Disclaimer – Yu Yu Hakusho, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Ronin Warriors (a.k.a. Yoroiden: Samurai Troopers) and all related characters, events, and concepts belong to their respective owners. I get no monetary benefit from this. My benefit is the enjoyment of dealing with beloved characters. If you recognize him/her/it, I don't own him/her/it. If you don't recognize, I might still not be the owner but it'd be best to ask. I'd appreciate it, anyway. ((grin))

"The Spellfire Saga – 1: Shards"
by DragonDancer5150

Chapter 37 – Broken

An iridescent blue-white mist swept across the field – "As long as this card remains face-up on the field, the control of all monsters on the field returns to the original owners" – its power seeping into the minds of each one present, lifting the fog of control from those not acting of their own free wills. Those still conscious blinked in confusion, then growing horror, as the shard's control slid from their minds. At the same time, a gentle drizzle fell for a moment from the canopy of twisting Shadows – "Increases the Life Points of both players by 1000 points" – and everyone across the battlefield felt a healing power soak into them with the rainwater. Sohma Chikara shrieked with the shard's fury, the cry deteriorating almost instantly into a wretched sobbing groan as the young man lost consciousness. It was all Rajura could do to keep himself from catching the teen, forced to let the body fall where it stood for fear of the shard attempting to take control of his Armor again with the contact.

The two non-Ronins, however, had no such fear. "Dude, catch him!" Otogi yelped in surprise at the Ronins' inactivity as Jonouchi darted forward to comply. Naaza stopped him.

"Hey, what's the big idea, snake-eyes?"

Naaza ignored the insult. "Kurama-kun's already told you! The boy's possession is due to something built into the breastplate of his armor. It seeks our Armors and will attempt to possess us if we touch him. It may well do the same to you even though you are not a Ronin Armor-bearer, just as it did Sohma-kun."

"Well, that's just great!" Jonouchi groused, tugging free of Naaza's hold. "Whadda we do now, then?"

8 8 8 8 8

Honda and Shizuka had watched the whole ordeal silently from several paces behind Jonouchi and Otogi. The young girl clung to Honda's arm, frightened by all the powers she had just witnessed. "There must be something they can do! Right, Honda-san?"

Honda shrugged and shook his head with a grimace, watching as Duel Monsters around the field slowly began to stand down – Kaiba's attacking Blue-Eyes returned to his summoner's side, Mai's remaining Harpie Lady Sister gently set a grumbling woman on her feet before doing the same, and Little Wing Guard released his hold on Keiko and shifted in front to stand guard as Dark Bat set down Jun before flapping over to hover by Otogi's shoulder. Kuwabara, Other Yugi, and the young woman with them flanked a blinking Kuriboh crouched on his Defense-position card hovering protectively in front of Shu's Shadowy bubble. But . . . who was the quiet woman standing off to Kuwabara's left? She was too still and calm to be a real person, not with all the craziness going on right before her eyes. Honda decided she must be a Duel Monster, but he had never seen her before. She must be one of Mai's new cards.

8 8 8 8 8

Kaiba did not know who this "Kurama" was that the snake-armored fighter mentioned, but he was quite tired of all this talk of possession and other so-called magic. First the Rare Hunters and this Malik person playing him and his tournament for fools, then Yugi and his "Other-Yugi-pharaoh-spirit," then Jonouchi, and Urameshi, then . . . Kaiba shook his head with a growl. "If you people are finished dancing over there, I believe we still have fight on our hands – or can someone tell me where all these force fields are coming from?" Without bothering to let someone answer, he drew for his turn, punching the card into a spell/trap slot in his Duel Disk.

The force fields dropped, one after the other in rapid succession.

Kaiba stood blinking in shock for a moment, then saw Yugi turn to him.

"Kaiba?"

Equally startled, Kaiba shook his head as those who had been imprisoned began to recover.

8 8 8 8 8

Kuwabara dismissed his sword with a thought and darted from the spirit's side to Yukina's as the girl pushed to her knees, one hand going to her head, then dropping to her collarbone where the supernaturally-enhanced cut had healed by Rain of Mercy's effect. "Yukina-san?"

