A Song from the Divines

by TheSingingSword

The story of a boy named Yuri, who is taken from all that he knows and loves into a world where he must rule as High King and wield the God Cards to bring peace to the continent of Termnnia, torn apart by civil war and a cult of religious fanatics. But his task will not be an easy one, for he is surrounded by foes looking to take away his crown by any means necessary. [AU-Fantasy]

158. Part 3: House Dragonheart

Two Days After the Death of Prince Yuri

---

"Faster you damn thing! Faster!" Yami Yugi shouted at his steed. He kicked his poor mare so many times that his spurs were red with its blood. He even unfastened his horse's armor piece by piece in an attempt to gain more speed. The three moons in the sky bathed the world in an eerie shade of silver and red. The stars in The Void twinkled with urgency as though they pleaded for Yami to hurry and succeed with his mission. He turned his head to see if his pursuers were still behind him.

All he could see were the trees, the stream, the mountains, the road, and anything else the moonlight touched. Other than that, it was pure darkness. He was a fool to think he outran them.

"They're gone!" Yugi said in ghostly form behind Yami. He was a fool to think he outran them. From the Red Wood they emerged like two flaming comets. The infamous Dueling mercenaries. The Paradox Brothers who were twin Eldoris with tan skin and bald heads. They riding atop of Nightmares; large warhorses with burning eyes and manes and tails of flame. They were both outfitted in sleek armored coats furlined in black. The steel plating was engraved and rubies twinkled in the flames of their mounts.

"It is over Yugi Muto, just give us the boy!" shouted Para.

Yami looked at his lap. There was someone asleep and hanging over it. Ther figure was naked underneath and wrapped in a blanket of white.

Yami held out his hand and unleashed a cloud of smoke from his palms with flaming embers dancing in the smog. The Nightmares cried out in shock, rearing up to their hind legs as Yami took off.

Para laughed and gave a mighty clap of his hands to create a fierce wind that blew Yami's diversion spell away.

"He wants to do this the hard way, brother!" said Dox, activating a chaos Duel Disk.

"Indeed he does," Para said activating his. "Now, let us go and defeat him so we may claim our dowry."

Yugi saw them from the distace.

"It looks like they're ready to Duel," he said.

"That's the only way they can win the child," Yami responded. He galloped off the road and followed a river into the valley. It was his last hope to outrun them, but the Paradox Brothers were too smart for that.

"We can't let them have him!" said Yugi.

"They won't," Yami declared activating his Duel Disk, morphing it from the right vambrace of his armor. "This Duel will be very dangerous, but it will distract them long enough until help arrives. Fools that they are, we're almost at the border."

"YUGI!" someone shouted from the top of the valley. Yami looked up and saw another rider in the light of the moon.

"Serenity!" Yami cried in joy.

"Sorry, Joey and the others got caugth up back there with Marik."

"I'll need all the help I can get," said Yami.

"Ah, another foe, now is the time!" said Para.

"You take the girl," said Dox. "Yugi is mine!"

Flaming wings sprouted from Para's Nightmare. It soared to the top of the valley and then stopped beside Serenity and Honey, her Gold Emboldorian Mare.

"Duel!" he shouted.

Serenity held out her arm. The bracelet she wore twinkled and formed into a gemmed white Duel Disk trimmed with gold.

Para and Dox-8000 LP

Serenity and Yami-8000 LP

"I shall begin!" said Para.

"What happened to ladies first!" Serenity shouted.

"I do not care," said Para. "I place two cards face down, ending my turn!"

Serenity drew, thought it was difficult to do, for she never Dueled on horseback before. "I place one card face down," said she. "And then I summon The Black Stone of Legend."

"Ha!" laughed Para. "Your little egg does not frighten me!"

"Well, he won't be an egg for long, because my egg is going to hatch and become Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"

A ball of flames erupted over Serenity and her horse forming a Red-Eyes Black Dragon with flaming wings.

ATK/2400 DEF/2000

LV 7

Para braced himself as the beast was commanded to attack him directly. The Black Flare Dragon heaved a jet of molten flames at him. Para held out his hand to form a barrier, so as to shield him and his horse from the blast. If he was to be dehorsed he would lose the Duel automatically. Though his ward shielded him from the attack his Life Points still fell to 5600.

"I end my turn!" Serenity declared. "Had enough?"

"Hurk!" went Para. "She has the Red-Eyes, brother!"

"She is of House Wheeler, remember?" said Dox, through a headpiece. "Stay calm and we can win this! Master Marik will reward us with a castle for defeating Yugi Muto and a member of House Wheeler!"

"Yes, brother of course! It is your move!"

"Indeed, but I shall pass, brother! On to you, Yugi."

"Very well," Yami shouted. His horse leaped over a fallen log. "I play the Spell Card, Terra Forming. Now I search for a Field Spell Card from my deck and add it to my hand!" And next,

Yami's deck magically did the searching for him. The card he desired flew gracefully into his hand. Then it shuffled itself and returned to the deck slot in his Duel Disk. "And next," he continued, "I discard a card from my hand to summon Apprentice Illusion Magician in attack mode!"

The pretty mage burst into the field and winked, thinking she had the same kind of beauty as the Dark Magician Girl.

ATK/2000 DEF/1700

LV 6

"And now I will play my field card, Secret Village of the Spelcasters. While this card is out, if I control a Spellcaster and you don't, then you cannot activate any spell cards, Paradox Brothers! And since you left yourself wide open for an attack, Dox,"

"NO!" cried Dox.

"Attack!" Yami shouted.

Apprentice Illusion Magician flipped gracefully and aimed her staff at Para, blasting him with 2000 points of damage.

Para and Dox-3600 LP

Serenity and Yam-8000 LP

"So far, you've been nothing but a waste of time," said Yami. "I place two cards face down. Ending my turn."

"You just wait!" shouted Para. "We have not even started yet. My turn it is! I activate Card Destruction! Now we destroy our hands and draw anew!"

He smirked when he got his cards.

"And the tides have turned for a Pendulum Summon I will do!"

"What?" said Serenity. "Pendulum Summon!"

"It's a new form of summoning the youngsters do nowadays," said Yami. "Hold on, this can get really bad."

"Oh it will," said Dox. "Brother, show them what you can do!"

"Oh yes," said Para. "I Pendulum Summon the Wisdom-Eye Magician and the Dragon Pit Magician. The scales are set. Now come forth my beasts, Kazejin, Suijin, and Sanga of the Thunder!"

"Yugi, how?" Serenity cried out in shock. "There's no way he can summon all those powerful monsters like that!"

"I'm afraid that's the power of Pendulum Summoning, Serenity!" Yami called out from below the valley.

"But, that's not fair!" Serenity shouted.

"You have played traditionally for far too long," said Para. "And now my three beasts will be gone, for the sacrifice is complete."

Sanga, Kazejin, and Suijin merged together and created one of the most fierce monsters in the game.

"Come forth!" shouted Dox.

"Gate Guardian!" shouted Para.

The behemoth let out a deep bellow while it hovered over their horses.

ATK/3750 DEF/3400

LV11

"Behold the awesome power of our mightiest monster! One of the few creatures in Duel Monsters who have no equal!"

"It's okay, Serenity!" Yami shouted. "Joey and I defeated that monster before. It may seem powerful now, but if we work together we can slay their beast."

"Okay!" Serenity cried.

Her Dark Flare Dragon was pulverized by the Gate Guardian. Her horse was almost knocked over from the impact. Her steed gave a powerful bound to the valley below to join Yami.

"Are you all right!" Yami shouted.

"I am," Serenity replied, trying to catch her breath. "But our Life Points don't look so good."

Para and Dox-3650 LP

Serenity and Yami-6650 LP

"It's all right," said Yami. "We're still in the lead-LOOK OUT!"

Para's Nightmare gained wings again and soared to the valley to join the Duel. Gate Guardian bellowed again following its master obediently.

"We're half in half," said Dox. "A close game indeed."

"You'd best prepare or you will soon bleed!" said Para.

"It's your turn, Serenity!" said Yami. "What can you do?"

"Um...let me see. I...I don't know, Yugi."

"Don't panic, remember what Joey taught you. Please, sweetheart, our friend is counting on us."

Serenity looked at the unconscious boy on Yugi's lap.

"Oh yeah, now I remember. Look out, Para, I'm going to kick you butt!"

"That's it!" said Yami. "You can do this!"

"Ha! A bluff!" said Dox. "Our Gate Guardian is the strongest creature on the field. There is nothing in your pathetic decks that can defeat him."

"Wanna bet," sneered Serenity. "First, I play the spell, Red-Eyes Insight! Which allows me to add this. Red-Eyes Fusion, which I will activate fusing one of my Red-Eyes Black Dragons and a Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact to become, Meteor Black Comet Dragon!"

A twinkle from the heavens announced the coming of Serenity's monsters. It sped towards them, faster than a bullet from a gun. The dragon appeared and spread its flaming wings, lighting up the night in its cosmic flames.

ATK/3500 DEF/2000

LV 8

"Great work, Serenity!" Yami gave her a thumbs up.

"Thank you, Yugi!"

"Impressive monster," said Dox. "But his power pales in comparison to our Gate Guardian!"

"Yes, but you will still be taking damage thanks to the special ability of Serenity's dragon!" said Yami.

"That's right," said Serenity. "From my deck, I discard a Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon to the Graveyard. And then I will burn you for half of its attack points! Since my Black Flare Dragon has 2400 attack points you take 1200 points of damage."

Meteor Black Comet Dragon spread its wings and unleashed a rain of fire on the Paradox Brothers. Their Life Points dropped to 2450.

"We've almost got them, Serenity!" said Yami. "Good work! Yuri would be proud."

"That's right! I know Yuri may be gone from this world, but friends never leave each other. Our bond is so strong that not even death can rip us apart. I know Yuri, Rose, and Gabrielle are watching me from the Gardens of the Goddesses. They give me strength. I hope you two creeps are ready to quit, because I've got more hurt coming your way."

"There will be no time," said Dox. "For soon, this Duel will be mine! Using my brother's Pendulum Scales I shall summon Gene-Warped Warwolf! (ATK/2000 DEF/100 LV 4) Monster Tamer! (ATK/1800 DEF/1600 LV 5) and Ushi-Oni! (ATK/2150 DEF/1950 LV 6)"

"Well done, brother!" Para complimented with a look of utter joy on his face. Victory was so close he could taste it.

"Of course, I Duel like no other! Once our Gate Guardian destroys your pathetic dragon, you will be left wide open for an attack. The combined strength of our monsters will wipe you out!"

"Yugi!" Serenity cried. "There's nothing I can do!"

Gate Guardian formed a ball of lightning in between his hands and launched it at the dragon. The blast almost knocked Serenity off her horse. Yami had to grab the child on his lap to keep him from falling off.

"Is he okay?" Serenity shouted, trying to stay on her horse.

"He's fine! And so is your dragon!"

From the smoke, three glowing purple chains slithered towards Gate Guardian and wrapped around his body.

"What?" shouted Para.

"How can this be?" shouted Dox.

"I activated my card, Time Chain," said Yami. "This trap has also bound Serenity's dragon. Now, for two turns your Gate Guardian and our Meteor Black Comet Dragon will remain out of play."

"Fine!" said Dox. "But your pretty little mage will not remain for long! I will attack you instead!"

"Don't be so sure of that," Yami chuckled confidently. "I activate my second face-down card. Magician Navigation!"

Serenity beamed. "I remember that!"

Dark Magician and another Apprentice Illusion Magician both appeared on the field.

"Brother, don't attack!" pleased Para. "Apprentice Illusion Magician can boost the attack and defense by 2000!"

"Blast! I end my turn! But you will not be so lucky next time! To end my turn I play the card, Graceful Charity. Now I draw three cards and discard two. Perfect. Mystical Space Typhoon will destroy Yugi's Time Chain. Now our Gate Guardian and the Comet Dragon are back on the field!"

