Content warning(s): uhhh… Yami Yuugi's general creepiness?

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

Chapter start!

Submersion

By: The Half-Blood Guardian

Previously:

Shadi's eyebrows shot up. This boy not only knew of the Millennium Puzzle, but apparently had the Item in his possession! Had he also been the one to solve it?

It was said that the one who solved the Millennium Puzzle would gain great power; possibly the same power as Shadi's bloodline. If it was true, and this child really had solved the impossible puzzle and gained its powers, then he had to use the Millennium Key to look into the boy's Soul Room.

Chapter 14: Room of the Soul

The spirit paced down one of the infinite number of hallways in his prison, a thoughtful expression on his face. Shadows followed him curiously, but he paid them no mind.

That man, Kanekura, had been dealt with, but not by the spirit's hand. No, someone else had punished the museum owner, someone with whom his prison resonated. Not quite like Yuugi did, but then that was a given; no one fit as well with the Puzzle, or its occupant, as the small Japanese boy.

Now that he was thinking on it, however, the spirit realized he had felt the same presence once before, just outside the building, before that despicable museum director had taken him from his Light. Now he could put a face to that presence. But just who was this oddly garbed man who dealt justice in a manner so similar to the spirit?

Yuugi was getting a little worried. The man wasn't responding, and had been seemingly trapped in a daze for almost a full minute.

Suddenly, the Egyptian's gaze refocused and he reached for something tucked into the folds of his clothing. He pulled it out, revealing it to be a golden ankh with a simple, tooth-like shape protruding from one end, reminding the boy of a key. The man moved, and Yuugi barely had the opportunity to blink in surprise before the tip of the key was touching his forehead. At the same time, Shadi's vision faded to black, and he closed his eyes, embracing the sensation reminiscent of falling that overtook him.

The spirit felt a surge of energy, almost like his own power, spread through his labyrinth. And he recognized it: it was that other presence again, the man who had punished Kanekura. His Shadows, like he himself, tensed in uncertainty, defensive but curious.

It seemed they were about to have a guest. And if there was one thing he had learned about having guests, it was that one's abode should be made presentable before their arrival, whether they were wanted or not.

He turned to his Shadows, whose glowing eyes watched him for instructions. He regarded them for a moment. While they were useful and provided him with a form of companionship when Yuugi was asleep, he was sure they would hardly be considered by others to be good company. He dismissed the Shadows with a wave of his hand. A few of them hissed in displeasure, but after he gave them a rumbling growl of his own, they shied away and dutifully retreated to the chamber's upper corners, deepening the darkness already there.

Satisfied with their obedience, he strode closer to the one smooth door in his labyrinth, beyond which he could sense the stranger approaching.

When Shadi felt the descent of his spiritual form slow and settle onto what felt like solid ground, he opened his eyes to a darkened hallway, one that was – at first glance – similar to any other hallway he'd seen leading to a Soul Room. The hallway was dark, as was to be expected outside a Soul Room, and there was a door at the end-

-except there wasn't.

He did a double take. Instead of one door at the end, there was a door on either side. There were two rooms in this boy's soul!

The man had visited the rooms of many people's souls in the past. They were each unique, with different sizes, layouts and decorations. But there was one thing that every one of those people had in common: they only had a single Soul Room. Never before had he seen a soul like the one this boy had. A soul with two rooms. Or was it that there were two souls?

And at least from the outside, the rooms couldn't have been more different. On his left was a wall made of light gray stones that were fitted together in a manner that resembled the pieces of the game tetris. The door on that side was open. He peered inside.

The room was suffused with a soft, butter yellow glow and seemed to pulse with light. The floor was made up of black and white tiles in the pattern of a checkerboard. The space was rather cluttered, with games and toys scattered across the floor, but it was pure, with no sign of darkness. It was without wicked thought.

The wall to his right was made of a dark, dusty stone, and covered in what appeared to be some sort of spidery veins. The door bore the same veins and dark coloring, and would have blended into the wall were it not for the raised surface of a two foot wide engraving, a carving in a shape that was so very familiar to the man: one specific variation of the Eye of Horus[1]. The same symbol that was emblazoned across nearly every Millennium Item.

