Chapter 4--Captured!
Yuugi followed Kai-ana and her three children far into the mountains. Finally, they stopped. Kai-ana gave a loud cry, similar to a hawk's. In answer, three figures darted from the wilderness around them; their thick hide clothing was both protection from the cold and excellent camoflage. All the Clanners began speaking in their own curious language. Yuugi understood none of it--until one Clanner spoke to him. In thickly accented English, he said, "You, there. Where you come from? Why here, now? How you get here? You know about Clanners? Answer me!"
Yuugi blinked. How was he supposed to answer all of those questions!? "I come from another World, and I didn't mean to be here now. I was traveling with a friend, but we were separated. I don't know anything about the Clanners, but we were looking for them. Someone once told me that the Clanners would fight with us, if someone asked them to."
The man grinned. "Ah, so you have friend who know about Clanns? We take you to Chieftenn, now. Take you all quick. Come." They began to march again. Yuugi sighed. These Clanners were so suspicious!-o-o-o-o-o-Several hours later, they reached what appeared to be a village in the mountains. Looking again, however, Yuugi saw that it was far more technologically advanced than the village he had traveled from. The guards stationed around the outskirts carried metal weapons, and a Clanner came to meet them bore a lantern.
"You have come to see Shi-kai-dek? Chieftenn?" He gestured to Kai- ana and her children. "You four, you may enter. But this one must come with us. Come, we must hurry. Follow me."
Yuugi marched off after them. No matter what you were trying to do or where you were trying to go, the Clanners had the singular skill of making it incredibly difficult and complicated. Every few yards, someone would demand a password, which seemed to change at every station. The village itself was a series of long, winding streets paved with a substance similar to cobblestone, with houses at intervals. The town followed no particular plan or structure, seeming instead to grow out of the mountain. It was full of light and lanterns, and people darted here and there, watching the stranger being taken to the Chieftenn.Finally, at the far end of the town (and after almost twenty passwords), they reached a large structure that was almost, but not quite, completely unlike the sort of housing a person of importance would be given in Yuugi's World. Instead of being tall or majestic, it was low to the ground, made of plain, ordinary wood, and perfectly circular. On the doorway (if it could be called a doorway) was emblazoned a hawk taking flight. Torches and lanterns guttered around the entrance. The guard called out a new password, and they stepped inside.A fire burned at one end of the low, dark hall. Several people stood near the entrance, and they moved backward as Yuugi and the Clanners stepped inside. At the far end of the long, narrow building was a structure that seemed to function as a throne. It was made of mahogany- colored wood, and was carved with strange symbols and designs. The figure seated upon it stood.
"So. My guards tell me that you come bearing the light of the Star, but you bear no Star Magic of your own. Explain yourself." To his shock, Yuugi realized that the "Chieftenn" was actually a girl only a few years older than he was!
"How can you be the leader here? You're far younger than any of these others!"
The people nearby gasped. Some turned spear and dagger points toward him. Thankfully, the girl motioned that they should move back, tossing her long, blond-brown hair over her shoulders. "My father, the former Chieftenn, recently died. I rule in his stead. I may be young, but I am perfectly capable of protecting my people. Now, explain yourself!"
Yuugi stepped forward. "My name is Yuugi. I was traveling with a boy named Benjamin to rescue my friends from the Overlord, but we were separated. By chance, I ended up here. Your people say I have the light of the Star. They mean this mark on my wrist. I have no Star magic because I am not a Clanner or a Star Warrior. I came here seeking the help of the Clanners."
The girl nodded, ice-blue eyes carefully expressionless as she considered him. "Very well. You have met a Warrior, then, so they are not all dead and gone. You were right in thinking that the Clanners would help you. However, the enemy you speak of is very powerful, and is the enemy of all Clanners. You may stay with us until you find a way to return to your home, but there is little else we can do to help you. We are not a strong people anymore, but we endure, and live on. We will do what we can to fight the Overlord, however little that may be. Welcome to the Highwind Clann, Yuugi."-o-o-o-o-o-Meanwhile, deep in the Chaos fortress, a sinister being was relaying orders to his two chief soldiers.
