Of Mages and Elves: Eyes of Ice
Author's notes: *glances around* Wow, I'm still alive after that…. Anyway, here's the next chapter, enjoy ^_^
Warnings: Yaoi, AU, possible OOCness
Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. It.
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Yami gazed out over the plateau, eyes narrowed in concentration.
"What do you see?" Yugi asked, tugging on his sleeve. Yami smiled down at the younger boy.
"I can see the Tower from here… there," he replied, pointing to a dark speck on the horizon.
"I didn't know it was so close," Yugi stated.
"It isn't far from the capitals of our two kingdoms, directly east of my kingdom and due west of yours. Our countries relied on it too much from it to be far off," Yami told him bitterly, shielding his eyes for a better look.
"Why did they rely on it so much, especially if it could fall this easily?" the smaller boy asked.
"The Tower is the only formal school of magic in both of our countries, so naturally it generates a lot of power. Personally I agree with those who say that having such a large concentration of magic in one place was a bad idea," Yami replied.
"Now we know why," Yugi mumbled bitterly. Yami laughed, rustling the boy's hair.
"Don't worry little one, we'll fix this." Yugi glanced up at him and smiled brightly.
"Right!"
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Malik didn't get far down the passage before he found himself staring out at the deserted courtyard. It was quiet, too quiet. Dead leaves rolled across the stone, borne by a soft wind. A trio of hooded figures caring a large bundle caught his eye. The agile apprentice crept down to the court and followed the mages carefully. The trio dropped their bundle near the door, not bothering to take in outside and turned back towards the Tower. Malik waited until they had gone before creeping up to the bundle. It was slightly warm to the touch.
*They couldn't have…* he thought, quickly turning the bundle over and unwrapping it. Sure enough, Ishtal's body lay wrapped in the dark fabric. Malik held a hand to his mouth, hesitantly running a finger over the mage's lips. With a soft cry he buried himself in Ishtal's still warm chest, silent tears making their way down his face. *Why? Why!!!* his mind shrieked. *This is my fault, mine! If he hadn't tried to protect me… Why damn it!*
Sobs racked his chest, his breath coming in erratic gasps. Suddenly he stopped. He pressed his ear to the mage's chest. Impossible… it was his imagination… it had to be! But it was real; Ishtal's chest was indeed rising and falling softly as if he were only in a deep sleep. Malik breathed a heavy sigh of relief and lifted the mage's body into a sitting position before slipping his arm under Ishtal's knees and lifting him from the ground.
He glanced at the fabric of the bundle, leaving it where it lay and walking back towards the Tower, carrying his taller lover in his arms. Who knew he had the strength to do such a thing? Malik chuckled slightly to himself. At least he knew Ishtal was alive. The mage was far from all right, his body still littered with deep wounds. How he had survived was a mystery. The blond apprentice gazed at the mage's face. He would care for Ishtal until he healed, no matter how long. *How, and when, did I fall for him in the first place?* Malik mused. But it didn't matter; he would care for the mage, that was all that mattered now.
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Yami stopped in a small clearing, eyes narrowed. There was an abnormal amount of magic in the air around them. Joey and Yugi both glanced around, also feeling the distorted flow of power. Suddenly a blast of ice blue light hit the ground beside Yugi, tossing him to the ground. Yami snarled, crimson power sparkling in the air around him.
"Who's there?" he demanded. There was no answer, only the ominous sounds of the wind. Finally a voice spoke.
"I can't let you pass, Prince Yami. Turn back now and you may leave in peace." Yami snarled at the voice.
"Who are you?" he demanded. A tall figure stepped into the clearing, shadows obscuring his features slightly. The strange power filling the clearing seemed to emanate from him. A pair of icy blue eyes stared out at the group. Joey glared at the figure.
"What the hell do you want?!" he snapped. The figure chuckled quietly.
"Nothing concerning you pup, now why don't you just run along. My business is with your elf friend," the figure snickered. Joey seethed, held back only by Honda quickly grabbing his wrists.
"Why you!"
"What do you want with Yami?" Yugi asked the taller figure. The ice-eyed man watched Yugi quietly.
"I have been ordered to keep him from coming any closer to the Tower. As I said before, leave now or suffer the consequences," he snapped.
"Just who are you anyway?" Yami demanded. The man gave Yami an icy glare that all but hid the slight confusion on his face.