The gentle Ice Maiden glanced up, then turned away. "N-no . . . "

The sight of the shame burning in her ruby eyes tore at the big man's heart, and he gathered her into his arms. "Yukina-san, no. That wasn't you. I know it wasn't." He held her close as she stiffened, then collapsed into his embrace, sobbing softly. From several yards away, Hiei watched in silence.

8 8 8 8 8

Yusuke was having no such misgivings, or if he were, they were buried under something else. "Stupid armor! Stupid shard! STUPID – !" Kurama moved to calm him as his fists clenched in wordless promise to pummel the worthless life out of something, anything! Behind him, he heard Kaiba chuckle in cool amusement at his tantrum, and saw Kurama throw him a cold glare of warning. Then, Keiko was in his arms, violent shudders wracking her slender frame.

8 8 8 8 8

Anubisu gazed at Ryo, his reaction closer to Yukina's than Urameshi's. "Wildfire . . . gods, I'm sorry! Are you all right?"

Ryo sheathed his sword, leaned over to the other, grabbed and sheathed it, and pushed to his feet, offering Anubisu a warm smile and a hand up. "Yeah, no sweat. Hey, you and the others used to dish out a lot worse back when we were enemies for real. I think I'll survive this one." He pulled Anubisu to his feet, who returned the grin with a tentative smile of his own. Ryo nodded, glanced across the field several yards to where Rajura, Naaza, Jonouchi and his black-haired friend still stood, braced and ready, over an unconscious Sohma, and grimaced. "Anyway, Armor back up, Anubisu. Our fight's not over yet. Hey, Shu, Armor up!"

"To arms! Glacier!"

8 8 8 8 8

Nasutei stood trembling a little in spite of herself, surprised that the fight seemed to be over so abruptly. A groan behind her had her spinning to Shu, even as the spirit backed up to him, leaving the creature she had heard him name Kuriboh to guard. Shu had pushed up to hands and knees but had not gathered himself further, chin tucked to his chest. She could guess what must be going through his mind, about having been controlled so thoroughly through his Armor, but then her thoughts went as well to Shuten, her husband, for whom the torment of that experience must be at least as bad. She stood torn between them, but then she met the spirit's eye. He gave her a nod of reassurance – go on, he would handle this – and she dashed across the grass and into her shame-grieving husband's arms.

8 8 8 8 8

Yugi manifested from his soul room, crouching to look into Shu's face even as the warrior turned away from the spirit's approach, unable to face him. -Shu-kun . . . - Yugi murmured softly, tender heart hurting for him. -Nakama.-

The spirit nodded to him, then addressed the Ronin. "Take up your weapon, Shu Rei Fuan. You have nothing to be ashamed of. The dishonor is not yours to bear." His tone was firm but gentle, as Yugi knew that his other self could understand what Shu must be thinking.

Shu cringed from the voice, then made himself turn and meet the other's eyes. Finally taking his Armor orb in hand, he let its energies wash back over him and solidify – and the spirit took a step back in mild shock, realizing that this was what he had sensed the other day. With the sub-Armor on, Shu startled to see a ghostly Yugi knelt and gazing at him with an encouraging grin. As with Yukina, Yugi watched him turn quickly away, the shame burning through him clearly written on his face.

Yugi frowned and pushed to be heard as he had done with Urameshi and Hashiba that afternoon. [Shu-kun, no! Please don't be like that. I know that's not how you feel. Don't let that shard's evil make you think you've done anything wrong.] Gods, but had he not just had this conversation about an hour ago? Yugi shook his head to dispel the thought and stood, gesturing for Shu to do the same. [Come on, Shu-kun. Your team still needs you.]

The spirit gave him a hand up. Shu hesitated, looking between the two before nodding reluctantly and backing from them a few steps.

"To arms! Hardrock!"

8 8 8 8 8

Seiji, too, had to be encouraged by his teammates to take up his Sword of Halo once again, too keenly reminded of his capture and manipulation by the youkai sorcerer Shikaisen not even a month ago, and the feelings of powerlessness and disgrace from that experience with which he still struggled. Nevertheless, the weapon's blade shone brightly as his fingers closed around the hilt, as though Halo itself sought to comfort and reassure its bearer. A small, weary smile tugged at Seiji's lips.

