Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh..duh
If you have the time, REIVEW!
Chapter #17: Different Dimensions
*~*~*Reader's POV*~*~*
"Where are we?" Elaya asked slowly. Apparently, the 'black hole' brought them to another part of the game. Instead of trees and wilderness, they appeared to be in the dark---quite literally actually. Still on their Pixie's backs, they floated in the dark space, unsure of what to do.
"Red Pixie," Yami said, "Are the voices close or far away?" They all hoped that the answer wasn't the latter one. If it was, then, they would be lost in this blackness forever.
"Very close." She answered. "Very loud."
"Then bring us to them!" Kaiba ordered and they continued to float in the darkness to wherever the noise would lead them.
*~*~*In the Dungeon-Reader's POV*~*~*
"Oh, don't cry Mokuba!" Téa looked beside her to see Kaiba's little brother's tears well up in his eyes. "They'll come. Remember? Elaya sent us that message that they were coming!"
"Then why aren't they here yet? That was hours or even years ago!" Mokuba shouted, looking up at everyone, allowing the tears to fall over his cheeks. "My big brother means a lot to me....he was always there for me. If he were to-to-" He couldn't finish the statement. Just thinking about his brother's death made him feel like crying enough to flood the world.
"Then we have to be there for him, Elaya and Yugi. They need our support." Grandpa reasoned.
"But they don't know where we are! We don't know where they are!" Mokuba protested.
"Well, that's true, Mokuba. But we've gotta remain positive. They may not be here beside us---" Joey started
"---But they here with us in spirit. And so are we to them. Everything is going to turn out fine Mokuba." Téa finished, trying to calm down her similar feelings with her own words..it didn't work.
"How the mighty optimistic ones have fallen." A familiar mocking voice called from behind them.
"You let us out of this cage right now!" Mokuba cried furiously.
"I lost the key." Dieen smiled evilly. "Would you like to see your friends?" They all stood up and slowly went to the front of the dungeon where Dieen was standing. She made a small ball appear in her hands. Unlike before, the group couldn't see anything.
"Hey! Where are they??" Tristan demanded.
"It appears that it is lights out for your friends." Dieen said. But then, they all noticed bright white swords, and it began to lighten up the picture. One of the three managed to summon Swords of Revealing Light and it gave them light. [Drat!] Dieen thought. [Those meddling children have foiled my darkness. Oh well, the closer they get to me, the closer I will get to my revenge and my new-found power.]
"Well, well, well, look what we have here...Those poor excuses for human beings have seen the light." Dieen said as she made the ball disappear.
"Where are they?" Grandpa demanded.
"Unfortunately, too close for comfort." Dieen responded. "I must dispose of them once and for all."
"No! You-you-you can't do that! It isn't right!" Mokuba shouted.
"All is fair with love and war little one, and I choose war to suit my needs. Goodbye for now. If I were you, I'd better start thinking of your future in the Shadow Realm." Dieen said as she turned away from the gates.
"The what?!" Teresa asked angrily.
"You'll find out soon enough...once your friends are gone and you are mine." Like always, she disappeared.
*~*~*~*In the Darkness-Reader's POV*~*~*~*
"Good move Yami!" Elaya complemented. "We now have light to see!"
"Did you figure that by yourself, or did someone have to tell you?" Kaiba remarked sarcastically. "Kaiba?" Elaya asked.
"What?"
"Don't test me."
"Stop fighting....both of you! We need to work together and find where we are and where the others are. The swords give us light, but it means that we can't attack." Yami explained.
"Yeah, I know. Come on, I think I see the bottom." Elaya said just as her purple Pixie's foot touched down on solid ground. They all climbed off their Pixie's and walked forward with extreme caution. The purple Pixie confirmed that the others, and a large quantity of a certain duel monster, were around here somewhere. Just then, a low humming sound was heard when a stampede of Media Bats (800/400) swarmed around them. Since the swords were still in play, not allowing the Pixies or any other monster they could of summoned to attack the Bats, one of them managed to attack Yami's life points, dropping them down to 3200.
