Chapter 6

Finding Yugi

Earlier that day;

After watching his young friend escape into the woods, now knowing that his stepfather wants him dead, Honda quickly left the glade to find a wild boar to kill. After finding one ten minutes from the last time he saw Yugi, Honda successfully killed what he was after, tore out the beast's heart and placed it inside the red box that Dartz had given him. Now with what he needed as the substitute for Yugi's heart, the servant hurried back to the castle.

Night was starting to spread across the sky when Honda returned to the castle. Finding Dartz in his throne, Honda started his little act as he approached the king. Seeing the slave return, Dartz said in a dark tone, "Well, did you carry out my order?"

"Yes, but I am not proud of it. Now that I've done what you've asked me to do, will you release me and my family?" said Honda as he shed fake tears and handed the red box to him.

Taking the box from the servant, Dartz said with a wicked grin, "Since you did me a favor by killing the young Prince, I release you and your family."

Bowing his head, Honda left the throne room backwards. The moment he left the room with the door shut, Honda hurried to get Anzu and the twins.

Seeing Honda run from the throne room, Jonouchi and Ryou looked at each other in confusion. "Why is Honda running?" said Ryou.

"Who knows. But didn't he leave with Yug?"

"He did. I didn't see Yugi come back with him though." Then a terrifying thought flowed through their veins and up their spines. "You don't think that maybe Yugi was killed in the glade?"

"I don't know, but let's go find out ourselves." With that, Jonouchi and Ryou went to follow Honda.

By the time they caught up to him, Honda was getting his family ready to leave. "Honda, are you going somewhere with your family?" Ryou said.

"Yes, the four of us are leaving this dreadful castle for good."

"What happened to Yugi?!" Jonouchi said, not wanting Honda to leave without knowing what had happened to their friend.

"Honda told me everything; Dartz told him to take Yugi to the glade and kill him." Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces, Anzu added, "Honda also told me that if he didn't obey him, Dartz would severely punish us. Not wanting to betray the young Prince, Honda let him go into the woods and he killed a wild boar instead in hopes to satisfy Dartz."

"Then he's still alive." said Ryou with a big sigh of relief.

"Any idea where he might be now, Honda?" said Jonouchi when he turned over to his best friend.

"I don't know where he might be in the woods, but I'm sure he's safe."

Making up his mind, Jonouchi turned toward Ryou and said, "Let's go Ryou."

"Where to?"

"We're going to find him."

"Jonouchi, don't bring him back here. If Dartz learns he's still alive, he'll kill Yugi himself."

"Do you think I'm that stupid, Honda? Ryou and I are going to stay with him so he has at least two of his old friends with him."

"Besides, we all know now that Yugi can never have a life with a stepfather that wants to kill him." Ryou added.

"Well, I guess that as long as they are with him, Yugi will be safe, Honda." said Anzu when she placed a hand on Honda's shoulder.

"Okay, it's best if you guys are with him. I would ask Mystical Elf and Celtic Guardian: they may know where Yugi is."

"Aw'right. We'll start off with the spirits." And so, when Honda, his family and Jonouchi and Ryou arrived at the main gate, they went two separate directions with Jonouchi calling out to Honda and his family, "Till we meet again, Honda."

Then Ryou called out to them, "Be careful."

"We will."

"Give our best word to Yugi when you find him."

"Will do, Anzu." And so, Honda led his family away from the castle with one arm around Anzu's shoulders and Jonouchi and Ryou ran straight for the village that Mystical Elf, Celtic Guardian and the other elf spirits lived to start their search for Yugi.