He was studying the door, intrigued, when it suddenly began opening on its own.

He cautiously stepped closer. From what little he could see and feel of it, the room was dark, repressing, cold; almost like an ancient tomb.

"Oh? Has someone come to visit me…?" A smooth, silky voice suddenly echoed from within, and all that kept him from jumping were the years spent training himself to suppress such blatant reactions.

A figure stepped out of the gloom, at first seeming to be just another shadow, but as it drew closer Shadi realized that underneath the cover of shifting darkness was a shockingly familiar form.

The figure was a dark mirror of the double-souled child, with a nearly identical face, nearly identical hair, and wearing a nearly identical uniform.

"Who are you?" The being, the spirit creature, whispered, his tone somehow both threatening and curious. When Shadi said nothing and just continued to stare, the creature frowned.

"I don't know what power you used to find this place… but you will tell me why you are here." The spirit commanded, quiet but authoritative. Shadi nodded.

"From your perspective, I am an unwanted guest; answering that question is the least I can do." He said. "I came to discover the secret of the power of your Millennium Puzzle."

The spirit blinked in surprise. "So you know of the existence of the Millennium Puzzle…?"

"Yes, I know." Shadi confirmed. "I also know that it is one of the Millennium Items. The story of the Millennium Items has been passed down from ancient Egypt, three thousand years ago in the Valley of the Kings. They were made by the magicians who served the ancient pharaohs to punish thieves who would defile their masters' tombs and steal their treasures. So it is written in the Pert Em Hru."[2]

"So you came here with one of these Millennium Items?" The spirit asked.

"With the power of the Millennium Key, yes. This key opens the door to one's soul. In the room of the soul, one may discover everything about a person: who they are, what they love, what they fear… even what they themselves do not know. I also carry the Millennium Scales. They weigh the sins of a person on trial. These are the two Items that I possess." The spirit looked at the two gold items intently, obviously intrigued. "But even I don't know the power of the Millennium Puzzle. I don't know what power is bestowed upon the person who completes it, because until now, it has never been solved." The fascination left the spirit's expression, making way for his previous caution and aggression.

"And so to find out, you entered the domain of my soul…" he said, narrowing his eyes. Shadi nodded.

"If I can see a person's 'Soul Room,' I can see what kind of power they possess. That is what I came to discover." After a brief moment of tense silence, he finished, "And if that power is needed, I will draw it into my bloodline. "

The spirit's eyes narrowed further before his expression smoothed out into indifference. "This power you speak of does rest in my 'Soul Room'." He said. "However, I can't let you see it that easily. First, I must test you." He briefly studied the man. "I believe that the best way to do this is with a game of some sort. The rules of the game are simple: somewhere within this soul is my True Room. If you can find it, then you'll find what you seek."

Shadi was quiet for a moment, then chuckled softly. "There is one more ability I have that I failed to mention to you. When I enter the room of someone's soul, I can… redecorate, and control that person at will. I can even destroy their personality."

The spirit's eyes flashed briefly, though his face remained stoic.

"I accept your terms." Shadi said. "I will find this 'True Room' of your soul."

The spirit smirked in amusement at the mortal's cockiness. "Don't think it will be that easy… this game is more dangerous than you know…"

Torches on the walls flared to life, illuminating their surroundings, and Shadi's breath caught in his throat. Even discounting the fact that the soul had two rooms, this spirit creature's Soul Room was far from ordinary… it was a labyrinth!

"Game start!"

The Egyptian was rooted in place, however, and could do nothing but stare at the convoluted space. There were staircases that twisted upside down, corridors that did the same, and what seemed to be countless doors, some large, some small, some packed closely within passageways, some positioned on ceilings or halfway up the walls with no stairs leading up to them at all.

The spirit chuckled. "What seems to be the problem? The game won't begin until you take the first step, you know."