"I activate 'Dust Tornado' to remove the magic card I placed on the field!" Yami shouted. The swords around them disappeared and the Pixies that were able to attack; and they destroyed most of them..the others flew away.
Now, without the light, the three of them were left in the dark for the second time. Yet, just before the darkness settled, the Pixies formed an electric ball to light the way. Soon, after much wandering, they all saw a giant castle.
"The Castle of Dark Illusions..Just like before." Yami noted as the familiar card hovered above them.
"You were in here before?" Elaya questioned.
"It wasn't the same like last time. Before, there was an actual game going on with other characters and helpful fairies..This, this is just wrong." He explained.
"The voices are up in there." The yellow Pixie explained. "We must go." The Pixie's grabbed hold of the teen's hands and brought them up to the entrance of the Castle. They entered with ease, but with caution. That's when two recognizable foes stopped them dead in their tracks.
"Hello Pharaoh. Glad you, Kaiba and the girl could join us." They said in unison.
"Yami Marik! And Yami Backura! What are you doing here?" Yami asked with his voice filled with surprise. / I thought that I'd never see these evils again! / Yugi cried.
"The Shadow Realm is our home. And we were hoping that we could give you the grand tour." Yami Marik said.
"Not a chance in hell!" Elaya shouted suddenly.
"Well, we are already there, aren't we, Marik?" Backura said nodding.
"Yes we are."
"Let us pass. We don't have the time to deal with this conversation nonsense!" Kaiba said angrily, stepping forward. Elaya's Pixies stood behind them and Elaya silently put them in defence mode.
"Well, when you put it that way...we could let you pass.." Backura suggested, stressing the word 'could' with plenty of emphasis. "But that would be less fun, wouldn't it?"
"Stop playing games Backura! Just tell us where the others are-"
"-or you'll be sorry you ever messed with me!" Kaiba shouted, interrupting Yami.
"Kaiba, I'm shaking." Marik chuckled.
"Remember at Battle City, Marik? After we both lost? Both of us to the Pharaoh and then me to you?" Backura asked casually as the Castle fell silent.
"Yes, I do."
"Well, the punishment for losing those duels was a one way ticket to the Shadow Realm, correct?"
"Yes..but you see, Pharaoh, you can't get rid of evil by placing it back in its home." Marik said.
"What?" Yami looked puzzled.
"The Shadow Realm..most dreaded by humans and spirits alike, is where we belong. We do not suffer in here; we thrive on the suffering going on around us." Backura explained. "Making us, and all other spirits like us, stronger as more people join our lovely party."
"And I think that we have some invitations to give out, don't we Backura?"
"Yes boys, yes you do." Said a female voice shrouded in the darkness. Backura and Marik turned around and bowed slightly as their Queen arrived. "Dieen..." Elaya whispered eyes wide.
The Queen arrived shortly after. She hadn't changed from the last time that they all saw her in their dreams. Her eyes were still blood red, hair still black and wispy, her fingers still had the swords attached along with the tentacles and her dress was still grey and dissipated at the ends.
"Wow, I never knew you could make it..in one piece of course." She smiled at the thought.
"Well, it wasn't that hard to arrive." Kaiba said folding his arms at his chest.
"We've played your game and we're at the finish line. Show us where the others are this instant!"
"I would if I could Kaiba, I really would. But I can't." Dieen said.
"What do you mean you can't?! You're the one who's holding them prisoner!!" Elaya shouted.
Dieen laughed. "I can't because if I did, you'd all have to do something that I don't think you would."
"And what would that be, spirit?!" Yami asked angrily.
"Trust me."
*~*~*In the Dungeon-Reader's POV*~*~*
It had been quiet for quite some time now. No one was talking or shifting. They all just sat there. The silence was driving Téa crazy. She tried to start a conversation once, but no one paid any attention. Finally, it was Mokuba who broke the silence.
"This may be the wrong time to ask but, where's the washroom?"
"I don't know." Teresa said quietly. She was thinking about Elaya. Her darling daughter..this would have to be the longest they've ever been apart, and she hated it. She wished that someone would pinch her and that she would wake up and find Elaya in the kitchen making breakfast.
"I really have to go." Mokuba muttered under his breath. Joey, who was sitting beside him heard.