"With our monster free, you are both powerless to stop us!" said Dox.

"Indeed!" said Para. "Just give up!"

"I don't think so!" said Yami. "For I shall perform an Xyz Summon! I shall overlay my two Apprentice Illusion Magician. Come forth from the magical realm, great sorceress of the shadows! Grace the field with your elegance and cast my foes asunder with your beauty and strength! Magi Magi * Magician Girl!"

A pink arcane circle designed with hearts floated above Yami. Then emerged a beautiful magician who resembled the Dark Magician Girl. Her gear was darker and her hair silvery blonde and eyes glowing violet. She twirled lustfully and blew a kiss to the Paradox Brothers.

ATK/2400 DEF/2000

LV 6

"You think you can scare us with pretty little girls, Yugi!" said Para. "Our Gate Guardian is far too powerful to be destroyed by the likes of her!"

"Your Gate Guardian is not going to be my magician girl's adversary," said Yami. "For once I remove an Xyz material from her, I can banish a card from my hand and take control of your monster for one turn!"

"NO!" shouted Para and Dox.

Magi Magi Magician Girl blew a delightful kiss at the Gate Guardian. The kiss hypnotized him and he floated towards her. Hearts coming out left and right for he fell under her spell.

"Gate Guardian, Meteor Black Comet Dragon, Magi Magi Magician Girl and Dark Magician attack!"

All four monsters annihilated the Paradox Brothers. They yelped as their horses flipped, knocking them off and tossing them into the air with a flip before they fell on the ground.

"We did it, Yugi!" said Serenity. "We did it!"

A roar interrupted Serenity's joy.

"Serenity, look out!"

Yami's warning was far too late. They were both struck by a fierce gale from the wings of a horrible dragon. The wind knocked them off their horses and they fell to the ground, skipping and rolling violently. Serenity smashed her head on a rock and was knocked out. Yami felt a great pain in his left leg. He examined his wound and saw bone poking out of the chainmail under her greave.

"Damn!" groaned Yami.

"Pharoah!" cried Yugi. "Are you okay?"

The wings of the dragon silenced him. It was a Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, one of the most hideous creatures Yami and Yugi had ever seen. The boy Yami tried to protect was but a crawl away from him. Yami attempted to save him, but the dragon created a wall of flames that separated him from the child.

"NO!" Yami bellowed.

Someone waddled towards the light of the flames. Someone very small. "You can't trust mercenaries to do anything, can you?"

"Peter! Peter Dragonheart!" Yami cried out.

The man ailing from dwarfism revealed himself by the sickly green flames created by his dragon. "I am sorry, Master Yu-Gi-Oh," Peter looked down at him with a face ridden with guilt. "I had hoped you would escape before we found you, but it seems you were not quick enough."

Two knights in tactical armor and guns confidently walked from the shadows and into the light of the flames.

"I will see he is taken care of. Antilles will not influence him, I promise you."

"Peter!" shouted Yami.

"Take the boy," Peter commanded. "Careful. Don't hurt him, if you please."

One of the tactical knights aimed his ACR at Yami.

"What do we do with them, My Lord?"

"Leave them," said Peter. "They may prove quite useful in the future."

"But Antilles..."

"Is in his chambers back in the Spire of the Kings. So long as you are with me you follow my orders. Don't shoot them or my Starving Venom Fusion Dragon is going to have a snack before we get back."

"Understood, My Lord."

"I am sorry, for your trouble," said Peter. He tossed a scroll at Yami.

Yami could only watch helplessly as Termnnia's only hope was placed on the back of the dragon. It took off and disappeared into the night.

---

Present

---

Alexandra

---

A knock on the door disrupted her slumber, but it was an awakening that was long overdue as the rooster stopped crowing hours ago. The arms of the golden clock beside the nightstand of the gratuitously large bed of the Emperor's right-hand read the hour.

Afi's arm pointed at One and her sister, Afa, pointed down at the Six.

The pounding continued.

Knock, knock, knock! Who's there in the name of Zorc! Alexandra pondered in her head. More knocking and this time it sounded urgent. Knock, knock, knock! who's there in the other devil's name?

"Who in blazes is it now?" Antilles Dragonheart grumbled while he tossed the sheets off himself, uncovering Alexandra, who was still in shock to learn she hatched from one of the mysterious golden eggs of Andelera. Now she knew why her uncle groomed her since she was young to start bedding him. He wanted to keep his bloodline pure now that he was right-hand of the Emperor. And she was the key to 'purifying' his bloodline which was muddled from the constant marriages his House was forced to make when they lost the Diamond Throne in the rebellion decades ago.

Alexandra shivered when the cold air caressed her skin. Antilles shushed her and drew the blanket over her. "Go back to sleep, my sweet," he said, tying the rope of his burgundy silk robe around his waist. He opened the door with a furious swing. "What is it!" he snapped. He looked around and saw no one.

"Down here you fool," said Peter Dragonheart, the Imperial Treasurer of Rassay. He was dressed in robes of bright white underneath a layer of polished white armor with blue neon lights forming decorative patterns on the surface. Holographic ornaments hovered over the armor pieces displaying the sigil of the empire; House Dragonheart; and the Imperial Treasury which was a red dragon guarding a hoard of gold coins.

Peter turned his head to the left and saw Alexandra in bed.

"You licentious freak!" Peter said shaking his head. He was still not used to this. Even if she wasn't truly his niece, she was still family.

"Mind your own business, brother," sneered Antilles, shutting the door behind him. "This does not concern you."

"I have every right for this to concern me," said Peter. "She is my niece!"

"Not by blood she's not. I found her. I hatched her from her egg. She is mine. And no others!"

"I see, the King of Dragonrock's little playmate."

"How dare you, Peter? She is the key to our family's legacy. The offspring she will produce will be pure Dragonheart."

"I don't care for your plans, brother, I bring urgent news from the South."

"Alliance Territory?" Antilles asked.

"It seems Lady Avi is the next person to be taken by one of these strange portals. She and Slifer."

"Indeed?" Antilles said, raising an intrigued eyebrow. "So they both—"

"Yes. She and Slifer disappeared after her wedding botch. Which reminds me. King Stefan is dead. The House of Ungard is extinct and now the Church of Yeyu has taken full control of the North. They have requested reinforcements from Balodrum. We're talking warships."

Antilles was not impressed. "Let them come. King Ethan's god-killing weapon was a success. We have the gold and the power now. They would be fools to stand against us."

"Perhaps he would make a better negotiator for the release of your daughter, Dalaris."

"Perhaps," Antilles agreed, scratching his back.

"You don't seem all that thrilled."

"The Covenant is at my doorstep ready for me to screw up so they can make their move. Now Avi has disappeared as you say. Forgive me for not being too ecstatic of my daughter's return. There are far more important things to worry about, Peter."

"You crossed the line there, brother!" Peter said furiously. "Unlike that…thing in your bed, Dalaris IS your flesh and blood!"

"Muddled with the blood of my former wife's chamberlain whom she fucked behind my back during Yugi's Rebellion."

"All her life, Dalaris has done all she could try and please you. And all you have ever done was cast her aside. There are many foul monsters in the game of Yu-Gi-Oh, Antilles, but none of them will ever compare to you. That girl will be your undoing, Antilles, mark my words."

"Are you going to stand there lecturing me, or are you going to send word to King Ethan? We need his weapon."

"Very well," said Peter. "I will write a letter to the king at once. Cheerio."

Peter hobbled away down the halls. Antilles snorted in discontent and then returned to his chambers. A flight of Dragon Riders on the backs of Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress flew by the window which gave a panoramic view of the bay of kings below. Alexandra got out of bed and stood naked by the window to see the view.

"And how did you sleep?" he asked.

"With you, Uncle, not so well," Alexandra replied. She whined as she held her arms up to stretch.

Antilles made an amorous grin.

"What's on the agenda today, sir?" Axia asked, slipping off her nightwear as well.

"We prepare for the name day of your cousin, Ser Darrien. We have much to celebrate with him, for he has recaptured the Blue Mountains from Alliance forces."

"Ah, my beloved cousin," said Alexandra searching her drawers for something to wear. "I cannot wait to see him."

"He and the Clearwing Synchro Dragon have proven a thorn in the side of our enemies," said Antilles, walking to the bar to pour himself a glass of scotch imported from Domino City. He wasn't accustomed to western beverages but he grew a liking to it as wine was becoming scarce thanks to Yugi's forces cutting trade routes with the wineries from Gardenrealm. Emboldor had become so dependent on its own wineries that they quickly ran out. Now the only way for Antilles to get wine was to wait weeks for a new shipment from the Termnnian Trading Company who was no doubt finding it humorous sucking Antilles dry of his gold.

"But, before we can get the preparations underway," he said, "you must escort Lady Jocelia back to Duelist Kingdom so she can be with her husband."

"Uncle, no!" said Alexandra.

"Don't test me on this matter again, Alexandra!" snapped Antilles. "You've held their marriage off for long enough. Jocelia is a woman now, a married woman, and she must return to her husband. I promised you she could stay with us for one more year. Your time is up."

"Her time is up? Fuck you!" said Alexandra.

Antilles was in no mood for her attitude. Though willing to bed him, for she loved his company, she was still plenty mad he had tricked her, naming her High Queen of Termnnia after Yuri's death only to marry her off to a mad child, stripping her of power in minutes.

She harbored a hate for him since. It started small at first, but as the days went by, it started to spread like wildfire.

"I know you are not pleased I deceived you when I married you off to that fool Hector," said Antilles. "But harboring hate for me is bad for your health."

"Is that a threat, Uncle?" Alexandra sneered through her teeth.

Antilles froze. "Get yourself ready," said he, "the coach is assembled. When you come back, think better of me."

"And what if I don't come back?" Alexandra chuckled.

He grabbed her by the wrist. "If you don't come back, I will put a bounty on your head that will have every lowlife piece of scum in Termnnia looking for you. And when they bring you back, I will spank you until your bottom glows like the sun in front of the entire kingdom before I have your head cut off. And I will force Bruton to eat your remains. Understand?"

"Yes," Alexandra squeaked.

He let her go and stormed out of his chambers.

And so, Alexandra did as she was told. She waited in the double-decker coach outside of the Spire while fanning herself to cool her face from the summer heat.

An hour later, Jocelia Pegasus came down the steep steps towards the Spire guarded by two Duel Monsters known as Dragonic Knight. She wore a gown of white silk and pink ribbons. A crown of sterling silver inlaid with diamonds in the shape of flowers glistened on her little brow. She was now fourteen but still resembled a baby girl.

Rose, commonly known as the Princess of Frogs held her by her finger while stepping down.

"You're coming too, Rosie?" Alexandra asked.

"I'm not leaving her alone with you, that's for damn sure," said Rose.

She entered the wheelhouse with Jocelia, who was completely ignoring Alexandra.

"Jocey?' Alexandra said.

Jocelia squeaked and quickly scampered into the coach and out of sight. Once Alexandra went inside Ser Baxter, who once served as Hector's right-hand man, climbed up the steps after them, and he called for the coachman to finally take off.

The twelve powerful horses pulled the massive vehicle effortlessly into an elevator that took them down the mountain to the city market below. Imperial Paladins, knights well-trained with both sword and rifle took formation alongside the coach.

Jocelia looked out the window, staring at the countryside once they left Rassay behind.

"Poor baby," said Rose, sitting in a booth of red leather. The lamp hanging above her swung left and right from the bumpy road. "She hasn't said a word since her father died."

"Who can blame her?" Ser Baxter said, helping himself to rum in the coach's bar. "Pegasus lost his head right before her very eyes. The sword was given to me by her mother, whom I thought was dead. Know, that I did everything I could to make Hector reconsider. Hector may be my Emperor, but, Goddesses above, there are times I wanted to stick him in the back with my sword. Ah, and let's not forget her knight-champion Ser Tiberius was banished from the castle."

