Authoress Notes:
VB20:Sorry for taking so long for us to update, things have literally been crazy.
BlackRose: XD Yeah Marik tried to send us to the shadow realm.
VB20: OO I can't believe this is almost done, next chapter is going to the last one. WAHHHHHHH!
Blackrose: T_T Me too. Unto the chapter!
SailorBlaze: Thanks! OO HOLY FRIG is right, Dartz is gone BANANA'S!
Coka Cookie Cola: Thanks ^_^! :3 Kitty face! XD, yeah he's been such an ass. But don't worry that's gonna change.
Aqua Girl 007: You're welcome! Beware lots of fluffy fuzzballs of doom and evil Dartz getting chased by us.
RealShippingPrincess: XD yeah something' fishy's going down!
Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :) You'll see.
Scaevola2: Thanks ^_^ It will.
MutantEnemy101: Thanks :) She ran away after Yami was done with his sorry butt. It is sweet.
Kender20: Thanks ^_^Mmmm, they're gonna be kicking some major Dartz rear!
Disclaimer: We don't own anything.
Plot:( Based on The Little Mermaid) Mermaids are mythical creatures that only exist in fairy tales and myths. A kiss from a mermaid or merman is the most powerful thing in the world. Once they are bonded, the love between them never fades. Yami is a merman prince who rescues a human princess named Tea from almost drowning, and falls in love with her, as she does with him. Even though they are from different worlds, they are willing to risk everything to be together. No matter what the cost. YamiTea JoeyMai SetoKisara
By Night One Way, By Day Another
By VampiressBeauty20 and BlackRoseDragonCK
Chapter Thirteen
"I'm sorry Father, but I cannot accept the words that you just said, I love her! I want to be with her, and there's nothing standing in between us, Tea and I are meant to be together. I know it, and I'm going to see Dartz, he can help me!"
Aknamkanon's jaw clenched as the words echoed through his head. No matter how hard he tried...he could never forget them...just as he could never forget his son and daughter. As a strong king, he should be firm...he should accept his children's actions as treason and pronounce them banished...but he could not.
"I love her! She is the most wonderful person I've ever met!"
The king sighed and slumped in his lavish throne, kneading his forehead with coffee-colored fingers. He could be a strong, stern king...or he could be honest with himself. It was his fault his son and daughter had run away...his fault..that he knew not what had become of them. He had driven them away with his constant rebuke and restrictions...and they had finally had enough. If only they knew the reason for which his paranoia existed...if only they knew...
"My King!"
A sudden voice made Aknamkanon jerk upright in surprise. Dark Magician moved toward him, his normally calm face...ravaged. There was simply no other way to put it. His aqua eyes shadowed, his already pale skin, sickly. His hand clutched the green staff so hard that it looked as though his fingers attached to the object.
"Magician?" Aknamkanon asked with worry. "What troubles you?" Dark Magician visibly swallowed and steeled his purple-clad shoulders. "Your Majesty...I have some good...and some terrible news."The king sighed. He really didn't need any more bad news...but he had to act as a ruler and not a weary father. "What has transpired?"
"Well..." the sorcerer took a deep breath to further compose himself. "...I have found Yami. He is safe...living amongst the humans."
Aknamkanon's mouth went dry. "How is this...possible..?"
Dark Magician sighed heavily. "It is possible...because Yami has become a human himself. It seems that his last statement to you was not a mere childish outburst. He went to Dartz...and Dartz transformed him into a surface dweller."
"Foolish boy!" the king snapped, his voice displaying an anger that, despite the words, was not directed at his son. Truly...he was furious with Dartz for taking advantage of an impulsive youth's explosive emotions...all for a cause that had nothing to do with the child. He rubbed his eyes and continued wearily, "Dartz does not GIVE his assistance...he sells it. What was the price for Yami's humanity?"
"That...is the terrible news. I'm afraid...that Dartz has turned the prince into his pawn of darkness."
Aknamkanon sat up rigid in his chair, the previous tiredness forgotten. "What do you mean?"
Dark Magician bowed his head. "I mean...that Yami has been consumed by the darkness. He wanders the realm of humans, fueled by green and hatred. He challenges sinister humans to duels to steal their souls no doubt to further Dartz's power. I know not how long this dark influence lasts...I only know that it turns his heart as black as the scales of the Leviathan."
"Surely he can overcome it!" the king's voice was shrill with desperation. "My son, with a mind as independent as you are submissive, can fight back this dark force!"
The magician shook his head. "This magic...is stronger than anything I've ever experienced before, my King. Even I could not resist it."
The righteous indignation went out in Aknamkanon's heart and he sank back into his throne with the weakness of an old man. He rubbed his eyes again, supporting his head with his hand. "And my daughter? What has become of Selene?"
"I was not able to find Selene," Dark Magician replied. "We can only hope that she is with Yami...and has not suffered the same fate as he."
Aknamkanon heaved a heavy sigh and looked up. He stared at the glistening mother-of-pearl floor, gazing directly at it...but not really seeing could things spiral out of control so quickly...?
"Sir..." Dark Magician murmured cautiously. "There's something else you should know. The prince's Millennium Puzzle...he was not wearing it. I fear...he may have given it to Dartz..to complete the deal."