"Then go already. Go in the corner, we won't look."
"Joey! That's disgusting!" Mokuba cried.
"Well, what are you going to do? I doubt 'Dieen' will allow you to get out and show you to a toilet. Man, I'm hungry."
Teresa snapped out of her thoughts and fished through her purse. "I got some mints and a pack of gum, if anyone else is hungry..." Joey instantly grabbed a mint and popped it in his mouth.
"Mmmm..Minty." He said and smiled.
"I'm surprised that you didn't chew Teresa's arms off in the process of getting your food." Tristan said.
"I was being considerate. That may be the last pieces of food we have." Joey answered, trying to suppress his anger.
Quiet fell over the group again. This time Téa was the first to talk. "Guys, time isn't going to go by any faster if we just sit here and do nothing but listen to Joey suck the life out of that mint."
"Hey!"
"Well, what do you want to talk about, Téa?" Grandpa asked slowly. He had taken a quick nap and dreamed that he was back in the game shop and making business as usual. He woke up because of the noises that were coming out of Joey's mouth.
"Uh..what about..how we all got here?"
"Like here? In this dungeon?" Teresa asked. "Oh sorry---not dungeon, 'Nightmare Cage.'"
"Yeah. I'll go first." Téa cleared her throat. She desperately needed some sort of water. Maybe talking wasn't the best thing that she should be doing right now. "After I dropped everyone off from our little shopping experiences, and parked the car in the garage, I heard this low rustling noise. I went back to the car and looked into it and saw Dieen's face in the window. Then, everything went black, and I woke up here. How about you, Mokuba?"
"Well, I was doing my homework and I heard that same rustling noise coming from outside. At first I thought it was the trees, but then I noticed that the shadows of them weren't moving. I went to the window and looked out. I saw a face, her face, and then everything went black..then I woke up here."
"I was walking up my driveway after Téa dropped me off." Tristan started. "I entered my house but I felt that something was odd. I couldn't put a finger on it. So I dismissed it and went to my room. I plopped myself on the bed. I heard someone with white hair laugh before I went to sleep. Then I woke up here."
"I went shopping for groceries because I got off work early." Teresa explained. "As I went past some of the alleyways I heard something. I stopped and looked into one. It was a homeless person with white hair and purple eyes. I was going to drop him some change, but that's when he started to laugh. Everything swirled around me and I fainted. Next thing I know I'm in this...this..place."
Yugi's Grandfather was next. "I was just finishing closing the shop for the day, when the doors opened. I told the person who was dressed in a blue shirt and white pants that the shop was closed."
"Blue shirt and white pants? That sounds like Backura!" Joey said.
"Yes, it looked like him, yet it wasn't. He began to laugh and told me that he would finally get what he wanted. I can't remember anything after that.."
"The evil inside his Millennium Ring.." Tristan said trailing the end of his sentence.
Joey was last. He explained that Dieen had paid an earlier visit to him and slashed him. But he didn't tell the part of Elaya's healing. "After you dropped me off, I heard something in the bushes on the side of my house. The closer I went to 'em, the louder it got. When I was like a foot away from them, I felt something grab my shirt. I feel through the thorny bushes without getting hurt. Then, it felt like my eyes were on fire and I fell asleep."
"What was weird was that when those things paid a visit to me, it felt as if I was in a dream. Everything was all fuzzy and I wasn't seeing straight. It felt odd." Teresa shuddered at the memory as everyone nodded in agreement. "But what do they want from us anyways?"
"That's it. They just want 'us'" Grandpa said shaking his head. "And I really don't want to think about what they'll do to us or my grandson, Mokuba's brother, or your daughter."
*~*~*In the Castle of Dark Illusions-Reader's POV*~*~*
"Well then, what do you say? Do wish to follow me?" Dieen asked, raising an eyebrow.
The three teens looked at each other then back at Dieen. She smiled when Kaiba moved forward.
"Show me where my brother is. Now!" he ordered.
"Kaiba! You could be walking into a trap!" Yami protested.
"You're trusting the freakin' enemy here, Kaiba!" Elaya shouted from behind him.