But only one led to the spirit creature's True Room. The man would have to somehow reach and open each door, one by one until he found the right one. He could only be thankful the spirit hadn't given him a time limit.

He turned to the nearest set of stairs and walked up them to the door at the top. He cautiously cracked it open, looking around before opening the door the rest of the way and stepping inside. The sound of what seemed to be clinking chains being swiftly unraveled gave him just enough warning to leap out of the way in time to avoid being crushed when a huge pillar slammed into the ground. He quickly escaped before slamming the door shut behind him. He rested his forehead against it and breathed out shakily. So there were traps as well. Finding this True Room would be even harder than expected.

"What's wrong? Are you ready to give up?" That smooth voice came from behind. He turned to see the spirit creature standing a few feet from him. "I'm sure you've realized by now that the road to my True Room will be a perilous one. At this rate, you might get yourself in trouble." He paused, as though waiting for an answer, but Shadi remained silent, so he continued. "I'll be waiting in the Room. Just call out when you're ready to admit defeat, and I'll transport you to the main chamber. Don't worry, there will be no penalty for forfeiting." The spirit gave a knowing grin, and uttered a final "Good luck…" before his form blurred and melted into the shadows.

Shadi stood still, the silence seeming to close in on him. Then he turned to face the hallway he'd just come from.

After a moment's consideration, he made for the largest conglomeration of doors that could be seen from his current position and began opening them.

This soul was so tightly closed against strangers. It sought to confuse him. But he had to know! He had to know the secret of the Millennium Puzzle! A strange desperation rose within him, and he quickened his pace, opening door after door, encountering and evading traps. Finally he came upon one that felt… slightly different from the others. Was this it?

His breathing slightly heavy even without the exertion of his physical body, he braced himself to dodge whatever trap might be lying in wait within the room, then opened the door. Nothing jumped out at him. The room remained unmoving and apparently harmless. He scanned it just in case.

"Hello."

The waiting spirit sat upon a dusty rock throne in the center of the room, one leg crossed casually over the other. Shadi stepped inside.

Had he finally made it to the True Room? He took another hesitant step into the room. The spirit smirked. Shadi's eyes widened as the stone floor beneath him gave way. It was another trap!

His arm shot out just in time to catch the ledge and save him. He looked down and saw an endless chasm of utter blackness. Somehow he knew that if he fell into that blackness, he would be trapped in the spirit's soul forever.

The unhurried tapping of shoes against stone echoed ominously before the spirit creature came to a stop beside the ledge. He stared down at Shadi, crimson eyes dancing with dark amusement. Despite all his training, Shadi couldn't help his discreet swallow. The spirit's smirk grew wider and he cocked his head to the side.

"Shall I push you in…?" He mused aloud, though he felt no real urge to take such action against his defeated opponent. Shadi averted his eyes, awaiting the inevitable. Thus, he didn't see the spirit's pondering gaze as he looked down at the man.

For a brief time they had locked gazes, and he had been able to see past the layer of self restraint in the other's eyes and to the primal fear of death that lay buried beneath. Curiosity more than anything else prompted him to pause and observe. His victory in their game allowed him to even see through the impressive defenses around the man's mind and into his recent memories.

In them he witnessed the museum director – that liar and thief and trespasser on souls – being penalized, as was deserved. The Egyptian had punished him, liberating the spirit's physical connection to Yuugi from the thief of the Millennium Puzzle. The spirit felt the corner of his lips tilt upwards. He would let this intriguing man go.

Shadi's hand began to slip. The spirit noticed, gaze flitting towards the motion, and he bent down.

There was a soft chuckle, and despite himself, Shadi looked back up. To his surprise, the other had extended a hand, not to dislodge his grip, but in a manner that suggested he wanted Shadi to grab onto it.

"It's alright. This hand isn't a trap…" the spirit murmured, his voice the slightest bit softer and missing its teasing edge.

Shadi eyed the offered hand warily. There was no way of knowing whether or not the spirit was telling the truth. He had already lied about being in his True Room.

