Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Note: The following chapters are based on the Yu-Gi-Oh episodes that inspired me to write this whole story.
QUEST FOR THE FORBIDDEN ONE
By,
Jgal
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
LET THE TOURNAMENT BEGIN!
CELTIC GUARDIAN
It was now morning and the tournament grounds were flooded with people; both foreign and local.The elf Celtic gazed around in awe of the overwhelming crowds. "Man, there must be about a hundred people in this tournament."
The Spellcaster stuck close to avoid loosing the Warrior among the crowd. "Don't get too surprise, most of these people are spectators. From what I heard there are only about six other competitors in this today and for as long as this tournament has lasted no one has ever won it."
"Well...at least that means no one else have gotten the piece yet."
Right then a booming voice shouted over from the loudspeaker above.
"Attention, will everyone who is participating in the Wasteland Tournament please head to the arena. Repeat, please head to the arena."
The elf then felt the wizard grab him by the arm and drag him forward, "That's us, now hurry up."
"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying!"
In less than a few moments they arrived at a large room resembling an underground stadium. The room was about four times the size of a football field. The solid walls were nearly twenty feet tall and iron fencing surrounded the last twelve feet before touching the ceiling. In the center stood a tall platform, a replied of an Aztec temple.
"Who." Celtic gave a light whistle in amazement.
He suddenly heard an annoying racus not far away. Celtic looked over to his left to see what was going on; as soon as he did he groaned the deepest as anyone had even heard. "Aw no, not them. Please not them."
"Now what's the matter?" Dark Magician questioned not really caring.
"Look."
The newly armored mage glanced over at Celtic's direction. There, lazing around by the doors was a band of rugged yet fierce looking fighters.
One of them was a FIRE type swordsman about an inch or taller then Celtic Guardian wearing a tight, blue suit with orange robes. He wore a pincer shaped helmet and carried a fiery crystal sword with the symbol of fire engraved in it.
Another one was an axial warrior wearing golden armor with red iron plating, egg shaped helmet and a purple loincloth. (Oh yeah did I mention that he was really buff.)
The third was a swordsman that was much shorter than the other four and resembled more like a child. Hie blackish cloaks made him look like a traveling monk and he rode around on a giant green salamander.
The forth this time was a lady who wore a long green dress and blue hair, but carried a lavender scythe shaped like musical note.
Finally the last one was taller than the first. He also was wearing a full blue body suit but with lavender cloaks and emerald green armor with circular rubies imbedded in it. He carried a jade green staff just like Dark's but with a more spear-like point.
"Hey hay! Take a look over there!" shouted the little swordsman.
The first Warrior glanced over his shoulder and laughed with cunning grin, "Hah! Take this boys, our old training partner Celtic Guardian!"
The other four joined in at gawking at our elf as they all approached him. "What's going on." whispered the mage in slight interest.
"Never mind about them, just let me handle this."
Dark moved away allowing the other Warriors to mingle.
The Fire soldier swung his right arm over Celt's shoulder like an old buddy, "Well well Celtic, long time no see. Seems like the last time I saw you you were paddling back to shore after we beat you on that bridge back home for the tenth time in a row." He said with a laugh.
Celtic tried to remain cool and content, "That was a shallow victory. I had much better things to do."
"Yeah, like catching up on you swimming lessons." blurted out the fifth Warrior.
"Very funny Giltia," now the elf was getting very irritable of the boys insults.
"Hey what are you doing here anyway? I heard that you village was destroyed again. Aren't you supposed to be there or are you the only survivor?" said the child petting his lizard.
The lady stood a little a ways swinging her scythe around, "That village never has the best luck, just look at whose leading it. What a looser."
All five then started laughing at our Warrior and began pushing him around like a rag doll, taunting him with insults and putdowns.
"Come one, show some backbone."
"Where's the great Sogen Guardian now?"
"Pathetic."
"You shouldn't even be at this tournament anyway. Weakling."
The Spellcaster Dark Magician watched from afar as the bullies were beating the swordsman, "You think bullies would have changed after two hundred years."