"I don't know the health of Ser Tiberius," said Rose. She felt a tug at her skirt. She looked down to see Jocelia skipping up and down.

"What's wrong pumpkin?" she asked.

"Can we make a quick stop?" she asked.

"Now?" yelled Ser Baxter. "Curses child, after we told you to go before we left!"

"Don't raise your voice at her!" snapped Rose. She hunched down to look at Jocelia in the face. "Darling, you know we can't stop now."

"But, Rosie, I have to go!" whined Jocelia.

"Oh dear," Rose said, getting back up.

"I'll get the coachman to stop," Alexandra suggested stepping towards them from her private quarters. She couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

Jocelia turned her head to look away from her.

"Jocelia," said Rose. "Say thank you."

Jocelia only let out an angry squeak in reply.

"My Ladies, I highly advise against this," said Ser Baxter. "There's been reports of a monster lurking in the Milkwalk Forest."

Rose shot him an angry glance. "This is Termnnia, Ser Baxter, there are monsters everywhere."

"This is no ordinary monster," said Ser Baxter. "Those who have seen it claim this beast is evil and ancient. It has armored flesh blacker than a Red-Eyes Black Dragon."

"Well, you constantly boast about the efficiency of the Imperial Paladins," said Alexandra. "I'm sure they can protect us."

"I have no doubt they will," Ser Baxter replied feigning bravery. "But I would prefer we not have to use them. I pray for a smooth trip."

"I can't hold it," Jocelia whined again.

Alexandra rolled her eyes and stormed to the nearest window. She yanked it down with all her might. She waved down one of the Imperial Paladins who rode to her on his mare.

"My Lady?" said he.

"Tell the driver to stop the coach," she commanded. "Lady Jocelia needs to relieve herself."

"As you command," said the paladin. He rode forward to the coachman and yelled out the orders. The coach then came to a stop.

"You're welcome," Alexandra said to Jocelia. "Don't say a thing, I don't care anymore."

There was a look of hurt in Jocelia's eyes. Perhaps she did care for Alexandra just a little bit. The door to the coach was opened from the outside letting in the warm glow of the afternoon sun.

"Make it fast," said Ser Baxter.

"Oh, shut up," Rose said, climbing out of the coach with Jocelia in hand. Alexandra could only watch from her room upstairs as they went outside.

Once they reached the edge of the forest, Jocelia told Rose to wait, for she wanted privacy. Rose did as she was told and Jocelia said: "If I'm not back in five minutes…just wait longer."

Rose giggled at her jest and watched as Jocelia quickly scampered into the forest.

"We're in the middle of the Milkwalk forest," groaned Ser Baxter. "Things can't get any worse."

"Watch what you say, Ser," said Alexandra. "The Goddesses are cruel and will challenge those words."

She went back into her room and sat on her bed. Alexandra reached underneath her pillow and took out an old photo from her time at Dallian Academy. A group photo with her arm slipped around Yuri's waist while The Princes of the Old Alliance stood behind him cheering for the last day of the semester. If circumstances weren't as complicated as they were now, she would be back there with them for their second and final term. Now, most of the kids in the photo have been swallowed by mysterious portals. Others had become involved in politics. One of them was Alexis Rhodes who was a princess when she came into school. With the death of her mother hours after Yuri's coronation, she was crowned queen and had to abandon the academy. She had no clue as to the whereabouts of the others like Jaden, Zane, Chazz, Syrus, Bastion, and Chumley. Or Ricky, the strange rabbit-like fairy standing on Yuri's shoulder with his paws confidently crossed over his chest.

Ricky; a magical creature, but a horribly perverted individual giving Yuri's female friends a most hard time with his antics. Nevertheless, those moments were from a simpler time in Alexandra's life and she kissed the photo wishing she could go back and be with them again, even Ricky.

"I love you, Yuri," she whispered.

A loud roar answered.

"Goddesses, what was that?" she cried out. It sounds so familiar.

Alexandra dashed outside to see the paladins taking positions around the coach. She scanned around for Jocelia who was nowhere to be found.

"Where is she!" Alexandra screamed at Rose.

"JOCEY!" Rose shouted.

A scream rang from the forest.

"Jocelia?" cried a paladin.

The screaming was getting closer. Rose darted into the forest to find Jocelia, yelling out her name. The thunderous roar shook the forest again causing birds to fly from the trees. Deer, rabbits, squirrels, and many other woodland creatures stampeded past the coach squealing, squawking and chirping with fright.

Rose followed right behind them, clutching Jocelia in her arms commanding the paladins to shoot whatever was chasing her.

"What is that?" said Ser Baxter.

The trees crashed behind Rose, revealing the monster. Alexandra went weak in the knees when she saw the creature emerge like a beast from her darkest nightmares. It was like seeing someone return from the dead to haunt her in the night.

Black Tyranno.

The monster looked Alexandra in the eyes and burned her soul. He knew who she was. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he shook his head while giving out another deafening roar. The paladins fired their weapons at the creature, but his hard armor proved too much for their small bullets. Black Tyranno snapped at the paladins with his teeth. Those unfortunate enough to get caught were ripped to shreds. He whacked some of the soldiers away with his tail and his head. Ser Baxter attempted to run and hide in the coach but he was caught by Black Tyranno's powerful jaws and tossed to the ground where he was flattened underneath the foot of the beast.

Alexandra knew the monster was not hunting. There was murder in his eyes. And she was on the top of the list.

"Rocket launcher!" shouted a paladin, standing on top of the coach. Rose jumped inside to safety with Jocelia in her arms. Alexandra followed and the paladins shut the door behind them.

The paladin above fired his heavy weapon. The missile hit Black Tyranno in the head resulting in a blast the knocked everyone to their backs and shattering the windows of the coach. Despite the impact, Black Tyranno was unharmed.

"It made him even angrier!" shouted the paladin with the rocket launcher.

The coachman whipped the reins of the horses and they darted off into the forest leaving the paladins to their fate. Black Tyranno quickly followed them, his speed faster than the combined effort of the horses pulling the coach.

He whacked the left side of the coach with his head and knocked it over. The coachman attempted to run but was caught by sharp teeth and then swallowed whole.

Alexandra, Jocelia, and Rose were now alone at the mercy of the beast. The coach was too strong and thick for even his powerful jaws, so he rolled the coach down a hill and into the river to drown out the girls. He waited eagerly above the sinking coach, eyes darting from left to right for any sign of movement.

Inside, Alexandra and her companions struggled to keep their heads above the water which was quickly rising.

"Papa!" Jocelia squealed, splashing desperately. There was a cut above her brow with blood pouring down to her cheek.

"There is an opening here," said Alexandra. "We can make a break for the forest!"

"We'll never outrun that thing!" shouted Rose.

"What do you prefer then, Rose? Drown in here or take a chance? You and Jocey can still make it! It's me he wants."

"What do you mean?" asked Jocelia.

"Come on," said Alexandra, "I don't want Jocelia to die in here, let's move!"

They gasped for air and swam to one of the windows on the upper floors. They tore their dresses so their legs could have more freedom as they ran. The water did not save them from Black Tyranno, for his thermal vision spotted them swimming to the other side of the river. He roared and darted after them.

"Into the trees!" shouted Alexandra.

The trees were too thick for the monster. They leaped inside to safety leaving Black Tyranno snapping in vain. He gave a roar of frustration and stomped away, each step shaking the earth.

The girls kept running into the forest until their legs could carry them no more. Night was quickly falling and the creatures of the night began to make their noises. When they were sure they were safe, they collapsed beside a boulder.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked, examining Jocelia's wound.

"It stings," Jocelia sniffed. "That was a Black Tyranno! Just like the one Yuri used."

"But what's a Black Tyranno doing here in Emboldor?" said Rose, ripping another piece of her dress off to clean Jocelia's cut. "I thought dinosaurs were native to Feldia."

"That was not A Black Tyranno," said Alexandra. "That was THE Black Tyranno."

"What do you mean?" Jocelia asked.

"That Black Tyranno that chased us…it belonged to Yuri."

"How do you know?" Rose asked.

"When I stared into his eyes…I saw a hatred for me burning in them. Not to mention he has Heterochromia. One eye was amber and the other glowing teal. That's Yuri's Black Tyranno, and he's coming for me."

"Oh no!" cried Jocelia.

"It's okay, pumpkin," said Rose. "He's only after Alexandra. We're safe."

"Just because he's only after me doesn't mean you two are safe," said Alexandra. "There is murder and revenge in that beast's mind. He will do anything to get to me, even it means harming you."

Jocelia gulped.

"Come on," said Alexandra. "Let's find shelter and maybe build a fire before we catch our death of cold."

"We can't go with her!" said Jocelia. "I don't feel safe with Alexandra around."

"But Jocey…" Rose began.

"No! What if that monster finds us?"

"Yes, but he knows we are with her," said Rose. "What will happen if he finds us without her?"

Jocelia froze and nodded her head. Alexandra let Rose and Jocelia have a small lead, in case the monster chasing them ever found them again.

"There was one good thing to come of this," said Jocelia.

"What's that, baby?" Rose asked.

"Yuri's Black Tyranno killed the man who cut off my father's head." She said this coldly, sending a chill up the spines of both Alexandra and Rose. "He killed Ser Baxter, and he did it slowly and painfully. I wish I did it. I wanted to kill Ser Baxter."

"Jocey, don't talk like that," said Rose, after stopping and kneeling to look at Jocelia in the face. "You're better than people like Hector, Antilles and Ser Baxter. You'll be no different to the likes of them if thoughts of revenge and killing come into your head. You're a little angel in this cruel, cruel world. Don't succumb to the ways of Odiva and bring more darkness into Termnnia. Please."

Jocelia said nothing and they continued. They didn't go far, for they were snagged in a net that lifted them to the top of the trees. Alexandra could only watch as Rose and Jocelia squirmed and screamed to get free.

"A hunter's trap!" said Alexandra.

"DOI!" Rose shouted, hanging upside down in the net.

"I'll get you down," said Alexandra.

"I don't think so," said a voice.

Before Alexandra could see who spoke, she was hit in the head with something blunt, causing her to fall on the ground and succumbing to darkness.

---

Part 2

---

The world around her didn't make sense. It was nothing but a kaleidoscope of colors with deep bellowing sounds. She felt herself being dragged through the ground by small but very strong hands. As she was coming through, it became apparent that the bellowing sounds were laughing and cheering. They got more and more high-pitched as she began to regain consciousness.

Her vision finally became clear and she saw pebbles, dirt, and leaves on the ground. She heard cicadas hissing in the trees with owls and crickets. But those sounds were drowned out by the triumphant cries of Alexandra's captors. Her neck ached and her head throbbed, but she longed to know the identity of those who had taken her prisoner. Her ears painted a clear picture of who they were, but Alexandra refused to believe it. They just couldn't be who she thought they were.

Using every ounce of strength she had, Alexandra lifted her head. She winced from the pain in her neck, but that pain was subsided by complete shock.

It can't be! She darted her eyes from right to left doubt what her senses revealed to her. She had been taken captive by children! An entire tent city of little children.

Many of them didn't look a day over thirteen. Some were as young as seven and six. They were holding torches to light up the night along with the burning bonfire that was held before Alexandra. Rose was on her knees and her arms were tied behind her back. The children waved daggers, rusty swords, spiked clubs, even baseball bats while angrily shouting at Alexandra. The two Redborne boys who were carrying her tossed her right next to Rose.

A boy wearing a custom-made military uniform and an old cooking pot for a helmet stood before her in front of the flames of the bonfire. He looked down at her with a stern expression. He was armed with a shortsword painted with fluorescent colors. A Duel Disk was mounted on his right arm.

"Who are you?" Alexandra demanded.