"No..." the king whispered hoarsely. "With that kind of power...Dartz will..." He didn't finish the thought...and he did not have to. It was painfully obvious that, with the power of the three Egyptian gods, Dartz would be unstoppable.
"So..." Dark Magician searched his ruler's face worriedly. "What plan of action should we take?"
Aknamkanon studied the young wizard. In all his years of service, Dark Magician had shown unwavering loyalty. He never questioned the king unless his orders clashed with his own knowledge of right and wrong. The king had never asked for such complete faith, it had been given. It would be unfair to ask anyone for that kind of trust...including his children...yet he had done exactly that. It was time. He had to tell them...the truth.
"We must find them," Aknamkanon said, rising from his throne. "We must find Yami and Selene." Solomon nodded, "Of course my son, as a father I am terribly worried about my grandchildren," he said placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "Absolutely, we will all go at sunset. Have Yugi and Ishizu here by then. Dark Magician, will you guide us there?" he asked the magician.
"It will be my pleasure," he replied.
"So, Akunamdon discovered what has become of his son and daughter," a cruel smirk formed across Dartz's lips. There was only darkness surrounding him expect the faint glow of the green fire beside him. A small crystal ball floating in the air encased by two gold serpents rested in the palm of the dark sorcerer's hand. He tapped his fingers against chin, before swimming over towards the platform inside of his lair. Stone tablets surrounded him each one containing a soul that was captured from the Orichalcos.
"You have done well my little puppet capturing the souls I've so desperately needed, to revive the Great Beast, now to keep my little end of the bargain, you are free from the Seal's control forever, and this will take effect at sunset. You will feel great pain, but it will pass over you quickly. Now about your little sister," his eyes traveled towards the high shelf where the glass bottle containing a glowing golden ball of light sat. The sorcerer carefully uncorked the bottle as the voice of the former mermaid slowly rested in his left palm.
"The time has come for the Leviathan to rise again. Now that I have everything I need to complete this task, I will once again return Atlantis to the former glory it once knew."
Yami stood on the balcony of one of the castle's many luxurious sitting rooms, gazing out at the picturesque land below. Sunset was coming, painting the sky in glorious shades of gold and red...however it did not comfort him. Gold and red...it made him think of metal and blood...of war. Something was out there...something was coming. He'd realized that some time ago...on his fateful hunt with King Emyr not too long ago...
"Good morning, Yami," Emyr greeted cordially as the youth approached. He was dressed in a gun-metal grey, cotton shirt black pants, leather boots, and a long, navy blue cape. A quiver of arrows rested on his back and his hand clutched an elegantly carved, dark wood bow. He was mounted on a black horse, staring down at the prince with those cold azure eyes.
Seeing his potential father-in-law's clothing made Yami breathe a slight sigh of relief. He had absolutely no idea about what would be the proper attire for "Horn Imp Hunting"...but it seemed the outfit he'd chosen would be proper. His attire included a white cotton shirt, black vest, dark pants, and black boots that would be adequate for riding. Truly, the youth hoped he wouldn't have to go near those cursed animals ever again...but he would do anything if it meant getting on King Emyr's good side.
A slight chill passed through Yami's bones as he approached the king, but he ignored it. Light barely peeked over the early morning horizon so the air was chilly...but he refused to show any weakness. He finally stopped before Emyr, his boots squashing on the dew-soaked grass, and gave a brief bow.
"Would you like a horse?" the king asked. "Or do you prefer to travel on foot?"
A wave of relief flooded through Yami. He wouldn't have to make a fool out of himself after all... "I shall go on foot if that is all right, sir."
Emyr gave a small smile and slid off his own horse. "Very well. I prefer foot hunting to horseback...but you cannot go alone. Horn Imp Hunting can be dangerous to those do not have much experience. I shall go with you."
One of the nearby guards opened his mouth as if to protest, but the king cut him off with a wave of the hand. "I wish to spend time with the one who is courting my daughter. What better way to do it than with a productive sport? Let us be off."
The woods seemed rather eerie at this time of day. The sun, having not completely risen, cast a pallid light that made the entire area look grey. The trees appeared black in the dim light, the foliage dark green and wet with dew. A gentle mist hung over everything, making it a bit difficult to see far ahead. As they trudged over broken logs and soggy earth, it was all the prince could do not to rub his hands over his chilled arms.
Yami's blood eyes locked onto the back of his companion's raven head. Emyr strode through the forest with the confidence of the hunter he was, his head unmoving...but his eyes no doubt surveying every detail of the bleak landscape. The air was heavy with silence...and the prince found it unnerving. He decided to break the eery calm.
"Your Majesty..." Yami began as he stepped over a gnarled, black root. "Forgive me for sounding ignorant, but...what exactly is this Horn Imp Hunting?"
The king gave a soft chuckle, but did not turn around. "That's right, I forget...you wouldn't have this sport in your world. Well, Horn Imps are a species of troublesome creatures that inhabit forests as other types of game do. They have a tendency to overpopulated themselves...so we have these hunts to cut their numbers."
"It seems a bit...cruel," Yami murmured and immediately wished he had not.
