Historical Addition: Another Destiny
Sorry for such the long wait for another chapter, but the length of this should be reward for the long wait. There is some light language in this chapter.
Chapter 28:
Back and Looking Ahead
Téa had an uneasy feeling as the day began to progress and was restless. Never did she spent much time with any one task except for lunch. When it had been two hours since Yugi had left, she was practicing her skills with the bow and arrow with her three children, Riva, and Cararetem watching her. "Uncle Cararetem, why is mom practicing now?" Kanto asked.
"I really haven't been around her as much as your dad or Atemu has been. I would have to fringe a guess," said Cararetem without looking away from Téa.
"Uneasy…I feel uneasy as if something was going to happen," said Riva, "like something bad is going to happen."
"What do you mean?" Cararetem asked gazing at his brother's wife.
"It is just an intuition I have. If I had my bow and arrows, I would be doing the same thing."
"You and your intuition. As long as you are sharp when we need it, I really don't care," said Cararetem with shrugging shoulders.
"Really, I can't take any more of this," said Riva before starting to walk towards Téa. "I need to fire some arrows." When she reached her destination, she tapped Téa on the shoulder. "May I practice with you?"
"I'll get the other bow and then we can practice," responded Téa before walking off and after a few minutes returned with another bow that she gave to Riva. "Here this should do until another one could be found."
Riva nodded and then picked an arrow from the quiver sitting on the ground. Placing the head of the arrow against the wood of the bow, she pulled back, aimed, and let it go, hitting a tree. "I say my skill has not disappeared. Right Cararetem?"
"I should say so," said Cararetem looking at the arrow.
"But I still wish he would remember."
"His situation makes it difficult for him to remember," said Téa. "Add in the fact that his body is not made of what was all his, but part of his and that which belongs to the thief."
"It gets me down," said Riva before picking up another arrow, "but this uneasy feeling is more annoying than anything else."
"Let's hope noth–," started Cararetem as he was cut off by a loud bang. "What the…?!" He spoke loudly as his head began to dart around and placed his hand on his sword ready to draw it.
Téa made herself appear calm as she waited for her dragon, that she had called to be on the look out earlier, to report back. Gazing she saw Kanto trying to keep Shiza calm while Kanset was holding his bokken, ready to jump and attack. Softly, a voice entered her head and she closed her eyes to fully focus on it. //Master, the bang occurred in Domino. I see several thousand monsters in the city.// The Dragon of Faith and Friendship told Téa in her head.
Opening her eyes, she looked at Cararetem and then Riva before she spoke. "After ten years, the peace we have been allowed comes to an end," she said with a steady voice.
"So, it's time," said Cararetem before taking a breath to relax, "for us to face our enemy once again."
"Shiza, Kanto, go inside and hide in the tunnels. Kanset, go with them and protect them," said Téa before raising the quiver up and slinging it on her back.
"But mom, I want to fight," whined Kanset.
"Right now your skills are not suited to the fight ahead, Kanset," said Téa before turning towards Riva. "I don't have another quiver, so you will have to come with me."
As Riva nodded in response, Shiza and Kanto went inside with Kanset following angrily. "He is not taking that well," said Riva.
"I am right about what I said. His bokken is the only thing he can wield because his arms have yet to build up the muscles he needs to swing a sword. His skills aren't sharp either," Téa said as she gazed at her children.
"Which of the two are older?"
"Kanto is the elder and he is much more mature about certain matters, but Kanset has more skill when he has a bokken in his hands," said Téa.
"We should stop chatting and find out what Calendra is wanting to do," said Cararetem as he began to walk towards the house.
"That's right, Calendra was left in charge in case something happened," said Téa.
"Why didn't he left Yuedren in charge?" Riva asked as they began to walk towards the house.
"Yuedren is not as experienced with matters of the family. He's not qualified," said Téa, "besides he is not in the best of emotional states."
"He seems perfectly fine to me," said Riva as she walked into the house with Téa.
"He was rejected by some young lady in Domino," said Téa.
"Rejected?" Riva asked as she stopped stun.
"That's what Yugi told me and Yuedren hasn't been the same since his rejection. Personally, I don't think he will ever find love. He's somewhat childish, but that's because he was kidnapped when he was young and raised by his kidnappers in the United States."
"He doesn't appear to be childish," said Riva.
"You haven't been around him long enough to know it," said Téa as Cararetem came upon them.
"Get a movin'. We got a battle to prepare for," said Cararetem before turning towards Riva. "Calendra said that there is another quiver in the basement and Yuedren is fetching it."
"We will get moving and hopefully this battle will not drag out forever," said Téa.
"That is what we hope," said Cararetem before he left the two to ready themselves for battle.
High above Domino, on the back of Dragon of Faith and Friendship, Téa gazed down at the scene before her and felt she could not take another breath. The outlying residential areas were heavely damaged. Homes were collapsed into their basements and geysers from broken pipes dotted the landscape. It was bad and worse than what Téa had ever seen. Only her dragon's soothing voice was able to keep her calm and push her thoughts away from the devastation that was below to thoughts of the task at hand.
Currently, Riva and her were soaring the skies looking for monsters that needed to be snipped before they became more of a menace. The Shark Guard of the police force with the current standing Sharks and all of the Six Masters(who were not Sharks and were around, including the two past ones) were fighting on the ground. As the battle progressed to going into its second hour, Téa's dragon roared as it saw a portal beginning to open in the sky. Gazing at the portal, she realized it was a portal that only a Time Sage can create. "Yugi," she whispered under her breath as the portal fully opened and Yugi came out of it falling feet first.
She was about to command her dragon to go to him when she hear him yell, "Come forth, Lord of the Skies!"