Finally Celtic Guardian couldn't stand it anymore; he clinched his hand tightly and swung it at the Flame Swordsman but missed. It did though get him and the others off his back.
"You want to know why I'm here! I'll tell you. I'm on an important mission that means life or death. A lot more than why all you bozos are here. Now back off!"
The Flame Swordsman placed his hand on his hips in amusement,
"Alright you want to know why WE'RE all here." twisting the hilt of his swords making it erupt into flames. "Let's just say after WE get all those Forbidden Pieces you won't be much of an adversary anymore. Not like you ever were anyway but, you know."
Celtic drew his own sword and both Warriors were just about to duel.
"Silence!" barked a loud voice that nearly shook the room. All eyes turned toward the mage forgetting about their argument. The boys just starred at Dark surprised and stymied.
"So WHO the heck are you buddy? We're having a conversation here." said Ax Raider breaking the silence.
The Spellcaster folded his arms and starred at them dead in the eye, his eyes grew much colder than ever seen before. Like ice.
"That name's Magician. Dark Magician to you."
Right then Hibikime dropped her weapon and froze in place; the others did the same thing only left their jaws slightly open as well.
"Da…da…Dark Magician? THE Dark Magician? The most powerful Duel Monster that ever lived? That Dark Magician!"
Dark just nodded his head.
Giltia threw himself to his knees bowing to the Spellcaster like he was a god. "Beg you forgiveness great one. Eh. We didn't recognize you."
"That's new" Celtic thought, "I wonder why."
To his curiosity the elf took a look at the wizard's new clothing.
It was exactly the same design-wise but the coloring was very different. Dark blue shielding with same color robes, along with red highlights on the armor.
"Guess purple's your trademark." He said noticing the change now that it was lighter than this morning.
"Yep, I'm afraid so." Dark replied rolling his eyes.
Suddenly a loud rumbling sound came from above as the opened portion of the chamber started to fill up with spectators and fans waiting for it to begin.
A giant Pumpking entered the room holding a microphone in one of its long viny hands.
Celtic Guardian quickly stepped away from the other Warriors and stood next to the wizard. The mage immediately snapped his fingers and his cloths changed back to his usual lavender. The elf starred at him foe a minuet.
"Just to avoid another misunderstanding."
The Zombie King switched on the microphone the crowds turned to a dead silence.
"Ladies and gentleman, today's participants for the tournament have finally arrived!" Pumpking raised his arms over his head above the floors. "Let the tournament begin!"
The ground beneath then started to shake. Everyone besides the Pumpking fell off their feet onto their backs, or on each other.
Large slabs of stone slowly emerged up from the ground rising to nearly ten to twelve feet in high. When the earthquakes had stopped the walls had formed into a humongous maze.
The elf kinked his neck and adjusted his helmet. "Arg, a labyrinth. This can't be good."
MYSTICAL ELFMystic stood among the crowds holding onto the bars above the labyrinth field trying to get a view but was failing.
"Hey move it I want to see to."
"Back off!"
"Quiet shoving."
"Shoot I can't see anything with all these people around." she said to herself maintaining her grip on whatever space she had.
She felt a cold hard hand gripping her left arm. She turned to see an Master Kyonshee holding onto her.
"Hey Baby, how about we ditch this joint and check out the Giga-Tech Wolf races. I promise we'll have a good time."
Shocked an outraged Mystic forced his hand off her and jammed her knee up his groin.
The martial artist hunched over on himself in pain. A few of the crowd people backed away when they saw the wounded monster.
"Go look for a Snake Hair or something for a good time and leave me alone!" Mystical Elf shouted at the pervert. She glanced around noticing that the hustle and bustling had silenced again and everyone was starring at her very nerves. And I mean VERY.
Her face turned red in embarrassment, "Hey mind your own business. Stop starring at me!"
Everyone resumed trying to see the tournament but stayed away from the dangerous elf girl.
Mystic returned to her place and continue looked around the maze. "I sense something evil within that maze. Oh Celtic, if you're in there please be careful."