Emyr finally turned around...and those cold eyes locked onto his. They studied the youth's face, as if searching for something...and to Yami's surprise, they actually softened. "Horn Imps are dangerous creatures. They like to steal things and sometimes living creatures and posses an overall unpleasant personality. They must be kept under control...and the only way to do that is to exterminate them. "
A slight shudder went down Yami's spine and his shoulders tensed. His father's words echoed in his ears. "One less human to worry about..." He remembered how strange the king had acted when Marik asked about Atlantis...and his blood went cold. Was it possible...that Emyr felt the same way about merpeople as Akmankanon felt about humans? Could this trip really be a way of showing Yami that the king did not welcome him into his home?
"Perhaps..." the prince began cautiously. "...they are simply misunderstood."
Emyr shook his head slightly. "No, I am afraid they...LOOK OUT!"
The king's hand shot out and grabbed Yami's shoulder, shoving him out-of-the-way. The youth grunted as he hit the ground...and winced when he heard the clean nick of a blade. He turned rapidly in the dirt, ready to dodge the strike of a sword...but it never came. Instead...the king stood a foot away from where Yami had just been standing...a blood-soaked dagger in his gloved hand. There..on the ground before him...was a dead creature the likes of which the youth had never seen. It was had a humanoid figure about as large as Tea's...but far more brawny. Its skin was brown and leathery, its fingers tipped with razor-like claws. A single horn rested on the Imp's forehead, making it obvious about how it got its name.
The prince slowly got to his feet, never taking his ruby eyes from the grotesque corpse. His gaze wandered to the king. Emyr took a dark brown cloth from a small back around his wait and wiped the blood from it. He then replaced the cloth and sheathed the dagger. "As I said before..." the king murmured. "...Horn Imps are dangerous creatures."
Yami opened his mouth to respond but the king walked away before he could do so. It was just as well...because he really had no idea what to say. He felt slightly embarrassed about suspecting King Emyr of wanting to murder him...however he was not remorseful enough to deny that something was wrong between them. Still...now wasn't the time to consider it. So, the youth hung his head and followed Emyr...deeper into the dismal forest.
As they trudged over the sodden earth...Yami felt another shudder pass through him...and it wasn't because of the uncertainty between him and his partner. Something about this place...these woods...seemed horribly familiar. His blood eyes ran over every detail...the muddy earth...dark green foliage...sodden, gangly trees...the mist that seemed to hover over everything... it was as if he had been here before though he could not recall ever doing so. The teen turned his attention to the king to take his mind off the troubling nostalgia.
"If I may say so, sir...your daughter's companion Marik seems quite interested in my homeland."
Emyr balked for just a second...but a second was more than enough. His shoulders grew tense, his muscles as rigid as wire, then he resumed his walk in a stiff way that greatly insinuated his discomfort. "I'm not sure what you mean..." he said in that overly casual tone people use when they are lying.
Yami raised an ebony brow. The forest was gradually becoming less dark...but he took no heed of it. He was far too interested in this little development. "But I'm sure you must have noticed the way he questioned me...that day when we had breakfast together."
The king's pace suddenly quickened and Yami had to sprint to keep up with him. They reached a thin vein of trees, beyond which lay an open, grassy area partly sheltered by the trees. Emyr placed his hand on the trunk of one of the trees. "Marik takes interest in many things..." he muttered in a voice that was almost cold. His glacial eyes stared at the area past the trees as if they held some great source of fascination. "We will be at a safe point past here. Horn Imps are at the greatest disadvantage in clearings...however the most dangerous ones may be bold enough to venture out into the open. I suppose you can say it will be 'killing to birds with one stone'."
They wove through the remaining scraggly trees out into the grassy clearing. The sun was still minimal...however it did feel a little warmer out here. It was slightly disconcerting however, standing on a patch of earth surrounded by a sea of trees. It was almost like being stranded on an island in the middle of a vast ocean...nothing but an abyss stretching out from every direction.
Suddenly, Emyr halted and Yami nearly ran smack into him.
"Sire?" he asked and went around to gaze at the king's face. Emyr's expression was stony, his skin drained of all color. His blue eyes were icier than ever, staring at a fixed point straight ahead. Yami followed his gaze...and drew in a sharp breath when he saw that upon which it rested.
It was a body...lying on the earth like some great boulder. The form was bulky...cloaked in some dark fabric. Emyr started forward and Yami made a weak protest for him to keep his distance...but the king ignored it as if he hadn't even spoken. He approached the body, staring down at it...and after a moment, the prince did so as well.
It was a man's corpse, his face large and square. He had messy black hair, covered with a gunmetal grey cap. His skin was a dirty greyish color, his body bulky with intimidating muscles. Those muscles certainly hadn't done any good against whatever it was that caused his downfall... The most disturbing thing about the corpse however...was his eyes. They were open...and blank...as if the life had literally been sucked out of him. One of those odd jolts stabbed at Yami's heart and he pressed a hand to it in alarm.
"Another one..." Emyr murmured almost inaudibly.
The prince gave him a surprised look. "What do you mean?"
"For the past few weeks...the guards have found bodies all throughout the village...but 'bodies' is not really the correct word for them. They are more like...shells...casings that have been drained of their life force. So far, all the victims found have been known scoundrels throughout the town...what we don't know is whether or not the one or thing slaying them is some sort of vigilante..or something dark seeking to further its own power."
Something flashed through the youth's heart...something sharp...and deadly. It took him a moment to realize...that it was anger. Why? Why was he angry? So far as he was concerned...this had nothing to do with him. He cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should return home before...whatever it is gets us as well."