Below Yugi, a huge brown bird appeared and spread its wings before flying upwards towards Yugi. Yugi's feet touched the bird's back and he commanded it to fly over to Téa. "Did the last lord give you those clothes?" Téa asked eyeing his new blue kimono and hakama as soon as he was close enough to hear.
"Yes, he did and this bird was his, but he gave it to me as well," said Yugi before looking down at the bird below him. "Right Lord of the Skies?"
The bird squawked in response and kept flying closer to Téa's dragon until it was gliding next to it. "It has been an hour since the fighting started. The Shark Guard of the police force are fighting along side everyone," said Téa to Yugi.
"Is Cardic and Toradose in this battle?" Yugi asked.
Téa just shrugged in answer. She had no clue if Joey's son Toradose or her nephew Cardic was in the fray or not. The two boys, five years older than Kanto and Kanset, were far more capable of fighting, but she did not have a clue if they had been allowed to fight or if they had returned from their class trip to Tokyo. Pushing her thoughts about Cardic and Toradose from her mind, she turned her thoughts back to battle, trying to think of anything else she could offer up to her husband. "Riva has a bow and quiver with her and she is riding her dragon doing what I am doing: taking down the monsters that will be trouble later," she said.
"Then I will go and help with the ground forces, but I am debating about whether or not I want to use a new technique that Arkatem taught me."
"Why are you debating?"
"It will take a lot to step up and execute," said Yugi before turning to look at Téa. "Becoming a spirit that can effect the real world is somewhat dangerous and difficult to do if you don't know what to do with your body."
"And you must know what to do with your body then?"
"I do. My dragon will take control of it, but the reason I am debating is whether we can act like a team when we do it."
"What ever you do, don't get hurt."
"Sweetie, I love it when you say something such as that. You do have the better head sometimes," said Yugi before he signal Lord of the Skies to fly downward with decision decided.
Atemu was sheathing his sword as he prepared to draw a summoning seal for his dragon's ultimate form. Cutting his finger tips with his sword as it slide softly in the sheath, he placed those finger tips, dripping with his red blood ready to turn silver, on the hard concrete before him. Then he drew the seal and fed it with his shadow magic until it glowed as the drying blood turned silver. Removing his hands from the glow and muttering a few words under his breath, he placed his hand on his sword, readying himself to draw it, as the level ten form of his red dragon appeared before him. The dragon roared and he drew the sword before charging while his dragon took flight and let its breath destroy shadow monsters. As he cut down a monster before him, he felt Yugi's shadow magic that had appeared earlier, but he had yet to notice it because it was far away from him and what was around him at the time of its appearance was far more demanding than determining if his blood heir was back. Sighing, Atemu tested his link with Yugi. //You're back, aren't you, partner?// Atemu asked in the mental link as he sent, with a slice, another monster back to where it belong.
//I am and I will help you.// Yugi spoke through the link as he appeared rushing towards Atemu with sword drawn.
Atemu's sword arm dropped to his side as he gazed at Yugi, dressed in his blue traditional clothes with his very modern backpack still on his back. "Wow…," said Atemu with surprise at how much Yugi looked like a warrior ready for battle.
Yugi sliced his way through several monsters before arriving to stand by Atemu. Giving a grin to Atemu, he placed his right hand on his shoulder, causing Atemu to rise from his stupor to realize that the monsters around them were gone. "Atemu, I need you to watch me for a few minutes," said Yugi.
"Ok-kay," said Atemu somewhat hesitantly.
Yugi closed his eyes and began to mutter under his breath, but what Atemu caught told him very little about what Yugi was about to do. Then Yugi's dragon appeared behind him and as Atemu looked up at the dragon, he saw the dragon begin to disappear into Yugi's body, causing a gasp to escape from Atemu as the dragon fully disappear into Yugi's body. As he gazed in shock, Yugi's eyes opened, but his irises had expanded and none of the whites of his eyes were visible. "Master," a gruff voice came from Yugi's mouth, "are you going to become a spirit now? I have full control of your body."
"Blue Twin Dragon of North?!?" Atemu said in full shock at the voice.
"Yes, Atemu," the gruff voice that was Yugi being controlled by his dragon replied.
"What are yo-he up to?"
"Master is going to become a spirit now."
Atemu, confused, didn't noticed as Yugi, in spirit form, approached from the shadows. "My dragon, let's team up like this," said Yugi causing Atemu to turn and stare.
Yugi as a spirit stood taller before Atemu and was dressed in a kimono and hakama that was very different from the blue one his body had on it. The kimono and hakama was of a light purple, but was covered in a very decorative pattern from the top to the bottom of the hakama's legs. It was a tasteful pattern of sakura petals with two metal crests on the shoulder designed as dominoes. Around his neck was a light purple cloth that looked similar to a dog collar. At his waist was a sheathed sword with a plain old hilt that did not make it stand out against the light colored clothing that he was wearing. "Yes, master!"
"How…did…you…do that?!" The former pharaoh asked.
"Become a spirit? It's similar to how I made Arkatem visible to all of you those many years ago. Are you going to continue or will you rest?"
"I'll continue, Yugi. I was just surprised by your appearance for a moment."
"So I can tell. How about all of us get together and I can tell all about my adventures after this battle?"
"That sounds like an excellent ideal. Do you know if we should start preparing for what the Legend told us?" Atemu asked as he began to run along side Yugi and the dragon-controlled body.
"I think we should, but I want to find the other three Time Sages," said Yugi as he looked straight ahead. "I want Kanto, Kanset, and Shiza become the same age that I was when everything started."
