Disclaimer: ... .... ... ...

Me: Huh?? *glares* CHAOS!! YOU'D BETTER DO THAT RIGHT NOW OR THE DEAL IS OFF!!

Chaos: All right!! We don't own Yu-gi-oh, dammit!!

Me: Good. And the Beaver Warrior's name is because I was looking over my Pokemon cards and kept thinking about Pikachu. But it was short and easy to remember, so that's his name!!

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Dragon Shadows - Chapter Five

Chu, the Beaver Warrior, had gate duty that day. He alerted Sinistrad as soon as their lord was spotted by the sentries on the battlements. He was greeted lovingly by Spork, Katana, and all the other monsters outside, in the courtyard and on the walls. All adored the pharaoh.

Sinistrad cracked open one blue eye when he heard the door to the common room open. By that time, nearly all of the monsters had passed out from exhaustion. Yami stood framed in the doorway. He flicked a crimson gaze over the assembled warriors. Sinistrad noted suspiciously that his eyes lingered longest on the unconscious Chaos.

Long ago, when Egypt was still prosperous, the pharaoh had met with one of the sorcerers of his court in a friendly game. Well, as friendly as a Shadow Game could ever be. He had lost, because of the sorcerer's superior monster. Namely, Chaos. The pharaoh hadn't wanted to admit defeat, so he demanded that the sorcerer hand over his spellcaster. The man refused. Yami promptly beheaded him.

He used Chaos' blind trust in his previous master to take advantage of the young mage, swaying him to his side. Well, back then he had been young compared to the others. But when he finally realized that his master had been executed, and his joining with the pharaoh's monsters was permanent, it irrefutably shattered any trust Chaos had for mankind. He only obeyed the pharaoh because he was bound to, as one of his creatures.

Sinistrad remembered that night vividly. He remembered the quiet, then the clang of swords as the sorcerer was brought before the pharaoh, then slain. The screams were muffled by the thick walls of the palace. And the next morning the turquoise-skinned mage had joined them, never speaking, keeping his gaze to the floor. Everyone knew what had taken place, but no one ever spoke of it, especially not in the presence of the pharaoh.

Ever since then, Sinistrad had made it a duty to keep an eye on Chaos, not knowing the extent of Yami's anger in the following weeks. He promised to himself that he'd protect the younger mage, even if it meant defying his master. He had a duty to the pharaoh, yes, but his fellow creatures came first.

"Pharaoh?" Sinistrad said, raising an eyebrow. "The magical defenses?" Yami snatched his gaze away from the spellcaster on the couch. "I suppose you'll want to do that now?"

*****

The pharaoh went to the battlements, to the four towers on the corner. He had to perform a complex spell on each of the towers, each which represented one of the cardinal directions. The fortress was inside a square formed by the points of north, south, east, and west. In the meanwhile, the monsters had a hasty supper, then each retired to their respective chambers.

When the pharaoh returned, there was only Sinistrad in the common room, looking through his spellbook. "There's more still to be done. But," he said, yawning, "I think I'll stay here for the night. One tires of the mortal realm before long." He went in the direction of his chambers, long unused.

Sinistrad went to his own rooms, one over from Chaos' chambers. But he didn't go to sleep, even though he was bone tired.

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Me: Eeeeevil Yami....

Chaos: Didn't you say that last chapter??

Me: So what?? My imagination's run dry.

Chaos: Wow. First time in your life, I'll bet.

Me: Yup. ^o^ Review!! Review review review!!