8 8 8 8 8

The spirit approached alongside Shu to rejoin the rest of the group, Yugi on one side and Kuriboh floating on his card a half-dozen feet ahead on the other. The sight of Yugi's soul and his body side-by-side drew initial double takes from most of those with the ability to see – the Ronins and Kuwabara. Kurama seemed unfazed, and Urameshi had seen him once already.

The youkai swordsman regarded the two a moment longer, then looked around at the company and grunted. "So, what do we do with him?" He gestured with his katana at Sohma, other hand rubbing his shoulder.

"We gotta get that breastplate off him," Hashiba asserted, "before he wakes up."

Honda had stepped up to his friends' side with Shizuka. "How? None of you guys can do it or you risk having your armors taken over, and the rest of us don't dare either because we might have our minds taken over like his was."

The boy the spirit recognized by description as Jun had darted to Seiji for initial comfort, but he had apparently recovered enough to be listening to the conversation. The spirit watched him peer around the field at everyone present. "Um . . . guys? What about him?" He pointed at Jonouchi's Gearfried the Iron Knight.

Seiji tightened the arm he had draped around the boy's shoulders. "Hey, cool, Jun! I think you may be onto something." Jun looked up, a huge grin on his face at the Ronin's praise.

Mai stood with her arms folded, hand cards still ready in her fingers. "Well, whatever you boys are going to do, you'd better do it. And hurry. If he managed to resist my Remove Brainwashing somehow, I for one don't have anything else in my Deck that can make up for it if he wakes up and we have to continue."

The spirit nodded. "Jonouchi, have Gearfried remove the breastplate if he can."

"You got it, Yug!" Jonouchi looked up at his knight. "Well, buddy, you heard the man. Go for it!"

Gearfried's eyes burned with a faint flash of acknowledgment, and he stooped to obey. The Monster's supernatural strength easily tore the leather straps holding the body of the ancient suit together, and he stood with the breastplate in hand. Another dig of fingers peeled the outer layer from the rest, exposing a fist-sized chuck of black metal glimmering darkly in the unnatural "light" of the Shadow clouds still roofing the soccer field.

All nine Ronins reacted in unison, backpedaling a step and clutching at their helms for an instant as a wave of hatred and fury assaulted them, vile whispers clawing at them.

You cannot escape me! I am a part of each of you. You are each a part of me! Deceive yourselves as long as you can, but it changes nothing! The Armors you bear may have been restrained by implanted Virtues, but their cores are still of Evil. No matter the Good you think you can do, that Evil will consume your minds and hearts, wither your souls from your bodies. Accept your fate! So long as the Armors exist, so long as there are dark emotions in the human heart, Arago will never be gone!

Everyone on the field sensed the impressions, felt the pounding thoughts thundering through their minds, and none were left unaffected – nor could they ignore the sense of an even greater power in the background, listening, waiting, biding its time.

Then, Ryo laughed – a soft, sardonic chuckle, almost like a tiger's growl low in his throat. "You know, if I didn't already know any better, I still would've guessed you're a part of that demon. You sound just like him. But let me tell you something, shard of Arago – that speech was old and outdated more than a year ago. You're wrong about us. So long as we remember our guiding Virtues, our Armors will never fail us or humanity. We are the Ronin Warriors, and we've sworn to protect this world from the likes of you, and we'll never give up. We won't lose, no matter what. You can count on it!"

Urameshi folded his arms with a snort of mild annoyance. "Chh, and here I thought protecting the Human Realm was my job."

Kurama allowed a grin at that. "Well, it's not as though we couldn't use the help, Yusuke, especially considering that out there somewhere is still that 'great collection of evil forces' Ishizu warned us about."

The spirit startled, exchanging discreet glances with Anzu. They've spoken with Ishizu? She mentioned no such evils to me . . .

Perhaps, purred the voice of the shard, but you still cannot deny me. The form of the Armors can be changed, but they cannot be destroyed . . . and neither can I.

Hashiba had been silent throughout, finally nodding at that. "Maybe not, but I think there's something we might be able to do to neutralize you."

At a gesture, the Nine huddled up several yards removed from Gearfried and the shard, conversing silently across their Armor links. Those not included could read the brief debate on their faces, but soon enough they came to a decision.