The boy struck her hard on her cheek.

"You didn't get permission to talk!" shouted the boy.

"How dare you!" Alexandra shouted.

He slapped her again.

"Will you shut up!" shouted Rose.

"Silence!" the boy shouted. He had ragged curly red hair, a round cheery-red nose, and freckles on his puffy cheeks. He pointed a thick finger at Alexandra. "You are our prisoner now, Imperials! All rights you had are now forfeit! You girls were clever to have found the secret hideout of the Emboldorian Orphans Brigade, but you won't live to tell anyone of what you found."

"The what?" said Alexandra.

"King Rufio will explain everything and then he will decide your fate!"

"Who's King Rufio?" Rose asked.

There was a sudden gust of wind from above. Then a mighty roar. Alexandra whimpered, for she thought the Black Tyranno had found her again. But then the children started cheering, pointing up at the night sky. A Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress was flying about. There was a rider on top of it in a saddle of black engraved leather.

"LONG LIVE RUFIO!" The children chanted. "LONG LIVE RUFIO!"

The rider jumped off the back of his dragon mount. He seemed to be flying through the night. Upon close inspection, Alexandra could make out a hoverboard at his feet.

"What's something as advanced as that doing all the way out here?" she wondered.

The children continued to chant for their leader who was showing off incredible tricks with his hoverboard. It was lined with blue neon and the Kaiba Corp logo was emblazoned in glowing letters underneath.

The boy was possibly the oldest one in the camp. He wore a high-collared leather shirt and black trousers with silver and mithril chains.

After he was done showing off, he landed by the bonfire and looked at Alexandra and Rose.

"Are you Imperials?" he asked.

"Who are you?" shouted Alexandra.

"Mind your manners, girl!" said the boy with the pot helmet. "This is Rufio Maxellia. King of the Orphans. The True Master of the Diamond Throne. Lord of Men. High King of Termnnia and all Her kingdoms."

"You've got to be joking?" Alexandra grumbled.

"I'll ask again," said King Rufio. "Are you Imperials?"

"Yes," Rose answered.

King Rufio clicked his tongue. "That's not good for you, ladies."

"Why not?" Alexandra demanded.

Rufio took a weapon from his belt. It seemed like a hilt of platinum with diamonds inlaid into it. Then he activated and a blade that looked as though it was light made into solid steel came out.

"We kill Imperials," he said with a smile.

The children cheered in agreement.

"Who wants to die first?" King Rufio asked, waving his sword around.

"You can't!" said Rose. "Where's Jocelia!? Where's our friend!?"

"She's safe in my treehouse," said King Rufio. "Don't worry, we'll take better care of her than you two ever could."

"Let her go!" Rose commanded the boy.

"Wait…that sword!" said Alexandra. "That's a light forged sword. Only one person I knew wielded such a weapon. That sword belongs to Yuri!"

"You are right," said Rufio. "That is why I'm going to claim the Diamond Throne. But how do you know that this is High King Yuri's sword?"

"Because I was his wife. I'm Alexandra von Klaus!"

"Alexandra von Klaus!" Rufio's mouth formed a grin. "WE CAUGHT THE PRINCESS! WE CAUGHT THE IMPERIAL PRINCESS!"

The children yelled out in triumph.

"She's behind the flimflam that got both Yuri and Maximillion Pegasus unjustly killed, my liege!" said the boy with the pot helm.

"Indeed, she is, Ray," said King Rufio. "Jocelia wasn't kidding. Well, it looks like she can die second."

"Wait!" cried the sweet voice of Jocelia Pegasus. She scampered towards King Rufio wearing an emerald green lace bodice, a gold silk skirt, and long white sleeves. Her two little buns were gone, replaced with two pigtails with blue ribbons.

"Don't kill her!" Jocelia cried, hugging Rose. "She's my friend and I love her. She hasn't done anything wrong."

"But, My Lady, she's an Imperial." Rufio protested.

"She was forced to be one. Ever since Antilles and Hector conspired against my father and High King Yuri, poor Rose has had to suffer through many horrible things, including seeing her father get executed before her very eyes. It's not her fault that she was brought up in the Empire."

"But Jocelia—"

"I've already agreed to let you live in Duelist Kingdom with your friends, Rufio!" said Jocelia. "Now do me this favor and spare my friend."

"What?" cried Alexandra.

"Jocelia, what are you talking about?" Rose asked. Jocelia nuzzled her chest while she embraced her. She looked up at Rose to answer her.

"I promised Rufio he can rule with me in Duelist Kingdom. If he helps me get rid of Ser Rommel Dragonheart once and for all. The Red Chair of Duelist Kingdom belonged to my father. I don't want an icky Dragonheart to sit on it."

"But, Jocey…"

"I'm old enough to get betrothed, Rose. And unlike Ser Rommel, I like Rufio."

"You humble me, My Lady," Rufio bowed. "And what do we do with Alexandra?"

Jocelia turned her head to look at her. "Kill her. I don't care."

"JOCEY!" Alexandra cried out.

Jocelia smiled when she saw the shock on Alexandra's face. "In the words of your former husband, Hector Ironclaw, BRING ME HER HEAD!"

"Jocelia, no!" pleaded Rose.

"Jocey!" Alexandra sobbed. "Jocey, don't do this! Jocey! Jocey!"

The Redborne boys grabbed Alexandra and dragged her to the center of the camp. She kicked and screamed, begging for Jocelia to reconsider her decision. Ray brought a log and set it down. It was covered with dried blood, meaning Rufio had killed before. Alexandra had heard of reports of missing Imperial soldiers in the area. Now she knew where they were. She noticed some of the kids wore scrapped and looted Imperial gear. Some even had rifles with the sigil of House Dragonheart inlaid in gold on the grips.

The boys set her head down on the stump and commanded her to stretch her neck. The pulled her fair forward to expose her neck. A boy took a marker from his vest and sneered cruelly, drawing a dotted line on the width of Alexandra's neck.

"Stop squirming!" one of the Redborne orphans commanded.

Rufio swung his sword in circles as he casually walked towards Alexandra. The light forged sword gave a soft angelic hum and let out tiny embers of light with each movement.

"Jocelia, don't do this!" Rose continued to beg. "Stop this. Stop this please!"

"No, this is for my Papa!" Jocelia said with cold certainty in her voice. "And for Yuri."

Rufio stopped next to Alexandra and jabbed the blade on the ground. It was so close, the edge of the sword licked Alexandra's cheek and drew blood. The sting was hot as though someone had jabbed a red-hot poker at her flesh.

"Any last words?" Rufio asked.

Alexandra looked up at him. Tears dropping from her eyes. "Long live the Empire!" she growled defiantly.

Rufio laughed. He looked down at her. His pale brown eyes thirsted for the sight of her head rolling on the ground. At that very moment, he decided that he wanted her lovely head mounted on his wall like a deer. He would send the skull to the Emperor when he had his fun with it.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" the children shouted.

Rufio raised his sword. The blade gave another hum like a choir of angels. White embers danced around Rufio like the goddesses themselves wanted him to end Alexandra's existence.

Alexandra shut her eyes and waited for the final blow.

"FOR YURI!" Rufio shouted.

"Hold it!" said Jocelia.

"What's wrong?" Rufio asked. The blade just inches from Alexandra's neck.

"Back in your treehouse. Did you say there was a big black dinosaur you were chasing down?"

"Yeah, I did," Rufio said, setting down his sword.

Jocelia narrowed her eyes and grinned. "I know what it is. It's the Black Tyranno. Yuri's most treasured card and friend."

"We know that," said Ray. "What's your point?"

"Don't speak to her like that?" Rufio shouted, slamming his fist on Ray's helm, denting it. "Speak, My Lady, any information you can give us, I will appreciate it."

Jocelia walked away from Rose and then went around in circles around Alexandra. "Black Tyranno knows that Alexandra betrayed his master," said she. "Poor, Black Tyranno is seeking revenge. The reason why Black Tyranno attacked our coach and killed our men is because he was trying to kill her. Maybe she has her uses after all. You want the monster, right? Well, you currently have someone the monster wants."

Rufio smiled and the planted a kiss on Jocelia's cheek.

"She's very smart!" Rufio boasted. "Black Tyranno is the key to claiming the throne. He will make a powerful asset to our forces when the time comes for us to challenge the Emperor. It's all coming together. This plan has been foreseen by the Goddesses themselves, just as the platinum knight said it would! It is my destiny to be the High King!"

The children cheered.

Rufio put a foot on Alexandra's back and raised his sword looking like a conquering hero.

"I have King Yuri's sword! And now the very beast that has granted him victory in the past will be mine! And you, Alexandra, are the meal ticket to making this all happen. All right, boys. Eat your fill and rest well. For tomorrow, dinosaur hunting season begins!"

Another powerful cheer from the kids.

Rufio pointed his sword towards Rose. "You, um, Rose, was it?"

"Yes," Rose nodded.

"There's a waterfall over there, just a short walk from our camp. Bathe there and treat yourself to some clean clothes. We've looted some nice garments from Imperial merchants. When you are done, head for the food tent and help yourself to some grub."

"Thank you, My Lord," Rose nodded her head.

"As for her," Rufio pointed at Alexandra and kicked her off the log. "Lock her up with the pigs! And find some other attire for her to wear. That gown is for royalty and she's not royalty anymore."

---

Antilles

---

The Diamond Throne glistened like a thousand stars in the rays of sunlight that beamed through the stained-glass windows of the Imperial Throne Room. Banners bearing the colors of the Empire and the House of Dragonheart dropped down from the buttresses in the rotunda above. The statues of Termnnia's greatest rulers still stood. Antilles was a lover of history and had not the heart to tear them down. He was even gracious enough to have a statue of Yuri built within the Hall of the Kings in the grand hallway that led to the throne room. The rectangular pool in front of him, one hundred yards in length with fountains spewing water seventeen feet high, was redecorated for Alexandra's tastes with black marble and gold trim.

Though thousands of Buster Bladers and Black Luster Soldiers abandoned Hector, hundreds of thousands remained loyal to him and his new empire. They lined both sides of a red-carpeted path to the Diamond Throne holding up banners that doubled as anti-material rifles with sword blades mounted under the barrel.

Antilles watched as the young Emperor anxiously rubbed the left-most largest diamond on the throne inlaid on the arm of white marble. There were six of them, representing the first kingdoms that were raised in Termnnia after the War of the Giants. He wore his Emperor's Raiment, a set of heavy armor with a black cape and a red sash over his shoulder. The Heart-EartH Crown rested comfortably on his brow and his right-hand man, Ser Merlon the Monstrous, stood below the steps towards the throne, acting as the final wall in case the Black Luster Soldiers and Buster Bladers failed to stop the enemy. That feat in itself was highly unlikely.

At the massive doors stood two Dragonic Knights (ATK/2800 DEF/2300 LV 7). The Imperial heralds on the balconies above blew on their golden trumpets to announce the coming of someone important. Antilles raised himself, keenly, waiting to see who it was. The Dragonic Knights opened the doors to allow the guest to come in.

Peter Dragonheart waddled into the throne room. Antilles sat back down and let out a heavy breath to vent his disappointment. Hector groaned. Even he was not happy to see him.

Peter held out his hands feigning sincerity. "Please! Don't get up!" He said to the less than enthusiastic court. The spire maidens watched him with amorous looks in their eyes. Hey may have been a small and not very attractive, but he was still the Imperial Treasurer. He had the Emperor's coin and chips at his fingertips. Some would argue that being the Imperial Treasurer was better than being Emperor.

"Back to work!" Antilles commanded when he saw the palace maids dawdling.

"Do as he says, ladies," Peter said whimsically. "You don't want to see my brother when he's cranky. Oh, too late."

Hector gave a wave of his hand. "I'm in no mood for this. Antilles, you have the court. I don't want to deal with this imp."