My Chaos Oracle and Lieutenant Gash, you must go to the World of the Clanners immediately. Now that we have captured the Warrior, our enemy is unprotected. Kill any that you find. Go at once.
"Yes, my Lord," two voices chimed. The troops of Chaos, having captured Vicetor, the Last of Ancients, knew that this was the perfect opportunity to attack. The Lieutenant nodded decisively. Now they would destroy the hated Clanners, and capture their greatest enemy as well.-o-o-o-o-o-The Nightmare Clann knew that trouble was coming the moment Chaos troops entered their World. Swallowing their feudal pride, they contacted the Highwind Clann. Only Shi-kai-dek had any idea why the enemy had come. "Yuugi, the troops of Chaos have arrived. Why are they here?"
The blood drained from Yuugi's face. Without looking at the Highwind Clann Chieftenn, he whispered, "The Overlord has found me. They're coming to kill me, and anyone who stands in their way. You will all die...because of me...."
Shi-kai-dek stood up. "Never! The enemies of the Overlord are our allies. Yuugi, in times of danger such as these, there are few who will fight such enemies. The Clanners are a people of honor, and we will fight with you, even if it means death."
Yuugi shook his head. "They already know that I'm here. What good will fighting do?"
Shi-kai-dek smiled. "They may know that you're here, but they don't who you are. My Clann and I will disguise you as one of us. Come!"
Unexpectedly, the leader of the Nightmare Clann (Clann of the All- seeing Eye of the Mind) stepped forward. "Your disguises will mean nothing for the one who travels with this stranger. Are the eyes of the Highwind Clann blind? I am gifted with the Spirit-Sight. I see your companion. Speak, stranger; explain yourself!"
Yuugi stared at him in amazement, as did his yami, sitting invisibly next to him. In all of their travels, only one other person (besides Chaos, of course) had ever been able to see the yami! This dark spirit, which resided inside the Millenium Puzzle, helped Yuugi when he Dueled. Recently, he had learned how to manifest himself so that he was visible to ordinary humans, but at the moment he was manifested in his transparent form--very few people could see him like this.
As Yuugi was about to speak, Shi-kai-dek broke in. "What accusation is this, Malakai? You say my Clann is blind? This child is clearly not an enemy! The Overlord is our enemy as well, Malakai, have you not forgotten?"
Malakai sneered. "Danger often comes in innocent guise. Turning to Yuugi, he said, "Well? Will you explain yourself or not?"
Yuugi took a deep breath. "It's true that I'm traveling with a spirit. He's my friend, and neither of us is going to hurt anyone."
This seemed to enrage Malakai. "What!? You dare to suggest that you and your pathetic spirit friend could hope to harm the Clann of the All- seeing Eye of the Mind? We are the most powerful Spirit Summoners in the Multiverse! You are arrogant in your assurances!"
Yuugi frowned. "But you were the one who said that we were dangerous in the first place!"
To Yuugi's surprise, Malakai laughed. "That I did! You may be small, but you have heart, to speak to a Clann leader such! Stranger, my Clann and I are also with you. We can hide your ghostly friend from prying eyes. Come."
The yami got up, the wall behind him visible through his body. "I am not a ghost!" he muttered.
Malakai grinned. "That you are not. Follow me."Twenty minutes and lots of paint later, Yuugi and his yami were disguised as Clanners. Unfortunately, as Shi-kai-dek told him, nothing could make Yuugi look like a Clanner. His face was too innocent and childlike, as compared to the stern, harsh Highwind Clanners. The Nightmare Clann, perplexed by the calamity of trying to put face paint on what was essentially a contained soul, eventually made a hard choice, considering their penchant for titles and honor. They used their magic to give Yuugi's yami permanent Clanner markings, meaning that, for the rest of his life, the spirit would look like a Clanner. The simplest of Nightmare Clann markings, the ring with a slash through it encircling the right eye, was used in combination with the lightning bolt symbol of a spirit. Yuugi fared better. Because he was human, the Highwind Clanners were able to use nonpermanent paint on him. He ended up with the sign of the hawk, as well as the mark of a non-warrior.