"Yes..." Emyr murmured, but the word was distant, as if his mind was far away. He turned and strode purposefully back toward the palace. "We must find this demon...and put an end to its crusade."
Yami sighed and braced his hands on the marble railing. He was so sick of this feeling...the doubt...the fear...the sense that...he truly did not have control over his life. Perhaps all the stories had been true...he shouldn't have trusted Dartz...but it just wasn't that simple. To his knowledge. everything was perfectly fine. He lived his days with the girl of his dreams...and went to sleep in a warm, safe bed every night. The prince's blood eyes narrowed. It was not the day that made him nervous...it was the night.
No matter how hard he tried, Yami could never seem to remember the details of the night. He awoke in bed every morning...yet he could not seem to recall how exactly he'd gotten there. At first, he'd attributed it to the excitement of the day leaving him too exhausted to pay much attention at night...but the recent mysterious happenings were beginning to make him think otherwise. It was so vexing...the way that he felt so content beneath the warmth of the sun...and utterly miserable as the moon fast approached.
"By night one way, by day another..." Yami murmured and turned his ruby eyes toward the horizon. Then...he gasped...when a sudden flash of lightning flashed across the blood sky.
Yami's heart pounded as he ran out of the castle gates toward the beach. Something was very wrong. He had to figure out what. He tripped up a tall sand dune..and nearly fell down the other side when he saw the usually tranquil, picturesque horizon. The sun was slowly setting...but it was no normal sun. It was dark...sinisterly dark...painting the sky with the color of blood. The ocean was churning in the frigid breeze, its waters, looking like liquid obsidian in the dark lighting. There was a dark pulsation slightly trembling the ground beneath Yami's feet...almost as if some great force of the abyss was preparing to rise.
Blood turning cold, the prince started toward the ebony water's edge...and it was not long before he realized that he was not alone in his anxious curiosity.
"Yami!" a familiarly accented voice called out to him. The youth turned...and saw Joey and Tristan running to him, their respecting monsters toddling along behind them. Both boys dressed in white cotton shirts, tan pants, and brown sandals, much the contrast to Yami's black tank top, dark pants, and ebony boots.
Joey reached him first and placed his hands on his knees, doubling over to catch his breath. Scorch flew up beside him, nuzzling his master's hand with his orange, scaly head.
"Yam'..." the blonde panted, his words coming out barely understandable. "Somethin'...bad...I...ocean...it's...:"
Carrying a nervously squeaking Thunderkid on his back, Tristan stepped up beside his companion and rolled his eyes. "What Joseph is TRYING to say is that all is not good in paradise at the moment."
Yami nodded gravely and turned his eyes to the sky that mirrored their blood color. "Yes...I feel it too."
Something nudged the prince's leg and he looked down in surprise. There...hopping up and down on his stubby green legs...was Kuriboh. Yami hadn't seen the fur ball much in the past few weeks. He'd been off playing with the other monsters, seemingly thrilled to have made new friends. Now, however, the creature was terrified...and seeking the protective hold of his master.
Yami reached down and lifted Kuriboh into his arms. The monster whimpered pitifully and nestled his furry face into the youth's shirt. One look at his friends told him that their creatures were behaving similarly. Scorch was hiding behind Joey's legs while Thunderkid whined and clung to Tristan's back.
"They sense trouble..." Yami murmured.
Joey nodded. "Yeah...they've been acting weird all day today. Come to think of it...all of the monsters have."
As if to emphasize his point, a dark shadow fell over them, followed by an ear-shattering roar. All three boys clamped their hands over their ears and cringed as rhythmic gusts of air slammed into them with a staggering force. When he had finally gathered himself enough to look for who or what was the source of this sudden development...his jaw dropped open in shock.
There...landing with amazing silence on the sand a few feet away from them...was a dragon. The beast was considerably large but slender, with snowy white scales that shimmered in the sunset. Its wings flapped as its glistening claws dug into the earth, creating those powerful bursts of wind that had nearly knocked the boys to the ground. Perhaps the most striking feature of this majestic beast however...was its eyes. They were a radiant blue, their beauty rivaled only by those of Tea. They snapped with awareness and potential ferocity... the prince could not help but gulp when they settled on him. The dragon did not attack, however...it simply settled into a kneeling position...so that its rider could descend.
"Seto?" Yami exclaimed, not bothering to hide his surprise.
Seto, who was dressed in dark blue and silver armor, smirked as he dismounted the dragon. He turned and ran his hand over the creature's scaly neck, murmuring words with a softness the prince had never seen from the cold knight.
"Seto's companion monsters are the three Blue Eyes white Dragons..." Joey whispered. "They are some of the most powerful dragons in the kingdom. He has three of them. The one he's riding is the male, Draculcyan. The other two are Draculcyan's mate, Dialinda, and their baby, Drakazul"
Yami watched in awe as Seto ran his fingers over the dragon's diamond-like scales. "It must be difficult to take care of such incredible creatures by himself..."
"Well..." Tristan began with a sly grin. "He doesn't do it...by himself exactly..."
