Mana's eyes widened as the opal stone within her hand grew ice cold. "We have to hurry!"
"Are you sure it was okay to leave Mahad to deal with gramps on his own?"
"Master Mahad is a grown merman, he will be fine." Her head snapped back to lock burning eyes upon the lagging prince. "Don't tell me you want to go back."
Yugi stiffened, shaking his head. "Not a chance!" A jolt of pain seared through his chest as they were faced with a wall of darkness. There was no doubt that his brother needed him and he was just beyond this curtain of black. With a nod, he took Mana's offered hand and they slowly entered the murky waters. It was oddly quiet as they slowly moved through the water, the only source of light between them was the opal she held. After what felt like an eternity, the stone flashed brightly as a voice reached them, one that was unmistakable and filled with resolve.
"On this day, I give my solemn word that I will find who was responsible for destroying my father's kingdom."
"Atem, no! Don't make any deals without knowing all the details first!" Yugi shouted, searching through the seemingly endless darkness in vain. "Don't do it!"
And then it was as if the heavy curtain had been drawn back. They could see Atem with a hand suspended over a swirling green mass of magical energy. Neither had ever seen him more focused and confident. "It has come to my attention that my grandfather, King Solomon, suspected that humans were responsible and had thus harbored ill feelings for them. He saw us, my brother and I, that night watching her perform upon that cruise liner and retaliated in a way that I would never think possible: he conjured a storm to decimate the entire ship and caused it to sink. It nearly claimed her life as well as her love of dancing and I cannot not allow her to suffer for something that was not her fault. I have come here to request that my tail be split into legs so that I may not only free my family from this cloud of sorrow but also to attempt to establish a better relationship with those who dwell on land."
"I, Bakura, the King of Sirens, offer up this contract: in exchange for the ability to dwell on land in search of the answers you desire you, Atem, will offer up one voice. Not a word of the life you lead as a merman can ever be spoken to anyone you come across. Such is the ancient law that none of the races of the world expose one another. If the party breaks any established and unspoken requirement as stated within this contract then you, Atem, will return to the ocean with your tail restored and you will forever become a minion under my ruling. These terms are non-negotiable and were previously discussed by both parties but once you have received the knowledge you seek, your voice shall be retuned so long as you also offer forth a handful of your scales. If by some chance your quest path changes, you will be turned back into a merman upon that day's sunset and will resign yourself to become my underling until the day you die." The orb manifested into a thick scroll of parchment, script appearing across its many pages in black ink too fast for any eye to read. "Do we have a deal?"
Yugi gave Mana's hand a squeeze. No way his brother would blindly agree to this!
"As I write my name upon this contract, thus establishes a seal that binds us. By my name I validate this contract and seal my voice until the day this agreement is completed!"
They were blinded by a green light as the Sea Warlock began to chant, the surrounding sirens they hadn't caught the attention of miraculously picking up the chanting as well when the light swirled like a vortex until the moon was exposed, meaning that this whirlpool reached all the way to the surface! "Atem, no!" Yugi strained, forcing his body forward as figure that had been his brother writhed in agony. The scream that had caused the blood in his veins to grow cold was suddenly cutoff as a small golden orb came from between their parted lips. Brilliant green flashes disoriented them as howling laughter drowned out the chanting and Mana was the first to move forward with haste.
The grinning siren king held up a hand to hold off his minions as the pair who had been watching launched forward, a wave of his opposite hand clearing away the remaining magical clouds that hid the now silent prince. "I suggest you hurry," he howled. "He won't last much longer unless he is taken up to the surface!"
They each grabbed onto one of his arms, finding him unconscious, and turned tail, his howling laughter following them as they raced for the surface. Human's had little chance in surviving is such severe pressure as this and they required oxygen. If they weren't fast he was going to drown! Their eyes widened in panic when shrill hisses came from behind and they lost their hold upon the unconscious Atem as they were suddenly yanked backward.