CELTIC GUARDIANCeltic starred in amazement at the entryways of the labyrinth. The others stood by regaining their composers. "Sheess, what kind of tournament is this anyway?"
The King of Ghosts continued his announcement, "Fighters you all know the rules. Now begin!"
The Flame Swordsman, ax raider, Hibikime, Little Swordsmen of Isle, and Giltia raced into the maze without hesitation. They disappeared before anyone would know it.
The Guardian just starred in shock, not knowing what to do, or where to go now.
"Come on now we're not going to get anywhere by standing around here." He heard the Spellcaster say who was entering the maze through another entrance.
Celtic turned around and followed Dark Magician into the labyrinth.
"So what are the rules to this? You said earlier that you'll tell me."
"Yes yes I know. First of all you see that it's a labyrinth tournament; hints the name from Maze Country."
"Yes."
"And for a maze this big it's made of three Labyrinth Wall creatures' inademit monsters."
"So."
"So in the center of these three is the shrine where the Forbidden piece is hidden and the only way to win is to reach the center."
"Sounds simple enough." Celtic said holding his hand behind his head.
"Unfortunately we may have to deal with many of the creatures that are inhabiting the maze as well as the other candidates, like your friends we just met."
With that Celtic threw his arms down frustrated and angry, "Those guys are NOT my friends. They had been picking on me and been beating me up since I was a little kid, this was no different than before. I appreciate you stopping them but understand that this was MY personal battle, you can't butt in on it."
The wizard shrugged, "Whatever." He then stopped and pointed his staff to a consol on the upper half of the walls but within reach, "See these? There are implanted all over the labyrinth especially in the beginning, but as we move on in we'll see less and less of them."
"Ah huh. And what are they?" Celtic said folding his arms.
"They're escape passes. If a competitor gives up and wants to leave they just need to press this and all harm to them ceases. Unfortunately they'll have to go back to the beginning if they wish to start again."
Celtic Guardian studied the consol carefully. It's a deep blue nearly black in color with bright red symbols on it of some unknown language. "Alright, this maze looks simple enough."
"Than you don't mind if we separate and find your way through without me." the Warrior said with a sneer.
"You took the words out of my mouth." Dark reached into his robes pockets and showed the Forbidden Arm piece. "But we'll see anyway Dirt Face."
"We certainly will Jerkoff." Celt replied showing his Leg Card.
So as soon as they reached an intersection of the labyrinth they separated and headed down their own path. Before doing so Celtic Guardian noticing a beetle shaped drawing on the floor deep down Dark's pathway.
"Humph, that was weird."
After less than five minuets of walking the elf suddenly heard a loud screaming among the maze walls.
"Aaahhh!"
"Dark! Dark is that you! Hold on I'm coming!"
He raced back through the way he went as fast as his legs would drive him. He turned quickly down Dark's path and followed the screaming down long allies and sharp corners.
Celtic ran around a dizzying twist and then froze in place.
"Dark!"
Right where the beetle mark was a seven foot tall green Insect had Dark Magician in a pin-down and he was struggling desperately to keep the monster's deadly jaws away from him.
The Guardian thrust out his sword and charged toward the creature. He slashed the blade across the bug's middle severing it off.
"Keraaa!"
The creature threw itself up off the mage and dived back down for the kill.
Celtic dodged between the two of them and the Man Eater Bug's fangs dug passed the Warrior's armor and into his flesh. "Aahow!"
"Celtic!" the magician called in surprise.
Celtic Guardian hissed in pain while holding off the Insect, "Don't worry about me. Get out of here."
The wizard rolled out of the way into a clear spot. He rose up and powered up his magic pike.
"Dark Magic Attack!"
Celtic then felt the monster vanish and he fell to his knees holding onto his right shoulder.
"Are you alright?" Dark asked now holding him by the shoulders.
The swordsman shook his head slightly. The pain was now too strong for him to say any words.
Then the ground started to shake again and the walls began to sink back into the ground. But more walls then popped up from different spots completely changing the labyrinth.
Sound familiar! Oh, like it's a real paradox. Read and Review.
