Author's notes:

Hello, and welcome to my new story. For those who are waiting for another chapter of YU-GI-OH- Scars of Time, I will try to get another chapter out within the week.

For this one, I am planning to write multiple chapters if this gets positive feedback.

Chapter 1:

Blood flowed from the open wound, gathering on the wooden floorboards before seeping through its cracks. Staining the interior. Heavy pants echoed throughout the room, bouncing off still burning walls that started to crack and crumble. The heartbeat that came from the black entity, which stood close to the mutilated corpse, was the only sound that echoed in its ears.

They finally did it; turned him into the monster they had always claimed they would be. Oh, how that bastards laugh echoing through his ears, words of previous taunts flooding his mind.

Red stained gloves rose to cradle his throbbing head in muted denial. Numbly, he shook his head.

Nothing would ever be the same.

How could he ever face him again? Knowing what he had done. To stare into the innocent emerald and lie to the face of the one he loved. To tell him that the act that had broken vowel was nothing more than a twisted fabrication of their master. He couldn't do it. Wouldn't do it. Lie to his comrade would strain their relationship. It was a deceit of the highest order!

And yet, to admit his sins would shatter the kindest of souls. His faithful companion. His only friend.

A bitter smile came to his face, knowing he was indecisive. Crimson eyes slid closed, a familiar face surfacing within his mind. The kind smile twisted to that of horror and fear. He shuddered. Those did not belong on his companion's face. Green eyes shone with a mixture of sorrow and betrayal.

'I won't do it,' he finally thought. He would tell the truth. He couldn't save the beautiful creature that pain and suffering that would eventually come. He would find out, sooner or later, and it was best coming from him.

A slow clap from the doorway snapped him from his thoughts, bringing his attention back to the real world. The slow chuckle that accompanied the clap made the black creature fists clench in despair. He waited silently for the salt to be rubbed into metaphorical wounds. He must have been to open about his emotions.

"Well done, my pet!" The tall human praised with a gleeful tone. The words were worse than any strike to his body. It made his skin crawl with distaste. His heart sank as the man strode over and started to put the small figure's fur. As if he was some type of aminal. "Such a good solider. If you were alive, I would have given you some kind of reward!" He leaned in, whispering in his ear the next part. "But your not alive, are you? You're not even real! You and your power source. The one that you instant upon calling your 'little brother.'"

A mock gasp escaped his lips, the human smirking at his reaction.

A large hand curled around the side of his face to move it towards the direction of the body."Oh, and look what have you done? What would happen when he finds out? Especially when that fragile, impressionable young speeder knows of the blood on your hands. Are you going to taint his innocence because his dear 'brother' couldn't control his temper? Or will he cast you aside for the crimes you have committed in his name?"

At this, the poor creature began to shiver, thoughts of rejection and hatred bombarding his mind. The purring voice was too much. Spoken softly but in such an accusatory tone.

'Nothing was ever going to be the same,' his mind told him.

Just then, the human moved out of sight of the murder, placing his arms around the smaller in a hug. "My poor Shadow. Hush, now, little lamb; it is not your fault. You can't help yourself. The monster inside you did this." A pause, then he continues his purr. "I can help you, but only if you help me out. Just a tiny favour in exchange for his ignorance."

His grip tightened, forcing down the cough that tried to escape from all the smoke rising from the burning possessions of the victim. "It's simple. You kill who I want, and your precious freak gets to stay comfortably within his cell.

Blissfully unaware of your traitorous actions. What do you say? If not, well..." He shrugged, "there's not much left of him anyway. A little more testing won't hurt anyone."

Teeth clenched, the small figure's fear turned to rage. "You leave him alone," Shadow growled out, anger punctuating every symbol. How dare this monster uses his little brother for his twisted plans! The only person he had left from his old life; the only one he can trust.

This man had taken nearly everything from him! His home, their creator, Maria! And now, he was threatening to use the last member of his family. Had been using this one weakness to keep him in line, to prevent him from escaping. Not that he would leave his brother at the monsters mercy.

Shadow had to do everything he ordered. Every mistake, every disobeys resulting in punishment. They prodded and probed him like a lab rat. And he knew that the scientist would never hold back, keen to discover everything about them without disabling their primary weapon. Through this, they had learned of the pairs immortality. This means that the bastard could do anything he wanted, as long as there was a chance for one of them to heal the other. That said, even if the physical scars healed, the mental damage remained. His brother wasn't so lucky in that aspect.

"So, Project, what's it going to be? Sacrifice your morals or posses a broken power source?"

He knew it was coming. They had foreseen the choice, just waiting for it to surface. At last, here came the treats. The lies. The manipulative bastard knew exactly which buttons to press. There was never any choice. Not really. He hated every single second of it. The familiar urge to protect his brother surged up within him, and he adopted a blank expression once again.

Show no weakness, no emotion. Be the weapon they always wanted him to be. Despite thinking this, a pleading voice at the back of his mind shouted at him not to give in. To spear himself the insanity the request brought. Instead, he raised his hand to his quills and carefully extracted a gem. The green emerald gleamed under the firelight, blood staining its smooth service.

A grin spread across the human's face. That was the best confirmation he could hope for. He moved his hands to grasp the creature's shoulders tightly.

"Chaos Control!" The black figure muttered mechanically, before a white flash of light burst from his form and the two vanished.

Outside, the blare of alarms of the firetruck flooded the streets as the vehicle pulled up on the side of the road. Multiple figures clambered out of the truck before pulling out a hose to put out the fire.

Ten minutes later, the charred body of the banker was found.

Soon, the police were called and were on their way.

TBC: