AN: I don't own Yu-gi-oh! nor Lord of the Rings. Here is a new chapter. Please review, everyone!
"They will look for him from the White Tower, but he will not return from mountain or from sea." Yugi heard Aragorn's grave and sorrowful voice amidst the whistle of the wind and the sound of waterfall.
The small boy's steps slowed somewhat at those words. "So someone died." The ghostly apparition of the spirit standing beside him was unperturbed. "If I am not mistaken, it would be that tall warrior we encountered just now."
Just as his words fell, they saw a slender grey boat float past, and the warrior of Gondor was laid in the boat, his sword and horn beside him, and also the arrows of his foes. The boat went away swiftly atop the rapid water, soon disappearing down the Rauros fall.
"How can he be dead?" Little Yugi cried with a mixture of shock and distress.
The spirit soothed gently, "There were many of those black creatures, aibou. They were vicious and deadly. Even the most valiant of warriors can not defeat so many of them."
"Maybe we could have done something..." Yugi murmured. There was some silence before he started hesitantly, "He was unconscious after that Shadow Game. You don't think...you don't think that's why he couldn't defend himself?"
"I can not be sure," The spirit said frankly, "But I do not think a gallant spirit like him would let the Shadows claim him forever. Do not blame yourself for this, Yugi. If it was anything, it was my fault."
"No, it's not your fault, Yami." Little Yugi said hurriedly. "He was mad back then. There was nothing else you could have done. I am just a little saddened by this, that's all."
The spirit said gently, "Let us not linger here. We must make haste and choose our own road."
Yugi nodded and started walking again, marching as fast as he could back to Parth Galen. It was a short distance, and when he reached the green lawn by the river, he found Strider there, along with the Elf and the dwarf. At the sight of him, the Elf leaped to his feet, the dwarf brandished his axe, even Strider, who seemed calm and collected outwardly, had his hand firmly clasping the hilt of his sword.
"Where have you been?" The dwarf asked with clear suspicion in his gruff voice.
Yugi answered quietly, "I was only wandering around a bit, then those creatures came, and I was hiding. I couldn't find you guys."
"Have you seen Frodo?" Aragorn asked.
The little boy hesitated a second, before he answered, "I have seen him... He went away. Down the river I think. I don't where though."
The threesome regarded him long in silence, finally Aragorn said, "I do not know what part you played in this grief, but listen! We must depart now, going after those creatures, for they hold the two hobbits. You may follow, if you wish, but we shall go at a great pace, and we will have little time for anything else." With that he said no more, but turned and sprang away between the trees. The others followed him closely.
Dusk came swift with a red sunset. They marched on without a break, not even to rest or sleep in the night. The next day was of unbroken marching also. Somehow the little boy managed to keep up with the horrendous pace. At last on the second night after much debate, they decided to rest for the night. Yugi found himself falling fast asleep soon enough, regardless of the bare, hard ground. The long march was not easy for him. The next morning, he was woken to a dark sky. It was apparently very early, and the sun had not yet risen. The little boy rubbed his sleep filled eyes and looked about. The Elf was standing there with a sad look about him, and the dwarf seemed gruff as ever.
"But it is still dark," The dwarf said, "Even Legolas on a hill-top could not see them till the sun is up."
"I fear they have passed beyond my sight from hill or plain, under moon or sun." That was the Elf's reply.
Presently the dwarf turned to Yugi and in a half grumbling manner said, "You seem hardly helpful in times of need, boy. Can you not conjure up some creatures to bear us like you did in Moria?"
The little boy stared at the dwarf, before saying timidly, "I can call on a dragon or something, if you really need it."
Hearing that Aragorn turned around sharply, saying, "Do you speak true, child? Is it possible?"
The child nodded and said, "I can summon something to carry us, but only for a short while. I can't keep them here forever."
"Careful, Aragorn!" Legolas suddenly cried out a warning in Elvish, "We can not trust this child."
