/Text/ Spirit to Host

/Text/ Host to Spirit

Chapter 36: Coercion

"Good morning, Mr. Kaiba."

Seto glanced over towards the door from his spot next to one of the bookcases, and snapped shut The Rise and Fall of a Pureblooded Society. Two Death Eaters flanked Voldemort's arrival, and the two that had been standing sentry at the door all night left the room. One of the new arrivals placed breakfast at the table and resumed their stance at the entrance.

"I trust you had a restful evening."

Restful wasn't quite the word Seto would have used. He had instead spent the better part of the evening examining almost every inch of the study. The books, at least the two he had binged through overnight, were nothing but social commentary on how Muggles were an inferior "species" of human in comparison to wizards, and he had to stop himself from throwing the volumes into the fireplace for how stupid they were.

There was only one large window in the study streaming in dusty rays of daylight, but it had no latches. Seto mused he could break it with a fair number of decorative objects in the room if he used enough force to try and escape, despite being several stories up from the ground. However, it was probably sealed with magic to prevent him from doing just that, and the two guards would have stopped him before he had the chance to even try.

He didn't touch the dinner left for him, and there was no telling what these wizards would try to do to him if he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. The threat of the Shadow's arrival was bad enough, though to his surprise, it did not pay him a visit last night. Seto wasn't sure if it was because he was still awake, or if it was simply biding its time.

Despite Voldemort's assurance that his minions wouldn't hurt him unless he tried to escape, the Death Eaters watching him overnight got twitchy when he came too close to the front of the study (even though he was a good ways still from the door) and he really didn't want to find out how trigger-happy they were – at least not yet – so he kept nearer to the fireplace and the table, choosing to stay in one place only so long.

The one Death Eater was clearly agitated that his charge wouldn't just crash on the couch and take a nap (even though he didn't say anything or tell him to stop), so Seto purposefully kept annoying him. He grabbed a book and started reading at the table, and a few chapters later moved to the couch. He switched to the armchair, paced the room with the book in hand, and then back to the table, sitting in a different spot than when Voldemort had paid him his visit.

Voldemort eyed the dinner he had left last night. "You did not eat."

Seto glared at him from across the room. "I told you I wasn't hungry."

Voldemort waved his arm at the empty chair. "You must be famished by now. Sit."

Seto crossed his arms.

"By now any side effects afflicted from your capture are gone. Let me remind you that you will only eat with me. When I leave, so does your meal."

"Then go." Seto waved his hand dismissively and turned back to the bookcase.

"I fail to see what you will gain by willingly starving yourself," said Voldemort casually. "The Shadow will come whether you are healthy or on Death's doorstep."

Seto snorted. "You went through all the trouble to get me, so I doubt you'd just let me die."

"May I remind you, that from your limited perspective, I have what I want. The Millennium Rod is in my hands now. The Shadow has his own desires, and he certainly does not care to what state you are in to get what he wants."

"Then why hasn't he?" Seto shot back, "You've already gloated over the fact that you took away the only defense I had against him."

Voldemort tilted his head. "He will when he is ready. There was another, more pressing matter that he felt needed attention."

He gestured to the empty chair again. "If I had only wanted the Millennium Rod from you, and nothing else, I could have simply taken it. But, as it stands, there are a number of subjects I wish to discuss with you, and now I have all the time in the world. Dumbledore and his ilk cannot find you here. And neither can your friend with the Millennium Ring. Our mutual friend is seeing to that.

"Now…I have given you a warm, comfortable room in which to stay, and the freedom to pass the time as you wish –"

"—So long as I don't leave."

Voldemort chuckled darkly. "Escape from this room is impossible. Even if you managed to get past your guards, you will not make it out the door."

"We'll see about that." Seto turned away towards the warmth of the fireplace, but staggered back, startled, as Voldemort was suddenly right in front of him.

How? Seto glanced quickly back to the table. It was cleared, and the chair Voldemort sat in was empty.

Voldemort raised his wand and Seto felt himself freeze in place against the wall. "I could tear your mind apart with ease," he said coldly. "Or I could give you to the Carrows, who prefer to beat the answers from their guests. The poor tomb guardian doesn't have much left in him. I'm sure they could use someone fresh, someone stubborn."