"I can understand that," said Atemu looking forward as he continued to run next to Yugi. "Right now, all three of them don't have the emotional capacity to handle fighting on the scale we have been doing. Why would you want the other three sages?"
"Together," Yugi started, as he began to slow down and glance around, "the Time Sages can create Time Keys that makes time travel for other people possible. There's not enough pods for everyone to be frozen in time. We need to send some of our allies to the future."
"I understand," said Atemu as he came to a stop. "We should split and go our separate ways in this fight."
"I can't let my dragon out of my sight at the moment," said Yugi looking over at his dragon-controlled body. "I don't know how well he will do."
"I understand that," said Atemu as he turned around. "Partner, do you think we will survive this fight without grieving?"
"That I do not know," said Yugi frowning as he looked at his dragon before looking up to the sky. "I hope not, but Calendra and Carret are getting old and I don't know if they will be able to live any longer."
"Calendra's protected from early death because of the seal, but isn't he living too long for the seal?"
"He is first to see four generations born and see all them to the age Kanto and Kanset are currently."
"The first?" Said Atemu as he turned around to look at Yugi.
"Yes, the first," said Yugi and he turned his head to gaze at Atemu, "and I don't know if the seal is still protecting him from things that will strike him down to go to the next life."
"Have you talked to him about this?"
"No, I have not, but I will after this battle," said Yugi as he looked at the sky and heard calls from the battle. "It sounds like we should stop chatting. Tell everyone that I am back when you see them."
Then Yugi with his dragon-controlled body and Atemu went running different directions. Yugi soon ran into a bunch of monsters and he and his dragon-controlled body began to fight. As they fought onward, they soon encountered something they had never seen before: a human commanding the monsters. The human was a middle age man dressed in completely black clothes that was covered with a black trench coat. Once he heard them, he faced them and gave them a weird smile. "So you're the one the Lord wants dead," said the men as Yugi's eyes widen, "and I see you learned a new little trick."
"Who is your lord?" Yugi asked, even though in his mind he knew who it was.
"The one who you injured severely and caused him to stall his plans for nine full years!"
"Anubis," Yugi whispered under his breath as he gazed at the man before him. "Then I have no choice to fight you! My dragon, are you ready?"
"Master, I am ready," said the dragon-controlled body.
"Then take your stance, my dragon," commanded Yugi as he bended his knees and stretched his legs apart before laying his right hand on his sword's hilt.
"The Lord will be pleased with me if I can bring him the head of the Sage of Time," said the man as drew a long spear and began to charge.
"I'll never let that happen," said Yugi as his hand gripped the hilt of his sword and drew the sword on his spirit body.
The two clashed; spear hitting sword and sword hitting spear, but neither backed away and continued to force the other to back down. Then they broke apart and charged each other again, but this time Yugi gained the upper hand. However, Yugi soon lost the upper hand and his dragon stepped in to up the pressure. Each time the duo of dragon and master came at the man and his long spear, they would come away with not a thing to show, but as they continued, their efforts were starting to show as the man began to tire.
//My dragon, I am tiring myself with this spirit body. I will finish this fight in my body and you go fight from the skies.// Yugi spoke through the mental link to his dragon as he pulled back from a strike.
//Understood master. I will allow you to return to your body before leaving it.//
Yugi made one last strike as a spirit and then disappeared to return to his body. When the body controlled by the dragon backed away from the man, the blue dragon appeared behind the body and Yugi opened his eyes, fully in control of his body. As his dragon rose into the sky, Yugi took on the stance for the Tangling Wisteria causing the man raise an eye. "What are you up to, boy?" The man asked in a harsh tone.
"That's for you to discover," said Yugi as he laid his hand on his past-forged sword.
The man blinked in confusion as Yugi pulled out his sword and launched himself into the Tangling Wisteria, striking in the front and the back, drawing some blood from the man's body. Once Yugi stopped moving, he straightened up and placed his hand on his sheath, steadying it as he began to place the tip of his sword into it. "You think that pitiful attack is going to stop me? Then boy, you don't know a thing," snarled the man causing Yugi to stop what he was doing to stare with eyes wide.
"I am not the Solic Warrior for show," said Yugi with pure calm(ironically) in his voice as he allowed his arm holding his sword to drop to his side, thoughts of sheathing his sword gone. "I was hoping you would see this fight is worthless and doesn't prove anything. I wish not to kill you and even thought it goes against my nature, I will if must." Yugi then glanced at the man with eyes that had lost all the child-like innocence that they held when he started fighting. "I am determined to win this like any other game and if killing means winning, I will command my sword to do so."
The man snarled and began to dash at Yugi, but Yugi reacted quickly and launched into another Tangling Wisteria, however, this time, he jerked the blade on to its sharpen edge. Each pull back on the sword was followed by a thin light trail of blood, but even though the blood came from the man, the man still stood erected. Desperation began to descend upon Yugi, but he continued to press onward. Then suddenly everything stopped around Yugi. Time became still except for him and the stopper of time, who was towards Yugi from behind him. As Yugi heard the footsteps, he turned around and stood in shock once seeing who had stopped time.
In a full regal outfit that befits his title of old, the stopper of time stood before Yugi with his cape draped behind him. "Atemu?" Yugi asked once he realized what was going on "How?"
"I am the Sage of Present and these clothes appeared on me when I stopped time," said Atemu as he looked at his clothes that were exactly the same as his pharaoh's clothes. "I don't know why the Gods decided to tell me that I was the Sage of Present at a time like this. So, I should ask you. Are you 100 percent sure that you will be justice in killing him?"
"He refuses to lay down and give up on commanding these monsters. What can I do, Atemu?"
"Try to get him into playing a shadow game."
"I don't know how to make it so that he is forced into doing a shadow game."