Aragorn hesitated for a second, but he said to the small boy, "Let us see what you can do then."
The child pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket, and picked the first one. "Yes, this will do." He said. "It should be big enough to carry all of us." He then raised his hand and shouted something in a strange tongue.
As if answering his call, the night shades began to shift. There was a tumble of shadows, and then from the darkness a form slowly solidified. It was the form of a great dragon, black of scale and with bright ruby eyes that glowed in the dark. The dragon gave a low roar, and bowed its long, reptilian neck before the small child.
The small boy climbed up the back of the dragon almost jubilantly, and beckoned for them to follow. The Elf leaped on the back of the dragon as well, with a graceful motion as if he had always reined such a creature. Aragorn followed as well. However the dwarf was doubtful.
"Ride that?" He muttered and stared at the beast with disbelieving eyes.
With a soft laugh the Elf chided, "Come, Gimli. This was your idea."
Still grumbling the dwarf climbed up the back of the dragon. The dragon tentatively shook its wings a few times, then fully extending them, and with a great beat of wings rose up into the air. There was a strong blast of wind, then some more whistling air current, before the dragon reached a sufficient height and sailed northward smoothly. Soon the sun rose in the east, and lit up the sky with glorious shades of scarlet and gold. The golden light spilt across the land below, outlining the shape of the land.
"I see the orcs. They are moving ever northward towards Isengard. They are traveling at such a pace, as if the whips of Sauron were behind them." The Elf suddenly said out loud.
"We should catch them alright." The dwarf said, fingering the blade of his axe.
The flight continued in silence. They were almost directly above the orcs, almost, but the dragon was slowing down. Each beat of its enormous wings came slower and slower still, and it was losing height as well. The small boy had his eyes closed, and he was pale. He was leaning forward in a strange fashion, and he seemed ill.
Aragorn furrowed his brow. Gently he grasped the boy's shoulder. "Child, are you well?" He asked softly. Receiving no reply he tried again, "Yugi?"
"I am sorry... We have to get down. I can't do this anymore. I am sorry..." The small boy murmured almost incoherently.
The dragon was no longer beating its wings, but simply gliding forward and descending at the same time. Its motions were no longer so smooth, but with many a stumbles in them. Down and down they went, and the ground was flying towards them in hostile greeting. The dragon was beginning to vanish even before it reached the ground. Its form was quickly unravelling into strand of darkness like thread rolling off a spool. When the weary travellers finally touched the ground, there was barely of the dragon left. The child dropped to the ground, and collapsed, his eyes shut tightly.
"Child! Are you well?" Aragorn called again, now a seldom-heard worry creeping into his voice.
Suddenly the boy's eyes snapped open, narrow and cold, glinting ruby red like the eyes of his dragon. He said harshly, "Leave me be!" Then struggling he tried to push himself off the ground.
Aragorn sighed and knelt down beside the child, and gently helped him up. He waited patiently there as the child sat there breathing hard, trying to regain his bearing. Finally the child looked up at him with an apologetic look. The boy's eyes were round again, and that glaring red was slowly clearing to a crystal violet colour.
"I am sorry about that." He said quietly. "I thought I could last longer than that, but I just got so tired. And we almost caught them too." His voice slowly faded, but a moment later he added, "We can try again a little later. I just need a short while to rest a bit."
"Do not think too much of it, Yugi." Aragorn said softly. "You have done more than your share. Rest, then, and be well. We will travel again when you are ready."
With that he stood up and scanned the horizon with his keen grey eyes. At last he said in a low voice, "And I am weary as well, as I have seldom been before. There is some will that lends speed to our foes and sets an unseen barrier before us: a weariness that is in the heart more than in the limb."
"Truly!" Said the Elf Legolas. "That I have known since first we came down from the Emyn Muil. For the will is not behind us but before us."
"Saruman!" murmured Aragorn. "But he shall not turn us back! Not now of all times."
Silence fell. And in the blue-grey sky, the sun sailed noiselessly between clouds.