Voldemort backed away a step and looked Seto up and down. "My most loyal servants favor the Cruciatus Curse, of course. Bella would have a right time with you."

He tapped his wand lightly against Seto's forehead, lip curling upward as Seto flinched. "However, I would rather you give me what I want willingly. Do not force my hand, Seto Kaiba. You are a rather gifted individual. I would rather learn more about you from a civil discussion rather than chain you down and force it out of you."

Seto struggled against the magic keeping him frozen in place. "Your people have already spied on me once before," he said, "Whatever it is you're looking for, you won't get it."

Voldemort paused. "Oh? Have they?"

"Don't play dumb," Seto snarled. "You sent Death Eaters to my property during the first Hogwarts term to see how I would respond. My people uncovered a massive data breach that came from Britain. And you're going to stand there and tell me it wasn't you and expect me to believe it?"

Voldemort laughed and moved towards the door, turning back once he had made it to the two Death Eaters. He waved his wand, and the invisible force keeping Seto still disappeared, and he sagged back against the wall.

"Believe what you wish, Mr. Kaiba. But there are more players with vested interest in you and your friends than just myself and Albus Dumbledore. Ponder on that while I attend to other matters. We will discuss it later."

"I did not expect one of these Millennium Items to become so…restless," said Voldemort. The long-abandoned manor had a second, smaller study on the far side. It was here that he sat, watching the Millennium Rod flare in and out against the darkness of the room. The Shadow Magus's sword was also present, but the Shadow itself was not visible.

The Priest is trying to reach out to his host.

Voldemort tilted his head. "I thought you had severed the connection between them."

Seto Kaiba cannot tap into his connection with the Millennium Rod, or contact Priest Set. It would appear however, that Set's spirit will not sit quietly.

"Why is that?"

Her influence, no doubt.

"The dragon you mentioned?"

She has been a thorn in my plans for far too long. But I will have a way to be rid of her.

"Oh?"

It is clear that she has a strong connection to both spirit and host. But there is only one of her, and the link between them has been damaged. She cannot protect them both at the same time.

"But that is what bested you before," said Voldemort, "Even with them split apart, how do you expect to get by a dragon? One you said rivaled the Egyptian Gods themselves?"

Very carefully.

"Hm." Voldemort rose from his seat and paced the room. "I am surprised you have not yet begun. After all of the planning and effort to get Seto Kaiba here, you have not once ventured to his mind."

While you have been attending to your business, the Millennium Rod has attempted to leave this room on its own twice. Keeping it at bay was a task I did not anticipate after the separation. And without a body of my own…

Voldemort held up a hand. "I have men searching the desert ruins. That sword was broken thousands of years ago. Ishizu Ishtar could very well have been correct. It will take time to find the rest."

Perhaps if your minions took to the task with the same enthusiasm as they do toying with your other prisoners, the deed would be done.

Voldemort stiffened. "There are only so many of them. Scouring the sands for sword fragments of unknown size will take time."

You make it seem as though you have all the time in the world, Lord Voldemort. But I would not underestimate Seto Kaiba.

Voldemort snorted. "He is well guarded. And will be no trouble at all, should he continue to keep up his stubbornness."

…If you insist.

The Shadow phased from the sword and raised his hand, surrounded in the glowing purplish aura of the Shadow Realm, before picking up the Millennium Rod. The Rod's light flares instantly stopped, and a few moments later, Set appeared, looking a bit puzzled before his features turned to anger.

"So this is the High Priest Set," Voldemort mused, stepping back towards the middle of the room again. "I have waited some time to meet you."

Set whirled around, and instantly pulled the bladed end from his semi-transparent version of the Millennium Rod before advancing on Voldemort.

"What have you done to my host?"

Voldemort's lip curled upwards and his eyes darted briefly to the Shadow. He regarded Set curiously. "Calm yourself, Spirit. Seto Kaiba is unharmed and quite safe in my care."

"If he is as you say, then why can I not link with him?"

Your link has been severed.

Set turned and glared up at the Shadow's golden eye. "What!?"