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty," said Antilles. When he was gone, he looked down at his brother. "And PETER What is it now?" Antilles's voice echoed throughout the vast chamber. "Any word on Alexandra and the girls?"

"None," said Peter. "All we found was the wreckage of the double-decker they rode on. And some paladins who were at her side."

"And what did they say?"

"They didn't say a thing, brother, something tore them to pieces."

"A monster?"

"Perhaps," said Peter. "But what kind I wonder?"

"Do you know something, Peter?"

"Oh, perhaps I do, but, my memory fades me."

Antilles grumbled, reached into a compartment in his cape and tossed Peter a sack of gold coins and Star Chips.

"Ah, now I remember." Peter threw the sack up and down. "There were footprints all over the meadows around the scene of the attack. They looked saurian."

"Meaning?"

"Some sort of dinosaur attacked them."

"That can't be. Dinosaurs never travel this far south. They remain in the swamps of Feldia. And they always have for thousands of years."

"Well, this one seems to have broken his evolutionary protocol, brother. But why I wonder?"

The Imperial Herald shouted the coming of Antilles's nephew, Ser Darrien the Knight of the Moons. He stormed into the throne room, brushed past Peter and bowed.

"Uncle," Ser Darrien said bowing. "If I may be given a battalion of Black Luster Soldiers to aid me in the search for Cousin Alexandra."

"I forbid it!" shouted Antilles.

"But there is a monster stalking the forests of Milkwalk! Alexandra is out there. We have to find her!"

Antilles slammed his fist on the arm of the throne. "We have no clue what the monster is, Darrien! An entire squad of paladins, whom I was told were the best warriors in Termnnia, were torn to pieces by this beast despite their training and weaponry. I have lost Alexandra at the moment, but I will not lose you, too!"

"And what of Lady Jocelia?" said Peter. "And Rose? We still have to marry her off to the Trading Company to secure an alliance."

"I don't care for Trading Company," said Antilles. "As far as I'm concerned, they are worse than the Big Five; another trouble to my ledger."

Peter stepped forward.

"Well, you can't expect to borrow a sum of money like that and not expect the Big Five to get antsy. It's their gold that got you your fleets. Your army. Your Dueling academy built in this city. You got what you want and now you have to pay them back…with interest. As for the Trading Company, we need them whether you like it or not, brother."

"You think I don't know that?" said Antilles. "I would have hoped for them not to get them involved. They are nothing but buzzards flying over the field of battle for scraps. But they are a necessary evil. My people are starving thanks to Yugi cutting off all the main trade routes between here and the Great White Mountains. And The Covenant is too radical with their views to be trusted. The St. Valerie's Day Massacre saw to that."

"I will make them pay for that!" said Darrien. "They still have cousin Dalaris hostage in her own castle, Uncle, what do you plan to do?"

"There is nothing we can do, Darrien," said Antilles. "I want nothing more than to get Telaria back, but my forces are stretched thin. We have secured much ground in Alliance territory. If we pull back, Avi's forces will just take them again and gain more ground against us. Even if I did spare the men to go on such a campaign, there is little chance for success. La Purga has seen to that."

"We must do something, Uncle!"

"As of now, we are at a standstill. No one wants to charge at anyone right now. We have Ancalagon and Ethan's God-killer weapon, La Purga, a triumph of science over the Divines. Each weapon is capable of destroying the other. Slifer is in another dimension and Obelisk is dead, leaving only the golden chicken to deal with."

"A stalemate if I ever saw one," said Peter. "At this rate, this Faction War will go on forever."

"Yes," said Antilles, "because one wrong move from anyone, and it will mean certain death. And the Termnnian Trading Company profits from this, draining our pockets of gold and weakening us further. If we want to win this war we have to be smart. I need you to be smart for the sake of our future, Darrien. As hard as I try, I fear that future no longer rests with me. Or Alexandra for that matter."

"Then who?" Darrien asked.

---

Antilles took Darrien to the courtyard on the very top of the spire. Peter followed, but riding atop his war pig, Pork Chop.

Antilles showed them both to a young Eldori who was training with the Black Luster Soldiers. His skin was pale like the limestone on the walls. His hair was blond with blue streaks and spiked with bangs over his face in the shape of lightning bolts. One eye was dark blue and the other was glowing bright green. He defeated the Black Luster Soldiers with ease. He looked like he was seventeen.

There was a heavy clap from the balcony overlooking the training ground.

"Well, done," said Ser Geronnak the Claws of the Dragon. He was a Leogai with a mane of black hair and fur colored dark tan. He had a scar going down his right eye which was stitched tight. His sword-brother, Ser Nerrak, of the Teegrai (Tiger folk) nodded and gave a slow clap. His two fangs were plated with gold. His weapons of choice were three blades on his vambraces in the form of claws.

"His name is Sora," said Antilles. "And I have decided to name him my son."

"What?" said Darrien. "Why?"

Peter chortled at the question. "Master Yu-Gi-Oh tried smuggling him out of the Emboldorian border shortly after Yuri was killed. Now we know why."

"He was wearing this around his neck." Antilles took a precious item out of the pockets of his tasset.

"It can't be…" Ser Darrien breathed. "Uncle… that's…"

"The Pendant of the Kings," Antilles finished for him. "The boy has some connection with Yuri. We've concluded that he's the hero from the prophecy born of the blood of a warrior, brave and willing."

"How did he get this?" Ser Darrien asked examining the pendant.

"Sora claims a heavenly knight gave it to him," said Antilles.

Ser Darrien looked at his uncle. "Norman the Conqueror? So, it's true? He lives and walks Termnnia!"

Antilles slowly turned his head to look at his nephew. "Perhaps, but he is of no power anymore, for he walks in the shadows like a hermit, or so Denethon tells me. Something went wrong in the ritual after the Pharaoh and I had our Duel. It must have weakened him. And if he would give his relic, The Pendant of the Kings, to Sora, then it seems he has found his heir. And so have I."

"Uncle Peter!" Sora cried out with an excited wave. "Uncle Peter!"

"Ah, my dear nephew!" Peter cried and hobbled towards Sora.

"Look how strong I've gotten," Sora boasted. "I can beat the Black Luster Soldiers now."

"You have beaten them in a sparring contest," hissed Ser Nerrak, "but it does not mean you can beat them in combat. You have a long way to go, Master Sora."

"Geeze, way to jab a knife in the old ego," said Sora. "Uncle, do you have your cards? Can we play?"

"You want to have a Duel? I don't know, Sora, I'm far too busy this afternoon."

"Aw, come on, just one match!" said Sora.

"I can't lad, perhaps after dinner."

"But I want to play now. Please, Uncle. I want to show you have good I've gotten."

"What harm can a little game have, Peter?" said Antilles. "Duel the boy."

"Oh, very well," said Peter. "It was a long journey from the forest of Milkwalk. I suppose my monsters should get a stretch in their old muscles."

"But you have Predaplants," said Sora. "Plants don't have muscles."

Peter pointed at him. "A smart lad. You are absolutely right. My mistake. Come, come. Let us play."

Sora snapped his fingers being reminded of Alexandra. "Have you found Cousin Alexandra, Uncle Peter?"

"No, Sora, I have not. But rest assured we will do all that we can to find her."

"I sure hope so, she's very nice and very pretty. I've developed a liking to her."

"Have you?" Antilles stormed eagerly to the courtyard.

"She's become something of a sister to me," said Sora.

"Interesting." Antilles rubbed the bottom of his chin. "Go on then, Duel. Let's see how good you've gotten, my son."

"You're going to be sorry this time," said Sora. "As Master Yugi always says: It's time to Duel!"

"Don't remind me," Antilles grumbled, rubbing the wound where Yami struck him with his sword.

Peter-4000 LP

Sora-4000 LP

"I shall start first. If you don't mind." Peter placed his index and middle finger on the top card of his deck and slid it out.

"Hmm, interesting. For my opening move, nephew, I shall summon forth, Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio! Then use his effect to discard this from my hand to summon Predaplant Darling Cobra. And when she is special summoned via the effect of a fellow Predaplant monster, it allows me to add one Polymerization card from my deck to my hand. And I shall use it to combine my Pedaplants and create…Predaplant Chimerafflesia."

ATK/2500 DEF/2000

LV 7

"Hmm," Antilles muttered.

"Great play uncle!" said Sora. "A powerful monster on your first turn."

"That will be all for me," Peter bowed, allowing Sora his turn. "Your play, dear nephew."

"Wait till you see all the cards Father bought for me! This Duel is going to get rather interesting if I do say so myself. For my opening move, I think I'll play the Spell, Terra Forming. Which allows me to put one Field Spell from my deck to my hand. Then I shuffle. And welcome you to a world forgotten by time. Lost World."

A land that time forgot arose around the Duelists. Tropical trees. Mountains formed from the jungle and volcanoes could be seen smoking in the distance across a sea.

"What's happening?" Peter said when he saw his Predaplant lose 500 attack points. "How can this be?"

"It's the effect of his Lost World card," said Antilles. "All but dinosaur monsters lose 500 of their attack points."

"Ah, well played, nephew," said Peter. "Well played."

"Have I gotten better, uncle?"

"Better?" Peter laughed. "Why, nephew, you can take on Yugi Muto himself."

"Wow, really?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Antilles said, holding out a pacifying hand. "Sora's going to need a lot more training before he can Duel with Master Duelists."

"Take your uncle's word of advice," said Peter. "He, too, is a Master Duelist. And despite being armed with one of the most ferocious dragons in the game he still lost regardless."

Sora gave a soft chuckle "Wow, I thought Uncle Antilles was the best."

"I'm afraid Yugi has beaten me to that prospect," said Antilles feeling agitated but nevertheless giving off a smile. He had faced many Duelists in his lifetime and though he lost to Yugi, he had to admit it was a good match.

"Your Excellency!" cried out the Imperial Courier.

"If you will excuse me, gentlemen," Antilles gave a bow and left them.

As he did, Peter summoned his Starving Venom Fusion Dragon. He heard Sora crying out in helplessness.

"Yes?" Antilles said to the courier.

"My Lord. The doctor has come back with your results."

---

The head doctor of The Spire's medical wing shook his head, not having the heart to tell Antilles what the results of the exam were. He fearfully looked at the Emperor, sitting on the medical cot beside a window with a majestic view of the King's Lands and the Great White Mountains outside.

When Antilles saw the look on his doctor's face, he felt fear stinging his already burning chest. The doctor's grim expression told him everything he needed to know.

It was just as he had dreaded.

The physicians from the West Lands were still primitive when it came to medical prowess. That was why he sent for a well-trained doctor from Domino City to travel to Rassay and became the head physician of the Emperor in the Spire of the Kings. He brought with him five truckloads of technology the likes Antilles had never seen before.

Per Antilles request, he also ran medical tests on Alexandra a week ago to make sure she was healthy enough to make babies. Antilles had made love to Alexandra for years, and yet his seed never grew inside her. He began to grow worried.

As for his own health, he didn't want to hear a thing. He got the idea of what was wrong with him.

"Say nothing!" he commanded the doctor, who turned when he finally mustered the courage to tell Antilles of the results of his exam.

The doctor bowed respectfully. "Yes, Your Excellency."

"And what of Alexandra? Have you examined her? What news?"

The doctor took heavy breaths and looked at the ground. He trembled, fearing the Emperor's wrath if he spoke any further. Then again, he would suffer an even worse fate with his silence. He took in a heavy gasp of air to build the courage to speak.

"I have the results," said the doctor, with a tremble in his voice. "In light of your current health…"

Antilles wheezed into a napkin, as if on cue. The doctor waited for him to finish before speaking again. "Ahem, in light of what I have found, I still bear grim news about the girls."

"Go on," Antilles said, calmly.

"They're not fertile, My Lord."

Antilles glared at the doctor like a ravenous gargoyle. Slowly, the gold tinge of his cheeks began turning a shade of red to match the Imperial Colors.

