The Millennium Ritual
Chapter 19: Message Of Truth
In the darkness of midnight, a pair of green eyes fluttered open. Aura sat up on her rough bed, her hand covering her forehead. She felt a tickle in her throat, and quickly covered her mouth at the sneeze. The rose on her chest now flew to the ground.
Aura stared at her hand, noticing welts and blood from the sneeze. She stared at the candle beside her.
'What happened?' She thought, standing up. But that tactic proved unsuccessful, for Aura fell to the ground, her legs unable to support her weight.
"Ouch," She said, rubbing her thigh, "How did I get injured so badly?" Suddenly she remembered.
"Oh." Aura sighed, remembering the incident with Bakura and Shanek. 'Why did I get so out of control? Ugh, I made a fool of myself!' She tried again, standing up with more ease. Slowly she walked to the chair, and quickly grabbed the sack and quickly ran back to the bed, collapsing onto it.
Placing herself under the covers, she dug through the bag, searching for her photo. Then, behind a piece of bread, she found it. She took the large locket and opened it with a click. Inside, was a picture of her mother, herself, and. . .
"Seth," She whispered, stroking the old picture, "You must think I'm really stupid, huh little brother?" Aura smiled as she stared into the little boy's face. She shook her head. "You're right, I should've thought it through before actually going. But it's hard, you know?" The boy didn't say anything.
She sighed again, and said, "Thanks for listening Seth, but I got to go again." She closed the locket, and holding it tight, said to herself, "I've got to do something first. And I'm not going to endanger my friends' lives again." Aura stared at the door. "But like I said before, it's going to be hard."
'Let me take control, Aura.' The woman said, squeezing Aura's shoulder. 'You are still injured.'
"Not enough to dampen my spirits." Aura replied, slowly standing to the same chair and taking her cape. 'At least I can walk.' She thought, placing the cape on her shoulders and draping the hood on her head.
'No, I'm not going to let you go off again. Did you know that you almost killed yourself out there? I will not let that happen again!' Aura placed the sack inside her cape, not listening to the woman's antics. She walked out the door.
'Aura, I command you to stop!'
Aura turned around, and said, "At least I'm trying to do something. I thought you were supposed to protect Yami, but all you're doing is hiding around, too afraid to tell him the truth!"
The woman didn't say anything, but soon replied angrily, 'He's not ready.'
Aura rolled her eyes, and said to her, "He is ready. I think he always was. Maybe it's not him who isn't ready, maybe it's you."
She was silent.
Aura turned her back to the woman, and said quietly, "I'm going to tell Yami, whether you like it or not. He has a right to know." She walked away.
'Aura. . .'
"Good-bye." Aura said. She disappeared into the hallway. The woman sighed, and went after her.
___________________________________________________________________
Aura continued walking, and felt a small swish inside her Millennium Orb. She smiled, and thought, 'So she decided to come.' Aura kept on walking, and heard a small noise in a room. She stopped, and quickly ducked behind a pillar. Heart beating fast, Aura heard a crash in the room, and revealing a staff from the sack, slowly walked toward the entrance, and took a peek.
Duke was in the kitchen, going through the cupboards and drawers, saying, "Where can a guy get food in this joint?" He continued looking through the kitchen.
Aura sighed, content. Slowly, she crept to the other side of the hallway, until she heard a loud "SNAP!" Aura stared at her foot quickly. She stepped on a twig.
"Curse it." She said, slowly walking backward to see if Duke heard. As she peered out into the kitchen, she came face to face with a man with green eyes and black hair.
"AH-!" Duke started screaming, until he was muffled by Aura's hand.
"Sh! Be quiet Duke!" Aura said, shaking the frightened high school student.
He quieted, and taking her hand off his mouth, said, "Aura! What are you doing here? You're hurt, you should be resting, not prancing about at night." He stared at her cape, and asked her questioningly, "Where are you going?"
"No where that concerns you," Aura said, "Now, if you excuse me. . ."
"Oh no you don't," Duke said, blocking the entrance to the outside, "you're not going to be leaving again like last time. We've been looking for you for 4 days! Didn't you know that we were worried sick about you?"