"That's a good point. I will let time start to flow again once I am out of the way," said Atemu before he jumped away from the battle field and allowed time to move.
Yugi stared at his opponent as the time started to flow. Sheathing his sword once again, he continued to stare down his opponent and then placed his hand on the hilt before he muttered some words under his breath. When the shadow monster commander charged Yugi, Yugi began to pull his arm away from his sheathed sword, but his hand was not empty, but held the same sword that he had wield as a spirit. The man's eyes grew wide with fear as he saw Yugi's spirit sword. "W-w-what is that?" The man stuttered.
"This sword that I hold," said Yugi as he gazed at the spirit sword, "is the one sword that can only appear from my physical sword when I've determined that my opponent cannot be brought down how I would like to be brought down. This sword is the deadliest one that I can use."
The man charged Yugi with fear in eyes, but Yugi flicked the tip of his spirit sword directly into the man's heart, stopping the man in his tracks. "You, Solic Warrior, I understand why Master fears you and wants you dead along with the rest of your family," he said before Yugi pulled his sword out of the man.
As the man fell to the ground, the weightiness of taking another's life hit Yugi and he began to shake with regret as he dropped to his knees to look at the body before him. Emotions took over Yugi and kept him rooted to his spot.
At the moment that Yugi and Atemu were talking, Yuedren was before the three Egyptian God monsters with time at a stand still. They were telling him that he was the Sage of Future and that when time would start moving as command by the Sage of Time, he, they told him, would suddenly be able to use time abilities dealing with the future. Then they disappeared and Yuedren was left to study the monsters around him before time began to move. When time started to move, Yuedren unsheathed his sword and attacked the monsters before they had timed to react to his speedy movement, slicing through several monsters at once. Then Yuedren was swarmed by monsters and started to overwhelm him until a sentence appeared in his head that demanded to be spoken and used. "I call upon the gate of future to roar a call to our alleys of another time to send back a monster to aid me now!" Yuedren cried before an iron gate appeared behind him.
The gate with an emblem of an hourglass being turned on its side began to open letting out a monster that look similar to Command Knight. This new monster began to slash through the scores of monsters as Yuedren began to study it. As the monsters fell around him, Yuedren decided to create a mental link with this odd Command Knight. //Monster from the future tell me who you are and what you are allowed about your master.// Yuedren questioned the monster.
//I am the Command Knight of Ma'at,// said the monster through the link as he knocked down another monster. //My master is often compared to a Japanese raccoon dog(AN: AKA Tanuki), but she has yet to awaken her powers. She is currently in the past with her friend, who is like a bear, but not this past.//
Taking in the information as he rejoined the fray, Yuedren began to think about it as he slew more monsters. Then it clicked in his head and new questions came to his head. //Command Knight of Ma'at, are you indeed blessed by the Egyptian Goddess Ma'at?// Yuedren asked as his sword slid through another monster.
//Yes. Master will visit the ancient lands of Egypt ruled by his Pharaoh and enter a temple of Ma'at.// The Command Knight of Ma'at spoke in the link as he slew another monster.
//I thank you for coming to my aid. When we are done, you can go back to your time.// Yuedren said through the link as he took out two monsters with one swipe.
//Yes, Sage of Future.// Replied the Command Knight of Ma'at.
Cararetem noticed everything had stopped around him and became absolutely confused as he bobbed his head around to look around in order to discover why time had stopped. As the length of time for which time stood still grew, Cararetem gave up on trying to discover the cause of time remaining still, but then the three god monsters appeared before him. Out of respect, Cararetem moved his left foot ahead of his right one before kneeling down with his right knee on the ground and placing one hand on his left knee. "I am honor by thee gracing me with your presences," said Cararetem as he bowed his head.
The three god monsters acknowledge Cararetem's gesture and began to tell him that he is the Sage of Past. In a quicker fashion, they explained to Cararetem that he would be able to use his powers once time started to move again and as they left him, time began to move again. Taking the head start, Cararetem began to slash through the monsters and as he slashed through each monster, he noticed he was able to force a monster into a position most beneficial to him by using his power over the past. Smiling as he slashed through another monster that he had pushed into place by using his power, Cararetem knew his abilities as Sage of Past would be best used to his advantage.
Téa was fearful as she was riding on the back of her dragon. Feeling something from the weak, but ever growing link with Yugi had set off her fear. As she tried to search for him with her eyes, she called through the mental link, but he didn't respond from lack of focus or they were not close enough for him to hear her. Frantically, she called out to his dragon through the link her dragon shared with his dragon. Responding to her frantic calls, his dragon appeared and guided her to Yugi, who was still in shock. As she dropped to the ground, she thanked his dragon, who landed on the ground and vowed to stay until his master could defend himself.
Leaving the dragons, she walked over to her husband kneeling beside him and glanced around to discover the body lying not far from him. Then she saw the spirit sword and looked into Yugi's eyes to see his regret. "You didn't do anything wrong, Yugi," she said softly to him. "You had to do it and he was the one who pushed you to do it, not you."
Téa's logic had entered his brain and washed away the regret making him see that she was right. Rising up from his position, Yugi through his arms around her and cried like a child would. As his tears dried, he looked at her and gave her a smile before kissing her as his way to tell her that he was alright. "Thank you," he said once he caught his breath after pulling back from their deep kiss, "for coming to me."
"I knew something was the matter with you. The link I have with you tipped me off."
"I wonder if I tipped Atemu off," said Yugi before he started to look around for his partner. "Speaking of which, I wonder where he is exactly."
"Try the link."
