Silmeria: Welcome! Dragon Chronicles: The Sworn Blade is my project. This tale will expand into three books and this will be one of the longest stories that I have written since I've started on this site over ten years ago. So, I ask that you bear with me on the launching of the first book: The Sworn Blade. Thanks for reading or continuously reading.
Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Yu-gi-oh!
Chapter Seven: The Merging of Souls
"So, in the end, it was her grief that took control of her mind." Atem rode the wind before in a burst of strength flapped his wings and brought them into the clouds. The sun had risen waking the world with its harsh light and Atem preferred not to be seen until the next destination was decided. "I feel as if I must apologize to you, Yuugi. If it weren't for me, then I am sure that Rebecca's mind would have remained intact."
"No." Yuugi denied swiftly lowering his hood now that he deemed it safe. He kept his eyes lowered so that the bright light wouldn't hurt his eyes. He didn't expect the sensitivity to light to be a side-effect. "It was no fault of yours, Atem. Elder Hawkins's mind was starting to fray the moment she sacrificed our first villager to erect the barrier. Each sacrifice she had to make was a failure on her part as a protector and the more blood was spilled, the more her mind fractured. It reached its breaking point when her son was taken and with my transformation, it was the nail in the coffin. So, no, Atem, no fault lies with you."
"Do you blame yourself?"
Yuugi lapsed into a thoughtful silence at the question. Did he blame himself? The smart answer would be no because like Atem, he was not at fault, but he was deemed one of the more capable villagers and thanks to his former master, had gained the Elder's ear but did that make him at fault for not noticing the signs of her fraying mind? If he looked back, he would have noticed the lack of sleep and the harsher commands, but Yuugi had been too blind to see past the love and warmth Kratos had given him before his sacrifice and had been too relieved to notice in the midst of Rebecca's acceptance of their relationship.
Yet, despite all of it, Yuugi couldn't find it in himself to be at blame for Rebecca's actions and the emotions that followed. He knew that there will be a day that they would face another again and he hoped that it would be on better terms and with love in their hearts as it once had been.
"No," Yuugi responded softly. "I do not."
"Good," Atem called back his tone satisfied with Yuugi's response. "A number of factors led to Rebecca's mental instability and acknowledging that it was no fault of your own will be a trait that will be beneficial on this journey."
"How do you mean?"
Atem was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, his tone firm and befitting of a King. "The world is a tragic place and there are those who will wish to do your harm, Dragon-Borne, or not and it is up to you to deal with such unsavory characters. There will be times where you have to strike down those who are on the opposite side of your objective and it will affect your mind just as it did Rebecca's."
"You're asking me if I'm prepared to take a life?"
"You will come to understand that there will be those who have no qualms on taking yours, Yuugi." Atem began to descend giving Yuugi an opportunity to see that they were in a forested area. "Where are we?"
"I remember bits and pieces of locations and I do recall that there was a city of Forest Elves in this area." Atem gave a thoughtful hum. "Are they no longer in existence?"
"You must mean the Village of Blay Frua." Yuugi corrected, internally appalled that the small elven village was once a thriving city. "...I didn't know it used to be so populated."
"Indeed. The Dragons and Elves had a rather harmonious relationship and often shared knowledge and technology and each of us benefited from the agreement, but I see even the elves were affected by the war. It saddens me that their people were wiped to such an extent that only a small village is a remnant of what it once was. Tell me, are the Dwarves and Neko and Winged Ones still among us?"
The question forced Yuugi's heart to skip a beat. How was he going to tell Atem that a number of those races were small and on the edge of extinction? That humans themselves were on that same edge?
"Our numbers are small," Yuugi murmured, wanting to be careful with his words and even he couldn't feel Atem's emotions he was positive that Atem could feel his and that would be a problem down the road. "Master Yoshimori told me that the Dwarves are still living within the Mountain City of Zeshen and Neko are in the Village of Faemona and as for the Winged Ones? The Village of Tenerca - both are on the Continent of Ceslan."
"...I find it difficult to believe that these people have been reduced to villages and small cities. You are sure of this?"
"Yes," Yuugi confirmed with an apologetic grimace. "Orion is filled with more ruins than with people and thus the reason why this is called the Remnant Age."
"Remnant Age - All That Remains." Atem huffed in a sad manner that wrenched Yuugi's heart in two. "For what it's worth, I apologize for leaving this world in the sorry state that it is in now."
"You have no need to apologize, Atem," Yuugi reassured, a small smile pulling at his lips in an effort to comfort his partner. "We are still in the process of healing and discovering what was lost so it will take time to return the world to its former glory."
"Shall we land?" Atem took a sharp dive enjoying the surprised scream that escaped Yuugi's throat. "You must learn to navigate the skies with me, Yuugi. We will be together for a while yet."
"And you must learn to give me a bit of warning before you take sharp dives out of the sky." Yuugi bit back breathlessly wincing as they landed at the entrance of the village. "You must learn to be discreet about where you land as well, my friend."