The Shadow lifted one of its glowing claw-like hands. Your connection with the boy is gone. But do not fret – he has not been otherwise damaged.

Voldemort circled the spirit. "You must indulge me, Spirit," he said, "How did you come to be sealed in the Millennium Rod for thousands of years?"

Set turned in his spot to keep an eye on Voldemort. He didn't say anything, arms crossed over his chest.

Voldemort chuckled. "He even looks and acts like his counterpart."

This will not do. The Shadow's Eye flared as he extended his claws. Set's clothes, identical to the slate-grey suit Seto was currently wearing, morphed back into his priestly robes.

Much better.

Voldemort nodded once and paced around him again. "I can see subtle differences now. Tell me, friend, how does it feel to be back in familiar garments?"

"I don't feel anything," Set snarled. "You can change how I appear before you, but it will not sway me. Whatever it is you seek – you will not get it."

"I am not here to sway you," said Voldemort, "I am merely wondering as to how you survived all these years alone."

"Then you should have asked him," Set said, jerking his head towards the Shadow. "Rather than upend Seto's life just to sate your curiosity."

"Ah, but my interest lies here," Voldemort said, picking up the Millennium Rod. "These Millennium Items have a great power all their own. How did you seal your mind and soul inside?"

Set merely glared.

"So stubborn," said Voldemort, "I fail to see how you benefit from this course of action. In the end you are merely trying my patience."

Set raised his chin up defiantly. "I may appear before you, but that is all. There is nothing for you to hold over me. My mind cannot be hijacked, and I have no body. So if I choose to float here and sulk, I shall, and you cannot do anything to me."

Is that so?The Shadow suddenly appeared at Voldemort's side. The Millennium Rod may not have granted you a body, Set, but it has granted you relief from spending eternity in the dark. Unless you would prefer to return to that state, I would suggest you rethink your position.

"I may not be able to lay a hand on you, Priest," said Voldemort, "But your host is not so lucky."

Set's hands balled into fists. "You said he was unharmed."

"And he is," said Voldemort, "Currently. But I would not expect him to remain that way. His overall well-being while in my care is directly related to both of your actions."

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" said Set. "You already said you severed my link to him. That I can be sure you are telling the truth, as I cannot communicate with him. But how do I know you haven't harmed him?"

You don't. But I did not wait thousands of years to stumble at the finish line. You – and Seto Kaiba – are here because one or both of you has something I need. And until I can have it, I need him alive.

Set snorted. "And what then, after you find this thing. What is to become of us then? Are you going to return him home with a pat on the back? I am not a fool, this will only end one way, and it is not well."

"Why, that is up to the two of you," said Voldemort. "I am not cruel. I help those who help me. If Seto Kaiba starts to cooperate with what I have asked of him, then I see no reason why he cannot be returned back to his scared younger brother."

Set narrowed his eyes. "And I take it he has not been helpful."

"Not in the slightest."

"…What is it you've asked of him?"

Voldemort's lip curled upwards. "That he took care of himself."

Set looked wary.

Voldemort waved his hand flippantly in the air. "He has been refusing simple hospitality."

Set rolled his eyes. "You captured us. I imagine he is well aware that whatever it is you want goes beyond whatever simple hospitality you have offered him."

"I don't doubt it," said Voldemort, "But I have merely wanted to sit and have a civil discussion with him. Instead, he has refused my offering of food as his way of lashing out. But that will only work for so long."

Set gripped his Millennium Rod tightly. "And of me?"

"As I said, I am curious as to how you became sealed in your Millennium Rod. But it is our mutual friend who has been waiting most eagerly for you. But it seems you two are not very respective of our kindness." He stepped forward towards Set and narrowed his red eyes. "Despite what you may think, Seto Kaiba cannot find you. He cannot tap into the link you shared. Your feeble attempts to leave this room and find him are a drain on my friend's resources."

"Considering the circumstances, you should have anticipated us being difficult." Set jerked his head towards the Shadow. "He's only rampaged through Seto's mind how many times now?"

"Regardless, take this as your only warning, Priest. If you are caught attempting to leave this room again, you will have only yourself to blame for what befalls Seto Kaiba afterwards."