Yugi nodded and closed his eyes as he tried to meld minds with Atemu to strengthen his mental link with Atemu. //You had to kill him didn't you? It was no fault of yours that you had to.// Atemu spoke through the mental link.
//I didn't tipped you off earlier, I am assuming.// Yugi said through the mental link.
//You didn't. Why are you telling me this?// Atemu asked through the mental link.
//I tipped off Téa.//
//Maybe we should talk to Arkatem about our mental links. I wonder if he will know how hard it is to forge one with someone else.//
//I wouldn't be surprised if he does, Atemu.//
//Calendra is having everyone return to the Triscorn mansion.//
//I'll meet you there.// Yugi spoke through the mental link before pulling his mind apart form Atemu's.
"What did he say?" Téa asked.
"He was not tipped off. We are going to have a nice chat with Arkatem about the mental links we have," said Yugi as he rose up to his feet. "We are to return to the Triscorn mansion."
"It will be faster with our dragons," said Téa.
"Agreed," said Yugi as he walked toward his dragon that was sitting next to Téa's dragon. "Do you want to ride with me?"
"Yes, but what about that sword lying there on the ground?"
Yugi closed his eyes and mumbled a few words before opening them again. "That sword should be gone. It was my spirit sword."
"Your spirit sword?" Téa asked as she climbed up on to Yugi's dragon before he climbed up himself.
"When I turn into a spirit, my sword that I have is very deadly to say the least," said Yugi as he climb up his dragon and then settled on his dragons back before commanding it to take to the skies. "I was unable to last too long as a spirit. Although I have complete control over my shadow magic, I am unable to control how much I take from my reserves. Found that out when I went to the past."
"Does Arkatem and Trutem have this kind of problem?" Téa asked as she judge that they were five minutes away from the Triscorn mansion.
"That is something I don't know and I will drag it out of them by force if I have to."
"I bet Joey and Tristen will be more than willing to help you drag that information."
"We will see once I talk to them," said Yugi as his dragon made the final push towards the mansion before landing. "Home sweet home is never so sweet until you've been away from it for awhile."
"I agree, my dear," said Téa.
"So, we came out of this fight with one of our enemy dead, eh?" Calendra said has he folded his hands and rested his chin on top of his folded hands.
"Yes, Calendra," said Arrowcot. "We have determined that there was no other way except for death to get around our enemy."
"Hmm…," Calendra let out as he turned to look at Yugi. "Yugi, how was the past?"
"Quite good except my whole not being able to control how much shadow magic I use situation made it for a pain," said Yugi looking up to ceiling, "but it was worth it. I have a new sword and a new attack."
"You will have to show off your attack to me sometime," said Calendra.
"I figured as much," said Arkatem with a shrug of the shoulders. "I think the seals we taught you are not enough." Arkatem then looked directly into Yugi's eyes. "There's two ways to control how much shadow magic you draw from yourself. Seals ain't gonna cut it for you."
"Why?"
Arkatem dropped his shoulders and sighed. "When you duel, especially when you are in a shadow duel, I can tell you put all your emotions into that duel," said Arkatem before looking at Téa. "The method I am going to teach you will work with the seals and will offer you the ability to control your reserve of shadow magic. You're truly the duelist of the rose, Yugi."
"This is not the first time someone referred to me as that," said Yugi.
"This other method is for only those who are true duelists of the rose. I believe you should think about what being a duelist of the rose means before I teach you it."
"I will think about, Arkatem-sensei," said Yugi before turning towards Calendra. "I would like to talk you about things."
"You're thoughts are still trouble by what happened today," said Calendra receiving a nod in reply. "Then let's go to the tower.
"Not until I ask a few questions," said Yugi as he rose up from his chair. "Where's Isis? Where's Kanto, Kanset, and Shiza?"
"Isis is being lead around the tunnels by Kanto, Kanset, and Shiza," said Yuedren. "It was something your children wanted to do for her."
"Okay," said Yugi. "Let's go Calendra."
"I need to get up first Yugi and then we will head up to the tower," said Calendra before rising to his feet.
"Calendra, I really don't really know if I can make another decision like the one today," said Yugi as he stared outside at Domino from the tower.
"I know you will be able to," said Calendra looking at his great-grandson. "You will find people in the future that will help you to learn how to make a decision like that more easier, but taking a life, Yugi, is the hardest decision any of us can make. We aren't here for forever and we have to remember that."
"Besides that," said Yugi turning towards to Calendra, "what am I to do when I meet the banned branch?"
"What has gotten into you? Worrying about what will happen when you discover the banned branch is not like you," said Calendra sighing before continuing. "I can't help you there. Well, I can but it's probably not going to help you the way you want it to. I would first try to aim for fairness and let them fully repent for that unseen sin before giving them a chance, but Yugi, I know you will know what to do when you meet them."
"I trust you to know your experience is right."
"Right now, Yugi, you should be focusing on learning that second method, not worrying about meeting the banned branch. I think Arkatem and Trutem have more secrets locked on their tongues that will be far more useful than what I can tell you," said Calendra before lowering his voice. "For now, know that I've become a far-seer and although the future I see is cloudy, I believe I can write another legend, a legend of finishing."
"When did your father become a far-seer?" Yugi asked knowing the importance of being a far-seer.
"Two months before his death. My grandfather become a far-seer several years in advance," said Calendra before looking into Yugi's eyes, "but far rare than my grandfather are the far-seers in our family that can far-see when they touch something or far-see like how the Legend of Domino was created."
"When was the last rare far-seer?"
"He was my great-great-great-grandfather, the one who I never met and only heard about. He was the one who fashioned the name I use."
"You have a birth name like dad does," said Yugi looking towards the ground.