"We are among friends." Atem protested, his wings twitching in irritation at Yuugi's chiding. "No harm will come to us."
Yuugi didn't have the heart to tell Atem that the Forest Elves were a far cry from the Elves he had known during the Bahamut Age. He didn't have the heart to tell them that the Forest Elves were recluses and hated visitors and interlopers.
"Who approaches our gates?" a voice called out from the guard tower. "Interlopers will be shot on sight."
Yuugi flinched and slid off Atem's back and approached the gate leading into the village. "My name is Yuugi Motou of Illyrian Village. I am requesting an audience with your leader."
The Elvin Guard scoffed at the request narrowing his brown eyes at the sight of Yuugi's scales and silver eyes. "A Dragon-Borne and a Dragon requesting an audience with our leader? What right do you have? What reason do you have?"
"We are seeking answers and sanctuary," Yuugi responded softly. "I am Ascienian-"
"You are a Dragon-Borne." the guard corrected swiftly. "Whether you are Ascienian or Ceslanian is meaningless. You are what you are to the people's eyes and that is of a Dragon-Borne. It matters not that you hail from the Frontier. Your former life is gone. You are their bane of existence and the harbarginer of the end."
"That is enough, Elf." Atem nudged Yuugi out of the way giving the little one a look of concern before returning his gaze back to the guard. "We formally request an audience with your leader. What is their name?"
"Hiroto. Honda Hiroto and I will ask if he is receiving visitors. Please, wait here."
"Are you alright?" Atem turned his gaze back to Yuugi who appeared quiet and timid after the elf's harsh words. "You need not take those words to heart."
"Are they not true?" Yuugi whispered softly, his silver eyes turning dark at the thought of the guard's words. "Isn't that how Rebecca sees me? Isn't that what the world will see me as?"
"You wish for me to be honest with you?" Atem murmured. "You want me to tell you that the world sees you as a means to an end? They will look at you and despise you and blame you for their woes. That they will not fix their problems and blame them on you? Humans are selfish and needy and displaced and I have no love for them and neither should you."
"But, I'm-"
"Human?" Atem scoffed at the word as if the syllables themselves offended his senses. "You are no human. You are better than humans. You have no illnesses or weaknesses and your life will be long and prosperous and filled with the knowledge that you desire. Is it not what you desired? To become a scholar?"
"How am I to be a scholar when none will take my words as their own?" Yuugi would have loved to travel to the capital and make a name for himself as Master Yoshinori did before him, but no one would take him as he was now and he told Atem so.
"You do not need the recognition of others to gain the knowledge that you so desire," Atem stated. "The world is filled with knowledge - ancient and new - and ripe for the taking. You do not need a teacher to discover it. You can absorb what you desire and acknowledge what displeases you. And should the world settle and accept what you are then, if it so pleases you, share what you have learned and help advance this world and return it to its former glory? Or, you can leave the world as it is."
"Can I really?" Yuugi didn't have the heart not to help but at the risk of his life? Was he so willing to help the people who were willing to turn him away?
"You are a Dragon-Borne," Atem repeated. "You can do as you please."
The guard returned before Yuugi could give Atem's words consideration. He bowed his head, his brown eyes apologetic. "Lord Hiroto welcomes you and is eager to meet you." the guard turned to Atem with a bemused stare. "Although, I don't think we have a place big enough to house you, Lord Dragon."
"Please do not worry for me." Atem flapped his wings to prepare to take flight. "However, I do ask that you inform your comrades of my existence? I would prefer if I could avoid the magic and arrows? It doesn't affect me but it is quite annoying."
Yuugi was relieved that Atem's words only furthered the guard's amusement. "They have already been informed, Lord Dragon. You are free to fly around the village."
"If you don't mind me asking," Yuugi began. "What changed Lord Hiroto's mind? Blua Fray has been closed off for decades according to my former master."
The amusement the guard held vanished at the question. "Lord Hiroto wishes to learn about you and the Lord Dragon. You two are remnants of the Age of Bahamut - a time where the elves flourished - and he wishes to borrow that knowledge so that we can return to that time. We have technology that we have that we wish to learn and make our own and we were hoping to ask for your help. Lord Hiroto was quite surprised when I informed him of your arrival."
"I am sure he was surprised that a Dragon was at his doorstep."
"We were surprised at your appearance as well, Dragon-Borne."
"Yuugi." Yuugi didn't want to be known for just his title. He was a person before it and he would be a person after it. "My name is Yuugi Motou."
"Yuugi Motou." the guard repeated with a small grin. "It's nice to meet you, Yuugi. My name is Ryuzaki of Blua Fray. Welcome to our village. I'll escort you to the manor."
Yuugi pushed back his excitement at the prospect of entering Blua Fray. The Forest Elves isolated themselves for the last sixty years and he had a chance to explore and absorb their knowledge and secrets?
Life as a Dragon-Borne wasn't that bad if it affords him rare opportunities like this, right?