Shuten met Jonouchi's eye as the Nine approached once again. "How high can your monster throw the shard?"

Feh, and what good do you think that will do you, Ronin Warrior?

Jonouchi shrugged, looking thoughtfully at Gearfried, but Otogi spoke up first. "I can have my Dark Bat fly it up. How high do you need it?"

Sanada grunted, "High enough that when our attacks hit it, we don't risk blowing away all of you guys."

8 8 8 8 8

W-WHAT? the shard thundered, and the company staggered with the efforts to throw off the thing's desperate, renewed attempts to dominate one of them, any of them. Kuwabara saw pharaoh-possessed Mutou scowl, then startled to feel him pour more power into the energies surrounding the company.

"We have you figured out, you vile thing," Shin growled. "You were splintered off from the rest before Kaosu was done, so you're a portion without a Virtue. Well, we'll give you one! We'll give you nine – right through our super attacks!"

"Touma-kun, your bow." Nasutei returned to her friend the folded recurve she had been guarding. He received it with a word of thanks and a clear confusion in his eyes – how in the hells did she come to be in possession of the Heavens Bow?

"My friends, wait!" the spirit called as the Ronins circled up and Otogi directed Dark Bat to take the breastplate from Gearfried.

"What? You got a better idea?" Kuwabara challenged. He had backed himself and Yukina well away from the gathered fighters, as had Yusuke and Kurama with Keiko and Nasutei. Hiei stood his ground, and Jun had run to duck behind Jonouchi and his Little Wing Guard, while Shizuru watched from the edges, interest hinting in her eyes as she lit a cigarette and settled back to watch. Honda had slipped his arms around Shizuka in comfort and protection, Otogi throwing him a mild glare but already occupied and unable to comfort the girl himself.

8 8 8 8 8

The spirit took them all in before returning his attention to Kuwabara, then Sanada and his teammates. "I have not, but let me conclude one thing before you do this, Ronin Warriors." He closed his eyes, one hand going to the Puzzle. He had poured more power into the Shadows and thus into his partners in this Game, the energies helping to block the attacks on their minds, robbing the enemy of its final weapon. Shadows, hear me! The opponent is captured, no longer able to fight. There are no more moves it can make in this Game. Checkmate. He held his breath even as he held his heart strong against his own misgivings. He did not want the Shadow Game still in play when the Ronins did what they had planned, wary of what effect the mixing of such powerful and different energies would have in interference with one another – not to mention the toll it would take on Otogi still to be connected to his Monster when Dark Bat fell before the combined onslaught of their attacks. However, the spirit dared not cancel the energies without the Game being properly recognized as "won," as the Shadows might count that a forfeit on his part, and he shuddered to think what might be the consequence, the Penalty, to himself and his friends in such a case.

The spirit breathed a faint sigh of relief with the sensation that flowed through him. The Shadows were appeased.

He opened his eyes – amethyst tinged with crimson – and locked a glare on the chunk of black metal bound to the plate of boiled leather in Dark Bat's claws. "It's finished. You have lost, shard of Arago. Game Over!"

The enclosure of purple-black Shadows broke and dissipated at the declaration, giving way to a star-filled sky. Those with the ability to perceive gasped at the sensation of a power infusing them, unnoticed until its release. They turned to gaze at the spirit in expressions ranging from confusion and curiosity to shock and distrust.

The spirit shook his head, still focused on the shard. Now was not the time for explanation. "Normally, at the end of a Shadow Game, it is my role to ensure punishment of the offender for their injustice by the invocation of a Penalty Game . . . but this one I defer to those with more right to you than I have." He gave a grim nod to the Ronin Warriors.

Ryo nodded in return, a feral grin tugging at his lips. "With pleasure. Ronin Warriors, to arms!"

"To arms!" the others chorused, weapons ready.

"Twin Flame Cut!"

"Superwave Smash!"

"Ironrock Crush!"

"Vacuum Shockwave!"

"Thunderbolt Cut!"

"Red Lightning Chains!"

"Leaping Darkness Slash!"

"Spiderweb Cast!"

"Snakefang Strike!"

Author's Note: Please be sure to check my bio page for any updates, etc. Thanks!