Well, I got one person to review again.  (thanks Silver Dragon, Iron Claws!)  Maybe, just maybe somebody else will check it out this time too? . . .  One can only hope . . . .

Chapter 17: The Citadel

            Yugi and his friends had been following the raven for about half an hour.  Suddenly, they saw a mountain of rock rise up in front of them.

            "What's that thing?!" exclaimed Joey.

            "It looks like some kind of castle," said Yugi. 

            "Pretty scary-lookin' if ya ask me," replied Joey.          

            I can feel some kind of dark energy coming from inside, Yugi, said Yami.  This must be the place we're looking for.

            Meanwhile, the raven flew up to the window and breathlessly chirped a brief message.

            "So they've arrived, have they?" the shadowed figure cackled to itself.  "I knew they couldn't resist the temptation to follow you."

            "You've done well, my pet," it said to the raven.  "And now I will prepare a little . . . reception for them."

            The figure put on a long, black cloak, drew the hood over its head, and descended the narrow, spiraling staircase.  The two ravens flapped after the figure quickly, anxious to catch up before it noticed that they were lagging behind.  It crept along a dark hallway until it came to a small room.  The heavy door was made of mahogany, with symbols carved deep into the wood.  As the figure stopped to open the strange door, the ravens silently landed on the figure's cloak. 

Inside the chamber, a large, bird-like creature was tethered to a wall.  Its bronze feathers caught the light of the sun shining through the room's single window.  Though the bird was leaning down, when it rose to its full height, it was nearly 1½ times as tall as an average person.  The cloaked figure stroked the bird's head and leaned close to its ear.

            "Bring me one of the people on the boat, preferably the one with the Millennium Puzzle," it whispered in the bird's ear as it unhooked the collar from the wall.  "Mind that you don't hurt your captive, I need it alive for now."

            The figure chuckled evilly to the two ravens perched on its shoulders.

            "If those people have one major flaw, it's their loyalty to each other.  If one of their friends is taken, they will foolishly come after them."

            The large bird nodded its agreement and flew out of the large window.  Hovering in the air for a minute, it spied the gently-rocking boat in the water.  The bird hid behind an outcrop of rocks, perfectly positioned for a sneak attack.  The humans looked as tiny as ants from the great height.  It watched as four of them went inside the cabin, while three stayed out.  The bird's eyes gleamed with anticipation.  The puny humans on the boat wouldn't know what hit them.

            Reviews?  Maybe?  If anyone's reading this?  Please?  I sound so pathetic!!!!  Ah well, go ahead!!!  Don't review!!!!  I'll keep the story up anyways, and maybe more people will stumble across it.