.

Hermione, who had more or less kept to herself following the return to school, at least joined them for breakfast Monday morning. Yugi was glad to see that, despite the circumstances that kept them all on the moodier side, she at least didn't look like she was going to be sick anymore and that the color had returned to her face.

"Do we have anything of his here? More than just clothes and books, I mean. Something of significance?" she had asked.

Harry shrugged. "His cards?"

Yugi shook his head. "He usually travels with them."

Ron wrinkled his nose. "He dueled once. He keeps his dueling deck on him even when he's not playing?"

"Well," Ryou said around bites of his eggs, "His deck is full of rare cards, for one thing. And that's not even counting the three Blue Eyes White Dragons, which are the only three playable ones in the world. I'm almost certain he uses his own deck for product testing at work too."

"Think of it this way," said Yugi, "Would you go somewhere without your wand?"

Ron shook his head. "Of course not."

Yugi nodded. "For a duelist, our cards are like your wand."

Hermione froze; her fork halfway to her mouth. "Does that mean V-Voldemort has them?"

Yugi frowned. "I don't know. I guess it would depend if the cards were in his pocket, or in his briefcase with his duel disk."

"I don't see why that matters too much though," said Harry, "It's not like Voldemort's going to slap a stack of cards onto the table and demand he play with him."

Yugi froze and made a sour face. "…That's a weird mental image."

Harry nodded. "Yeah…I'm sorry I mentioned it."

"Why do you ask?" asked Ryou.

Hermione sighed. "I…I was hoping to try a sort of locater charm. I'd probably have to research to see how far one actually works, but I thought maybe it would help."

"What about that spell you taught me right before the Third Task in the Tri-Wizard Tournament," said Harry. "The Point Me one."

"Oh," her face flushed, "That's different. That was more or less a compass. It only points your wand north."

Ryou propped his elbows up onto the table. "I'm…not sure what else he would have kept here."

"He didn't pack a whole lot outside of clothes," said Yugi, "And…it's not like he was able to bring his stuff back with him. But I do have his laptop."

Hermione paled. "Oh. I…I didn't want to use that."

"Why not?" asked Harry, "That's probably the best thing we'll have of his to use."

"I mean, I could," she said hesitantly, "but that's already been magicked once. I don't know what Seto had already cast on it, and wouldn't want to cause it any accidental damage."

"If it got him out of there, I'm sure he'd forgive you."

"It's not just that though…" said Yugi, "Roland told me that there's the possibility Kaiba could have something on him that could signal out where he is. If it works, we'll need the laptop to track the signal. I wouldn't want to risk using that for anything else."

"We have a free period while you're in Arithmancy," said Ryou, "As much as I don't want to go snooping through his things, maybe we can find something for you to practice a locater spell. Or at the very least dig up all the notes he made on getting his technology to work. Maybe if you knew how he pulled all that off, you'd feel better about using the laptop."

"Maybe…" she said, but by the tone of her voice it didn't sound too convincing.

"Wait…" Harry looked to Ryou. "Doesn't your Millennium Item seek out the other ones?"

"It does," said Ryou, "But the Spirit tried to do that last night, and it didn't seem to work."

"Yami's guess is that the Shadow is behind it," said Yugi. "I don't think Voldemort would have the know-how to keep the Millennium Ring from finding the Rod."

"How would the Shadow?" asked Harry. "Since it doesn't have a Millennium Item of its own?"

Yugi shrugged. "I don't know. But somehow it has the ability to use the Shadow Realm. Maybe there's a Millennium Item we don't know about."

/Oh no,/ said Bakura. /You can assure him that is not the case./

/Are you certain, Spirit?/

/Yes. If there is anything you choose to trust me on, Landlord, let it be that. There are only seven Millennium Items./

Hermione reached for Seto's copy of the Daily Prophet as soon as the owl dropped it onto the empty place at the table next to her.

Harry peered over at the headlines from the other side of the table as she quickly turned the pages, as if she was trying to find something specific. "What are you looking for?"