…Except, he hadn't. He had just said he'd be waiting in "the Room," which Shadi had taken to mean the True Room. It had been a devious use of words, yes, and meant to be misleading, but not a lie, all the same. And he had never imagined that the spirit would aid him, especially after he had lost, and yet he had. Shadi cautiously took the spirit's hand. The nature of the Soul Room allowed the much smaller entity to lift him up without difficulty.

Once the man's feet were planted on solid ground, he looked the spirit creature in the eye.

"…I am in your debt." He admitted. The spirit was quiet, simply returning the Egyptian's stare.

"I do not approve of this hobby you seem to have of entering others' souls uninvited," he said eventually. "And I believe it is high time you left mine."

Shadi nodded. The spirit had won their game, so it was only fair that he heeded the others' terms.

"I have lost this game…" He stated, shoulders the slightest bit slumped at his defeat.

"Yes," the spirit confirmed. Suddenly their surroundings warped and shifted, and they were in the Soul Room's main chamber. The door leading to the corridor between rooms slowly creaked open. "But I have a feeling we will meet again."

"Perhaps you are right." Shadi took one last long look at the peculiar entity, then dipped his head. "Farewell…" He passed through the door and into the hallway, then allowed his consciousness to fade from the strange domain of joint souls, the Millennium Key's power slowly retreating back into itself as he rejoined the physical world.

"Hey," a voice, slightly unclear, echoed in his ears. "A-Are you okay?"

I entered this strange double-soul to weigh it. To test it. Shadi thought. But I was the one to be tested.

"Are you alright?" The voice came again, and this time it managed to catch Shadi's attention. It was the boy. "You don't look so good, and you just closed your eyes and stopped moving!"

Ah, so his time in the spirit's labyrinth may not have been anywhere near as long as it had felt, but it was definitely enough to cause this boy concern.

"Yes… I'm alright…" he said with a faint smile. "Oh, I almost forgot," he took out the Millennium Puzzle. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe this is yours."

The boy's face immediately brightened. "The Millennium Puzzle!" He shouted with joy. "So you had it! I couldn't find it, and I was getting really worried. Thank you so much!"

Shadi shook his head.

"There is no need to thank me. I am already in your debt."

"What do you mean?" Asked Yuugi, brow furrowed. "I haven't done anything…"

Ah. While the child had been very pleasant and kind towards him, Shadi realized that he was right; it was the spirit that had been the one to release him safely, not the boy.

"Yes, I suppose it was the other you." He said.

"The… other me?" Yuugi asked, puzzled. "I don't understand; I'm me. How could there be another me?"

This boy… he hadn't become aware of the spirit creature's existence yet?

An inexperienced user was never a good thing when it came to the Millennium Items, and while the spirit creature seemed to be the one who wielded the Puzzle, this child was the spirit's vessel. There was only so much control that could be had over the Item while they acted separately, and power without control was a dangerous thing.

"What is your name, boy?" He asked.

"I'm Yuugi," Yuugi replied, smiling.

"Yuugi." Shadi repeated softly, then nodded. "There is something you must do: you must discover the other within you."

Yuugi frowned slightly. What was this man talking about? Before he could think to ask, the man continued, "You must also discover the true power of the Millennium Puzzle. That is the destiny of the one who solves it. That is their duty."

The other within me? Yuugi wondered to himself. The true power of the Millennium Puzzle?

After a short pause, the man stated, "I am Shadi. This is the first time I've ever divulged my name to a stranger." He turned and walked off while Yuugi stared after him, lips parted in confusion. Shadi's mind was already elsewhere, however. There was one more person he needed to place on trial. One more man who had defiled the territory of the gods, the Valley of the Kings.

[1]: As far as I've been able to find, the "Eye of Horus" apparently goes by many other names as well, so I hope I didn't offend or confuse anyone by using a different name from what they might be used to.

[2]: The "Pert Em Hru" that Shadi mentions is also known as The Book of the Dead or The Book of Coming Forth by Day.

To be continued…