Chapter 4: The Secrets of the Game

The next morning Misha awoke and made up his mind, he thought of a test that was so clever it was actually devious. He met up with Pegasus and said, "I've come to a decision." Pegasus looked as if Misha was about to say yes to yesterday's proposition, but instead Misha said: "This decision is much to complex for my mind…so I've devised a little game to decide my next move. I will have a card in my hand and you have to guess what it is, guess correctly and you have yourself a stooge...but guess wrong and I leave and you never darken my door again. Understand?" Pegasus nodded, Misha looked through his deck and found one of his favorite trap cards: 'Judgement of Anubis'…Misha picked it up and said, "Okay...vhat card do I have in my hand? Take all the time you need…chances are your guess will be wrong."

In about 30 seconds Pegasus wrote something on a napkin and gave it to Misha, leaving the room Misha thought Pegasus had given up, in a gloating tone of voice said, "A-HA! I knew it, you gave up…I win by the fault!" Pegasus chuckled to himself and said, "Look what I wrote on the napkin, see you later Misha boy." Misha picked up the napkin with a puzzled look on his face, but that look soon turned to a look of frustration…for on the inside of the napkin read: JUDGEMENT OF ANUBIS.

Misha was starting to wonder if Pegasus was hiding something from him, he knew from personal experience everyone had his or her own little skeletons in the closet. At that moment Misha decided to explore the castle and see what it was.

That night Misha sneaked out of the guestroom and made his way down the hallways without a sound. Well, he was humming the theme from 'The Pink Panther' to himself…but he was mostly silent. Within about 10 minutes of exploring the halls, he was starting to realize what a maze this castle actually was, he then decided to turn back and go back to his room…but something was forcing him beyond his will to press on.

Eventually he decided to rest and catch his bearings, he pressed his hand against the wall to the left of him. All the sudden the brick gave way and, if by some odd event of luck...a stairwell appeared before Misha...it seemed to go down below the castle, Misha suddenly felt as if he should explore the stairwell. Well, about half way down Misha was starting to think this was a bad idea, but some sort of instinct from inside him told him that if Pegasus had a secret to hide it would be down here. At the bottom of the stairwell Misha noticed a torch lit hallway, he went towards one of the walls and saw hieroglyphs on them.

He studied them closely and suddenly came to realize he could understand the ancient writing, but how could this be...this was a language he had never studied, but some how what looked like symbols and animals to others...made perfect sense to him. Suddenly Misha could hear something from down the hallway, sounded like a group of people chanting something at the same time. Misha knew that he should turn around and go back to his room, but there seemed to be something all to familiar to him. He went in the direction of the chanting and found there was a room full of these people in dark brown robes, two people stepped out of this group and raised there arm towards the sky. Suddenly two stone tablets appeared out of the ground, Misha looked at this and asked himself: "Are they? Could they be? Dueling? I have a feeling I'm no longer in Appleton anymore."

Misha just stayed quiet and watched, when he saw what became of the loser he suddenly blasted out, "OH MY LORD WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!?!" At that moment all of the people in that room turned their attention to Misha, Misha horrified said, "Um...I'm sorry, you see I was looking for the little guys room and I guess I got lost and found myself down here?" They swarmed around Misha, and looking by the looks of them...they didn't believe him anyhow. Misha then saw one of them come forward, he stood his ground...he had to show that he wasn't going to back down from any of them. Suddenly the stranger removed his disguise and there, it was Pegasus. Misha then caught glimpse of the object covering his left eye, Misha then asked: "M.P! I want the truth and I want it now! What is all this? And what is that thing on your face?" Pegasus smiled at Misha and said, "This is how people dueled 5,000 years ago, I based my game on this unknown fact of history. And as for your second question…this 'thing' as you put it is called the 'Millennium Eye', of course you won't live to tell anyone of this. Now prepare yourself for the Shadow Realm!" "Shadow Realm...I don't like the sound of that! Oh Lord Almighty help me please!" Suddenly a voice from inside Misha's head said to him, "Leave everything to me!" Suddenly Misha's bracelet started to glow; Misha felt something trying to takeover his mind, weeping in pain Misha hung his head so Pegasus couldn't see his face. Pegasus moved in closer to see if Misha was alive, Misha head suddenly whipped back up. Suddenly Misha said in a deeper, more hoarse tone of voice said, "IF YOU EVEN SEND A HAIR OF THIS BOY TO THE SHADOW REALM, I WILL SHOW YOU TRUE SUFFERING!" the irises of Misha's eyes started to glow white.

Pegasus saw the bracelet on Misha's wrist and said, "That bracelet, I think you better give it to me Misha?" Misha suddenly threw his arm forward, and as if by some form of magic threw Pegasus across the room…Misha then said, "IT IS NOT FOR THEE.IT IS FOR ME TO WIELD ALONE." And with that Misha returned to normal, and passed out on the floor. Pegasus looked at Misha and below his breath said, "Such power…I knew there was something strange about that bracelet, take him back up to his room."

Misha woke up in his bed; puzzled of what had happened the following night...Misha rubbed his eyes and said, "Once again the ever infamous sleep must darken the corner of my eye."

Suddenly Misha remembered last night and said, "Eye.Eye.Millennium Eye that's right last night!" Misha put on his jeans, boots, shirt, and trench coat and charged for the dining hall. Pegasus was there finishing his breakfast, "I remember last night." Misha announced. Pegasus looked at him and said, "I have no idea what you're-?" but Misha cut him off with: "DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME M.P! I KNOW ABOUT THE ROOM, I KNOW ABOUT THE MILLENIUM EYE.AND WHAT REALLY SCARES ME OUT OF MY STEAK FONDUE MIND IS THAT I REMEMBER SOMETHING TRYING TO TAKE OVER MY BODY! I WANT ANSWERS AND I WANT THEM NOW!"

Pegasus sighed and said, "Okay, Misha boy...you want answers here they are…last night a may have disturbed a very timid and powerful spirit that resides in that bracelet of yours, now as for now I would like you to keep your emotions in check. To tell the truth I'm still scared of it and you, I don't have all the answers for the moment…but maybe as time presses on you'll find them for yourself."

Outside they heard a fog horn; Misha saw a cruise ship approaching the island. Pegasus looked out the window with him and said, "They're here…freshen up and meet me at the balcony, we'll greet them here together and I'll introduce them to you." Misha nodded and went back to his quarters to clean up his appearance

The Tournament was just to begin!