"Kaiba, and that's all you need to know." Yami glared at the man, now identified as Kaiba.
"Whoever you are Kaiba, I can't allow you to stop me," he snapped. Kaiba's icy eyes narrowed.
"So be it, Prince."
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In a dark, dank room, a pair of soft chocolate eyes blinked slowly open.
"Where am I?" Ryou muttered dazedly. His chocolate eyes suddenly flew wide, snapping frantically around the room. They came to rest on an unconscious form slumped against the wall nearby.
Ryou swallowed forcefully. It was his captor, even more bruised and broken than he had been after his first encounter with Pegasus. Ryou bit his lip and carefully edged towards the pale half-blood, brushing a lock of blood caked hair from the thief's face. The half-blood didn't stir. His breath came only in shallow gasps.
"I can't just leave him like this," Ryou murmured to himself. Eyes narrowing in determination, he rested his hand over the sluggishly bleeding wound in Bakura's skull. Gold light filtered through the room and skin and bone knit back together. Ryou slumped back against the wall gasping for breath. He was still weak from bringing that mage back from the brink of death.
The thought brought a small smile to Ryou's lips. Not even a mage as powerful as Pegasus had felt the dim, stubborn life force that had all but faded in the mage. Ishtal had still been alive, if just barely. Ryou's instinct to heal had taken over at that point, overriding all control he had. The instinct to save the wounded was in his blood, just like his power.
The pale healer jumped when he felt Bakura stir beside him. He blushed softly, noticing that he had been absently playing with the thief's shockingly soft hair. Sharp dark eyes blinked slowly open, a shocking lack of emotion in their depths. Ryou bit his lip, lowering his gaze.
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean-" Calloused, pale hands lifted the elven boy's chin. Bakura gazed into Ryou's expressive eyes as if reading his very soul.
"I've underestimated you," he said softly, though his voice still held it's sharp edge. Surprise overrode the fear in Ryou's eyes.
"Sir?"
"Bakura."
"What?"
"My name is Bakura," the thief told him.
"Bakura…" the name rolled delicately off Ryou's tongue. He smiled slightly, a pale blush painting his cheeks. "I'm sorry. You asked me not to touch you but…" Bakura gave the young elf a considering look. He grabbed the boy's hand, earning a startled, fearful glance. He smirked slightly.
"You don't need to fear me anymore Ryou." The elf flinched at his words. "I thought you were just some weak pampered noble. Few would have tried to save Ishtal, and even fewer would have had the power to succeed," the half-blood explained. Ryou gazed calmly back at Bakura, the fear in his eyes fading to a dim glow.
"You knew he was alive," the elf stated. Bakura frowned, glaring at the wall.
"Not until you healed him," he said. Ryou nodded.
"His life force was all but gone when I got to him. I couldn't just let him die," he murmured.
"Why? Why risk it?" Bakura asked him gruffly. Ryou bit his lip.
"Instinct. I can't always control it when people around me are suffering. It hurts…" he murmured. Bakura's eyes narrowed.
"Then I gave you too much credit elf. You just healed him out of fear of pain," he snapped. Ryou gave him a calm, piercing look.
"Then why did I heal you? You were no where near death." Bakura stopped, one of his hands running over his hair. All that he felt was smooth skin beneath, no cuts not even a bruise. He frowned, inspecting the elven boy more closely. Ryou was leaning heavily against the wall, his body shaking from exhaustion and his breath labored. Even his eyes, beyond their vivid emotions, betrayed his fatigue. Obviously healing the Master Mage had taken more strength then the elf let on. Bakura frowned.
"You need to rest. You've used to much power," he stated. Ryou's eyes widened, then softening into a calm smile.
"Thank you," he murmured, leaning more heavily against the wall, his eyes drifting shut. He was so exhausted that he fell asleep almost instantly. A light smirk danced across Bakura's lips as he watched the elf's quiet sleep. He lifted his hand, brushing a lock of pale hair out of Ryou's face.
"Who are you?" he whispered. "And why do I care?"
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Ice blue flames licked the trees surrounding the small clearing Yami, Yugi, Joey and Honda were trapped in, bouncing off a deep violet shield and sparking against strikes of deep scarlet energy. Seto glared at the defending group. He had anticipated Yami's powers but hadn't expected the shielding gift of the elven prince's young twin, nor the firepower the blond boy controlled. A blast of crimson power grazed his shoulder and he snarled.