Aura stopped. She didn't think about that.
"I'm sorry," She said, looking sad, "but I really do have to go."
"Why?"
"So you guys won't get hurt."
Duke's eyebrows rose. "What do you mean by that?"
Aura didn't reply. Instead, she reached out her hand, and placed it on Duke's forehead. She closed her eyes and murmured something.
"What are you. . . ?" asked Duke, but he didn't finish his sentence, for then suddenly his eyes glowed, and he felt a piercing pain in his forehead.
"Please forgive me, but I have to send Yami this message." Aura said, who then took her hand off his head, making Duke fall to the ground, unconscious.
Aura walked away into the night. She stopped before a tall obelisk, then bowing to it, said, "Isis, goddess of wisdom, guide me. Protect my friends." Aura stared at one of her favorite cards, the Wingweaver.
"I hope this works." She said, standing up and walking along the Nile River.
_____________________________________________________________________
Yugi woke up to the sound of commotion. He heard people bustling about, searching for something. He can hear muffled shouts, but couldn't understand what they were saying. So Yugi stood up, and opened the door, just in time to hear Tea shout out, "Aura! Where are you?!"
After hearing that particular name, Yami soon took over, and as usual, Yugi willingly let him.
Yami ran out of the room, and bumped into Kaiba.
"Kaiba!" Yami said, surprised.
"It's about time you woke up Yugi," He said gruffly, "something happened."
"What?"
"Aura's missing, and we found Devlin down for the count by the entrance."
Yami's eyes widened, and Kaiba quickly led him to the room Duke was in, who was being cared for by Ishizu and Shadi.
"Shadi! What happened to Duke?" Yami asked, walking toward his fallen friend.
"We have no reason behind it, but we believe that Aura has something to do with this." Shadi said, checking for any injuries.
"But the problem is, that it doesn't look like that he was physically hurt." Ishizu said, confused.
"Then how was he in this state?" Joey asked, walking in with Tristan and Tea.
"No clue. Maybe he just hit himself." Kaiba said amusingly.
Yami didn't say anything. He just stared at Duke's pained face, thinking something isn't right here. Yami walked around the bed, looking here and there.
"Uh, Yug', what are you doing?" Tristan asked, following him.
He didn't answer, for then he found something under the bed. Yami put it to the candlelight. It was a black rose.
"Whoa." Tea said, as everyone stared at the oddly colored rose.
"Who slept in this room Ishizu?" asked Yami, staring at the rose.
"Aura, I believe."
"Where in the world did she get that?" Kaiba asked.
He was not answered, for then suddenly, a flame arose on the flower, making the rose on fire. Yami quickly dropped it. It kept on burning, until the rose was only ashes. The group of people stared at it.
Suddenly a huge column of black smoke arose, and in a shape of a snake, cackled at them, and slithered in the air out of the room, until it faded away. Alarmed, Yami backed away in response, his fingers resting on Duke's forehead.
All was silent, until Shadi said quietly, "A warning."
Everyone sighed, glad that it was over, but Yami sensed that something was wrong. He turned his head at Duke. His body was still, and looked like nothing will happen, until suddenly Duke's eyes shot opened.
Tea screamed, and everyone backed away, except for Yami. Duke stood up from the bed, and the Millennium Symbol appeared on his forehead.
And in a strangely familiar voice, Duke said in a trance, "Yami."
Yami's eyes widened, and replied, "Aura?" Kaiba's eyes widened as well, as everyone turned to stare at Duke.
"By the time you receive this message I shall be gone on my mission. I had to use Duke to give you this message, since I can't give it to you in person. Please forgive me." Duke said.
"What do you mean?" Yami asked, staring at Duke.
"Ever since the first day we met, I had kept a secret from you, a big secret, something I should have told you in the beginning. I am so sorry." Duke replied.
"What, what is it?" Yami asked, too afraid of what the answer might be.
"I know where your sister is, Yami." He said quietly.
"Sister?" Shadi and Kaiba both said together.
"Dude, why is Duke calling you Yami?" Joey said, confused.
"Y-you do?" Yami said, unable to answer his friends' questions. "W- where, where is she?"
"She's in me. Maeve is my yami."