"Listen, I told you that I didn't need your help to get here. And I don't need your opinions now. I'll save my brother on my own." He retorted. He began to walk towards Dieen a little bit more before Elaya grabbed his arm.
"Now you listen to me, Seto Kaiba!" she said pulling him back a step, eyes narrowed. "Both Yugi and I have family members to save but I wouldn't trust her. Look at that smile she's wearing! It's a trap! I know that you're brother means the world to you and you do to him..but my friends mean the world to me, and if anything were to happen to you that I could have stopped..I wouldn't be able to live knowing that I could have prevented something bad from happening to you." Elaya released her grip from his arm and stared at him. [Don't do this Seto] she thought.
Unfortunately, she hadn't thought loud enough. Kaiba still walked ahead until he was face to face with Dieen.
"I want to see my brother. Bring me to him."
"As you wish. Will you two be joining us?" Dieen asked. The two remaining teens stood silent. "Follow me, Kaiba." The two of them turned around and left Yami Backura and Marik alone with Elaya and Yami. Soon, Backura and Marik slowly began to dissolve in their surroundings.
"Hey! What's going on?" Elaya asked as the two men that were in front of her a second ago were fading.
Backura laughed. "Now you see us, now you don't. Goodbye Pharaoh. I'll be seeing you soon."
"Wait!" Yami shouted holding his palm outward. "What is the real reason you're doing this?"
"To get what we want: the power of the Puzzle, the mercy of the world, and two more additions to our collection of Items." Marik sneered before both of the evils disappeared.
A moment of silence passed. "Do you think Dieen really brought Kaiba to the others?" Yami asked slowly
"I don't know. Let's see if we can beat her there." Cautiously, with their Pixies behind them, they began to walk in the same direction where they saw Kaiba leave.
*~*~*In the Darkness-Reader's POV*~*~*
Kaiba walked slowly behind Dieen. He knew that his choice was risky, but he needed to save his brother, like he promised he would always do. They both walked in silence. He couldn't tell where they were going or if the walls around him were getting a darker shade of black---if that was even possible.
"Kaiba?" Dieen asked from in front of him. He could still see her. She gave off this grey glow.
"What?"
"Did you honestly believe that I would let you off so easily?" Before he could say another word, Dieen turned around and faced him. It was then that he realized how blood-red her eyes were. She then wrapped her tentacle like fingers around him in a blink of an eye and squeezed---hard. He let out a moan of discomfort.
"Foolish boy.." Dieen said shaking her head. "And the best part is, you're friends can't hear you scream. Foolish boys deserve their share of punishment." She tightened her grip around Kaiba's body, pushing what remaining air he had left in his lungs out. That's when she removed his duel disk from his arm. She unravelled her fingers and watched his body go limp on the floor and his life points dropped to zero.
"Game over, Seth. You've been a great player though. But being a great sport doesn't always cut it." Dieen grabbed hold of Kaiba's arm and transported herself and him to where his brother and the others where.
*~*~*In the Dungeon-Reader's POV*~*~*
"What's that noise?" Grandpa asked as they all turned around to see the evil that was keeping them prisoner holding a lifeless boy.
"SETO! What have you done to him?!" Mokuba cried angrily as the six of them ran up to the bars as Dieen hauled Kaiba's lifeless body to the entrance of the Nightmare Cage.
"He wanted me to bring him to you, Mokuba. And that's exactly how I could do it." She explained. Dieen then threw Kaiba in the Cage, making him crash into Joey and Tristan. "Oh, and when---no wait---IF he wakes up; tell him that I have his deck."
"Give that back! My brother worked hard to make that deck! Give it!!" Mokuba shouted trying to look away from his brother's motionless body.
"If you insist.." Dieen took out his deck and one of his Blue Eyes; she then pierced a hold right through the entire deck with one of her nails. She threw the cards back at Mokuba through the Cage. He could only watch as all of his brother's cards lay useless on the floor in front of him. The hole went through the centre of all the cards.
"I'll keep this one card." Dieen smiled as she flashed the last Blue Eyes. "That will make his deck unusable in there. Just like Joey's." She then disappeared, as usual.
