shadows suddenly gave a desperate pulse. At once the storm clouds in Yugi's eyes parted and allowed violet light to fill their place. "I am here," he mumbled blearily, in response to a voice that only he could hear. The flickering violet glow dominating his eyes was almost haunting.
"We are so close to the magic's source that his soul has taken the reaction to the next level," Ryou explained quietly, his eyes focused on the walls laced with shadow. "He has succumbed to its full force."
"Yugi, no!" Fizdis cried desperately. "You can't do it! Please!" She moved in front of him and put both hands on his shoulders in an attempt to stop him. The speck throbbed again, and the air around him suddenly turned fiercely hot, like fire. Fizdis shrieked and pulled her hands away.
"Do not interfere," Yugi droned. "He will not be touched by the shadows."
Fizdis paled. Was the magic speaking through Yugi? Her voice quiet, she gave one last plea. "Yugi…"
She was ignored. Without turning a glance on any of them, Yugi stepped around Fizdis and entered the room of shadows. Instantly shadows shot from the walls like cobras striking their prey. The room turned darker as Yugi was smothered beneath them. There was a cry of despair from Fizdis; there was no light at all… Then, in a blaze of violet the shadows were thrown off. They burned within the light, writhing and sizzling and hissing in agony. Yugi appeared unharmed as he continued into the room, closer to the back wall and the speck embedded in it. The last of the shadows burned away as he reached it. Slowly, his hand came up, paused for the tiniest moment, and then touched the source of his enrapture.
Everything blazed white.
Yugi regained consciousness within himself after the world turned white. His head whipped around as he looked right and left, and yet there was nothing to see. He was encompassed entirely by a blank white void. Then, violet shined, and a voice called out to him.
/You came./
Yugi turned half-lidded eyes up, to where the voice had sailed down to him from. There was nothing there, yet somehow Yugi knew inherently this voice was someone familiar. "You…"
/I've been waiting for you./ The voice of the heavens echoed in his mind, filling its entirety.
Yugi was puzzled. "Waiting? For me?"
/Yes, ever since you stepped into this world. I knew it was you right away. I swore eternal loyalty to you. Don't you remember?/
"No…" Yugi mumbled, "but…"
/Though our forms may change, the bond that connects us endures. It is that bond that drew you to me. I am, and always will be, your faithful servant. I fight for your victory and for your glory. That is why we were never meant to be apart, Soulmaster./
"Never apart…"
When the light finally stopped and Tristan and the others could see again, they found the room devoid of shadows. Yugi was on the floor panting, leaning against the back wall supported by his forehead and shoulder. The aura that had once commanded him had gone. His skin looked pale, his eyes out of focus as he stared at something far off in space. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow. The four of them ran forward and were instantly at his side.
"Yugi!" Tristan shook his shoulder. "Hey man, wake up! Ryou, is he…?"
"The magic is gone from him," Ryou answered. "Freeing it from the shadows removed its influence from him."
"What's that he's holding?" asked Fizdis. They looked at his hands, gently cupping something within them. Tristan reached forward to pry his hands open. Yugi hissed suddenly and made him jerk away.
On his own he lifted his hands level with his mouth. He parted them slightly, and whispered into them, "Mahado."
Liquid violet light spilled from between the cracks of his fingers. The ribbons of light drifted upward, curling themselves into a knot, forming the shape of a figure…
When the light faded, the Dark Magician floated above them all.
Everyone stared at the being defying gravity. Then Tristan starting laughing with relief. "The Dark Magician… No wonder. It's no wonder at all."
The Dark Magician bowed to them in silent thanks for allowing Yugi to reunite with him. He gave them all one last gaze with eyes backlit by stars. Then he relinquished himself to light again and flowed back into Yugi's hands, at which point Yugi abruptly passed out. He slid down the wall to the floor. His hands parted with the fall, and now the object of mystery was revealed to be a brilliant amethyst jewel. He gripped it tightly even though he was unconscious.
The jewel was the same color as Yugi's soul gem.
"Their magics are the same… just as their souls are," Ryou said slowly. "The need for them to be together brought on the strong magic that led us all here."
Yugi remained unconscious until they were out of the castle. When he woke up he had no memory of what had happened, of the magic, or of that cosmic voice.
All he knew was that Mahado was by his side.
Notes:
(One) – For reference: think of the Moltres treasure in Pokémon The Movie 2000. That was my inspiration.
(Two) – Called "Beast of Gilfer" in the actual game… called "Archfiend of Gilfer" on the card, which I have. I decided to use the "Archfiend" version, because it sounds more… fiendish? That's what he is, after all.
(Three) – Amazing how Ryou became that adept at reading magic that quickly.
SC: All I can say is that I told you I had ideas. If you read the thing on my profile, you'd also know that I warned you ahead of time that this chapter was going to be full of magic. And it gets better. (devious grin)
(cough) And now, we see the difference having ideas makes. Not only did I write this chapter IN ONE WEEK HOLY CRUD (I was going to post this last Sunday but the site wouldn't let me on for some reason), but you can see the places where my diction shifts when I was trying to get through to another section. Mah.
I really hope you enjoyed that, as I've been harboring ideas for this for a long time… I for one think it's the best chapter yet, although I'll leave that up to you to decide.
Please review, ask questions and whatnot… They make me dance.