"I was hoping to see if they made any mention to what happened in Domino," she said, disappointment evident in her voice as she got closer and closer to the last page. "They wrote about the attack in Egypt…but nothing on Seto so far."

"I wouldn't expect them to," said Ron, "I think the Japanese wizards wanted this kept as quiet as possible, for the sake of the Muggles involved and everything."

"Speaking of…" Yugi frowned. "I would have thought – knowing how much attention he's gotten during the first half of the year – that more people would have taken notice that he's missing."

"They're probably used to him being gone for random periods of time," said Harry.

Hermione glanced up briefly towards the faculty table and frowned. "I don't know if it's common knowledge among the rest of the students…but I can almost guarantee that Umbridge knows."

Harry twisted around in his seat. Umbridge was still eating breakfast, gazing out over the rest of the Great Hall, looking as smug as she did when she became the High Inquisitor.

"Well, this certainly looks promising," said Voldemort, striding into the study Monday evening. "You are already sitting in wait."

Seto glared at him from the head of the table, but said nothing.

Voldemort chuckled as the Death Eater that followed after him placed dinner onto the table. "You are in my chair."

Seto sneered. "I didn't see your name on it."

"It is my study." Voldemort sat down in the chair usually meant for Seto and regarded him curiously. "Your face seems to hide exhaustion well, but I know better. I am honestly impressed that you managed to hold out this long."

Seto huffed and drummed his fingers against the table. "You were going to get what you wanted from me whether I was cognizant or not. Might as well get something out of this before I die."

Voldemort tilted his head. "What makes you continuously think I'm going to kill you after going through all of the trouble to bring you here, not to mention the attempts to keep you healthy?"

"Don't mince words," said Seto, "You're not going to keep me around out of the goodness of your heart. And despite whatever you want me to hear, you're not just going to set me loose once you're done."

"Is that what you think?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "That tomb keeper is still here, isn't he?"

"Your point has been noted," said Voldemort, picking up his fork. "Let us play a game. I know you love them so much. A back-and-forth question and answer game, if you will. Though – to be fair, I believe this activity will be much more one-sided."

"In your favor, no doubt."

"Oh no," said Voldemort. "In yours."

"I find that rather hard to believe."

"Despite what you may think, I am not here to grill you for information this night," said Voldemort. "But I will answer some of your questions."

Seto narrowed his eyes. "There's a catch."

"Perhaps."

"Are you going to tell me what it is?"

"I'm sure you will pick up on it rather quickly," said Voldemort. "Let us begin. What made you choose today of all days to finally give in and sit for our evening chat?"

Seto stayed silent.

Voldemort shook his head slightly. "If you do not answer a question, you lose the chance to ask one of your own."

"The catch, no doubt."

"If that's what you wish to call it," said Voldemort. "It wouldn't be much of a game if we did not take turns. …Were you hungry?"

"No."

"Then what was it?"

Seto waited a beat. "…You said once before that there were more interested parties than just yourself and Dumbledore."

Voldemort inclined his head. "Ah – that I did."

"Care to elaborate?"

Voldemort's lip curled upwards. "Perhaps."

He didn't go any further than that.

Seto raised an eyebrow and waved a hand impatiently. "…And that would be…what?"

Voldemort's eyes darted down to the untouched food and then back up. "My answers come at a price."

"That wasn't part of the rules."

"Ah – well, let me tell you the first rule of this little game: I make the rules. And I recall upon our first meeting that the only requirementI made of you was that you eat and hold conversation. It is not a choice of one over the other. You do both, or do nothing. So if you decide to stop and stew in silence, then that is your choice. But, as you said, you will gain nothing by doing so, and all I will need is to simply wait for your strength to finally give out."

"That could be spiked."

"It isn't. Like I have said many a time before, poisoning you would be most counterproductive. And if I wanted to drug you, I would not have done it under the pretense of a meal. I could have simply forced Veritaserum on you while my Death Eaters held you down."

Seto huffed noisily. "Your bizarre interest in my well-being is unnerving, not reassuring."

"The fact of the matter is that you are far more useful alive. I am not here to put my wand to the back of your head. If you refuse your meals – which I will say are far better than those set aside for my other guests – then that is your choice. But you have not eaten since your arrival. Another day and I will have won this little fight of yours. So what will it be?"