Please review, if you can. Thanks!
If you have the time, REIVEW!
Chapter #17: Different Dimensions
*~*~*Reader's POV*~*~*
"Where are we?" Elaya asked slowly. Apparently, the 'black hole' brought them to another part of the game. Instead of trees and wilderness, they appeared to be in the dark---quite literally actually. Still on their Pixie's backs, they floated in the dark space, unsure of what to do.
"Red Pixie," Yami said, "Are the voices close or far away?" They all hoped that the answer wasn't the latter one. If it was, then, they would be lost in this blackness forever.
"Very close." She answered. "Very loud."
"Then bring us to them!" Kaiba ordered and they continued to float in the darkness to wherever the noise would lead them.
*~*~*In the Dungeon-Reader's POV*~*~*
"Oh, don't cry Mokuba!" Téa looked beside her to see Kaiba's little brother's tears well up in his eyes. "They'll come. Remember? Elaya sent us that message that they were coming!"
"Then why aren't they here yet? That was hours or even years ago!" Mokuba shouted, looking up at everyone, allowing the tears to fall over his cheeks. "My big brother means a lot to me....he was always there for me. If he were to-to-" He couldn't finish the statement. Just thinking about his brother's death made him feel like crying enough to flood the world.
"Then we have to be there for him, Elaya and Yugi. They need our support." Grandpa reasoned.
"But they don't know where we are! We don't know where they are!" Mokuba protested.
"Well, that's true, Mokuba. But we've gotta remain positive. They may not be here beside us---" Joey started
"---But they here with us in spirit. And so are we to them. Everything is going to turn out fine Mokuba." Téa finished, trying to calm down her similar feelings with her own words..it didn't work.
"How the mighty optimistic ones have fallen." A familiar mocking voice called from behind them.
"You let us out of this cage right now!" Mokuba cried furiously.
"I lost the key." Dieen smiled evilly. "Would you like to see your friends?" They all stood up and slowly went to the front of the dungeon where Dieen was standing. She made a small ball appear in her hands. Unlike before, the group couldn't see anything.
"Hey! Where are they??" Tristan demanded.
"It appears that it is lights out for your friends." Dieen said. But then, they all noticed bright white swords, and it began to lighten up the picture. One of the three managed to summon Swords of Revealing Light and it gave them light. [Drat!] Dieen thought. [Those meddling children have foiled my darkness. Oh well, the closer they get to me, the closer I will get to my revenge and my new-found power.]
"Well, well, well, look what we have here...Those poor excuses for human beings have seen the light." Dieen said as she made the ball disappear.
"Where are they?" Grandpa demanded.
"Unfortunately, too close for comfort." Dieen responded. "I must dispose of them once and for all."
"No! You-you-you can't do that! It isn't right!" Mokuba shouted.
"All is fair with love and war little one, and I choose war to suit my needs. Goodbye for now. If I were you, I'd better start thinking of your future in the Shadow Realm." Dieen said as she turned away from the gates.
"The what?!" Teresa asked angrily.
"You'll find out soon enough...once your friends are gone and you are mine." Like always, she disappeared.
*~*~*~*In the Darkness-Reader's POV*~*~*~*
"Good move Yami!" Elaya complemented. "We now have light to see!"
"Did you figure that by yourself, or did someone have to tell you?" Kaiba remarked sarcastically. "Kaiba?" Elaya asked.
"What?"
"Don't test me."
"Stop fighting....both of you! We need to work together and find where we are and where the others are. The swords give us light, but it means that we can't attack." Yami explained.
"Yeah, I know. Come on, I think I see the bottom." Elaya said just as her purple Pixie's foot touched down on solid ground. They all climbed off their Pixie's and walked forward with extreme caution. The purple Pixie confirmed that the others, and a large quantity of a certain duel monster, were around here somewhere. Just then, a low humming sound was heard when a stampede of Media Bats (800/400) swarmed around them. Since the swords were still in play, not allowing the Pixies or any other monster they could of summoned to attack the Bats, one of them managed to attack Yami's life points, dropping them down to 3200.
