DECLARAION: - This story has been written and produced by Cathrath (FanFiction. net ID: 609465). Distribution of any kind is prohibited without the written consent of Cathrath. If you should see this story posted anywhere other than FanFiction .net or under any other name it has been stolen so please notify the author. I do not own Yu-gi-oh.
Chapter 16 – Vision
The early morning air was cool and there was a feeling of determination surrounding the small group standing in the courtyard. Yami wrapped his cloak more tightly around his shoulders to ward of the chill and adjusted his sword belt. He was ready. He knew the fight ahead was going to be hard, maybe the hardest he had ever fought and he knew there was only a slim chance he would survive but he had to try, for Yugi and perhaps the world's sake. At the thought of Yugi, Yami's eyes drifted up to the darkened balcony of his chambers where Yugi still lay sleeping. He had returned to the room briefly after leaving Ishizu to gather his travelling cloak and sword. He had considered taking the millennium rod with him in the absence of the puzzle but the thought of putting the rod within the reach of Marik again filled him with dread. No, it was safer where it was. He smiled at the memory of Yugi sleeping peacefully and it was that picture of Yugi happy and contented, unaware of what dangers lay around him, that spurred Yami on to seek victory. He would not accept failure as an option too much was riding on his success. He turned at the sound of approaching hooves.
A group of stable hands approached bringing horses for the group. Yami, Jou, Ishizu and Shadi moved towards them closely followed by Honda and a handful of palace guards. Yami looked over at Honda and sighed. Honda took his role as Yugi's protector more seriously than ever now. When Yami had asked him to leave his charge and join the group he had refused. The argument that had followed had been a heated one. In the end Yami had ordered Honda too join them. Yami didn't want to upset Honda but he needed him. Unable to refuse a direct command from his Pharaoh Honda had joined them in the courtyard and now stood with a small group of hand picked guards who would be accompanying them. Yami had tried to assure Honda that Yugi would be safe in the palace and that by coming with them he was fulfilling his duty to protect Yugi but he wouldn't listen. Jou had tried several times to get Honda to talk to Yami but nothing helped. Yami just hoped Honda would understand when all this was over and forgive him.
With an air of anticipation the party mounted their horses and silently waited for Yami's signal. Yami looked at his friends. They were few in number and although they faced only three opponents they would be facing the powers of the shadow realm as well. Perhaps an impossible task but each was resolved. Before Yami mounted his horse he approached Danota who had been amongst the group from the stable.
"Danota, will you do something for me?" he asked.
Danota looked shocked at having been address directly by the Pharaoh but nodded and approached. Yami reached into his robes and drew out a folded and sealed piece of parchment. He handed it to Danota.
"Will you see that Prince Yugi gets this?"
Danota nodded again.
"I will see that His Highness gets it my Lord."
"Thank you," Yami said as he mounted his horse.
He moved his horse to the head of the column and signalled to the guards by the gates. The heavy gates were swung open and without a sound Yami spurred his horse forward, ready to face his destiny once again.
Yugi sat up in bed with a start, sweating slightly. The early morning sun streamed through the open balcony into the room.
'It was only a nightmare,' he thought relieved.
He shivered a little as he recalled the dream. Yami had been duelling Seto and it hadn't ended well. Thinking of Yami, Yugi looked around. The room was as it had been the night before but with one difference. No Yami.
'He must be in the throne room,' Yugi thought.
Yawning, he slid off the bed. As he made his way through the palace he was surprised at how empty it felt. There seemed to be a lot less guards then normal and try as he might he couldn't find Honda. Yugi pushed open the door to the throne room.
"Yami?" he called but there was no answer.
Getting slightly concerned Yugi set off in the direction of Ishizu's room. On arrival he found the room in complete disarray. There were scrolls and parchment everywhere. Yugi had always been a curious sort and he made his way over to the desk where large quantities of unrolled scrolls were piled.
'Ishizu won't mind me having a little look,' he thought as he settled down behind the desk.
At first the scrolls he looked at made no sense. The language and writing unreadable but then he came to one marked with the millennium eye.
'These must be the scrolls on the millennium items Ishizu was researching,' he thought as he picked it up.
He was about to discard the scroll in his hand when the strangest thing happened. The ink on the page began to blur and as if hundred of spiders were walking across the page the words began to reform. Slowly the once illegible words formed into ones Yugi could understand. Shocked at what had just happened yet curious none the less, Yugi began to read.
