Whoo!! Im okay! I just wanna say to whoever got on my ff.net sn that I really don't appreciate someone getting on my file, and especially reviewing on my name….. especially when it's my own fic. That's just plain lame. Who ever you are please don't do that anymore.

Anyway I'm so happy for my reviews! and as promised im updating. I have the next two chappies written too. Since I didn't send this chappie to anyone on the mailing list you'll all get the next one today, it's may 4. Well enough talking and yet again, I have to remind everyone

I WILL UPDATE AFTER I GET 5 REVIEWS!

Okie dokie enough talking lets just get on w/the story.

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Chapter 22

Blood

Caleia's feet flew across the dirt, so lightly touching the ground that hardly any dust was stirred. Yami and Bakura were behind her, sometimes hardly able to keep the Keeper of the Cards in view.

The princess went over a hill, taking her out of eyesight for the moment. Seconds later, the two yamis heard the roar of a creature followed by sounds of commotion and battle. They quickened their pace, flying over the hill just in time to see Caleia leap out of the way as a huge beast swiped its claws at her. Another immediately lunged at her from behind, knocking her to the ground, it's four glinting rows of sharp teeth ready to crush her skull. Caleia was pinned under the creature, her sword under the monster's paw, unable to be freed.

Yami ran over to the creature and leaped onto its back. He pointed his sword down and thrust it into the creature's back. The monster reared up and roared in pain. Yami was thrown off. Caleia took the moment of opportunity to snatch up her sword and roll way from the monster. Immediately the other one came after her, but Caleia was ready as she plunged the sword into the creature's underside and slashed it open. Blood gushed onto her as she slid out from under the monster just in time to see Bakura behead the other monster, which Yami had sunk his sword in earlier, with a slash of his sword. The creature's headless body sunk down into a big lump.

The black blood from the two was splattered everywhere, which pools of it especially seeping out from the two carcasses. It was on the three humans/spirits too, Caleia having it worst of all. She was trying to get it off her like it was the plague, but the more she fought with it the more she knew it wasn't going away. Her sword, seeming to radiate with it's own energy, almost a ghostly aura, burned itself clean.

The two carcasses started turning darker and darker, eventually turning black. The blood dried out, turning hard and crumbling off everyone's skin in clouds of thick smoke. A meek wind blew across and carried with it the ashen remains of the monsters and their blood. Yami's sword hung in the air for a second before falling to the ground, the metal clanging loudly on the hard ground.

What were those?" Bakura asked, still able to taste the metallic magic in the air.

"Krevins," Yami replied softly as he retrieved his sword. "One form of the conjured monsters," he continued to explain. "Summoned by merging three vengeful souls and giving them a body created by magic."

"Hence the metallic taste of chaos magic in the air," Caleia added. "It's Morsei's magic at work again."

The three started off again. Caleia could now vaguely feel Seto's presence as she sprinted across the sands. His aura was very weak. 'He doesn't have much time,' she thought, suddenly all too aware that regular mortals could only last the in the Shadow Realm for so long.

On the top of a hill she stopped suddenly, looking over at the horizon, but her eyes were glazed and unfocused, like she was somewhere else. Yami and Bakura came up to her.

"What's the matter? Yami asked. Caleia didn't respond. "Caleia?" Bakura inquired also. The girl's eyes cleared as her attention came back, but she still didn't respond.

"I take that as a challenge," Caleia muttered under her breath. She sheathed her sword, leaving two inches of the blade out so it could be easily drawn when needed. She stoop up straight, her face bearing a calm but determined expression as she stared straight ahead. Yami opened his mouth to say something, but stopped as a strong gust of wind blew into their faces, whipping their hair behind them.

Yami and Bakura peeked through their hands, which they had lifted over their heads against the wind, to see that Caleia alone had been unfazed, as if she was expecting this. A vortex appeared in front of them. Without hesitation, Caleia walked into it. After she did, it began shrinking, and just before it closed completely, Yami and Bakura jumped through also.

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please review! I really really like the praises and all, but someone please give me a suggestion on something…. If I spelled something wrong, flame my butt off, pleeease! Any suggestion!!!!! (of course, praises are appreciated too :-D)

~Kirsta~