Disclaimer: We all know this by heart:
I own nothing! Nothing! Nothing!
Save for Joska, My nameless Queen and Sonja (Dead! Dead!)
Here is Chapter 26... for your reading delight.
The four horses stood at the border between the Desert and Battle City. "Do we really have to go through it?" Mokuba wondered as the wind picked up. "Can't we make camp here and go when daylight comes?"
"I really have waited long enough. The sooner we head to Duelist Kingdom the sooner you can leave. I can kill Pegasus on my own. None of you---" Seto slapped his hand to her mouth.
"We're passing through now, no more discussion. Just keep your eyes open and be aware. They sure are. Mokuba, keep close." Black hair shifted in the night. "Are you strong enough?" he asked, removing his hand.
"Yes." He slapped the reigns against the neck of his stallion and they trotted inside the broken fortifications of the city. Battle City was named so because no one interfered with the all out war going on within the City. Murders and death over something no one was sure what they were fighting over anymore. The reason was lost and all that was left were the broken walls and buildings of a forsaken city. But the reason so many feared the destroyed city was because of the curse. The sprits of the dead were raised alone; their rotted and decayed bodies were with them as well. So Battle City was still an all out war. The dead with their reckless hate still attacked each other and the living that passed through their realm. And since they were dead...
Seto grabbed for the jade hilt of his father's sword when a horse whined and reared. "Lord Yami!" Tristan cried. Seto held his sword tight in his hands, anger clear on his face. Téa touched his knuckles and his grip loosened. He re-sheathed his sword and trotted over to Yami.
"How'd you get here so fast?"
Yami smiled. "I have my ways..." Seto tightened his grip on the reigns and Téa smiled.
"You are resourceful. If I had knowledge of a shortcut I'd be at Duelist Kingdom already." The smile he was wearing suddenly faded, his heat-beats quickened and so did his breathing. She was simply breathtaking. Her pallid skin radiated with the flood of the moonlight, she was beautiful bathed in its haunting white light.
"I just got a very personal threat on my life, gory to be precise." Tristan galloped towards them at that. "Seems Lord Pegasus wants me dead."
"We have a common enemy then, my king." Seto pressed his horse forward.
"Let's go." Téa nodded and they made their way through the arc. White stone lay in heaps on the ground. It was quiet except for the wind whistling through the empty night. Téa shivered and held tightly to Seto's arm.
"Joey, how are you?" Her brother grimaced and touched his shoulder.
"I think Red-eyes is in pain." He grunted and looked ahead. "Be aware Serenity, just do that." She nodded and held on to her mare's neck.
"It's cold." Tristan said.
"What do the undead need with heat?" Duke asked almost sardonically. He looked over at Serenity and gave her a supportive smile. Tristan himself was growing rather annoyed with his charge. He drew in a breath and then it exploded in front of them all like a rain of fire. Ten of them against another ten, swords drawn out and they charged at one another. Swords clashed and loud sounds of rage and hate filled the air. They hollered and howled, stabbing one another till dust filled.
"Hurry, it's best to avoid a reappearance." Just as they made it across the dust of the dead, they refigured and battle took place once again. "Don't look back." Mokuba told Serenity and turned her head back forward. "You can only see the same group once." Serenity whimpered softly at that.
"Is this going be a long ride?"
"Battle City is pretty big. It was a great city, just no one had the nerve from the outside to enter." Serenity frowned and closed her eyes trusting her mare to follow the stallions as if she were still in the wild.
"Does anyone know what the fight is about to this day?"
"It got lost with the fighting, time over time. It was just the explosion that stopped the fighting of further generations."
"Explosion?"
"She was the most beautiful Queen of Battle City. She locked herself in her chambers from childhood and refused to meet with her self-destructive city. One day with her servant, Joska, she had an idea, one that would forever end the war amongst countryman. She would destroy all in Battle City, herself and Joska included, because they two had the rage inside them, only they prevented it by rarely seeing each other and locking themselves away. Now because Joska loved the Queen he decided to follow through. He was a great sorcerer, the best. He conjured all his power and for a brief moment as the people looked up at the growing orange dome they stared in awe and wonder at their execution. Then they were enveloped in the light and Battle City is what you see here today."
"Only it didn't forever end the war." Mokuba nodded at her sad tone.
"No, they're still fighting without cause or reason and killing any who happen to be caught in the middle of it all." They rode closely to the others and Mokuba looked up to see Téa. The poor thing, a strong woman, but with a slender body like hers it was hard for her to bear against the cold. Seto was taking much care of her however. His arms surrounded her and he pressed against her, to lend her some of his warmth. Warmth something he was missing terribly himself. He pulled the cloak tighter against his body. Humans! Couldn't they ever be content? Can't bear heat, can't bear cold. They need the mixture of both. He was disgusted by their needs and shook his head. This was the worst. Trapped in a city caught between Hell and earth and chilly night winds.
Seto drew in a breath. We'll be lucky to get out of this alive and with no conflict. Damn! Why is the King here, can't keep his nose out of anything. He's too touchy. Seto looked down at Téa and frowned. "Talk to me."
"What should I say?" Seto thought a moment, "Say anything. Talk so I know you're all right." She shivered and rubbed her hands together. "Okay. I'll tell you something no one knows about me and you tell me something no one knows about you." He nodded and locked one arm around her stomach when he noticed the King's gaze on the auburn hair girl. "I hate my mother. She didn't like the way father treated me." Seto frowned at that.
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing bad. I adored my father, still do. He treated me like a son, rather than a daughter. Teaching me riding and sword fighting and every other night some complex but useful spells. I guess she hated my father too, because she left us."
"I'm sorry. I loved both my parents, but sometimes they were distant from me, never paying too much mind to me, especially when Mokuba was born. But I think I understand why."
"Why, Seto?"
He looked down at her. Because.... Everyone of them is dead and I was always around. I watched my mother and father die. I watched Sonja die and I watched Gorzoboro and... I guess I'm the result of those deaths."
"No. That's not true."
"How do you know?"
"Because, Mokuba and I and everyone around us now are still alive. Don't be so harsh on yourself, Seto." he didn't say nothing and it was silent between them for the remainder of the ride. Téa fell asleep against him and they reached the exiting gate. Yami smiled and walked his horse forward. He was only an inch away when a ghostly figure sprung up through the grown, harnessing a scythe. Its eyes glowed the over-used red and it's skeleton face beamed with fury. It let out this awful cackle and Seto ripped free his sword. Conflict.
How many people were fooled by this trick? Seto smirked when they were out of Battle City. He leaned down and whispered his new secret to Téa and got the most beautiful laugh he ever heard from her. "Duelist Kingdom must be through these mountains." Téa said looking at the dark images of rising rock. Mountains? Mountains? Seto's eyes widen at that.
"The cave!" he blurted.
"What cave?" Yami asked, trotting his stallion over to them. Seto gave him a stern look and Yami flashed one back. The nerve of this man! Treating the King as if he were some commoner. Yami almost opened his mouth with a cruel word when Téa spoke up.
"Look, dawn." She said with a hint of relief. She made his eyes soften as she slipped down from the horse.
"Téa!" She stumbled but held onto the saddle.
"I'm fine, Seto. Let me walk. I need to be strong again if I'm going to kill Pegasus."
I had to make a few alternations but it's pretty long. Aww... See how much they're starting to trust one another. Much spending time between Seto and Téa.