"You're raised differently from us. Our birth names are something we don't like. Your middle name, although odd in our culture, would probably have been the name you were referred to if raised like us."
Téa was watching Atemu and Riva talk as they were looking out a window. For her viewing it, it seemed that Riva had finally accepted that Atemu was unable to remember her at the moment. Seeing them talk so easy made her wish that Yugi could except reality so easy. Being lost in her thoughts, she never noticed when someone snuck up to her until he wrapped his arms around her. "Yugi," she breathed out.
"Yes, my dear," said Yugi from behind her.
Since he had graduated, he had become more of a romantic and Téa didn't mind it, but everyone would tease him. "What do you want?"
"We need to go to see Arkatem and Trutem. Arkatem said the only way for this other method to be learned was for both of us to be there," he said before glancing up at Atemu and Riva. "They seem to be getting along."
"I think Riva has accepted that he's not going to remember any time soon."
"Good. She needs to. He understands better than she does."
"I don't think you would've ever said that back in high school."
"I've grown up. We should get going."
"Yes."
When Yugi entered the big room for training and the like with Téa, he greeted Arkatem with a bow before sitting before the man. "Where's Trutem?" Yugi asked casting a glance around the room as Téa took a seat beside Yugi.
"He decided this was not his specialty," said Arkatem before grumbling out of the side of his mouth. "My scardly cat twin worried about changing the past."
"If he's so scared of the that, he should know that as one of the Time Sages, I will not allow for the past to change."
"Your maturity is showing, Yugi," said Téa.
"Thank you my dear," said Yugi to Téa before turning toward Trutem. "What about this second method?"
"Ah, that," said Trutem settling into a more pharaoh-like tone. "Your metal link with Téa, Yugi, tell me about it."
"What do you want to know about it?"
"Your observations about it. You can't have not noticed anything. You're a duelist. You should be able to pick up differences."
Yugi closed his eyes and felt the mental link he had with his wife. It was warm and not the same kind of warmth as the link he had with Atemu. As his thoughts drifted into the differences of the mental links, Yugi remembered something and opened his eyes. "I tipped her off about what I was feeling after I killed that man today!"
"Yes. That's what I want you to notice," said Trutem with a grin. "Your mental link with her is forged with strong feelings for her and its growth is because of your trust between the two of you, but if both of you try to forge it to become stronger that growth will increase."
"What does this have to do with me controlling my shadow magic?"
"If you two are able to synch up and become one, Téa will be able to use her shadow magic to remind you to cut back on your shadow magic before it is too late. To do this, your metal link between you two will need to grow."
"If I want him to hear me," Téa started, "he has to be focused on the link."
"That is why the link needs to grow between you to," said Trutem pausing to take a breath. "You see, the link, when at the level of that between Yugi and Atemu, will be able to have only one in the pair focusing on the link. That type of link is what we want before I can teach you the second method, Yugi."
"Then how can we back it grow between us?" Téa asked.
"That's a good question," said Arkatem to Téa before turning back to address both at the same time. "When you forge mental links with other people, you are able to learn how to grow your metal link with others. The easiest people for you to forge links with would be your friends then children."
//Can you hear me, Arkatem?// Yugi spoke through the link he was focusing on to Arkatem.
"What were you trying to say with that link? But, yeah, forging links with me and my brother might be easier. Maybe, even your parents may be easier for you to forge links with."
"Even Yuedren and Caratem?"
"Yes, even them," said Arkatem. "If you ever find out how to forge mental links with other people much more easier, tell everyone."
"That's a promise, Arkatem, but is something wrong with Trutem other than what you said?" Yugi asked.
"Ah, yeah, there is," said Arkatem looking to the side. "He has informed me that you were not his only visitor from the future. He hasn't told me too much except for the visitor entering the Temple of Ma`at."
"There was a temple in the name of Ma`at?" Yugi resounded full of surprise.
"Yes. I think most temples were destroyed or not traces are left from what I've read about archeological sites in Egypt," said Arkatem looking into the eyes of Yugi.
Without warning or conscious thought about it, Yugi reached over and place his hand gently on Arkatem's wrist causing Arkatem's and Téa's eyes to widen. Then Yugi's eyes grew cloudy and Arkatem understood what was happening. "Sage of Time," Yugi began, his voice deeper and rougher, "you'll meet the Grand Time Sages in the distant future. The small brunette will be the Grand Sage of Time and will be able to create paradoxes. The tall blonde will be the Grand Sage of Present and will allow for time to stop for a far longer time than Solic Traveler can."
Then Yugi's eyes closed and Téa glanced at Arkatem for some confirmation that he was all right. "I can't believe it. Very rare, very rare! A far-seer of touch! So unbelievable," said Arkatem in a whisper that didn't disguise his excitement.
"He saw part of the future?"
"Yes, I did. Arkatem, what did you say?" Yugi said as he opened his eyes and pulled his hand away from Arkatem.
"You're a far-seer of touch. Although most far-seers become such close to death, those of touch never become such when death is close to coming to them."
"Then I am one of those that far-seeing doesn't mean death," said Yugi.
"Why are you so worried about death?" Téa asked.
"Calendra has now become a far-seer, meaning his death will be within the next ten years," said Yugi looking at Téa.
"He can't die yet."
"My feelings exactly," said Yugi as he turned to towards Arkatem. "About me being a far-seer of touch…."
"I understand what you are getting at," said Arkatem cutting off Yugi. "yes you will have moments where you will not be able to control your power and it will take over you and force you to touch someone."
"Thank you, Arkatem. We will try to grow our mental link in the mean time," said Yugi before rising to his feet.
"May Ra be with you," said Arkatem.
"And also with you, Arkatem," said Yugi before pausing to add another salutation to it. "May the winds of time be kind to you and your brother as well as on your side."
