Chapter 21: Calm Before The Storm
"Kaiba, we've got a hit," Honda said. "Ryou's found the Millennium Eye."
"Any word on the final ka tablet?" ANZU asked in Kaiba's voice.
"It might be with the Eye," Honda answered. "Jonouchi says there's a reason to believe that the Gods Obelisk and Osiris have been activated here in Saint Petersburg."
"I felt the Gods, but I didn't know where. Mutou is there?" Kaiba demanded.
"Quite probably," Honda nodded, privately amazed that Kaiba had felt the Gods from Australia. "But we haven't met him. In any case, we think we should go after the Eye and the final tablet while we can."
"Go," Kaiba agreed. "I'll contact Vkssssht and get them to your loF-f-f-ffft-pharaoh—"
Honda flinched at the voice emerging from ANZU's mouth as the connection began to fail. Surely he was hearing things. To hear EVPs in Cairo was nothing shocking, but here in St. Petersburg? And … "Yuugi?" he asked, his mouth dry.
"What?" Kaiba did not sound amused. "Honda, what kshtkeee s-s-s-oul stealer. Honda-kun, Pharaoh Malik is meeting the soul stealer. Honda-kun, Pharaoh Malik is meeting the s-s—s-ssskststststs—don't go to Ku-ku-kucan'thearyoutoofarawaycan'theEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—"
Honda clapped his hands over his ears. "Cut the connection!" he ordered, and ANZU obeyed. The moment she did so, her eyes widened. "Yuugi!?"
The reaction was so realistic. It was hard to believe that she was merely an android. Honda passed a hand over his eyes. "Yes. Sounds like he was issuing another warning."
It was somehow harder to hear his voice now, echoing and confused, since they had seen 'him' – or a spirit in his body, in any case – only a few days before. They had not yet discussed the implications in detail, honestly, and Honda wasn't sure he wanted to think about it, but it did seem like the Yuugi they knew was likely … dead.
No, just trapped. Somehow, if that 'other' Yuugi was right, he's trapped with the Puzzle. In some twisted way, it made sense with the recent developments; Miho-chan, her body still breathing but her mind gone, something vital – surely her 'soul' – missing. "The … soul-stealer?" he asked.
"It sounds like the recent changes in Shadow Magic might be involved," Anzu said thoughtfully. She put her finger to her lips, frowning.
"Maybe. But we don't know when Yuugi got separated from his body," Honda pointed out. "It could have happened any time in the last six years, and the changes in the Shadow Games started only recently." He hesitated. "ANZU, call Kaiba back."
"Affir—call incoming. It's Kaiba." The ANZU unit made a questioning motion.
"Pick it up," Honda sighed.
Something inside ANZU's chest clicked, her eyes closed, and then—"What the hell was that?" Kaiba demanded.
"An EVP. Sorry, it killed the connection."
"An EVP. I thought you were in St. Petersburg."
"We are." Honda paused. "It was Yuugi."
"Oh really." Kaiba sounded doubtful. "Same as before?"
"Similar, yes. It sounded almost like a recording. Kaiba, I'm sending you the EVP contents. Do me a favor and let ANZU hook up with your database, okay? Yuugi said something about Malik meeting the 'soul stealer'."
"Are you suggesting we operate on the intelligence issued by a ghost?" Kaiba asked dryly. "I'm not wasting my time on this."
Honda's lips thinned, and he played a low blow. "If it was your little brother who was issuing EVPs, would you ignore it?"
There was no immediate response. "… Mention him again, Honda, and—"
"What I'm saying is," Honda spoke over him, "is that the 'soul-stealer' might be related to whomever took Mokuba's soul."
"That's Malik. We know that already."
"How do we know that?" Honda demanded. "We know it was probably related to the Millennium Items, but we don't know what any of them do! Save the Ring, now, thanks to Ryou. Kaiba, any of the Items could have done this, and Malik doesn't have them all under his control." He paused for a moment to think.
It was Kaiba who picked up the slack. "… I'm in the process of cross-referencing the information on the tablet with what we know Malik has done. Hopefully we can get some idea of what Items do what based on that. But the odds are still high that Malik is the one that …" Kaiba's voice trailed off. "Permission granted. I'm sending the encryption codes now. You concentrate on the Eye for now."