Before the prince could ask what he meant by that...another thundering roar pierced the air. He turned...and beheld two more dragons swooping down to land beside Draculcyan. One of them, no doubt the female Dialinda, had a slender build, far different from her mate's muscular body. Her scales had a slight blue tint to them, making the azure of her incredible eyes stand out even more. It was the person mounted upon this beast, however...whom made Yami gasp.
It was a young woman...a beautiful young woman. A few years older than Yami, she had fair skin and long white hair that reached all the way down to her waist, hanging slightly in her eyes. Those eyes...were a bright, brilliant blue. Dressed in a form-fitting white dress...the girl looked almost like a human version of the dragon upon which she sat.
The woman slid off Dialinda with the smoothness of water...and to the prince's surprise, approached Seto. One look at the usually cold young man...made Yami raise his eyebrows in surprise. Seto's face...always harsh and calculating...had softened into a smile of the utmost tenderness. When the woman reached him, he slid his arms around her waist and planted a chaste kiss on her lips, leaning his forehead against hers. Her fair arms wound around his neck and his rigid body seemed to melt into them.
"Kisara..." Tristan muttered with a sly smile.
Yami blinked. "Who?"
"She's the only being alive who can melt the ice around dragon boy's heart," Joey snickered. "He's head over heels for her."
"Ah..." the prince studied them for a moment, feeling worried for the girl who had stolen his own heart...but he did not have to worry for long.
The third dragon, Drakazul touched down to the sandy earth. He was smaller and even more slender than Dialinda, though he had the muscularity of his father. His scales were the same shimmering white streaked with blue and his energetic body held the restlessness of youth. Upon his back...sat Tea. She was dressed in a long-sleeved black dress that greatly contrasted the white of her steed, her chocolate hair pulled back from her face. Her face was grave with worry...and he could see obvious relief when her gaze landed on him.
The girl leaped from her dragon and walked swiftly toward him. Yami reached out and grabbed her hands in his, pulling her close to him. Her skin was cold...and her body trembled slightly. She strove to keep he expression controlled...but he could see the shadows of fear in her eyes.
Yami tilted his head so that he could stare into those glorious eyes. "What is happening?"
"I don't know..." Tea turned to gaze out at the crimson horizon, her frown deepening. "...but blood in the sky is never a good sign."
"You can say that again, hun..."
The group turned to see Mai, Serenity, Ryou, and Marik walking toward them. Serenity pressed close to Ryou who had his arm wrapped protectively around her. Marik gazed out at the turbulent water, his lavender eyes narrowed with worry...while Mai stared up at the ruby and metal sky. The grey clouds swirled in the sky, looking almost as untamed as the sea itself.
"I sent the Harpy Ladies out earlier to see what fresh chaos is brewing out there...they told me that the sea seems...alive...and angry."
A shudder ran down Yami's spine. It was just as he had previously thought...something was coming...something dark. Another shudder shook his thin form...followed by a sudden sharp jolt of pain. He gasped and clutched at his chest, staggering backwards with the force of the feeling. His blood pulsed throughout his veins and panic pricked the edges of his brain at this familiar sensation. It was as if he had consumed that horrid potion all over again. The dagger of agony sliced through his heart, driving him to his knees with the awful pain.
"Yami!" Tea rushed to his side and draped her arm over his shoulders, staring worriedly into his face. "What's wrong?"
But he could not answer her. All the youth could hear...was his ragged breathing...the pounding of his own heart... He kept his eyes locked on the pallid sand beneath his clenched fists...but that too soon faded away, replaced by visions...visions of horror. He saw darkness...mingled with familiar sites. A tavern...a village ally way...the forest inhabited by Horn Imps...all those places he had previously thought to be familiar...he was now seeing why. The visions he was seeing...weren't visions at all. They were memories.
Yami gasped as he viewed himself on that night...the evening when the seeds of his uncertainty had been planted. He watched as the alarming change overtook his body...the dark force wound around his heart...and the Seal of Orichalcos engraved itself into his forehead. He saw the glass in his vanity mirror shatter...and after that, watched himself shatter the souls of so many scoundrels, criminals, and fools...the souls of so many human beings. The wickedness flowed from Yami's body like a river as he relentlessly dueled and took the souls of all those people...including the man he and the king had found in the woods. A horridly familiar voice spoke over the loud thudding and Yami's heart went cold. It was his voice...Dartz's voice...filled with malice and smug satisfaction.
"You have done well, little puppet...but your services are no longer needed. I now take from you the power which is mine and mine alone!"
Then...the pain lifted from the prince's core, leaving his shoulders heaving with exhaustion. The shock however...still remained. After all these weeks of knowing something was wrong and trying to ignore it...he finally knew what had happened...and it was far worse than he could ever imagine. Dartz had used him...used him like the puppet he was...and there was no way to undo all the damage he'd caused.
"What have I done...?"" Yami's voice croaked out of him.
"My prince..."
Yami and Tea both looked up in alarm at the echoing voice. It seemed to ride on the wind...though they could clearly hear it as if its owner was standing before them.
"Who is that?" the brunette asked in alarm, looking around frantically. Her lover, however...knew the voice all too well.
"Dark Magician...?"
In response...the air directly in front of the couple...began to shimmer. It swirled and sparkled with the force of some unseen entity...until it finally began to take on a solid shape. It was a handsome young man with pale skin, oceanic, intelligent eyes, and dark purple hair. His thin form was clothed entirely in violet...and a gleaming, green scepter rested in his hand.