The doctor babbled quietly and stood his ground.

"Are you sure?" Antilles finally asked, doing everything in his power to retain his equanimity. "You are quite sure?"

The doctor put his hands to his side and tapped his clipboard on his right thigh. "I'm sorry, My Lord. The princess doesn't have the eggs needed to reproduce. In fact, she can't reproduce at all. Not with a system like hers. I've never seen anything like it. Lord Antilles, it's like she's been purposely designed not to breed."

Antilles grasped the edge of the bed in disbelief. The leather mattress gave a squeak under the tips of his fingers. "That can't be."

He let out a sorrowful sigh, but he smiled. So was the cleverness of the Dragon Goddess. More than likely she still felt ill will towards the race of men for what they had done to her dragons. It began to make sense that the eggs Saafani blessed into the world were female when they hatched. And to make sure no one attempted to deflower the girls for the sake of power, she made them infertile. The gift of Summoning could be passed down to the next generation which was why families like the House of Kaiba had Summoners in their lineage for thousands of years in the Second Age.

"I should have known," Antilles smirked, putting on his cloak. He got off the cot. "Never ever, try to get the best of the Goddesses. Thank you, Dr. Powers, you may go."

"If I may, Lord Antilles, I would like to keep a closer eye on you. Perhaps until you find a next of kin. I can't imagine the chaos that will ensue should your time come."

"I am not worried," Antilles said, walking towards the door. He put a hand on the doctor's shoulder. "But if you wish to stay, you can. Thank you."

"Yes, My Lord," the doctor nodded.

After he left the medical wing, Antilles slowly hobbled to the Hall of Queens where the Black Luster Soldiers said they saw Sora. It took him an hour to climb down all those stairs into the depths. He began to hear water and saw the lights of the lamps pointing up at large statues of the sixteen most powerful queens in Termnnian history. Sure enough, there was Sora gazing up at them in amazement.

"Sora," Antilles said, the vast halls amplifying his voice that it bounced off the walls in no time.

"Father," said Sora.

He ran to Antilles. His face glowing and eyes wide with glee. They embraced in a hug.

"What are you doing down here?" Antilles asked while rubbing his hand up and down Sora's back.

"I just thought I'd come visit the Hall of Queens while you were at the doctor's today. I've meant to come down here for the longest time, but Ser Nerrak and Ser Geronak have kept me rather busy."

The two of them walked together towards a circle of sixteen statues of women made of mithril. They were crypts on small islands of stone in the man-made lake of the mausoleum.

"Are all the queens of Termnnia buried here, father?" Sora asked.

"That they are, my boy," Antilles said with a gentle wave of his arm. "In those countless vaults lay one hundred thousand years of Termnnian queens since the age of Tiberius the Uniter, the man who took our forefathers out of power."

Sora looked at the statues of the sixteen queens.

"And why do they have their own monuments?" he asked.

"Oh, these women are special queens. They were the few who could control the Divine Beasts and sit on the Diamond Throne. They did so because they proved themselves good rulers. Do you know what makes a good queen, Sora?"

"Why do you ask?" Sora asked, looking up at his father.

"Because one day you will marry. Your wife will be ruling alongside you as the queen of this Empire."

"I thought Alexandra was going to be your queen," said Sora.

Antilles scoffed. "Alexandra is not fit to rule. She may grow into a capable Summoner one day, but she is a very stupid girl. That is not what I want for you, Sora. Your queen can decide the future of your family. She can determine if your dynasty will continue long after you are gone. Or, she can end it out of greed, a lust for a power she was not meant to have, or out of stupidity. So, what makes a good queen, Sora?"

Sora and Antilles stopped. Sora leaned back on an iron rail and put on his thinking cap, rubbing his sharp chin.

"Beauty?" he asked.

Antilles grinned and let out a lot of air with a soft chuckle. "Beauty? Yes, I suppose she could make her favorable for the kingdom. Queen Annabelle Stormwing, the wife of High King Jarred Pendragon II, was a beautiful woman. They called her Annabelle the Buxom, for obvious reasons."

Sora laughed making Antilles's smile grow.

"When Jarred was killed by a Red-Eyes Black Dragon in the Great Dragon Wars, Annabelle took the crown. She bankrupted Termnnia in less than a year with her lavish spending. She used a lot of the gold in the Royal Mountain Vaults to fund a campaign to conquer Gardenrealm for her twenty-first birthday as a gift to herself. She partied with princesses and paid knights to join her in large orgies in her chambers every night while her people starved. They could take it no more and ambushed her while she went on a shopping spree in the market. They managed to kill her guard of Black Luster Soldiers before cornering her outside her favorite jewelry store. They lynched her, stripped her naked, and dragged her through the streets of the city before roasting her over a spit and eating her."

"Eesh!" Sora said, shoulders shuddering.

"So you see, Sora, beauty does not make a good queen."

Sora paused and thought again. "A great warrior!"

Antilles nodded.

"That's a good answer. The queens in this circle were great warriors, too. But that was not the only quality they had. Queen Maria Covenstone was a great and powerful warrior woman and a skilled Duelist. While her husband, High King Gregor the Rock, was in a coma, she fought back armies of Orcs during their siege of Domino City in the Ten Days War. After the conflict, she grew power hungry and started conquering the other realms in her paranoia of rebellion. She threatened to destroy anyone with the God Cards if they challenged her. Even her husband. She killed High King Gregor and crowned herself queen shortly after. But just days before her coronation, Obelisk the Tormentor killed her in her sleep, for she started to become a tyrant. So, we have ourselves a tyrant and a beautiful fool."

Sora grimaced when he heard that. She didn't know what to say. What could the sixteen queens have used to make them so successful?

Antilles coughed into his fist. Sora looked at him apprehensively. Before he could say a word, Antilles held out a hand to stay his words.

Sora shook his head, bangs swaying from side to side. "I don't know, what does make a good queen, Father?"

"A queen must be successful in many aspects," said Antilles. "Annabelle and Maria were not good queens. A good queen must be smart, one step ahead of her adversaries; know the people and serve the people. Thus, come these women. The Magnificent Sixteen, the most powerful queens in Termnnia's history. They represent everything in a good queen."

Sora made a delightful grin and nodded his head. "Yes, Father, they really do." He ran to a group of three in front of a waterfall. "I very much enjoy these three here!" he called over the thundering waters.

Antilles tapped his cane on the ground and slowly walked to Sora and his three favorite queens. "Do you now?" he asked. "And do you know who they are?"

Antilles rested his elbows on the iron rail over the water. He let out a loud cough. He felt his chest congesting but had the fortitude to hold back the infernal coughing that wanted to come out.

"Yes," said Sora. "This one, in the short dress and the carrying the large hammer. She is High Queen Helena Atlas, the first to wield the Red Dragon Archfiend. She's the ancestor to Ser Jack Atlas. She bloated Termnnia's economy during her rule, feeding thousands."

"Correct," said Antilles. "And this one?"

"High Queen Kayla Valentine!" Sora said looking at the statue of the queen. "Kayla the Short is what they called her."

Antilles laughed, but he did so softly to contain the coughing. He felt like someone was grasping his lungs with a vice. "Yes, and those who did call her that found themselves in an early grave. Kayla was small, but not to be trifled with. She rode into battle atop of dragon named Timaeus during the Orichalcos Crisis. And the third? Can you name her?"

"Sadly, I can't," said Sora. "Her tomb is written in Old Norman. I can't read it. I enjoy her because of that sword."

He pointed to the magnificent weapon placed on a red pillow inside a glass display case. Antilles saw the hieroglyphics on the tomb and gave an understanding nod to Sora. "Her name is Evangelia Pendragon. She was the last living descendant of Tiberius Pendragon. They called this queen, The Lady of the Stars. Do you know why?"

Sora shook his head no.

"The night she was born, a shower of falling stars lit the sky. One of them fell in the grounds where you train. That is why we call it the Star Garden. High King Jaume had the metal of the fallen star crafted into a sword and a tiara for his baby daughter. That sword in there is that weapon."

"Ah," Sora said with a curious nod. "Made from the steel of a falling star."

"Yes," said Antilles, "as they cut the meteor down, they discovered a dragon egg inside which later hatched into a Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon. With the beast, Evangelia took back her father's kingdom after surviving a plot that killed her family, including the last sons of House Pendragon. However, many in the kingdoms didn't want her to be queen. Why? Because they thought she was a weak little girl. Her position was challenged by two princesses. Erika Kaiba of the House of Blue-Eyes and Monique Walston of the House of Red-Eyes."

Sora's eyes widened. The Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon battling for their ladies and their right to the Diamond Throne sounded like an incredible story.

Antilles continued. "This civil war would be known as the Waltz of the Dragon Queens. It would be the last war fought with True Dragons before their extinction in the rise of the Inquisition. Despite the ferocity of her foes, Evangelia retained her title as High Queen. Then, a group of fools formed a rebellion against her. With the aid of her Galaxy-Eyes, Lady Evangelia toppled it within a week. From then on, no one challenged her. And she ruled Termnnia for a hundred years until her death in the year 3434 the last year of the Second Age."

Sora held up a fist with pride. "This is why I enjoy talking with you, Father, you know everything there is to know about Termnnia."

Antilles stopped for a moment, feeling his lungs tighten. He tried to fight it back, but surrendered and coughed into a scarlet handkerchief. The coughs turned into heavy wheezing. Antilles looked at the spot where he coughed on the handkerchief and saw blood.

"Father!" cried Sora. "Guard! Guard!"

"It's all right," Antilles said, holding up his hand. "It's just my time."

Sora was confused. He stood still like the mithril statues of the queens in Termnnia standing proudly in their circle. Sora swallowed with despair. "What do you mean your time?"

Antilles swallowed, too, and forced a weak smile for the sake of his son.

"What do you mean father?" Sora asked again.

"I am sick," said Antilles.

"Won't you get better?"

Antilles chuckled at the boy's innocence. "No, my son. I am dying."

Sora's mouth quivered like the end of a rattlesnake. Small, pitiful grunts escaped his lips. Tears fell from his eyes. The ones from his glowing green eye looking like small beads of green light.

"Father," he sobbed and ran to Antilles, sobbing into his leather jerkin. Antilles tried to fight back the sorrow. A few tears escaped his cold gray eyes and he gave a smile. Despite having known each other for a short year, the two of them felt like they have known each other all their lives. Antilles hated to admit it, but his love for the boy far and away exceeded any feelings he had for Alexandra.

"There, there, my son," Antilles said, patting the back of his spiky hair. "It is part of life."

Sora sniffled, wiping tears and snot with the sleeve of his white Imperial robe.

"It's all right," Antilles assured him. "We are born. We live. And we die."

"I hate it, Father. Why can't we just live forever?"

Antilles let out a loud laugh. It quickly turned into another cough. When he finished, he looked back at his son with another forced grin.

"Termnnia has been around for hundreds of thousands of years, my son. Can you imagine how crowded our world would be if everyone lived together? Not to mention all the bad people that have lived throughout our history. Where would we be if they were to remain immortal?"

"Can't the bad people go and the good remain?"

Antilles felt sympathy for Sora when he heard the question. For a boy with the body of a seventeen-year-old, Sora had the mind of a small boy. It made sense, due to him being born a year ago.

"It doesn't work like that, Sora," Antilles said, ruffling his son's hair. Sora still hiccuped. "My time is coming to an end. And you, well, you have thousands of years left in this world."

"What's a thousand years if the one you love isn't there to share them?" Sora cried. "If Yugi Muto hadn't interfered with your ritual, you'd be healthy and strong."

"If he hadn't, you wouldn't be here right now."

"Huh?"

While Antilles felt pity for the child, aggravation started to kick in as well. He looked so pathetic and it angered him. "Stop that, Sora!" he commanded, shaking Sora's shoulders. "You have to be strong now. When I'm gone it's going to be up to you to rule our Empire?"