The scroll fell to the floor from Yugi's shaking hands as he finished reading. He knew now where Yami was and he knew why.
He sat in shock for a while turning over in his mind what he had read. He knew it was true. He could hear the whispers of the millennium rod and puzzle in his mind. They were calling out to him, just as the scroll had described. The shock of what he had just read remained with him as he raised himself shakily from the chair. Yami had left for the rocky outcrop Yugi had pointed out to him the night before. He had gone to confront Seto one last time and he had left without telling Yugi. Yugi's initial reaction was one of anger but this was quickly surpassed. He knew the real reason Yami had left without telling him. Yugi would have asked too many questions and Yami would not have wanted to give the answers. However, Yugi now knew the answers. The scroll had told him of the events of the past, of the fate of his predecessor. He shuddered, would that be his fate as well? Would Yami have to destroy him? Would Yami really do it? Yugi started to leave the room when his foot caught another scroll which lay on the floor. He picked it up and unrolled it. He fell to his knees reaching violently at what he saw. His fate if the past was to come full circle once more.
The group galloped across the hot desert plains with Yami in the lead. They needed to hurry. Seto could already be free. Without the millennium puzzle or by using the powers of the shadow realm Yami had no way of knowing. He knew they should stop soon, the horses were getting tired and needed water. Seeing the green of an oasis up ahead he reluctantly changed course towards it.
Yugi guided himself unsteadily along the halls of the palace, back towards Yami's chambers, the image on the scroll still fresh in his mind. Yugi knew Yami would do everything in his power to prevent that image from coming to pass, from having to face the prospect of destroying Yugi. Yugi was afraid there was no denying it. He had felt this kind of fear before, back when Seto had kidnapped him and tried to kill him to gain control of the shadow realm. The gut wrenching fear he felt made him feel sick and ashamed. Did Yami feel like this when he was afraid?
'Am I a coward?' Yugi thought as he tried to control his emotions.
'Am I afraid to face my fate should it come to it? Even if means saving the world from destruction? Destruction I might bring about.'
This question still churned through his mind as he entered the empty room. There was no comfort there, not without Yami. Yugi collapsed onto the bed and cried.
They sat under the small amount of shade provided by the trees as their horse's drunk their fill from the oasis. Reluctantly Yami had agreed to stop for a while. As well as the horses the rest of the party needed rest. They were all suffering from the intense desert heat and the pace Yami was enforcing. Yami looked up as Ishizu approached.
"How are you feeling?" she asked as she sat down beside him.
Yami gave a snort.
"As well as can be expected I suppose," he said as he tilted his head back and laid it against the tree he was leaning against, looking up into the branches.
She nodded.
"There's something more I need to tell you Yami".
He looked round quickly as this. Something more, could things get any worse? Seeing the look in Yami's eyes Ishizu quickly shook her head.
"No Yami this time its good news, at least I hope so."
"Go on then," he said turning his head to the side to listen.
"Back at the palace I told you about a lot of bad things that had happened in the past, things that have scared me beyond belief. I've dedicated my life to the study and guarding of the millennium secrets. I never believed they could have such a terrible history," Ishizu said as she absently reached up to touch the millennium item around her neck.
"There is one glimmer of hope though. Back in the time of the last altered prophecy a young priest by the name of Mahado was the guardian of the millennium ring. After the death of his friend the guardian of the millennium puzzle fell into a deep depression and his guardianship of the shadow realm began to waver. Fearing the evil could break free once again Mahado made a noble sacrifice. He volunteered to be sealed in the shadow realm, bound in the form of a monster. There he could protect the world and keep the evil locked away."
Yami sat more upright at hearing this.
"So, are you saying that there is someone inside the shadow realm who's on our side? Someone who can help us? How can we get in contact?" he asked quickly suddenly seeing a glimmer of hope.
Ishizu turned and smiled at Yami.
"You've already met."
Yami's eyes widened with surprise and understanding.
"You mean...the Dark Magician. The Dark Magician is Mahado?"
"Yes."
Ishizu stood but turned back to Yami before rejoining the others.
"Not all hope is lost Yami. Think about what I've said. We still have friends that can help us."
Yami nodded and looked out into the desert deep in thought as she moved away.