"Who is...?" Tea looked at Yami for an explanation.
"My most trusted monster..." the youth replied, feeling his body begin to tremble with emotion.
"Yami..." Dark Magician gave a small smile...but tinged with deep sorrow. "I see the dark magic has been lifted from your heart."
The youth struggled to his feet, holding onto Tea's shoulders for support...both physical and mental. The memories of that night...the night when he'd destroyed Panik...and been so cruel to his most loyal monster. "Dark Magician...I..." He hung his head, feeling his eyes sting with miserable tears. "I'm so sorry...there are no words to excuse how shamefully I acted..."
The wizard reached out and placed a gentle hand on his master's shoulder. "The important thing is that you are free now...but it might be too late. The Great Leviathan...has already gathered more than enough souls needed to rise."
"No..." Yami's head dropped onto his chest. He felt as though a weight of devastating had just been dropped on his shoulders. "So...you came here to tell me of this?"
Dark Magician squeezed his shoulder. "That is part of the reason...but I did not come here alone."
"What?" the prince looked up...right as Marik cried out.
"Look!" he exclaimed, pointing out at the water.
Yami followed the youth's gaze...and gasped when he saw the obsidian water...bubbling. It swirled and gurgled for a moment, creating white froth on the black surface...and four humanoid figures began to slowly emerge. Though they were silhouetted against the ruby horizon...he could make out a grown male, an elderly man, a young woman, and a child. All four figures focused on the land dwellers...and they moved closer to be seen clearly. When he could finally make out their faces...the prince could not stifle his gasp of surprise.
He knew these people...better than anyone standing on the shore beside him. After all...they were is father, grandfather, little brother, and older sister. Ishizu and Yugi smiled at him with pure happiness, each lifting their very differently colored coffee and cream hands in a friendly wave. Solomon smiled also, giving a slight nod of recognition. Yami smiled at all three of them in return...but felt his heart begin to pound when his eyes landed on his father's. Aknamkanon was staring at him, body rigid. For a brief second, the youth saw a flash of love...of deep relief in the king's eyes...but it was rapidly replaced by the stern formality of a ruler.
"Yami..." he said, his gun metal eyes growing hard as the stone from which they drew their color. "...so this is what has become of you..." He looked pointedly around at the humans and added with obvious distaste. "You've abandoned your throne for the surface dwellers."
Whatever joy Yami might have had at reuniting with his father...turned hard with defiance. He slid an arm around Tea's waist and pulled her protectively close to him. "I haven't abandoned ANYTHING. I gave up something I was never meant to do...to be with the person destined to hold my heart."
Aknamkanon opened his mouth to say something...but his eyes noticed someone running towards ran to the water's edge, her long brown hair swinging behind her. She stopped just before the ocean reached her sandal-clad toes. She was wearing a dark red, sleeveless dress that eerily matched the dangerous skies.
The mermaid crossed her arms, before shaking her head. "Father, I really can't understand why you are being so harsh against him, he wanted this," she said in a clear voice. She gasped in surprise, as so did Yami and Tea, taken back at what they heard. Joey and Tristan both blinked at the same time.
"Wha-Am I hearing' things or did she just talk?" Joey shouted. Dark Magician stared at her in amazement, as did Ryou, Serenity,Kisara, Seto, Mai, and Marik. Those were the first words that all of them had heard her speak as a human being. She covered her mouth with her hand, "What?"There it is again!" she exclaimed, as her fingers touched her throat. All of the pieces slowly began to come together her voice had been lost but was now restored. As she let her fingers drop away from her throat, laughter escaped her lips.
"I don't believe it, I can talk! I can talk again!" she said, as Yami, Tea, Joey, Mai, Tristan, Ryou, Serenity, Duke, and Marik all pulled her into a bone crushing group hug. Revival Jam made a silly face at her sticking his tonuge out, while pulling a black eyeball down. "I'm glad you can talk again," he said. She smiled, "Me too."
Aknamkanon stared at her for a moment...then slowly turned his cold gaze back to his son. "It seems you've dragged your sister into all this..."
Selene's eyes narrowed, not liking to be talked about as if she was not there. "He didn't drag me along, Father. I insisted on joining him...and..." she turned around...and let her oceanic eyes focus on something in the distance behind them. "I'm glad I did..."
Yami studied his sister, wondering what on earth transfixed her attention. At first, he thought that she was looking at the castle, thinking of the building as a collective symbol of their new friends...however the tender, adoring softness in her eyes did not match that idea. Her face held a fondness of deep measure...something that he often harbored when he gazed upon Tea. The prince's heart froze at this...and he slowly turned around.
There...standing on a sand dune several yards behind the group...was the thief, Bakura. He looked quite different since Yami had seen him last, his hair, still white and shaggy, but clean and styled. Dressed in a light blue shirt that partially revealed his pale, muscular chest and black pants, he was staring right back at Selene with those dark chocolate eyes...The same expression of tenderness...was prevalent within them.
"You...and Bakura...?" Yami gawked at his sister. "How...?"
"Same thing as you," Selene replied with a slight blush. "The kiss that ties us together for all eternity."