"I activate 'Dust Tornado' to remove the magic card I placed on the field!" Yami shouted. The swords around them disappeared and the Pixies that were able to attack; and they destroyed most of them..the others flew away.
Now, without the light, the three of them were left in the dark for the second time. Yet, just before the darkness settled, the Pixies formed an electric ball to light the way. Soon, after much wandering, they all saw a giant castle.
"The Castle of Dark Illusions..Just like before." Yami noted as the familiar card hovered above them.
"You were in here before?" Elaya questioned.
"It wasn't the same like last time. Before, there was an actual game going on with other characters and helpful fairies..This, this is just wrong." He explained.
"The voices are up in there." The yellow Pixie explained. "We must go." The Pixie's grabbed hold of the teen's hands and brought them up to the entrance of the Castle. They entered with ease, but with caution. That's when two recognizable foes stopped them dead in their tracks.
"Hello Pharaoh. Glad you, Kaiba and the girl could join us." They said in unison.
"Yami Marik! And Yami Backura! What are you doing here?" Yami asked with his voice filled with surprise. / I thought that I'd never see these evils again! / Yugi cried.
"The Shadow Realm is our home. And we were hoping that we could give you the grand tour." Yami Marik said.
"Not a chance in hell!" Elaya shouted suddenly.
"Well, we are already there, aren't we, Marik?" Backura said nodding.
"Yes we are."
"Let us pass. We don't have the time to deal with this conversation nonsense!" Kaiba said angrily, stepping forward. Elaya's Pixies stood behind them and Elaya silently put them in defence mode.
"Well, when you put it that way...we could let you pass.." Backura suggested, stressing the word 'could' with plenty of emphasis. "But that would be less fun, wouldn't it?"
"Stop playing games Backura! Just tell us where the others are-"
"-or you'll be sorry you ever messed with me!" Kaiba shouted, interrupting Yami.
"Kaiba, I'm shaking." Marik chuckled.
"Remember at Battle City, Marik? After we both lost? Both of us to the Pharaoh and then me to you?" Backura asked casually as the Castle fell silent.
"Yes, I do."
"Well, the punishment for losing those duels was a one way ticket to the Shadow Realm, correct?"
"Yes..but you see, Pharaoh, you can't get rid of evil by placing it back in its home." Marik said.
"What?" Yami looked puzzled.
"The Shadow Realm..most dreaded by humans and spirits alike, is where we belong. We do not suffer in here; we thrive on the suffering going on around us." Backura explained. "Making us, and all other spirits like us, stronger as more people join our lovely party."
"And I think that we have some invitations to give out, don't we Backura?"
"Yes boys, yes you do." Said a female voice shrouded in the darkness. Backura and Marik turned around and bowed slightly as their Queen arrived. "Dieen..." Elaya whispered eyes wide.
The Queen arrived shortly after. She hadn't changed from the last time that they all saw her in their dreams. Her eyes were still blood red, hair still black and wispy, her fingers still had the swords attached along with the tentacles and her dress was still grey and dissipated at the ends.
"Wow, I never knew you could make it..in one piece of course." She smiled at the thought.
"Well, it wasn't that hard to arrive." Kaiba said folding his arms at his chest.
"We've played your game and we're at the finish line. Show us where the others are this instant!"
"I would if I could Kaiba, I really would. But I can't." Dieen said.
"What do you mean you can't?! You're the one who's holding them prisoner!!" Elaya shouted.
Dieen laughed. "I can't because if I did, you'd all have to do something that I don't think you would."
"And what would that be, spirit?!" Yami asked angrily.
"Trust me."
*~*~*In the Dungeon-Reader's POV*~*~*
It had been quiet for quite some time now. No one was talking or shifting. They all just sat there. The silence was driving Téa crazy. She tried to start a conversation once, but no one paid any attention. Finally, it was Mokuba who broke the silence.
"This may be the wrong time to ask but, where's the washroom?"
"I don't know." Teresa said quietly. She was thinking about Elaya. Her darling daughter..this would have to be the longest they've ever been apart, and she hated it. She wished that someone would pinch her and that she would wake up and find Elaya in the kitchen making breakfast.
"I really have to go." Mokuba muttered under his breath. Joey, who was sitting beside him heard.