"Sage of Time, may the winds guide you to your glorious future."
Yugi bowed slightly before leaving with Téa.
It had been a few days since the battle that Yugi had returned in. Yugi was at the museum talk to Isis while occasionally talking to Téa through their mental link. "You seemed distracted, Yugi," said Isis.
"I'm talking to Téa through our mental link. It is starting to grow," said Yugi.
"Could you forge a mental link with me?" Isis asked.
"Worth a try," said Yugi before concentrating on forming a new link with the person in front of him. //Can you here me, Isis?//
"Yes and it's clear as if you said it," said Isis.
Yugi leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh. "I am far better at forming links now than what I was a few days ago. First time, the link was barely able to get across what I wanted," said Yugi before letting out another sigh, this one with a little more angst. "But Shiza is so much better at this than what I am and I, her father, have no clue as to why and such a young child doesn't know how to describe it in words."
"What about your link with her?"
"Hmmm…now that you mention it, the link I have with her is quite different. I can tell the link reflects that I am her father."
"Maybe you should talk with her about it and maybe you might find someway she will be able to tell you the difference between all the links."
"Thanks, Isis. I will take care of that," said Yugi before looking away. "I was thinking about giving you and your brothers Time Keys. I have a hunch that you three will be needed."
"Make your decision before I leave so I can take them back with me."
"I have to make them first before I make a decision."
"At least we still have time."
"That's something I'm glad about."
Frowning, Yugi looked at Shiza who was trying not cry. The poor girl had a rough day at school. First, her friends no longer were friends with her and no one would try to befriend her when she offered to be friends. "Shiza…," said Yugi sadly for seeing his only daughter (and only daughter recorded daughter of the Muto family) so sad tore at his heart the same way as seeing Téa down in the dumps.
"Dad, go away! T-t-they are a bunch of fuckers," uttered Shiza loudly.
Yugi's eyes widen upon hearing the Egyptian curse word being uttered from his daughter's lips. Unable to let it slide, Yugi brought her into his arms and cuddled her in the same way as he did with Téa. "Shiza, I won't go away and those so-called friends were not your true friends," said Yugi softly into her ear. "You'll find true friends, but probably not now, my dear only daughter."
Shiza started to struggle to get away from Yugi, but when he whispered again what he had said, she slowly calmed and stilled in his arms. "Thanks, Dad," she said.
"You're welcome," said Yugi in reply. "Would you like to help me to figure out what is so different about all the links we have with different people?"
"Yes!"
Yugi was jogging somewhat through the Triscorn mansion, searching. He and Shiza had figured out the key to their mental links, but now it was time to test it out to see it worked exactly and Yugi was looking for his vi…test subject. Catching sight of white straight hair, Yugi halted and made a dash over to the person. Yugi tapped him on the shoulder and Pegasus turned around to be faced with the cutest puppy eyes that he had ever seen. "What do you want, Yugi-boy?" The White Hawk asked.
"I want to test something with you since you're the only one I haven't created a mental link with. I'm going to create one with you and respond by pushing your thoughts forward in your mind," said Yugi.
"Okay…." //What's my dragon called?// Yugi said through the mental link he opened up with Pegasus.
//Blue Twin Dragon of North.// Pegasus spoke through the link.
Purple eyes widen as the thought was heard loud and clear. "It's correct. Your relationship to the person you want to forge a link with is key to making a strong link. You can't misunderstand your relationship with the person," said Yugi. "In addition to understanding the relationship, you must be able to balance the shadow magic you use to form it. You can't use more than the other person."
"You're not all that bad at figuring things out. You're defiantly your father's son," said Pegasus as loud footsteps were heard causing the two to turn towards the doorway to see Slith the Shape Shifter.
"What is it, Slith?"
"Master, I must tell you of the future," said Slith pausing until Yugi nodded for him to continue. "At all costs, what will spill out of Calendra's mouth that will become the Legend of Finishing must be written even though it will cause great suffering to one of the chosen of Tokyo. It must be written! It must in order to become true!"
"I understand. Slith, what suffering will be cause?" Yugi asked.
"I don't completely understand it now for the future is still in flux, but it will be a death of a family member in some manner."
Yugi walked towards Slith and laid a hand on his shoulder. Eyes clouded over, but unlike last time, he didn't say anything. When his eyes closed and then he opened them with clarity resting in them, he bore a frown on his boyish face. "I saw the Grand Sage of Time holding a sword that was crying," said Yugi.
"It's a spirit sword then," said Slith.
"This grand sage, a brunette, is not crying in what I saw. Is this the chosen you're talking about?"
"Yes. The spirit sword is crying for its master."
"Even though it pains me to let this happen, I can't help it," said Yugi.
"If the death didn't happen, a key to defeating Anubis will never appear. Listen to the Legend of Finishing when you hear it, and master, you will understand that pain will make the return all that much better."
"Just like with Téa," said Yugi as he looked to the ground. "Pain is a key to a far greater joy. Slith, when will she get revived?"
"She'll be revived by a blood heir born in the future you will return to," said Slith causing his master to look up.
"Cecillia? She will be returned to me in the future?" Pegasus asked aghast.
"I leave you to think about that, Pegasus. For now, I need to find Téa and tell her this new development," said Yugi as he started to walk out of the room.
"You can call me by my first name, Yugi-boy," said Pegasus stopping Yugi and making him chuckle.
"Or so you say, Maxie," said Yugi with a grin before leaving the room and shell-shock Pegasus. When will he learn, old habits die hard.