'No, Ishizu is right not all hope is lost yet. There is still a chance.'
He dragged his weary body to its feet and moved from the shade into the sun to look out across the vast expanse of sand and their destination. He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear Jou approach. He jumped as Jou placed a hand on his shoulder.
"How close are we?" Jou asked.
Yami pointed to the distant outcrop of rock.
"It's at least another four hours ride. It will be approaching dark when we arrive," Yami said a slight note of despair in his voice.
Jou squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.
"We will make it Yami. Ishizu seems to think Seto will try to open the portal tonight as it's the first full moon."
Yami nodded. They had raced against time on a full mooned night once before.
"Do you think Yugi knows where we are by now?" Jou asked.
They had left an hour after sun up and were now two hours into their journey from the palace. Yami sighed at thinking about Yugi.
"I suspect so. I left him a note with Danota to explain everything. In case I don't come back."
"We will win Yami," Jou said confidently as he looked out at the outcrop.
"The good guys always do".
Yugi lifted his head at the intense calling from the millennium rod.
'It's so loud,' he thought as he slid off the bed and moved to pull the wing of the carving to open the secret panel.
He paused.
'I wonder why Yami left it behind.'
He paused again.
'Is this the right thing to be doing? If I touch the rod am I just going to speed up what's happening to me?'
He waited a while before deciding what to do.
'It couldn't hurt to look,' he though finally and pulled the leaver, opening the panel.
Yugi stared at the millennium rod. It was glowing with an intense white light. He moved a little closer, curious as to what was causing it to glow. Suddenly he collapsed to his knees as his head exploding with pain.
-It was as if he was dreaming. He hovered above a rocky outcrop looking down on two figures below him. Both figures were standing far apart, two monsters locked in a duel between them, one in long purple robes carrying a staff the other a large blue and white dragon. Without warning the blue and white dragon attacked the figure dressed in purple and the figure behind, the one controlling the robed figure, collapsed to his knees in defeat. At the command of its master the blue and white dragon closed in upon its fallen prey. Yugi shouted, trying to scream out a warning but it was no use the fallen figure was engulfed in white flame and vanished.-
Yugi was still screaming when he came to on the floor of the room. He was weeping openly as he pushed himself to knees. It hadn't been a dream. It was a vision, a vision of things to come. There had been no mistaking the figures he had seen. Yami had been duelling, just like in his dream. He had lost to Seto and been destroyed.
After a while Yugi dragged himself to his feet. The millennium rod, no longer glowing, lay before him in its hiding place.
'It was showing me the future', Yugi thought frantically.
'Yami is in great danger. He will be destroyed if he duels Seto again.'
He clenched his fists tightly together as he wrestled with his decision. If he listened to his heart and followed Yami he ran the risk of being possessed by the millennium items and endangering the world but if he didn't Yami would be destroyed. If this happened Seto would be free to walk the earth once more and the world would be in no less danger. Yugi was the only one, besides Yami, who could use all seven of the millennium items. Yugi knew the risks involved but he had no choice. The fate of his friends, Yami and the world depended on him. Yugi reached out and clasped his hand around the shaft of the millennium rod. He could hear its song of elation in his head as he did so. His fate was sealed now, only time would tell.
The rod safely concealed under his travel cloak Yugi ran towards the stables. Yami had at least two hours head start on him and he needed to hurry if he was to catch and stop him. The stables were empty when he arrived. He quickly found his horse and was struggling to attach the saddle when Danota appeared. Danota bowed and without being asked, finished the job Yugi had started. When he had finished he turned back to Yugi.
"Thank you," Yugi said with genuine gratitude.
Danota smiled and led Yugi's horse out into the yard. Yugi was about to mount when Danota spoke.
"Prince Yugi?"
"Yes Danota," he said once he was mounted.
"You're going after the Pharaoh aren't you Your Highness?"
Yugi nodded.
"He gave me this to give to you. I guess he must have known you would come down to the stables."
Danota handed him the sealed parchment Yami had given him earlier. Yugi took the offered letter and held it lovingly in his hands.
"Thank you," he said in a quiet voice.
Danota smiled as Yugi tucked the letter inside his robes and spun his horse around.
"Good luck," Danota cried as Yugi galloped out of the gate.
The race had already begun, Yugi was at the back and time was running out.