Yami thought that the world stopped moving. 'Maeve. . . my sister. . . she's alive?' He thought.
"I'm sorry, I should have told you before. But Maeve wasn't ready. I hope you will forgive me someday." Duke (or Aura) said.
"Yami, she's hurt. Very hurt. Maeve is still recovering from the assassination. But, either way," Duke said, "I will not, will not, put your lives in danger again. That is why I left, I'll find your family and bring them home. Do not follow."
"Wait, when can I see her?" Yami asked, walking toward Duke.
"Good-bye my friends."
Duke fell to the bed, unconscious once more. Yami didn't say anything, all he thought was, 'I need to see her.'
Yami walked out of the room, but not before being stopped by Joey. "Whoa, wait a second, Yugi. Are you going to go after her?"
"I am." Yami replied, staring out of the doorway.
"You can't! You don't even know where she is!" Joey protested.
"I will find her, Joey, and you won't stop me!" Yami yelled.
"Fine, but you have to bring us along too." Joey said.
"You will only get in the way." Yami said.
"Yugi, friends have to stick together," Tea said, "We're friends, right?"
Yami was silent.
"We're going, no matter what." Tristan said, walking up with Tea.
"I came to this country to save Mokuba," Kaiba said, "And a pipsqueak like you won't stop me."
Yami was silent once more, until finally he said, "Thank you."
"Ishizu and I shall stay here to care for Duke." said Shadi.
Yami nodded, and then looking at Joey, Kaiba, Tristan and Tea, said, "Let's go."
So together they walked to the entrance to the outside, ready for any challenge and battle.
To Be Continued. . .
Dude, I thought this week's episode of YGO was weird. I mean, Kaiba and Mokuba were turned into stone. Funky! Ok, hope you liked this chapter. Man was it long.
(I turn to Yami)
Ahem.
Yami: *grumble*
Yoo hoo? Yami? Now what was our deal?
Yami: I get 3 bags of candy if I say you-know-what.
Then say it.
Yami: review too.
Here you go. *tosses 3 bags of candy to Yami*
Yami: *gobble gobble*
Chapter 19: Message Of Truth
In the darkness of midnight, a pair of green eyes fluttered open. Aura sat up on her rough bed, her hand covering her forehead. She felt a tickle in her throat, and quickly covered her mouth at the sneeze. The rose on her chest now flew to the ground.
Aura stared at her hand, noticing welts and blood from the sneeze. She stared at the candle beside her.
'What happened?' She thought, standing up. But that tactic proved unsuccessful, for Aura fell to the ground, her legs unable to support her weight.
"Ouch," She said, rubbing her thigh, "How did I get injured so badly?" Suddenly she remembered.
"Oh." Aura sighed, remembering the incident with Bakura and Shanek. 'Why did I get so out of control? Ugh, I made a fool of myself!' She tried again, standing up with more ease. Slowly she walked to the chair, and quickly grabbed the sack and quickly ran back to the bed, collapsing onto it.
Placing herself under the covers, she dug through the bag, searching for her photo. Then, behind a piece of bread, she found it. She took the large locket and opened it with a click. Inside, was a picture of her mother, herself, and. . .
"Seth," She whispered, stroking the old picture, "You must think I'm really stupid, huh little brother?" Aura smiled as she stared into the little boy's face. She shook her head. "You're right, I should've thought it through before actually going. But it's hard, you know?" The boy didn't say anything.
She sighed again, and said, "Thanks for listening Seth, but I got to go again." She closed the locket, and holding it tight, said to herself, "I've got to do something first. And I'm not going to endanger my friends' lives again." Aura stared at the door. "But like I said before, it's going to be hard."
'Let me take control, Aura.' The woman said, squeezing Aura's shoulder. 'You are still injured.'
"Not enough to dampen my spirits." Aura replied, slowly standing to the same chair and taking her cape. 'At least I can walk.' She thought, placing the cape on her shoulders and draping the hood on her head.
'No, I'm not going to let you go off again. Did you know that you almost killed yourself out there? I will not let that happen again!' Aura placed the sack inside her cape, not listening to the woman's antics. She walked out the door.
