Some more days passed, and Yugi was growing extremely bored and restless. He was mostly ignored. Whatever sideway glances cast his way were always filled with wariness and suspicion. No one ever spoke to him, save Strider on some occasions, with pity more than anything else, but even he was guarded. Yugi had tried to talk to the others of the company a few times, but their reactions ranged from politely cold and bluntly hostile. The little boy gave up after a few attempts.

He was getting frustrated. He wished to go home, to go back to his normal life, or at least to touch down some more familiar soil. Yet no one could or would help him, not even give some information. And Yami, who he had always counted on, was as lost and miserable as he himself. Perhaps even more, Yugi thought, for the ancient spirit was always haunted by the broken flashes of distant memories, seeking vainly to make sense of them. But he could do nothing at all. All urgency was forcefully brought down to a faint simmer. In this strange place nothing was ever done; nothing was going anywhere, not even the strangely placid moon and stars in the sky.

One grey evening Yugi was alone wandering aimlessly in the fair woods. That was all he was doing these days. Passing through a high green hedge he came to an enclosed garden open to the sky. He looked around absentmindedly, before walking down a long flight of steps into the deep green hollow. A silver stream that issues from the fountain on the hill ran murmuring beside him. At the bottom, upon a low pedestal carved like a branching tree, stood a basin of silver, and beside it an ewer.

With curiosity Yugi climbed up the step of the pedestal and peered at the basin. It was wide and shallow, and his face reflected on the smooth silver surface clearly. Tentatively the little boy touched the basin and frowned. Even without the aid of the ancient spirit he could tell this was a device of great magic.

"Hide, aibou." Suddenly the spirit whispered a simple warning down their mind link.

Yugi frowned. He didn't hear anything except the light rustle of leaves, but knowing his darker half, he decided it was well to heed the spirit's warning. Promptly he scurried of and hid behind a short but leafy tree. A few moments later, three shapes walked near and came to stop beside the pedestal. Two of them were short and small, and Yugi recognized them as the hobbits from the company he traveled with. The third form tall and slender, clad in white, with golden hair like light of the sun streaming behind her. She seemed to glow faintly in the grey dusk. Probably an Elf, the little boy thought to himself.

Presently the lady filled the basin with water from the stream, and lightly breathed on it. Then she turned and spoke to the two others with her. Yugi strained to hear what they were saying, but whether it was the distance or some other reason he could not hear a word. He saw that--Sam, his name was? —climb up beside the pedestal and leaned over to look at the basin. Then suddenly he sprang away, crying something that the little boy still couldn't quite catch

Then similar happenings repeated, and more talking he couldn't quite hear. The little boy was bored and planning his possible escape route, when finally the two hobbits turned and left, leaving the Elf-lady standing there alone. When at last the two hobbits vanished from his sight, the Elf- lady turned and looked at his direction.

"You should come out now, child." She said. Her voice was not loud, but for some reason Yugi heard clearly.

Blushing, the little boy got out of his hiding and walked up with bowed head.

"I am truly sorry about that, I didn't mean to eavesdrop." He said quietly.

He raised his head and saw that the lady was watching him with cool eyes, and almost immediately he could feel the wave of power came sweeping across him, gentle and stern at the same time. A flash of gold, and the ancient spirit took control.

"What would you find in me?" He said through clenched teeth, forcefully crushing the stream of power flowing his way and trying to invade his mind.

Her clear laughter rang as a reply. She said softly, "Nothing that I do not already know. Your coming was not wholly unexpected, Shadow King."

The spirit stared at her with sudden shock. The word seemed to tug some deeply buried memory, like a faint echo from a forgotten time. Finally the spirit asked in a shaking voice, "What did you call me?"

"Shadow King, like the people of Middle-earth once named you. Do you not remember?" Replied the Elf-lady, her voice low and prompting.

"No, I do not." The spirit said slowly, and there was an undercurrent of turbulence in his voice.

The Elf-lady was silent for a long time, but finally she said, "Then I shall show you." She turned around and beckoned, "Come, and look into the mirror. And you shall see what you may."

Silently the ancient spirit walked near the basin lying on the pedestal and leaned close. At first, there was nothing but a pool of dark water, reflecting the glint of the stars in the sky. Then slowly, a dim pale light grew in the water, slowly condensing into the image of a spacious room of sandy coloured rock. In one end of the room stood a slender youth garbed like a king. A stretch of shadows was hovering above his out-stretched hand, twisting, turning and assuming different shapes. The young king stared at the shadows intently, looking both thoughtful and amused.

It was I. The spirit thought, and was baffled how that realization did not shock him the least.

Suddenly, the youth closed his palm into a fist, and the shadows vanished without a trace. All the childlike innocence faded from his face, and all that remained was a look of cold, ruthless calculation. Slowly the scene faded and changed. Now he saw endless woods of undulating green, crisscrossed by rivers and streams that shone like crystal in the golden sun. The occasional hills were strewn with rustic looking houses, and there were people and horses milling about in the boundless green. Suddenly a shadow fell before the sun, blocking the light. Slowly forms emerged from the shadows. First there were impossible creatures, dragons, beasts, warriors and wizards, and many other things too fantastical to be named.

Duel monsters. Shadow creatures. The spirit thought with a numbing calm.

Then followed these creatures were numerous war chariots drawn by horses that were tall and mighty, but at least still earthly in form. Upon the first chariot sat the boy king, now garbed like a warrior, and in his ruby eyes was a fierce determination.

The spirit watched, and he was calm still, even if he was growing cold.

There was a pause, then some swift passing scenes followed. Fear, destruction, and immense shadows passed over country after country, staining those foreign but beautiful scenes. Then every thing faded, but the pool of water was not dark yet. It remained a pale grey colour, like an empty screen. Then there was one last image. Two globes, one blue and green with the familiar landmasses, the other a flat plain bordered with grey water, and a rope of shadow linked them together. The image remained still for a few moments, looking oddly like some bizarre model. Then the rope of shadow that connected the two globes seemed to vibrate, first faintly, then growing more violent. The shadows expanded, until both globes became black. Yet the darkness grew still, slowly filling the entire basin.

The spirit sighed and backed away from the basin. The shadow was growing still. It poured out of the basin, falling noiselessly like black water. It was thicker and darker than the night shades, mixed with streaks of dark purple mists. Soon the entire glade was filled with darkness. The spirit seemed to grow into the darkness and becoming intertwined with the shadows, while the Elf-lady stood tall and pale, a glint of silver in the backdrop of black. They stood there silently and motionlessly, until at last the spirit sighed again and swept at the shadows about him with his hand. Slowly the darkness faded, and the stars shone in the night sky again.

"And do you remember now, Shadow King?" The voice of the Elf-lady came, gentle and barely audible.

"I do now," Answered the ancient spirit, "Most of it at least." A pause, "Why did you show me all this? I have remembered much of my lost and forgotten powers, and that can hardly be advantageous for you."

"That is still to be seen." The Elf-lady said gravely. "None should be denied the truth, especially the truth about himself, if it is within my power to reveal."

The spirit bowed his head, "Then my thanks to you, lady."

The Elf-lady said quietly, "I see a long road before you, Shadow King, one filled with toil and uncertainty. But we shall speak no more of this tonight. For the company you have come with is departing on the morrow, and you shall go with them." She paused, before saying, "Unless, you wish another road of your own. But be wary, for peril is awaiting wherever you turn."

The spirit said nothing in reply, but a contemplative look was about him.

"Let us go then." The Elf-lady said at last, and turned. The night was growing dark.