The prince raised his eyebrows, feeling that familiar sense of brotherly protectiveness well within him...but he said nothing. He could not prejudice against his sister loving a thief...when he was a merman in love with a human. He would be no better than his father. Besides...the binding spell of eternal love would not have been cast if Bakura did not feel the same way about her.
Yami smiled and gave a low chuckle, turning back to face his friends. Joey and Tristan both looked confused. the former looking around frantically. The blonde stared at Bakura...then at Selene...then at the figures floating in the water...then at Yami...and he finally exploded.
"Humans? Merpeople? 'Kiss that ties us together for all eternity'? What the HECK is going' on here?"
Yami chuckled again. "I'm sorry, Joey...we should have told all of you sooner. Selene and I...are not from this world."
"You lost me..." Mai said with an arched eyebrow.
"Yami was a merman and I was a mermaid from Atlantis, we didn't make much contact with the human world, even though we wanted too" Selene explained. "When Yami and Tea met...they shared the kiss of eternal love."
Serenity cocked her head, leaning closer to Ryou. "Kiss of eternal love? What's that?"
"It's something that only we merpeople have. When a merman or mermaid shares a kiss with a person whom they love deeply and whom loves them in return...they become bound together for all eternity. No force can drive them apart...not even the strongest magic. It occurred between Yami and Tea..." she glanced at the thief still watching from the dune. "...and for me and Bakura. Even though I didn't think it was possible with him. He kinda looks like a fluff ball," she mumbled.
"Oh..." Tristan murmured. Joey, being the slowest of everyone, was still catching up. "So...that day we met you guys on the beach...you had just become human?"
"Indeed," Yami nodded."We thought you guys were victims of a shipwreck or something!" the blonde threw his head back and laughed. "But you're from another world entirely! That's awesome!"
"It is NOT!" Aknamkanon had remained silent long enough. He fixed Joey with a stony glare and continued. "Our worlds do not belong together. Not now or ever."
Little Yugi's eyes saddened. "Father..." he started but the king raised a hand to silence him.
Marik, who had been silent during this entire revelation, finally spoke, his lavender eyes locked on Aknamkanon. "Why do you hate us humans so much?" he asked. There was no hostility in his voice...just curiosity. In fact...his entire countenance seemed to radiate with an intense sense of wonder...as if he recognized something...but could not quite put his finger on what it was.
Aknamkanon turned to stare at him. His body flinched slightly...and Yami saw confusion in his eyes. The king stared at Marik for a long moment, seeming to search for something. Then, he cleared his throat, obviously unable to answer whatever question had just overtaken his mind."I despise humans for their very nature. They are cruel, heartless beings, who..."
"I cannot believe that you of all people have the nerve to label someone else as CRUEL..." a low, grim voice muttered from behind.
Everyone turned...to see Emyr striding through the sand. The man wore dark grey armor embellished with elegant blue designs that brought out the deep azure of his serious eyes. His black hair blew in the wind, making his face seem even more narrow and pale. He stopped several feet away from the water's edge, dark blue cape whipping in the wind...and fixed Aknamkanon with a glare that rivaled that of the Atlantean king himself.
Aknamkanon stared at the rival ruler as if he had seen a ghost. The color faded from his dusky face and his dark eyes widened. His entire body went so rigid...that Yami was sure a hurricane could not knock him down.
"You..." the merman whispered. He did not even look like the same man anymore, his former sternness now drowned by shock.
Emyr's expression did not change. He crossed his arms over his chest and muttered, "So we finally meet face-to-face...Aknamkanon of Atlantis."
Aknamkanon had recovered...and his shock changed abruptly to rage. He pointed at the land king, his entire body trembling with raw anger. "You...you murderer!" He turned back to the group, eyes dark with fury...and pain. "This man is the very reason I despise humans so much! He killed my second son in cold blood!"
Yami and Selene both jumped in surprise. Yugi stared at their father, confusion obvious on his young face. "What are you talking about, Father? I'm right here!"
The king gave his youngest son a look of deep sadness. Yami arched a brow and opened his mouth to tell their father he had lost his senses...when he saw the expressions worn by his older sister and grandfather. Ishizu and Solomon both had their heads hung low. The raven-haired mermaid had tears glistening in her elegantly painted eyes and the former king's normally cheery face was grave. Just what was going on here?
"Yugi..." the king of Atlantis murmured, putting a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "You...are my third-born son. The second...was lost to us on the day of his birth."
"What?" the elder prince had to grab onto Tea's shoulders to keep from falling over. There had been...another son...?
"My tiny child..." Aknamkanon squeezed his eyes closed with grief. "Fifteen years ago...He was a little thing, but his heart was strong...I could sense it within him. I put him in his cradle the day he was born and left the room for only a few moments...when I returned...he was gone...and in his place was a dagger...a dagger made on land!" He opened his eyes and turned his hate-filled gaze to Emyr. "I had heard so many ridiculous sailor stories of late! They talked about the recent storms, how they had crashed three great ships and killed many 'good' men...they blamed the citizens of Atlantis, saying that we upset the waters for personal game! Therefore I knew that the filthy human ruler must have used his magicians to take my child...just to get revenge for a crime we did not commit!"
Emyr was staring at the merman with wide eyes...but they weren't the wide eyes of a criminal caught red handed...they were the wide eyes of the innocent wrongly accused. "What on earth are you talking about?"