"Give up Kaiba, you can't fight us all," Yami told the half-blood mage. Seto's eyes remained narrowed in concentration.
"I can't do that," he growled. Yugi stared at him, violet eyes lit with concern.
"Kaiba-san, what are you protecting?" he asked over the din. Seto stopped dead, an energy blast hitting his shoulder. He winced, covering the wound with his hand, and glared at Yugi, icy anger in his eyes.
"None of your business," he hissed.
"Kaiba, leave us to our journey. I don't want to kill you," Yami stated. A small smile graced Seto's lips.
"I can't do that. I'll win no matter what," he stated. He staggered slightly on his feet, a determined light in his sapphire eyes. Yugi glanced at Yami, worry in his eyes.
"Yami…" Yami glared at Seto.
"I don't want to kill you," he snarled at Seto. Seto smirked in reply. An ice blue energy blast ripped through the ground at Yami's feet.
"I can't give in Prince. I have too much at stake," he told the elf. Yami's eyes narrowed. *Just what are you fighting for Kaiba?* he thought. A slightly grimace crossed Seto's face as he looked carefully over the small group. *Mokuba…* he thought. *I won't let Pegasus get you… no matter what.* Yugi watched fearfully, the shield was starting to become a strain on him. Suddenly a dark wind filtered into the clearing, settling itself around Seto. The tall half-blood's eyes widened as a slippery voice echoed from the mist.
"Return to the Tower, Kaiba. I have a more urgent issue for you to deal with." Seto snarled at the voice.
"What do you want now Pegasus?" he snapped back. The voice chuckled.
"You'll see. Now return," it demanded, before fading along with the dark mist. Yami looked at Seto, surprised.
"Pegasus?" he muttered. Seto gave him a lazy smirk.
"I'll see you again, Prince," he stated, before fading into the forest. Yugi dropped his violet shield with a heavy sigh, slumping towards the ground. A pair of strong arms caught him and he looked up to find crimson eyes staring at him in concern.
"Are you alright?" Yami asked. Yugi nodded.
"Just tired," he murmured, his eyes drifting closed. Yami nodded and turned to the others.
"We'll stay here for the night, until Yugi has rested," he said. Joey and Honda nodded and the three set about making camp.
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Seto's eyes remained angrily narrowed as he entered Pegasus' chambers. The silver haired mage lounged on his raised seat, watching the half-blood carefully through amber-scarlet eyes.
"What do you want?" Seto snapped.
"I need you to find something for me," Pegasus replied, a smirk on his face. Seto scowled.
"Your minions to incompetent?" he snarled. Pegasus chuckled.
"How harsh of you," he exclaimed. "No, no, I was just thinking to put your scrying abilities to better use Kaiba-kun."
"And what would you want me to find?" Seto hissed. A cruel smirk danced across Pegasus' lips as his eyes lit with amusement.
"Just a little runaway. He's stolen something important to the safety of my Tower," he replied.
"Who?" Seto snapped.
"You know of the Master Mage Ishtal?" Pegasus asked him. Seto nodded stiffly.
"He's dead."
"No…. he's not. He should be, but he's not. And now his little captive, an apprentice boy named Malik has stolen his body, probably with the intention of healing him," Pegasus explained shortly.
"And what has that got to do with anything? You can read minds, why can't you find them?" Seto snarled. Pegasus' eyes narrowed.
"Ishtal was the one and only mage able to block my mind reading abilities. As long as the boy remains near him, I can't find him," he stated. Seto smirked.
"So even the great Pegasus has a weakness, how nice," he sneered. Pegasus' glare at that point probably would have made most grown men piss his pants, but lucky for Seto he wasn't most men. So Pegasus could harm his brother if he didn't comply, that didn't mean he'd bow to the bastard. "So you want me to find him. Then what?" Pegasus smirked calmly.
"Kill him before he has a chance to recover."
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Author's note: Hehehe… now I'm having way to much fun ^_^ And Kaiba has returned for all you Seto fans!
Seto: Oh joy…
Bakura: Be happy you haven't been here for most of it, you're getting off easy.
Seto: *smirk*
Ahem… anyway, thank you to all who have reviewed ^_^ Please continue to enjoy the story, and please review again ^_^