With Yugi and Ryou...

Three hours had passed and Yugi and Ryou hadn't found any treasure so far. The cave around them was extremely dark, surrounded in the mysterious depths of the mountain. They had been walking around in circles, however they hadn't noticed it because of how determined they have been throughout this quest. By now, they would be too far in the cave to turn back, they knew that their only hope was to complete the quest to be able to teleport, or send out an SOS to get help. They hated admitting this, but they were lost.

Yugi and Ryou were starving, they only had little food left seen as though Joey had most of it. Unfortunately, they couldn't find Joey anywhere; they didn't try, but they knew they couldn't. The disturbing, yet exhilarating cavern seemed boundlessly large, but frighteningly bleak.

Suddenly the ground started to slightly tremble. It was as if every couple of seconds the tremors grew louder and louder; the miniature quakes happened in a repeated pattern just like a monstrous beast which lurks the cave in search for its new victims.

Fierce chuckles could be heard by both teens who were exploring the dangerous cavern. "Yugi, stop it!" Ryou barked.

"It's not me!" Yugi snapped back in offence.

"Then what is that?"

Yugi's eyes grew wider as the slits in his eyes thinned. Ryou watched in shock remembering this is what happens when there's danger nearby. Yugi let out threatening growls which made the mysterious creature cackle louder. "Ryou. We gotta go!"

"What's the problem?"

"Something's here. No. Someone's here... A Dragon Slayer."

"Could it be Joey... or Yami?"

"No. I'd know if it were them."

Hidden in the shadows, a towering, demonic human stood. Its eyes glaring down viciously at the teens as Yugi shifted to his defensive position. The Dragon Slayer's dark-green eyes pierced them as Yugi closed his blood-thirsty crimson eyes and took a deep breath as his body started to grow immensely. The tables had turned as Yugi loomed over the ruthless warrior.

Yugi pounced on the hunter, severely digging his dagger-like claws into his unbreakable armour, keeping a tenacious grip. The protective dragon was unable to pierce his armour which gave the hunter an advantage. He whipped out his sword and gave Yugi a mighty smack, full of power and rage! Yugi flew across the cave, eventually hitting the wall with a large *THWACK*.

Yugi was on the edge of consciousness as the Slayer came closer and closer to his victim. "Joey... Marik... Seto..." He said weakly, struggling to breathe, "P-Please...Help..." His vision was engulfed in the thick blackness of the nightmares as he fell unconscious, unable to hear, see or feel anything. His strong-willed mind was no match for the impenetrable darkness that washed away all hope.

Ryou watched in horror and shock as his friend had just been brutally attacked. Ryou couldn't move, he was absolutely petrified; he was just a simple human character, he couldn't do anything. The human's legs were numb. Just then, his heart started to race as the Dragon Slayer turned to face the young boy who was mortified. "P-P-Please d-d-don't hu-urt me..." Ryou squeaked whilst begging for mercy.

"I only kill beast type creatures. So go." The voice boomed with irritation. "And I will be taking my prize. Don't worry." He chuckled evilly, "He's not dead... yet. I like to torture-I mean play with my prey first. He has 48 hours to live before he dies."

Tears rolled down Ryou's eyes as he forced his legs forwards, thrusting them at the speed of light; staggering to find his way out. His vision started to slowly turn black, s..l...o...w...l...y disappearing into the dangerous abyss which called out to him.

*THUD*

Ryou had collapsed on the floor, tears swarming the ground; spreading out everywhere; running for freedom. He laid on the floor, being eaten and consumed by the darkness, broken down and hopeless. He was exhausted, starving, inconsolable...


With the whole gang...

"Do ya think he's alive?" A voice said as Ryou began to stirr, feeling something constantly poking him. He didn't care. His cheeks were sticky and his eyes were puffy. The young human's eyes were flickering whilst trying to get a good view of what was happening. He could feel himself being tucked into a comfortable bed, although it was comfortable, it still didn't help the awful, splitting headache he had.

The first thing he saw looming over him was a tall, blonde, armoured human. "Jo...ey...?" Ryou said, weakly as he attempted to get up. However, when he tried to get up, he could feel a strong force pushing him back down. "H-Hey...! G-Gotta... Gotta go find... Y-Yugi..."

"No, you're not going anywhere, Ryou." Said a voice from beside him. Seto.

"I-I gotta..." Once more, he attempted to push himself back up, but again, the mighty force pushed him back down. "S-Stop, s-stop, Joey..."

"You can barely open your eyes! You ain't getting out of this bed until you feel better." Joey commanded. He pulled out some rope from the desk at the other side of the room and he picked up Ryou's arms and legs and started to tie them to the bed so he couldn't escape and almost die. He was in no condition to go outside

"Sorry, Ryou. We don't want you to get hurt." Malik said as a tear leaked from his lilac eyes.

"It's for the best." Yami commented.

"P-Please... s-save Yugi..."

"Where is he?! What happened?!"

"D-Dragon Slayer... nearly k-killed him...took him...gone..." Struggling to speak, Ryou's eyes closed as he passed out from the awful pain he was in from his head. He was still in shock as he watched his friend get barbarically beaten and ruthlessly destroyed previously.

"Ryou, what happened after that?! Do you know where they've taken him?!" Yami yelled in panic.

"Yami get a grip! This is no time to break down into tears. Let's go back into the human world and try to see if he's conscious. We'll get him to come out of the game just in case he can't." Bakura suggested.

"Y-You're right."

"Let's go then."

All of them logged out apart from Ryou who laid unconscious on the bed, restrained from moving.


Back at Joey's...

The group rushed over to Yugi as they started to shake him, rigorously, persistent to wake him up. "Yugi! Wake up!" Joey shouted.

"Yugi! P-Please!" Yami yelled.

"Guys. It's no use. He's unconscious in the other world. It's impossible to respond. We have to go back into that world at drag him out. The Dragon Slayer couldn't have gotten too far." Seto reasoned. "Marik. You can trace him, can't you?"

"Yes. I can."

"Great. We now know your use." Bakura said, sarcastically.