"Before Yuugi cut you off, it sounded like you were saying something about sending in others with us?" Honda asked.
"That's right. Valon's group will contact you in an hour. Keep me updated."
"You know we will," Honda promised.
&
When Petrov awoke, he realized he was walking. Having expected to wake up in his bed, he felt a strong sense of vertigo and almost tripped.
Or rather, he would have tripped if he had been the one walking his body. What—
Oh, are you awake now? Hm, I guess it's for the best. I'm leaving two of my most important possessions in your hands, so pay attention.
It was Bakura again, clearly moving his body down the long, familiar corridor. It was the first time Petrov had awoken and not been able to take control of his own body, and he growled. How dare you! You take my mind, now my body—
Do not make me take your soul as well, Bakura chuckled. You know where this is, do you not? I'm about to make an excellent business proposal, you know.
They had come to a door. Petrov's hand opened it, leading to a well-lit warehouse. Petrov's eyes moved straight to the largest thing in the room – the gigantic ka tablet depicting a griffin – no, a phoenix, rising from ashes in flame. It had perplexed Petrov for many years; the firebird was not a being from Egyptian mythology, although the idea of a creature that rose and died in fire was their concept of the sun. Yes, Petrov, that is Atum-Ra, the God of the Rising Sun. Although this monster is only known as Ra.
Monster?
But Bakura did not answer, instead turning his gaze towards the only other thing in the room; a man, tied to a chair. He was dark-skinned and dark-haired, and his eyes widened in alarm when they fell on Bakura. He prattled in Arabic, shouting in fear and anger.
Bakura made a fierce motion with one hand and replied. It was strange to Petrov to hear his voice speaking the language he had heard many times, but never learned. What is he saying? What are you telling him!? What have you done, Bakura?
But Bakura ignored him, approaching the man and crouching in front of him so they were eye to eye; he flipped open Petrov's eye patch.
No, Bakura—
The words that Bakura spoke were condescending, a challenge without a doubt. Petrov wished he could understand what was being said.
&
The Millennium Eye was supposedly the most corrupting of all the Items, but Bakura was sure that his landlord would argue otherwise. It was all he could do to not laugh as he used the Eye's power, boring into the Ghoul's mind.
Indeed, there was another presence here, another mind. It was not the same power as that of the Ring, but it was similar; doubtless, this was the work of the Millennium Rod. "You were depressingly easy to catch. You should rely less on your Shadow Magic, Ghoul."
"I will not tell you anything," the Ghoul gasped, but his voice trembled. "I will … w-will …"
His voice trailed off; his gaze grew blank. In the back of his mind, Bakura could feel Petrov figuratively holding his breath in anticipation. Bakura sneered, backing away from the Ghoul.
When the Ghoul revived, his mannerisms had changed; his gaze grew sharper, and any fear he had suffered before was gone. "The tablet of Ra," the Ghoul breathed. He jerked his arms. "Who restrained me?"
"Me." Bakura smirked, covering the Millennium Eye again. "I have the tablet, Malik, master of the Millennium Rod." He could not tap its power; he had tried when he had first come here with the Ghoul. The use of the other two Gods the night before had merely been confirmation to Bakura of the importance of the tablet.
The Ghoul's eyes narrowed. "How do you know me? Who are you?"
Bakura, so help me, I'll—
"I am Petrov Kazynski, Egyptologist. And I understand that you desire this tablet. I had hoped we might exchange – information." Bakura's mouth twitched. "I have learned all I can about this tablet, but I suspect you might be able to tell me more. And I know you have several of the mystical Millennium Items. I merely wish to see them, to examine them, and in exchange I will give you this ancient symbol of monstrous ka." Bakura paused for dramatic effect. "I regret that I had to find one of your followers and restrain him, but you are a hard man to get hold of."
I don't know what you're doing or who you're talking to, but how could you use my name!? Petrov was despairing.
The Ghoul smirked. "You are in St. Petersburg, aren't you."
"That I am," Bakura agreed. "Look, I want to meet you, but not here. Let us meet downtown. I know a club there, the Solyanka. Shall we meet there, in, say, an hour?"
"How do you know I can be there so fast?" The Ghoul narrowed his eyes.
"If you cannot, you would tell me so." Bakura lips curled in amusement. "Meet me. Bring the Items with you, and I will take you to the tablet of Ra."