Sora took no heed to his words. "But what about the son you said Alexandra was going to make? What about Hector?"

Antilles shook his head. "Hector is a fool. He's going to need you to be his chancellor when I'm gone. As for Alexandra. Well, she is…a complicated girl, to say the least. But you are to be the High Chancellor when I'm gone, serving at Hector's side."

Sora took a few steps back. Only a squeak escaped his lips. "No, I can't" he sobbed. "Besides, you said you found me. I am not a Dragonheart by blood, father!"

"I can name you a Dragonheart if you bend the knee and accept your destiny, Sora." He reached into his pocket to show him the Pendant of the Kings. "This was around your neck when we found you. It belonged to Norman the Conqueror, who passed it down to Yuri. And now, it goes to you."

He put the pendant around Sora's neck.

"Father…" Sora did not finish his statement and bowed.

Antilles drew his sword and tapped it on both of Sora's shoulders.

"By the power invested in me, in the name of Hector Ironclaw, Emperor of Termnnia. I name you, Sora of the House Dragonheart. Heir to the Dynasty of Dragonrock. Heir to the Diamond Throne. Master of Ancalagon the Black Mountain and Emperor of Termnnia. May your days be blessed. I will rest easy knowing my family name will continue through you, Sora."

"Father!" Sora said, embracing Antilles around his waist. Tears of joy mixed with the bitter taste of sorrow ran down his cheeks. "I won't let you down, father, I promise!"

---

Alexandra

---

"Get away!" she shouted at a fat pig who trotted too close to her. There were three of them sharing the pen with her. She had been stuck in the mud with the swine for days. Her Imperial court dress was stripped away and torn to pieces by the orphans to divide the jewels that were sewn into it amongst themselves. Now, she was stuck in a woven shirt and breeches that smelled like pig shit. Her hair was caked in mud and pig feces, and her skin, once a rich shade of apricot, was tanned and dirtied.

Every now and then, the boys from the Orphans Brigade would tease her from behind the stall, throwing scraps of food while screaming: "Here piggy, piggy! Suey! Suey!"

A group boys from Rufio's archery unit approached her. One of them was holding a black sack. Another held onto a torch so they could see Alexandra in the darkness.

"Get up, piggy!" shouted a young boy. He was so small, he could make little Yugi look like a giant by comparison. Alexandra remained where she was and glared at the child poisonously.

"She doesn't want to," jeered another wearing goggles on his forehead.

They sneered in a cliché manner. Alexandra looked away so as not to look at them.

"Well she has to!" said a young dark elf. "King Rufio has invited you to dinner, Imperial!" He held up the black sack and opened it, revealing an elegant wine-red dinner dress.

Alexandra got up and walked to the bag to examine the fabric. She shoved it back into the bag.

"Tell him he can forget it," Alexandra sneered. "I'm not eating with him."

The boys jeered happily. "He figured you'd say that," said the dark elf. "He said if you didn't accept his offer, then you'd join the others at the dinner tent...and you'll be butt naked."

They all howled with laughter. Alexandra would have none of that and swiped the bag away from the dark elf.

"Aww!" the boys moaned and sulked away.

"Why'd you have to tell her Quintus?"

"Imperials never like to have any fun!" scowled the archer with the goggles.

Alexandra was allowed to walk to the waterfall and bathe to wash the horrid stench of mud and pig off her body. Someone had left her a gift basket full of scented oils and even bottles of shampoo from Domino City. To her surprise, her Dueling deck was even kept in there still protected by its golden case.

When she was done cleaning herself, she slipped on the dinner gown. She was escorted by two bowmen to perhaps the tallest tree in Milkwalk. A grand treehouse was built on the top, finely crafted with banners of the Orphan's Brigade waving from the rooftops. The windows were lit up with a comforting warm glow. At the roots of the tree was a crude but functional generator that provided them with electricity.

"How did you kids build all this?" Alexandra asked.

The question offended them. "You think because we're kids we can't take care of ourselves?" said a porky boy with curly red hair, freckles on his puffy cheeks and a large tooth protruding from his upper lip. He poked her butt with a fork to punish her.

"Ow! You surprise me is all," said Alexandra. She rubbed her bottom. "How did you come together anyway?"

"Hector's soldiers killed our parents," said the second escort, an Eldori with spiked blond hair. "Rufio managed to round up all the kids who were going to be sold into slavery because of your uncle."

She stopped. "My uncle!" exclaimed Alexandra. "Child slavery? It can't be!"

"Oh, you better believe it, sweetcakes," said the red-haired boy. "I could only watch from a cage as my pa's head was cut off by one of your soldiers. My ma was left inside the house to burn alive after they..." His lips trembled. "You know I can still hear her screams haunting me in the night."

He sniffled.

"There, there, Otis," said the Eldori. "Once Rufio gets that Black Tyranno, we're going to make those Imperials pay. Starting with her."

Alexandra ignored that statement and walked faster to their destination. Guarding the treehouse was Rufio's dragon mount. The Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress #1.

The dragon was as large as a double-decker carriage and was dark blue in color. It was ripping the meat off an elk, all the while giving Alexandra a look as though she was going to be next to have his fill.

They're resourceful little children, Alexandra thought to herself.

She stepped onto an elevator. A crack from a whip belonging to the brigade's beastmaster forced a monster called Togex to walk around the tree in circles to raise the pulley that lifted the wooden platform to the top of the trees. It swayed violently left to right. Alexandra felt like any moment it would fall and she would plunge to her doom down below. But, she made it to the top without incident, and she hopped out of the rickety elevator onto the floor of the treehouse. She had to climb a set of creaky stairs to reach Rufio's living quarters.

Two little boys in suits of chainmail were standing attention on both sides of the door. The fielded lances and had assault rifles on their backs. One of them opened the door for Alexandra, allowing her inside.

The room was quite spacious filled with looted furniture from master craftsmen and top-of-the-line furniture manufacturers. A brass chandelier hung over the long dinner table were Rose and Jocelia were already enjoying their dinner. Jocelia had a cheeky grin on her face while she held onto her glass of fruit juice, the kind her father once drank. She even had a plate of Gorgonzola cheese and the latest issue of Funny Bunny by her plate.

Meanwhile, Rose grimaced something awful when she saw Alexandra walk into the room. She stirred the broth of her tomato soup to avoid eye contact with her. Rufio barged towards the dinner table from his room. He, too, had a wide smile on his face. He commanded Alexandra to sit down at once.

"Well!" he said. "Did someone tell her the great news?"

Jocelia still kept her grin and Rose mournfully batted her eyelashes.

"What's going on?" Alexandra asked.

Rufio held out his arms trying to hold back his laughter as he said: "High Chancellor Antilles is dying!" He gave a high-pitched cackle when he saw the look of shock on Alexandra's face. He pointed at her, banging on the table shaking he silverware. His guards joined him in laughter and even Jocelia gave a giggle upon seeing the sorrow forming on Alexandra's face.

"You...YOU'RE LYING!" she shouted.

"He isn't," said Jocelia. "He wouldn't have called you up here if he wasn't."

"He's as good as dead!" said Rufio. "The old man is gonna croak at any moment! And that's when we'll strike!"

Jocelia nodded her head in compliance. "That's why we invited you here to join us at this party and tell you the good news."

Alexandra placed her hands on her face. Her nails dug deep into her skin as she wept.

"That feeling," said Jocelia, taking a bite of her cheese. "It's awful isn't it? Knowing you might somebody so close to your heart. But you'll never know the pain I feel. Antilles won't die in front of you as my papa did in front of me. Do you know what if felt like when I saw his head roll to my lap? To hear all those people laughing at my misfortune?"

"I tried to help him!" wailed Alexandra. "Jocelia you've got to believe me!"

"You plotted against Yuri!" Jocelia shouted. "You got my father involved and he lost his head for it! Well, now karma's here to bite you in the ass, Alexandra."

"Jocey!" said Rose, appalled by her language.

"Oh, shut up!" Jocelia shouted at Rose. "I'm through being a lady! From here on out, I do things the way I want! And tomorrow, Black Tyranno will have his revenge and Rufio will be one step closer to taking the Diamond Throne! It's his destiny!"

"That's going to be hard to do with Hector on the throne," said Rose. "And what of the boy Sora? He's gaining power in the Spire of the Kings."

"He's weak!" boasted Rufio. He held out his legendary weapon. "Just like Hector is. With the power of Yuri's sword, I will take him down from the throne."

"A magical sword is not going to win you the Diamond Throne," Rose said, ignoring Alexandra who was putting her head down. She started sobbing on the table.

"No, but an Ancient Beast will," said Rufio.

"What?" said Rose.

Alexandra rose her head when she heard him say those ridiculous words. "An Ancient Beast? You don't even know where to start looking!"

"The Black Tyranno knows the way," sneered Rufio.

"How could you possibly know that?" snapped Alexandra.

Rufio walked towards Jocelia and put an arm around her. "Because she's seen it. Right Jocelia?"

Jocelia smiled. "Yes. I overheard her in the gallery, demanding that they find Yuri's beast. For some reason, Black Tyranno is the key to finding them."

Rufio winked at Alexandra. "Remind me to shower her with gold when we get to Rassay."

Alexandra found his statement humorous. "Now I know who the real man of the House is going to be," she joked, insulting Rufio's position in the marriage. "Well played, Jocelia. Well played. But how do you know what she speaks is truth?"

Jocelia's humored expression slowly turned into a dark frown. "That's for us to know and you to never find out, Alexandra. After tomorrow, I will have my revenge, and so will Black Tyranno."

Alexandra felt weak in the knees. She fell forward, supporting herself on the back of the wooden chair. "Wh-what? Jocey what are you saying? You don't possibly intend to kill me do you?"

"I'm not," Jocelia said, holding onto her necklace. "Black Tyranno is going to have the pleasure of killing you. I'm just going to enjoy the show."

Alexandra was shaking her head in disbelief. Her mouth was half open to let out the powerful gusts of shock from her lungs. She took a few steps backward, but Rufio read her like an easy to read children's book.

"You want to run, don't you?" he sneered softly. "Go on. Try it."

Before Alexandra could move, Ray swooped in from the window and aimed his wrist-mounted projectile launcher at her face with the help of a laser sight.

Pop went the little weapon. A green mist exploded over Alexandra's face. She felt her body shutting down.

"What have you done?!" Rose shouted, but it was as though someone slowed time, making her voice monotonous and low.

Alexandra fell to the floor and was swallowed by the darkness.

---

Part 3

---

At first there was darkness and silence. The song of a chorus of birds singing for the morning found its way into her ears. Alexandra tried to open her eyelids, but they felt like heavy doors of solid steel. The first thing she saw was the muddy ground and her feet deep in a dirty puddle. She tried to lift her neck, but it was horribly stiff. Just moving it sent a jolt of pain through her, causing her to grind her teeth and ball her fists, which she felt hanging above her. She could hear the bones cracking when she looked around and saw herself in the middle of a small clearing in the forest.

She was again clad in the ragged woven shirt and pants. They did little to shield her from the morning chill which gave her a cold. She coughed and resisted the urge to swallow, for her throat was horribly sore. She hated having sore throats when she had colds. The need to swallow was somehow more tempting for some reason. But to do so would cause her great discomfort.

She coughed again and heard laughing coming from the trees. She raised her head, slowly due to the pain. She saw the orphans lined up and ready with ropes, spears, chains, harpoons, rockets, gas grenades and who knew what else. Of course, sitting in his very own platform was King Rufio with Jocelia by his side. She was clad in leather armor and fielded a dragon-shaped dagger.

"You little bitch," muttered Alexandra. She tried to wriggle free from the wooden post that they bound her to, but she was locked to it good and tight. She sighed and blew a lock of hair off her face from the corner of her mouth. "I suppose I have myself to thank for her sudden change in character. She used to call me mommy."