"Then go already. Go in the corner, we won't look."
"Joey! That's disgusting!" Mokuba cried.
"Well, what are you going to do? I doubt 'Dieen' will allow you to get out and show you to a toilet. Man, I'm hungry."
Teresa snapped out of her thoughts and fished through her purse. "I got some mints and a pack of gum, if anyone else is hungry..." Joey instantly grabbed a mint and popped it in his mouth.
"Mmmm..Minty." He said and smiled.
"I'm surprised that you didn't chew Teresa's arms off in the process of getting your food." Tristan said.
"I was being considerate. That may be the last pieces of food we have." Joey answered, trying to suppress his anger.
Quiet fell over the group again. This time Téa was the first to talk. "Guys, time isn't going to go by any faster if we just sit here and do nothing but listen to Joey suck the life out of that mint."
"Hey!"
"Well, what do you want to talk about, Téa?" Grandpa asked slowly. He had taken a quick nap and dreamed that he was back in the game shop and making business as usual. He woke up because of the noises that were coming out of Joey's mouth.
"Uh..what about..how we all got here?"
"Like here? In this dungeon?" Teresa asked. "Oh sorry---not dungeon, 'Nightmare Cage.'"
"Yeah. I'll go first." Téa cleared her throat. She desperately needed some sort of water. Maybe talking wasn't the best thing that she should be doing right now. "After I dropped everyone off from our little shopping experiences, and parked the car in the garage, I heard this low rustling noise. I went back to the car and looked into it and saw Dieen's face in the window. Then, everything went black, and I woke up here. How about you, Mokuba?"
"Well, I was doing my homework and I heard that same rustling noise coming from outside. At first I thought it was the trees, but then I noticed that the shadows of them weren't moving. I went to the window and looked out. I saw a face, her face, and then everything went black..then I woke up here."
"I was walking up my driveway after Téa dropped me off." Tristan started. "I entered my house but I felt that something was odd. I couldn't put a finger on it. So I dismissed it and went to my room. I plopped myself on the bed. I heard someone with white hair laugh before I went to sleep. Then I woke up here."
"I went shopping for groceries because I got off work early." Teresa explained. "As I went past some of the alleyways I heard something. I stopped and looked into one. It was a homeless person with white hair and purple eyes. I was going to drop him some change, but that's when he started to laugh. Everything swirled around me and I fainted. Next thing I know I'm in this...this..place."
Yugi's Grandfather was next. "I was just finishing closing the shop for the day, when the doors opened. I told the person who was dressed in a blue shirt and white pants that the shop was closed."
"Blue shirt and white pants? That sounds like Backura!" Joey said.
"Yes, it looked like him, yet it wasn't. He began to laugh and told me that he would finally get what he wanted. I can't remember anything after that.."
"The evil inside his Millennium Ring.." Tristan said trailing the end of his sentence.
Joey was last. He explained that Dieen had paid an earlier visit to him and slashed him. But he didn't tell the part of Elaya's healing. "After you dropped me off, I heard something in the bushes on the side of my house. The closer I went to 'em, the louder it got. When I was like a foot away from them, I felt something grab my shirt. I feel through the thorny bushes without getting hurt. Then, it felt like my eyes were on fire and I fell asleep."
"What was weird was that when those things paid a visit to me, it felt as if I was in a dream. Everything was all fuzzy and I wasn't seeing straight. It felt odd." Teresa shuddered at the memory as everyone nodded in agreement. "But what do they want from us anyways?"
"That's it. They just want 'us'" Grandpa said shaking his head. "And I really don't want to think about what they'll do to us or my grandson, Mokuba's brother, or your daughter."
*~*~*In the Castle of Dark Illusions-Reader's POV*~*~*
"Well then, what do you say? Do wish to follow me?" Dieen asked, raising an eyebrow.
The three teens looked at each other then back at Dieen. She smiled when Kaiba moved forward.
"Show me where my brother is. Now!" he ordered.
"Kaiba! You could be walking into a trap!" Yami protested.
"You're trusting the freakin' enemy here, Kaiba!" Elaya shouted from behind him.