"Very well." The Ghoul's lips curled in a sneer. "It will be as you say." And with that, the Ghoul's chin fell to his chest.
What just transpired? What are you doing with my body? Petrov demanded.
Patience, Bakura soothed. I will explain everything when it's ready. With any luck, Bakura realized, he would be able to find out what was on the Tablet of Memories that he was after back in Cairo. He approached the Ghoul again, walking behind him.
"What … happened …?" the Ghoul asked, twitching awake again.
Bakura figured he was doing Malik a favor by snapping the Ghoul's neck.
&
Valon shrugged into his shoulder holsters. Around him, four others did the same. This was his unit, a group of five, working under Kaiba as Shadow Game chasers.
They had been working together for several months now; Valon looked around at the little group. Yamamoto, who had lost his parents in the tidal wave that had destroyed so much of the Japanese coastline; Mimura, whose sister had died in the earthquakes that followed. Rothman, who still walked with a limp, nearly killed when the World Trade Center collapsed. And Antoni, six of his cousins and a brother all rendered comatose by Shadow Magic. Of them, Valon could only promise to Antoni that it had been a good cause.
After all, it was his comrade Raphael who had taken their souls.
Amongst them, only Valon and Yamamoto had any ability with Shadow Magic. The rest of them were without magic, all working hard to help Kaiba's cause: to stop the root of the world's upheaval. Shadow Magic, the Millennium Items; they were never meant to be wielded by humans. Valon knew it went deeper than that. In fact, his purpose might have been considered more sinister by the others. The Millennium Items were merely rooted in the magic that had failed seven thousand years ago, in the lost continent of Atlantis; a world corrupted by them should no longer stand. Perhaps, someday, he would take their souls and feed them to the beast Dartz served. Then they would know they had died purifying the world as they hoped to, rather than wasting their lives on this useless cause.
However, it was easy to subvert and submit himself to Kaiba. He had known that if he worked hard, he would eventually end up being put in a position where he could easily steal the strongest souls – perhaps even that of Kaiba himself. He would serve Dartz well. Valon's Shadow Monster, the Psychic Armor Head, was powerful and useful even outside of battle, able to sense other monsters of a similar type, so it was simply a matter of time.
His opportunity came now. Kaiba's core group was made up of some of the most powerful Shadow Weilders known to Valon. He closed his eyes and let out a breath, misinterpreted as anticipation by Yamamoto.
"Excited?" Yamamoto asked.
"Nervous," Valon corrected.
"It's time," Rothman said, stepping away from his project, the ANIU unit that had been left with Rothman by Kaiba. The android looked like a human teenage male, and it reasonably imitated one, but in reality it was like having an extremely expensive, smart, and secure phone. Only fifty like it existed in the world. Not, unfortunately, as sophisticated as the ANZU unit with Kaiba's core team, but it worked and was secure, and that was all that mattered.
"Call ANZU," Valon instructed.
"Affirmative," the ANIU confirmed. Moments later, he heard a voice he had never before had the priveledge of hearing.
"Hey, is this Valon?"
"Jounouchi-san? Yes, it's Valon," he confirmed. "We're ready to go when you are." Valon nodded at the rest of his team.
"Good. All right, I'm sending you an address; your ANIU will lead you there. When you get there, secure the street block. Keep out anybody who's just wandering by, okay? We want to keep this down low and keep bystanders out of it."
"Can I ask what we're going after?" Valon asked. "I'd rather not go in blind."
"It's the Millennium Eye," Jounouchi answered. "And there might be some very powerful Shadow Beings involved, too, so just stand forewarned. I'll give you more information as soon as we get there."
"Yes, sir," Valon saluted. "Sir," the others echoed quietly.
The ANIU's eyes opened a moment later. "I've received an address. Shall I lead you to it?" it asked in the voice of a young man.
Valon shrugged into his red jacket. "That's your orders," he confirmed, and he ushered the unit out the door.
Ende Chapter 21
Sorry for the REALLY LONG BREAK guys. I was struggling with the direction of this story, and with a bout of writer's block, as well as real life kicking me in the ass. Now that that's over with, I hope I can produce another long run of chapters for you all.
Thank you for all the reviews, and I will make sure I reply to each and every one of you!