Seto glared, matching Voldemort's gaze for a long minute before picking up the fork and stabbing a single pea.

Voldemort shook his head slightly, clearly amused. "It's a start. Though, you'll have to forgive me, but I don't seem to remember the question."

Seto's eyes narrowed. "You're doing this on purpose."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you," said Seto flatly, putting the fork down and crossed his arms. "Why me?"

Interesting – he knew that wasn't the question he had asked before. Voldemort tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "Why I was more invested in you over Yugi Muto? That is easy. From what I am to understand, Yugi Muto fits the cutout of the typical hero. Someone who puts themselves in the line of fire before anyone else. To do what it is needed for the 'greater good'. …Sound familiar?"

He didn't bother waiting for Seto to respond before continuing. "I have no true interest in speaking with someone like that. They are too enthralled with their quest to take a step back and view the world outside their limited purview. Tell me, Seto Kaiba, how many times has Yugi Muto thrown himself at the heart of danger? Steamrolled over ideas that were perhaps much more practical in order to save the day? With his Pharaoh friend whispering in his ear, how many times have they gone after their agenda at your expense? The world is in danger, and they must save it, no matter who gets sacrificed along the way."

Voldemort waved a hand dismissively. "He is like Harry Potter, no? You are all in Gryffindor House, correct? No doubt Potter has regaled you with his little adventures up to this point, including their foolhardy trip to the Department of Mysteries last spring. And Potter? He is nothing more than Dumbledore's prized puppet."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Voldemort grinned wickedly. "More than one pea this time." He leaned back, waiting for the dark glare and for Seto to take another bite of his dinner (two peas) before speaking again. "I have known Albus Dumbledore for a very long time. I would guess that his protection is not the true reason for seeking you out. Surely, after this mysterious breach of your property that you thought was my doing, you must also have misgivings about your arrival in our world."

Seto was quiet for a minute. "What makes you think that I'll be any more open to listening than Yugi would have – or that I'm not one of the hero archetypes that you hate so much?"

Voldemort's laugh was cold. "Our mutual friend and I have been keeping an eye on you for a while now. You are not the kind to jump headfirst into danger without a solution. We both know you run on strategy, not impulse."

Seto huffed impatiently. "Yeah? Even if I lived completely on the fly, it doesn't mean I'd believe what you have to say."

"You say that," said Voldemort, "But we both know that is not the case. If you had no desire to listen to me, then you wouldn't be sitting here. Like the last two days, you would have stayed in the other corner of the room, surrounded by the books and the evening fire, set to ignore my attempts to converse with you."

Seto drummed his fingers along the edge of the table. "You're running in circles and I'm getting tired of it," he said, "We've already established I'm not sitting here for the food, so either answer my questions without dragging it out or go."

Voldemort chuckled again. "Well aren't you demanding today…." He turned slightly towards one of the two sentries at the door and held up a hand. One of the guards sidled forward and dropped a small black pouch onto Voldemort's outstretched palm before resuming his stance at the door.

He looked back to Seto. "I trust Dumbledore told the both of you that it was I you needed protection from?"

Seto raised an eyebrow and waved a hand around at the room. "Considering where I ended up, he couldn't have been too far off the mark."

"You have been watched long before my spies learned of the Millennium Items. Perhaps it is not I you need to fear."

Voldemort raised his brow, clasped his hands together around the black pouch and leaned back in his seat.

Seto's eyes narrowed at the bag. "What is that?"

"The truth," said Voldemort. "But I will not continue unless you finish your plate."

"I'm not hungry."

"A lie," Voldemort sneered. "It's been almost three days."

Seto glared. "You knew I wasn't going to eat that, and you can't force me to do it either. What are you going to do, have one of them shove it down my throat if I just sit here?" He jerked his head towards the two guarding the door. "You already said once before that you weren't going to hold this over me at wandpoint. And if that was actually a lie, then I have no reason to believe that anything you have said or will say is the truth."

"I also did not expect you to pull this stunt for almost three days," Voldemort countered. "The rules of our little game have changed."