'Aura, I command you to stop!'
Aura turned around, and said, "At least I'm trying to do something. I thought you were supposed to protect Yami, but all you're doing is hiding around, too afraid to tell him the truth!"
The woman didn't say anything, but soon replied angrily, 'He's not ready.'
Aura rolled her eyes, and said to her, "He is ready. I think he always was. Maybe it's not him who isn't ready, maybe it's you."
She was silent.
Aura turned her back to the woman, and said quietly, "I'm going to tell Yami, whether you like it or not. He has a right to know." She walked away.
'Aura. . .'
"Good-bye." Aura said. She disappeared into the hallway. The woman sighed, and went after her.
___________________________________________________________________
Aura continued walking, and felt a small swish inside her Millennium Orb. She smiled, and thought, 'So she decided to come.' Aura kept on walking, and heard a small noise in a room. She stopped, and quickly ducked behind a pillar. Heart beating fast, Aura heard a crash in the room, and revealing a staff from the sack, slowly walked toward the entrance, and took a peek.
Duke was in the kitchen, going through the cupboards and drawers, saying, "Where can a guy get food in this joint?" He continued looking through the kitchen.
Aura sighed, content. Slowly, she crept to the other side of the hallway, until she heard a loud "SNAP!" Aura stared at her foot quickly. She stepped on a twig.
"Curse it." She said, slowly walking backward to see if Duke heard. As she peered out into the kitchen, she came face to face with a man with green eyes and black hair.
"AH-!" Duke started screaming, until he was muffled by Aura's hand.
"Sh! Be quiet Duke!" Aura said, shaking the frightened high school student.
He quieted, and taking her hand off his mouth, said, "Aura! What are you doing here? You're hurt, you should be resting, not prancing about at night." He stared at her cape, and asked her questioningly, "Where are you going?"
"No where that concerns you," Aura said, "Now, if you excuse me. . ."
"Oh no you don't," Duke said, blocking the entrance to the outside, "you're not going to be leaving again like last time. We've been looking for you for 4 days! Didn't you know that we were worried sick about you?"
Aura stopped. She didn't think about that.
"I'm sorry," She said, looking sad, "but I really do have to go."
"Why?"
"So you guys won't get hurt."
Duke's eyebrows rose. "What do you mean by that?"
Aura didn't reply. Instead, she reached out her hand, and placed it on Duke's forehead. She closed her eyes and murmured something.
"What are you. . . ?" asked Duke, but he didn't finish his sentence, for then suddenly his eyes glowed, and he felt a piercing pain in his forehead.
"Please forgive me, but I have to send Yami this message." Aura said, who then took her hand off his head, making Duke fall to the ground, unconscious.
Aura walked away into the night. She stopped before a tall obelisk, then bowing to it, said, "Isis, goddess of wisdom, guide me. Protect my friends." Aura stared at one of her favorite cards, the Wingweaver.
"I hope this works." She said, standing up and walking along the Nile River.
_____________________________________________________________________
Yugi woke up to the sound of commotion. He heard people bustling about, searching for something. He can hear muffled shouts, but couldn't understand what they were saying. So Yugi stood up, and opened the door, just in time to hear Tea shout out, "Aura! Where are you?!"
After hearing that particular name, Yami soon took over, and as usual, Yugi willingly let him.
Yami ran out of the room, and bumped into Kaiba.
"Kaiba!" Yami said, surprised.
"It's about time you woke up Yugi," He said gruffly, "something happened."
"What?"
"Aura's missing, and we found Devlin down for the count by the entrance."
Yami's eyes widened, and Kaiba quickly led him to the room Duke was in, who was being cared for by Ishizu and Shadi.
"Shadi! What happened to Duke?" Yami asked, walking toward his fallen friend.
"We have no reason behind it, but we believe that Aura has something to do with this." Shadi said, checking for any injuries.
"But the problem is, that it doesn't look like that he was physically hurt." Ishizu said, confused.
"Then how was he in this state?" Joey asked, walking in with Tristan and Tea.
"No clue. Maybe he just hit himself." Kaiba said amusingly.
Yami didn't say anything. He just stared at Duke's pained face, thinking something isn't right here. Yami walked around the bed, looking here and there.
