Back! Hi all! I hate school. I haven't as much as pressed a key outside the spectrum needed for me to do homework for the past few weeks. I can't wait till spring break! I need it! Anyway, here's the next chapter of Keeper of the Cards. I've finally decided what I want to happen next but I'm still deciding the final ending.

I'm thinking about doing some piece next that ties in with this, but I wanna get your opinion of what I should write, I sequel, prequel, or maybe another character's story.

Am also deciding how sad I wanna make this story. Gotta decide how much I wanna have to cry writing it up. I swear, I use sad endings too often.

Anyway….

Disclaimer: I don't own yu gi oh… yaada yaada yaada… bottom line, don't sue me!

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Chapter 21

First Danger

"Are you sure you don't want me to come along?" Annya asked for the third time as she saw the group to the edge of the void land which she and her sister could not sense into. "Morsei is not one to be taken lightly." Caleia smiled at her cousin.

"Which is precisely why you must stay back. If we fail, Morsei will come after you and your sister next, to control the Shadow Realm. You two are the last defense; you cannot risk your life with us, and leave Serashi alone to fight," she reasoned with Annya. Annya sighed frustratingly, knowing she could not argue further.

"Just… be careful, alright? —All of you. Come back in one piece," she told them quietly. "I don't want to have to say goodbye again." Caleia hugged her.

"We will, don't worry," she reassured the Shadow Guardian.

"We'll be back soon," Yami added, also giving Annya a hug. There was only Bakura left.

"I… Annya, if worst does come to worst, I promise that I'll at least get a chance to say goodbye to you, not like last time," he said. Annya's heart sank.

"Bakura… I'm… sorry. There was no other way. I had to go," Annya tried to explain, not meeting the tomb robber's eyes.

"You could have told me you were… Shadow Guardian."

"I'm…. I'm sorry," Annya said apologetically, her voice heavy.

"Bakura, this is no time for this," Yami interrupted sternly. Bakura cast him a sharp glance before turning back to Annya. He lifted up her chin and kissed her.

"You can explain when we get back. I still love you," he said softly. Annya nodded timidly. The three started walking away, Annya watching them till they were out of sight.

"Just come back, that's all I ask—gods be with you," she whispered before disappearing, leaving only wisps of smoke where she had been.

***

The air hung unnaturally still, even for a place in the land of fiends. No sounds could be heard, except for the footsteps of Caleia, Yami, and Bakura—footsteps that seemed too loud and harsh. The sound of them was enough to send goosebumps to the skin of the calmest person. All nerves were on high, and muscles tense, ready to spring at a moment's warning. Caleia's breath was becoming quicker and heavier, the sound of her breathing also seeming to echo unnaturally through the stillness. Her eyes scanned the unending darkness in search for a direction to follow, her magic senses turned on high, detecting even the smallest spark of energy.

"Which way?" Bakura asked, his eyes zipping over the horizon also. It was the first time his Millennium Ring had failed to guide him. There was no reply from Caleia. There were just no sounds as they stopped walking, Caleia first, then Yami and Bakura following as they felt it too. Something was wrong.

"Above!" Caleia cried as she felt the surge of energy above them. At least fifty dots of light appeared above them, then turned into swords and rained down upon them. The three jumped and rolled away from the sharp blades in different directions.

"Bakura rolled onto his knee and saw one of the swords separate from the group and seek out the Keeper. "Caleia, look out!" she shouted. Caleia spun around and jumped backwards over the flying blade, which kept on going and embedded itself into a rock. She stayed on the ground, lying on her back

Yami rushed over to her as she caught her breath. "Are you all right?" he asked, concerned, as he helped her up.

"Yeah, fine," she replied, dusting herself off. Bakura came over also.

"I have a feeling that isn't going to be the last danger we face," he remarked.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Caleia snapped. Right on cue, an orange globe of light floated towards them. The three faced it, all standing in guard position. The globe changed into the shape of a person. Caleia's eyes narrowed.

"Morsei…" she hissed.

"Pleased to see you again too, Keeper," Morsei greeted in casual politeness. Bakura drew the sword at his side and took a swipe at him, the blade passing smoothly through him. "Don't bother, tomb robber. This is only a projection of me," Morsei mocked, laughing at the white-haired boy. Bakura growled in annoyance.

"Save it, Morsei, where's Seto?" Caleia demanded harshly.

"Oh, you mean your loverboy? He's right here, I'll even show you," Morsei taunted, pulling Seto harshly up by the collar. He was a mess, his body bruised all over, his clothes ragged, his hair mess, his eyes closed.

"Seto!" Caleia gasped, a hand instinctively reaching out, but retracting when she remembered it was just a projection. Through teared eyes she glared at Morsei.

"You know, after you break past his initial strength, he screams like all the rest," Morsei said matter-of-factly. Caleia clenched her fists. "Mortals are so easy to break," he continued.

"You leave him the fuck alone!" Caleia screamed, tears falling from her eyes. Morsei smirked, pleased to see that he had gotten to her.

"It's a little to late for that now, isn't it?"

"You bastard, I'm going to kill you!"

"Correction, I am going to kill you." Morsei's projection faded away like smoke drifting off. Caleia sank to her knees, bracing her body up with her arms. Her tears fell onto the ground, staining the dirt.

"I'm going to get you out of this, Seto," she whispered. "I will get you out…" then louder, "I will get you out," then shouting, "I will get you out if it's the last thing I do!!" A golden energy erupted from her body, the wave of it going in all directions like a huge explosion. Yami and Bakura were knocked off their feet from the force of her energy.

Caleia glowed with a golden light from inside herself, a light that momentarily blinded the pharaoh and tomb robber. She emerged wearing the golden dress of the Keeper of the Cards. A golden streak appeared in front to f her and materialized into her sword, the Sunstar crest at it's hilt. The pharaoh's eyes widened as he felt Caleia's energy—energy that she could not have unlocked until she truly rose to become Keeper of the Cards. Not one of her reincarnations had done it.

A dot of light flashed far away as Morsei summoned a barrier to block Caleia's wave of energy, which had caught him off guard. The light caught Caleia's eye, and she took off in its direction, Yami and Bakura following closely behind, both still stunned at the sudden transformation and energy from the girl.

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*sigh* okay, c'mon, five reviews and I'll update. I have the next part written up, all I gotta do is type it. I really do suggest that you leave your email address because I only had CB leave hers and there are more people that I would send the chapter earlier to. If I ever had review your stories, there's a good possibility I would send you the next chapter cuz I mostly find all the stories I read by clicking the names of people who reviewed. Also if you also r&r-ed Shadow Guardians I'll probably it to you too. Anyway PLEASE REVIEW!!!

~Kirsta~