"What difference does it make in the end?" Seto seethed. He splayed his hands across the top of the table and shot to his feet angrily.

One of the two Death Eaters started forward, drawing his wand from his robes, but halted halfway into the room at Voldemort's raised hand.

"What am I even doing this for?" said Seto, "If all you wanted was to talk to me, you could have gone through a lot less trouble by just showing up in Domino during one of the multiple trips home I took in the first term. You certainly didn't have any trouble traveling to Japan to harass Ishizu Ishtar.

"It's clear that you want something else. What are you going to do if I don't give it to you – torture me until I give in? You've already threatened me once with the Shadow Magus, and he hasn't picked his way through my brain yet. So either you're the one holding him up, or he's not really here."

"Oh, the Shadow Magus is here," said Voldemort shortly, "I imagine at this moment he is occupied with your counterpart. But if you don't believe me, I can always summon him. Perhaps I should, it might convince you to cooperate."

"Cooperate with what?" Seto raged. "You haven't demanded anything."

Voldemort stayed seated and looked up at him calmly. "Why do you think I want you healthy?"

"I have no idea," Seto snapped, "Like the terms of this entire evening, this is all a sick game that you play to win."

Voldemort tilted his head back. "You are a strategist, Seto Kaiba. Why aren't you playing to win?"

"We both know there is no way for me to win this game."

"Ah – is that so?" Voldemort gestured at the table. "Your point of view is naturally limited by your anger at me and your current position. Look at this from a different perspective."

Seto exhaled loudly and crossed his arms.

"Yes – we are playing a game. I want you to keep yourself alive –"

"—Only until it's convenient for you to get what you ultimately want from me."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes. "Do not interrupt me. There are indeed a number of reasons for why you are here. I will win the game by getting them. You may choose to play in two ways. You may do what I have asked of you for the time being – to keep yourself well – or you can weaken your mind and body through starvation. How much longer do you think you can honestly hold out in this way? If I am forced to use potions to keep you off Death's door, then I will have won, and will use magic to extract what I want from you."

He pointed a bony finger towards the mostly-untouched plate. "What I want is to show you the big picture. This war is a game. And we are not the only players. Put the terms of this evening's talk aside. What was the first question you had for me?"

Seto eyed Voldemort warily. "You said someone else was looking into us."

Voldemort nodded slowly. "I did. And it is the truth. I may be holding you here against your will, Seto Kaiba, but I am not your true enemy."

Seto snorted. "Oh, no? Kidnapping isn't a crime in the Wizarding World? Then I suppose Dumbledore was lying when he said you were after the Millennium Items."

Voldemort chuckled. "Those will come to me in time. But this…" he held up the small bag, "will put the war in a new light. That is what I want you to see."

"That won't win me this 'game'," said Seto, "As I see it, the only way to win is to survive – to completely defy every advance you make to get what you want, which will inevitably result in a loss, or to hold out long enough to escape." He nodded his head towards the door. "And you already said that I won't get out of this room."

"Then why not learn as much as you can? Perhaps winning this game is not necessarily your escape, but taking on the fight from a new angle? After all, how did you put it? Ah – 'I might as well get something out of this?'"

"If that's some bastardized way of asking me to join your side, then you're crazier than I initially thought."

Voldemort studied him for several minutes before unfolding his hands and dropped the little velvet bag next to Seto's food. He nodded towards the empty chair at the end of the table. "Open it."

Seto raised an eyebrow, but didn't make any move towards the bag. "What's in there?"

Voldemort shook his head. "That defeats the point of finding out on your own."

Seto looked wary. "I thought you were going to force-feed me before you revealed your so-called trump card."

"I did," said Voldemort, "But I have a feeling that we will soon be having a much larger discussion, and dinner this evening will end up running far later than the both of us expect."

"I doubt that," Seto muttered as he sat back down and picked up the bag. It was very light, but he felt something small through the fabric. Whatever it was, it would easily fit into the palm of his hand. How this was supposed to prove that there were other players in the Wizarding War was beyond him.

With a sigh, he turned the bag over and dumped the contents into his open hand.

An Orichalcos stone dropped out.