"Don't deny it!" Aknamkanon snarled, his voice thick with bitterness. "You killed my child! My poor, tiny baby with my skin...Ishizu's delicate features...and Yugi's violet eyes..."
The terrestrial king looked even more shocked. He turned his head slightly, as if about to look at someone...but instead kept his eyes on the merman. Then...he raised his hand and kneaded his forehead. "I am afraid...there has been a strong misunderstanding, my fellow king...one that very nearly could have resulted in the division of our races for all time."
Aknamkanon's body stiffened with suspicion. "What are you talking about?"
Emyr took his hand away from his eyes and sighed heavily, as if whatever realization had hit him...made him weary in all ways. "Fifteen years ago...I was walking along this beach, staring at the water in fascination. The ocean had seemed exceptionally happy that day, just as it had on a certain day one year before, I'm assuming..." he nodded in Yami's direction. "...when your eldest son was born. However...as the hours went by...the ocean...suddenly turned dark. I could not imagine why. There were no foreboding clouds signalling the arrival of a storm...just a darkness flowing from the water...and a despaired cry riding on the wind. As I walked and wondered about this strange occurrence...I heard a sound mingling with the wind. At first...I thought it was the wail of a seagull...but after a moment...I recognized it as the cry of an infant. I followed the sound...and eventually found the baby lying in a shallow lagoon. It was no ordinary baby, however...the boy had a fish tail that sparkled with amethyst scales. He was a tiny creature, with dusky skin...tufts of light blonde hair...and lavender eyes."
The king finally turned...and gazed upon Marik. Marik's face was a mask of shock, his body frozen in place. "The child..." Emyr continued. "...was wearing gold bracelets that could only belong to the royalty of Atlantis. I...I remembered how dark and angry the ocean had seemed...I saw how small the boy was...and I see now...that I came to the wrong conclusion. I thought that, because of his feeble frame, the infant was abandoned by his royal family. I was disgusted by what I believed the cruelty of Atlantians...and I took pity on the child that had been supposedly forfeit. I took him to my magicians...and I had them transform him into a human. I wanted to erase any memories, even tiny glimpses of his short time in Atlantis...but it could not happen. Every strong spell comes with a price, you see. the price for turning the child...whom I named Marik...into a human...was that he would always suspect he did not belong in the human world. He would have an unsatisfiable want to learn of what he really was...and so he has."
Finally, Emyr hung his head...and said nothing more. Yami couldn't quite absorb everything he had just learned. The whole time...Marik...had been his brother...? That explained why he had always felt something familiar about him...and it explained his fascination with the world of Atlantis. The prince now knew why Tea's father had acted so strangely toward him. It was because he thought his father to be a cruel ruler...one who sacrificed children he thought too feeble to be the offspring of royalty.
Tea looked up at Yami, her sapphire eyes exhibiting as much shock as he felt. He stared at her for a moment...then...turned his gaze to Marik...to his brother. The teen's eyes were transfixed on Aknamkanon...on their father. The merman stared right back and so did Solomon and the others, each looking more shocked...more hopeful than the rest.
"All this time..." Marik's voice croaked out of him. "...I've wondered what happened to my real family...and I've known I didn't really belong in the castle." a slow smile formed on his dusky face. "Now...I know...I know...where I came from!"
Marik took off, tripping over the sand and into the shallow water. He waded out to the merpeople in the chest-high water and threw his arms around his father's shoulders, nearly knocking him down. Aknamkanon looked dazed for a moment longer...but soon wrapped his strong arms around his long-lost son, embracing him tightly. He slid a hand into the boy's platinum blonde hair, holding his head even tighter against him...and a single tear slid down the king's cheek.
Yami shared a brief look with his younger sister...and they both ran into the water after their brother. Marik had separated from their father and was now enduring a triple embrace by Ishizu, Yugi, and Solomon. Yugi chattered excitedly about having another big brother while Ishizu squeezed the blonde youth's hand. Solomon smiled fondly, reaching out and cupping Marik's face with one of his broad hands.
"I knew you would return to us, my boy..."
Yami approached Marik and clapped him on the back. "I always knew there was something familiar about you!" he grinned. "That explains why you look so much like Ishizu!"
The long-lost prince looked at their elder sister. Ishizu smiled and squeezed his hand tighter. "I am so glad you're back with your family, Marik..."
"Family..." Marik seemed to taste the word, smiling at the way it felt. "I never had a family of my own...and now...I have a father...grandfather...brothers...and sisters!"
They all laughed, the sound filled with intense joy. After all this time...it seemed that there were no problems...no disagreements...no bitter feuds between them. They were a family...a loving family, together again. However...one question still remained unanswered.
"Hold on..." Yami said, raising a hand to quiet his siblings. "But...if Emyr did not take Marik from Atlantis...then who did?":
As if in answer...the earth and sea rumbled with an intense force. The black water churned with a terrifying wildness, as if the ocean itself were filled with malice. White lightening crackled in the sky and the gun metal clouds swirled against the red. Metal and blood...war was coming. A chill ran down Yami's spine...and he slowly turned in the water to look at Dark Magician, still standing on the beach. The wizard locked gazes with his master...and murmured three simple words...that sent a paralyzing fear into Yami's heart.
"He...is coming."
A/N: Until next time,
Blackrose and VB20