An hour went by. The children started cooking breakfast up in the trees. Jocelia and Rufio were helping themselves to cooked pork sausages sizzling in an iron pan over the fire in their platform. They looked like they were enjoying their meal, adding mustard to the meat. Rufio kissed her angelic cheeks a few times and tickled her tummy the way Alexandra used to. As they enjoyed their meal, they had high hopes that Black Tyranno would smell the sausages and come quicker. The hours went by and nothing.

But by noon, the tranquility of the forest was silenced by an earth-shattering rumble.

Boom!

Boom!

Alexandra sobbed when she heard it. She prayed it was something else. Perhaps it was Antilles leading an army towards her to rescue her. Or, there was giant walking about, they were known for living in the deepest parts of Termnnia.

Boom!

Boom!

The puddle at her feet rippled violently. The force of the shakes were so powerful it caused the water to start splashing.

"It's just the tectonic plates moving," Alexandra sobbed. A stream of urine ran down her leg. "Uncle Peter said there was lots of tectonic activity in this area."

Boom!

Boom!

"You feel that?" Rufio said to Jocelia, holding her hand and kissing it. "It's my destiny coming ever closer."

The children grew restless. One of the spotters on the highest parts of the trees saw something on his binoculars. It was shaking the trees as it walked. A flock of white birds flew into the sky, fearing for their lives.

"Something's coming!" shouted the spotter. His news sent a surge of fright through Alexandra's body.

"Oh, Goddesses, not like this!" Alexandra wailed and started to pray. "Please not like this. I did some bad things I know, but don't let my life end so quickly. I-I'm still a baby. I'm only an infant. I haven't been in this world long. Please spare me from this death. I'm not ready. PLEASE!"

A loud roar answered her prayers. The trees came crashing down as if they were a curtain of a grand theater revealing the star of the show. Black Tyranno emerged into the clearing and let out a thunderous bellow as he stomped towards his prey. The orphans jumped from tree to tree shouting orders and setting positions for their trap.

"So you forsake me then?" Alexandra sobbed. "Fine. All I ask is that you make it quick."

"You feel that fear Alexandra!?" shouted Jocelia from the platform. "That horrible feeling that's surging through you. That is what my father felt when Hector called for his head."

Black Tyranno loomed his dark-armored head towards Alexandra and looked at her with his amber eye and the glowing green one. For Alexandra, it felt like it was Yuri staring her in the face.

"Please, don't!" she begged. "Please."

Black Tyranno roared in her face blasting her eardrums, deafening her. Yellowish-green bile poured out of her mouth as she babbled. She felt something warming the back of her pants as well.

Rufio shouted at the Black Tyranno to get his attention. The beast snapped his jaws at him. Jocelia whimpered in fright and held onto Rufio. The beast looked around and spotted the children with their tools of ensnarement. He growled, looking from child to child. Black Tyranno was an intelligent Duel Monster. He knew traps when he saw them. It was how his mother was captured when he was just a hatchling millions of years ago.

"What are you waiting for!?" Rufio shouted. "Kill her and avenge Yuri!"

Black Tyranno stood motionless and stared at the boy. Rufio stared right back at Black Tyranno with bravery and confidence. The Black Tyranno was not frightened of Rufio's insolent challenge. He focused back on Alexandra, snapping his jaws at her to intimidate her. The orphans cheered, urging him to quicken his snack.

Out of nowhere, a stream of fire showered Black Tyranno. Alexandra felt her skin sting as though a thousand hot blades poked her skin. A mighty flap of powerful wings caused a great gust that caused some kids to fall off the trees and land safely in a web net at the bottom. Something large pounded Black Tyranno to the ground. Dust and mud sprayed into the air.

A Des Volstgalph! It punched Black Tyranno in the head, incapacitating him for the moment.

"BRUTON!" Alexandra shouted with joy.

The dragon lumbered towards Alexandra. She was squealing and sobbing with joy. In her mind, she was finding it so hard to process. It was like deus ex machina saving a poor soul from the stories in her books. Whether it was a coincidence, the Goddesses, or sheer dumb luck; it did not matter to her. Bruton had found her and now he was going to save her from the monster and the orphans of the forest who had made her life hell for the past few days. He used his claw to cut the rope, freeing her.

"She's getting away!" cried Jocelia.

"STOP HER!" commanded Rufio. "STOP HER! SOMEONE STOP HER!"

His bodyguards started shooting her with bows and rifles. Alexandra skidded through the mud. Arrows hissed over her, sticking the ground. Bullets whizzed by her and whipped the dirt just inches from her. A boy tried to fire a Dwarven made blunderbuss, but it was so powerful it blasted him backward, causing the kids to laugh despite all the chaos that was going on.

Bruton stomped towards Alexandra to protect her.

CHOMP! Black Tyranno bit him in the shoulder. Bruton wailed in agony as the dinosaur pulled him back and tossed him on the ground. The orphans still fired at Alexandra. Black Tyranno rammed his head on the trunks of the trees where they were perched, knocking them all down to their safety nets below. Black Tyranno felt like the honor of killing Alexandra was his and no others.

Bruton picked himself and tackled Black Tyranno into the lake behind the clearing. The fell in with a tremendous splash. Alexandra rushed to the water to watch the two monsters fight when Jocelia suddenly jumped out from the bushes wailing in lunacy as she brandished her dragon dagger.

"Jocelia!" shouted Rufio, wondering how on earth she went down there so quickly.

Jocelia jumped on Alexandra, knocking her to the ground. She raised the dagger and proceeded to stab Alexandra who grabbed her by the wrist.

"Jocey, no!" she pleaded.

"That's Lady Jocelia of the Red Chair to you!" Jocelia growled. "You're gonna...urk..." She kept forcing the dagger down. Alexandra was too weakened and sick to keep her up any longer. "You're gonna pay...for what you...did to my...PAPA!"

Alexandra's strength gave way and the blade sank deep into her shoulder. She let out a horrible scream feeling the blade dig deep into her flesh. Bruton rose form the lake and roared at Jocelia.

She whimpered and backed away. Bruton swatted her with the back of his hand sending her flying to the trunk of a tree. Jocelia grunted pitifully upon impact and fell into the dirt. She was gone.

"Jocelia?" Rufio cried in shock. "No!"

"You...you killed her?" Alexandra gasped, clutching her face. The shock of seeing Jocelia crushed by the impact numbed any pain she had on her shoulder. She weakly pulled it out, letting out a wail upon feeling the sting of the blade cutting its way out.

Three of Rufio's guards charged at her to avenge Jocelia. But Bruton roared at them. They wet their pants, screamed and ran away, dropping their weapons to prove he was no threat.

Rufio didn't know what to do now. He couldn't call on his Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress to aid him. Both these monsters alone could end her. He just remained where he was and watched the carnage.

Black Tyranno reared out of the water and used his sharp teeth to grab the end of Bruton's tail which wasn't armored. Bruton turned and punched him in the jaw. He grabbed Alexandra with his hand and attempted to fly off, but Black Tyranno jumped and bit Bruton's foot, dragging him to the ground.

CHOMP CHOMP went the awful maw of the Black Tyanno, trying to snatch Alexandra from Bruton's grip. Bruton spun, switching Alexandra from hand to hand trying to avoid Black Tyranno who was spinning after him, rubbing his body against his to keep close contact with Alexandra.

CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

Alexandra screamed and kicked her legs, for Black Tyranno was getting closer and closer. Bruton raised his elbow, smashing Black Tyranno on the head. The dinosaur quickly recovered, getting back on his trunk-sized legs and leaped for Alexandra. Another punch from Bruton sent him away. He recovered from the blow and lunged forward. Bruton raised his arm higher and higher to keep Black Tyranno from claiming Alexandra.

Black Tyranno headbutted Bruton on the chest. He was pushed backward with incredible impact. The top of the Black Tyranno's skull was harder than steel, giving Alexandra the impression that her dragon was struck by a freight was knocked onto the tree where Rufio's platform was perched. It shook awfully. His guards wailed and sobbed, holding on for dear life while Rufio remained standing and watched the fight below.

Alexandra was getting disoriented being in the claws of her dragon. The world rolled and bounced as the two beasts were locked in mortal combat. Bruton used his free hand to hold back the Black Tyranno. He pushed forward, struggling to best the dragon's strength. Bruton puffed his chest and heaved a stream of fire at Black Tyranno's face.

He roared and fell backward, rolling his head on the wet ground to douse the flames. Bruton placed Alexandra on his shoulder. He stormed towards a fallen tree trunk and lifted it up. He growled, smacking it on his palm.

"Get him!" Alexandra commanded.

Bruton pounded his chest and charged at Black Tyranno. He whacked him hard on the jaw, shattering the bone like glass. Then pummeled Black Tyranno's head over and over until the trunk splintered, turning into a sharp stake which Bruton used to jab into the side of Black Tyranno's torso.

Black Tyranno bellowed and fell to the ground defeated. He groaned in terrible pain, kicking his feet back and forth, refusing to be put down. Bruton let out a powerful snort. He grabbed Alexandra from the scruff of her neck and tossed her in the air, landing on his back safely. Bruton ran down the clearing to pick up speed and he took off into clouds letting out a triumphant roar so that the whole forest could learn of his victory.

Black Tyranno pushed himself back up with his left leg. He leered at the sky, determined to hunt Alexandra down no matter what. But before he could take a step, ropes slithered from out of the forest and wrapped themselves all over his body. Black Tyranno snarled, shaking violently to break free of their coils. Rufio's best soldiers swung down from the trees and tossed more rope on Black Tyranno. Another lassoed his neck. Then, a small squad of kids ran out of the forest and tossed gas grenades at him to make him sleep.

"MORE! MORE!" shouted Ray.

"BRING HIM DOWN! BRING HIM DOWN! BRING HIM DOWN!" Rufio commanded.

The wounds, the heavy ropes, and the gas worked together to bring Black Tyranno down. He fell with a thunderous crash that shook the forest. Rufio slowly walked towards the fallen dinosaur. He smirked held up his arm while holding to fingers and stared Black Tyranno in the eyes. He dropped his arm, a signal for the orphans to make the final charge. They came running out of their hiding places with tools and weapons in hand, surrounded the Black Tyranno, When he was wound up good and tight, Rufio took out the light forged sword and activated it. The blade appeared from a beam of light and glimmered in his hand.

He laughed when he saw the look of recognition in the Black Tyranno's eyes.

"You know what this is, don't you?" he said maliciously. "Yuri is gone! I am your master now!"

The orphans cheered for their leader's fearlessness. "Yeah!" "That's right!" "You tell him, Rufio!"

Black Tyranno snarled. Rufio jabbed the sword into his nostril. Black Tyranno screeched.

"Listen to me, slave! I have a destiny as the High King. The divine magic of the Millennium Necklace tells me that you know how to find the legendary Ancient Beasts! And you're going to lead me to them. And you're not going to give me any trouble about it right!?"

Black Tyranno roared defiantly. Rufio leaped onto his head. He held up the sword. Golden flames engulfed the blade and embers of light twinkled from them like stars. Rufio roared and jabbed Yuri's sword into Black Tyranno's head. Or tried to.

He vanished into thin air. Rufio realized he no longer stood on a solid surface and fell to the ground with a splat.

Meanwhile, in the sky, Alexandra hugged Bruton with all her and kissed his face over and over again. "You save me!" she cried. "Bruton! Oh, my Bruton! I knew you'd never abandon me."

Just then, something flashed in front of them. A portal. Alexandra screamed and held on tight. Bruton tried his best to fly away from it, but there was a powerful force sucking him in. What was happening? He flapped his wings with all his might. Nothing. It was no use. Soon, the mighty dragon succumbed to the power of the portal and both he and Alexandra were swallowed by it. They were never seen again.