Yugi was standing before Arkatem once again after explaining what he had figured out about mental links. "I never thought about it for one moment, but here it is! The key to creating mental links!" The shocked Arkatem cried, beating the air with his voice. "And now I know why true love is so powerful. The relationship is completely understood by both people in meaning!"
"Finding true love is something no one should give up on," said Yugi.
"Really, Yugi? What if you can't find it or if true love is dead?"
"…!"
"Stump you, didn't I? I don't think we will ever to have an answer for that. Me, Trutem, you, we're all with our true loves at one point in time. We didn't really have to work all that hard to find it."
"I'm starting to feel like a teenager watching pixilated porn again," said Yugi with his back turned towards Arkatem. "Talk to you later."
Ignoring her aching back that was aching because of the position she was sitting, Téa continued to focus on Yugi, who was sitting in the mirror image of her. They were focusing on their mental link with each other when both of their dragons appeared behind them, but they didn't pay attention that. Then Téa looked at Yugi and Yugi nodded back at her before both began to mutter something in sync. Soon wind picked up around them and their shadow magic began to become visible.
From the doorway to the room, Kanto, Kanset, and Shiza watched in amazement as wind engulfed their parents while Arkatem and Trutem watched from behind the three. As the wind blew in the room, the visible shadow magic hid the occupants in the room and the two shadow magic could not be distinguish from the other. Then the wind died and the shadow magic in the room disappeared from eyesight leaving behind Yugi and Téa in the same position as they were and a dragon towering, as much as it could, beside them. "What's that dragon?" Arkatem asked.
Yugi looked at Arkatem first and spoke, "The fusion of Blue Twin Dragon of North and Dragon of Faith and Friendship, Blue Friendship Dragon."
"That's one nice dragon that you have there," said Arkatem. "So, what is your mental link like now?"
Yugi looked at Téa and gave her a gentle smile before they both looked at Arkatem. "What do you think?" The two said in unison.
Arkatem's and Trutem's mouths hung open in shear surprise and didn't noticed that Kanto, Kanset, and Shiza went towards their parents embracing them in a hug. "Mom, Dad! You were so cool," said Kanto standing closer to Téa.
"Can you teach us? Can you?" Shiza begged as she was standing next to Yugi.
"You're just a girl, Shiza,' said Kanset.
"Am not!"
"Stop it, you two! We will never teach you anything if you keep acting like that," said Yugi cutting in before any sort of fight could develop. "Kanset, you know better than that."
"Sorry dad," said Kanset looking at the ground, "but she is a girl."
"The only girl in our family since way back when, Kanset," said Yugi as he got up from the ground. "Now, your mother and I have some things to do at the moment. We will talk later about learning what you saw today."
"Thank you, dad," said Kanset.
"Arkatem, now you can teach me that other method," said Yugi as he gazed to the doorway where Arkatem and Trutem were still standing.
"That's right," said Arkatem. "We will do it now. We won't need this big room."
"Kids, go find your uncles and have them entertain you," said Yugi.
The three children nodded before leaving the room. "Those kids of yours are quite interesting," said Arkatem. "What room do you such?"
"The old room then, the one where I sealed my pearl at," said Yugi.
"That should be suitable," said Arkatem before turning towards Trutem. "Brother, will you be coming to watch?"
"I will," said Trutem before they followed to couple to the room.
Trutem and Arkatem were sitting across from Yugi and Téa in the room they had walked to. "Trutem, should I do the explaining or should you?" Arkatem asked looking at his brother.
"You should, brother," said Trutem.
"Okay," said Arkatem as he turned to look at Yugi. "This other method for knowing when you use too much shadow magic will utilize your stronger mental link with Téa. When you start getting close to using up all your shadow magic, she will sense it through the mental link and will redirect that sensation back at you. With practice, it will become automatic."
"The easiest way, I might add, to learn how to do this is by bouncing back regular communication through the link," said Trutem. "It will be easier."
"We will practice that way as well as using my shadow magic," said Yugi.
"Do your first practice," said Arkatem as he got up.
Yugi and Téa nodded and then closed both of their eyes before concentrating on their task as Arkatem and Trutem left them.
Isis was preparing to leave when Yugi came up to her and she turned to look at her host. "What do you want, Yugi?"
"I want to give you these keys," said Yugi as he showed her three keys. "As a Sage of Time, I've decided to give you these. Finish what you need to do in this time. Go to the future using these keys."
"Why?" Isis asked as she took the three keys.
"I recently far-saw you, Marik, and Odion in the future. Atemu has decided that since the Millennium Items are not fully sealed that you will be needed as the tomb keepers."
"So those items are still going to rear their heads later on."
"Yes. There are things I know that will happen, Isis," said Yugi pausing. "A legend of finishing will be written causing great pain for a chosen of Tokyo. The items will appear again. This great war will end as long as we make the right choices. I know I'll meet the banned branch of my family in the future."
"Are those things you are sure of, chosen one?"
"As the Solic Warrior, I am sure those will happen. Go to the future when you are done in this time."
"Will this be the last time I will see you in this time?"
"Yes. Next time you will see my kids, they will be high school students. Or at least close to that age when I completed the Millennium Puzzle."
"Then I will see you all in the future."
"Yes, the future," said Yugi before he left the room allowing Isis to finish packing.
After she had finished packing, she was taken to the airport and left for Egypt to never see Domino again before going to the future that her and her brothers were being told to go to.
Whoah. That's one long chapter. I've been working on the squeal at the moment and I haven't had my writing muse for this story to come back and finish it. Chapter preview time:
In the span of six years, a new legend is being written from far-seeing of Calendra. Calendra begins to remember his childhood and at the end of six years, he goes forward with Carret to meet their known fate. Next chapter: The Beloved Lord Heir.