"Uh, Yug', what are you doing?" Tristan asked, following him.
He didn't answer, for then he found something under the bed. Yami put it to the candlelight. It was a black rose.
"Whoa." Tea said, as everyone stared at the oddly colored rose.
"Who slept in this room Ishizu?" asked Yami, staring at the rose.
"Aura, I believe."
"Where in the world did she get that?" Kaiba asked.
He was not answered, for then suddenly, a flame arose on the flower, making the rose on fire. Yami quickly dropped it. It kept on burning, until the rose was only ashes. The group of people stared at it.
Suddenly a huge column of black smoke arose, and in a shape of a snake, cackled at them, and slithered in the air out of the room, until it faded away. Alarmed, Yami backed away in response, his fingers resting on Duke's forehead.
All was silent, until Shadi said quietly, "A warning."
Everyone sighed, glad that it was over, but Yami sensed that something was wrong. He turned his head at Duke. His body was still, and looked like nothing will happen, until suddenly Duke's eyes shot opened.
Tea screamed, and everyone backed away, except for Yami. Duke stood up from the bed, and the Millennium Symbol appeared on his forehead.
And in a strangely familiar voice, Duke said in a trance, "Yami."
Yami's eyes widened, and replied, "Aura?" Kaiba's eyes widened as well, as everyone turned to stare at Duke.
"By the time you receive this message I shall be gone on my mission. I had to use Duke to give you this message, since I can't give it to you in person. Please forgive me." Duke said.
"What do you mean?" Yami asked, staring at Duke.
"Ever since the first day we met, I had kept a secret from you, a big secret, something I should have told you in the beginning. I am so sorry." Duke replied.
"What, what is it?" Yami asked, too afraid of what the answer might be.
"I know where your sister is, Yami." He said quietly.
"Sister?" Shadi and Kaiba both said together.
"Dude, why is Duke calling you Yami?" Joey said, confused.
"Y-you do?" Yami said, unable to answer his friends' questions. "W- where, where is she?"
"She's in me. Maeve is my yami."
Yami thought that the world stopped moving. 'Maeve. . . my sister. . . she's alive?' He thought.
"I'm sorry, I should have told you before. But Maeve wasn't ready. I hope you will forgive me someday." Duke (or Aura) said.
"Yami, she's hurt. Very hurt. Maeve is still recovering from the assassination. But, either way," Duke said, "I will not, will not, put your lives in danger again. That is why I left, I'll find your family and bring them home. Do not follow."
"Wait, when can I see her?" Yami asked, walking toward Duke.
"Good-bye my friends."
Duke fell to the bed, unconscious once more. Yami didn't say anything, all he thought was, 'I need to see her.'
Yami walked out of the room, but not before being stopped by Joey. "Whoa, wait a second, Yugi. Are you going to go after her?"
"I am." Yami replied, staring out of the doorway.
"You can't! You don't even know where she is!" Joey protested.
"I will find her, Joey, and you won't stop me!" Yami yelled.
"Fine, but you have to bring us along too." Joey said.
"You will only get in the way." Yami said.
"Yugi, friends have to stick together," Tea said, "We're friends, right?"
Yami was silent.
"We're going, no matter what." Tristan said, walking up with Tea.
"I came to this country to save Mokuba," Kaiba said, "And a pipsqueak like you won't stop me."
Yami was silent once more, until finally he said, "Thank you."
"Ishizu and I shall stay here to care for Duke." said Shadi.
Yami nodded, and then looking at Joey, Kaiba, Tristan and Tea, said, "Let's go."
So together they walked to the entrance to the outside, ready for any challenge and battle.
To Be Continued. . .
Dude, I thought this week's episode of YGO was weird. I mean, Kaiba and Mokuba were turned into stone. Funky! Ok, hope you liked this chapter. Man was it long.
(I turn to Yami)
Ahem.
Yami: *grumble*
Yoo hoo? Yami? Now what was our deal?
Yami: I get 3 bags of candy if I say you-know-what.
Then say it.
Yami: review too.
Here you go. *tosses 3 bags of candy to Yami*
Yami: *gobble gobble*