"Listen, I told you that I didn't need your help to get here. And I don't need your opinions now. I'll save my brother on my own." He retorted. He began to walk towards Dieen a little bit more before Elaya grabbed his arm.
"Now you listen to me, Seto Kaiba!" she said pulling him back a step, eyes narrowed. "Both Yugi and I have family members to save but I wouldn't trust her. Look at that smile she's wearing! It's a trap! I know that you're brother means the world to you and you do to him..but my friends mean the world to me, and if anything were to happen to you that I could have stopped..I wouldn't be able to live knowing that I could have prevented something bad from happening to you." Elaya released her grip from his arm and stared at him. [Don't do this Seto] she thought.
Unfortunately, she hadn't thought loud enough. Kaiba still walked ahead until he was face to face with Dieen.
"I want to see my brother. Bring me to him."
"As you wish. Will you two be joining us?" Dieen asked. The two remaining teens stood silent. "Follow me, Kaiba." The two of them turned around and left Yami Backura and Marik alone with Elaya and Yami. Soon, Backura and Marik slowly began to dissolve in their surroundings.
"Hey! What's going on?" Elaya asked as the two men that were in front of her a second ago were fading.
Backura laughed. "Now you see us, now you don't. Goodbye Pharaoh. I'll be seeing you soon."
"Wait!" Yami shouted holding his palm outward. "What is the real reason you're doing this?"
"To get what we want: the power of the Puzzle, the mercy of the world, and two more additions to our collection of Items." Marik sneered before both of the evils disappeared.
A moment of silence passed. "Do you think Dieen really brought Kaiba to the others?" Yami asked slowly
"I don't know. Let's see if we can beat her there." Cautiously, with their Pixies behind them, they began to walk in the same direction where they saw Kaiba leave.
*~*~*In the Darkness-Reader's POV*~*~*
Kaiba walked slowly behind Dieen. He knew that his choice was risky, but he needed to save his brother, like he promised he would always do. They both walked in silence. He couldn't tell where they were going or if the walls around him were getting a darker shade of black---if that was even possible.
"Kaiba?" Dieen asked from in front of him. He could still see her. She gave off this grey glow.
"What?"
"Did you honestly believe that I would let you off so easily?" Before he could say another word, Dieen turned around and faced him. It was then that he realized how blood-red her eyes were. She then wrapped her tentacle like fingers around him in a blink of an eye and squeezed---hard. He let out a moan of discomfort.
"Foolish boy.." Dieen said shaking her head. "And the best part is, you're friends can't hear you scream. Foolish boys deserve their share of punishment." She tightened her grip around Kaiba's body, pushing what remaining air he had left in his lungs out. That's when she removed his duel disk from his arm. She unravelled her fingers and watched his body go limp on the floor and his life points dropped to zero.
"Game over, Seth. You've been a great player though. But being a great sport doesn't always cut it." Dieen grabbed hold of Kaiba's arm and transported herself and him to where his brother and the others where.
*~*~*In the Dungeon-Reader's POV*~*~*
"What's that noise?" Grandpa asked as they all turned around to see the evil that was keeping them prisoner holding a lifeless boy.
"SETO! What have you done to him?!" Mokuba cried angrily as the six of them ran up to the bars as Dieen hauled Kaiba's lifeless body to the entrance of the Nightmare Cage.
"He wanted me to bring him to you, Mokuba. And that's exactly how I could do it." She explained. Dieen then threw Kaiba in the Cage, making him crash into Joey and Tristan. "Oh, and when---no wait---IF he wakes up; tell him that I have his deck."
"Give that back! My brother worked hard to make that deck! Give it!!" Mokuba shouted trying to look away from his brother's motionless body.
"If you insist.." Dieen took out his deck and one of his Blue Eyes; she then pierced a hold right through the entire deck with one of her nails. She threw the cards back at Mokuba through the Cage. He could only watch as all of his brother's cards lay useless on the floor in front of him. The hole went through the centre of all the cards.
"I'll keep this one card." Dieen smiled as she flashed the last Blue Eyes. "That will make his deck unusable in there. Just like Joey's." She then disappeared, as usual.
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