Shi-kai-dek, however, was not pleased with the result. "The symbols are right, but no one would think you were a Clanner. Your face is all wrong. This will help hide some of the tell-tales," she said, handing him a curious silver helm. "You will have to change clothes to look like us Clanners as well; I'm afraid there is little I can do about your aura. Hurry, now; there' s not much time."
Elsewhere, the Clanners were gearing up for war. Chaos Shadow-troops were on the move, and battle was the only choice. Yuugi, armed only with the small knife given to him by Vice, took his place with the Clanners. It would be a long night.-o-o-o-o-o-The forces of Chaos attacked in the darkness, their ally. They came swiftly, capturing or killing all that they could. Yuugi understood very little of the battle; he tried to fight, but he was not a warrior. He remained unnoticed by the Shadow-troops for a time (their Sight is very poor), but he could not evade them forever. Towards the end of the battle, when it seemed that the Clanners might be victorious, Yuugi was trapped with about thirteen other Clanners, all children under eighteen, in a standoff against a contingent of troops. For a time it seemed that they might break free of the surrounding troops, but it soon became apparent that the Lieutenant of Chaos had finally arrived. Knowing of his target, he attacked Yuugi ferociously. Unable to match Lieutenant Gash's swordplay, he was knocked backwards, his dagger torn from his grasp. Yuugi closed his eyes. This was the end.
The Lieutenant's cry of pain and surprise brought him back to reality. Shi-kai-dek, brave Clanner Chieftenn, had come to Yuugi's rescue. With her long iron staff, bearing a curved blade at each end, she struck out against the Lieutenant. A she dodged and feinted, an unexpected attack from behind drew Yuugi into a different part of the battle. His final undoing was a demon-scout. Yuugi blacked out. Meanwhile, all around, the Clanners were locked into individual skirmishes, always losing. The troops of the Overlord, having been unsuccessful in finding Yuugi, moved on to the next target. They would return later to clean up the aftermath.-o-o-o-o-o-Much time later, Yuugi woke up. Everything was frighteningly still and silent. The wind shrieked past like the cry of one dying, and all around, bodies lay, their faces in the grotesque mask of death. Stumbling through the carnage, Yuugi found Shi-kai-dek. Facing the far more powerful Lieutenant, Shi-kai-dek had not been afraid to meet her death for another's sake. Now, she took her last breaths. Smiling faintly, she spoke in a halting whisper.
"So...they didn't...find you...Yuugi.... they're still...looking. You...have to run. If they find you...all of us...in trouble...hurry...get out of here...."
Kneeling, Yuugi said, in shock, "Why did you do it? You knew that Gash would win...he was much stronger than you..."
Shi-kai-dek tried and failed to sit up. Coughing blood, she stammered, "Had to...you were...in trouble. Clanners...very honorable. Always...help a friend. Yuugi...this is the end....for me. Do not forget us...any of us. We...fought as best....as we could. The Clanners...will remember this battle...if...any survive." The dying Chieftenn of the Highwind Clann struggled to keep breathing.
"Shi-kai-dek, you can't die...you have to hang on..." Yuugi whispered brokenly, knowing that it was hopeless.
Shi-kai-dek turned her head slightly. "Yuugi...you humans...always trying to escape....the inevitable. Nothing...we can....do now. Save your tears...Yuugi...we died with honor. More than some...can say..." Yuugi was silent. Shi-kai-dek's eyes grew dim. "Yuugi...my name...not Shi-kai-dek. My True Name...it is....Aria................."
Shi-kai-dek, Aria, the leader of the Clann of the Spirit of the Falcon, closed her eyes for the last time. A cold, bitter wind shrieked past on that lonely mountain plateau as, all alone among the dead, Yuugi Mutou cried.
This was how Chaos found him some time later, after the massacre of Nightmare Clann. Yuugi offered no resistance as they bound his hands and Gated out.
