Joy: Hey, everyone! This one is a day late…wanted to update earlier, but had some work to do. Anyway. I'm glad for those who reviewed and commented. I am also glad everyone liked the ending of the last chapter. I kind of liked it, too. Now here is Chapter Twenty!

The Path is Open

Joy and Kaiba rode his limo to the Game Shop. It was very late at that point and Joy was a bit apprehensive. "I don't think anyone is going to answer the door this late at night, Kaiba. What are you going to do?"

"Bang on the door till someone answers," Kaiba answered simply with a small smirk.

Joy glared at him. "Kaiba!"

"Do you have a suggestion, then?" Kaiba countered.

Joy thought for a moment, then her face lit up with a small smile. "Actually, I do. Wait here with the sword and I'll be right back with Yugi." She said a few words and vanished into thin air using her teleportation spell. She reappeared in Yugi's room. The young duelist was fast asleep. He looks so cute when he's asleep that I almost don't want to wake him up.

Just as Joy moved towards Yugi, the Millennium Puzzle that sat by his bedside began to glow. Yami appeared, looking very protective and superior. "What are you…?" He stopped when he spotted who it was that had intruded into the room. "Joy…what is it? Why have you sneaked in here so late?"

"Sorry, Yami, but we need to wake Yugi up and get downstairs so he can get his sword." It took Yami a moment to process what Joy had just said. He smiled.

"I suppose we could wake him for that."

Seto stood by the limo impatiently waiting for Joy and Yugi to show up. Kaiba, Sorcerer said suddenly, I sense someone coming. Seto stood straighter.

"Seto Kaiba?" Seto whirled around to see Ryou standing right behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Seto asked the boy.

Ryou held up his dagger. "It drew me here, though I don't know why."

"Kaiba, here we are!" Joy and Yugi came out of the Game Shop. "Ryou…you're here? Why? Not that I mind. We would have had to go get you anyway."

"Yeah…the dagger kind of led me here. I can somehow feel it's feelings and what it wants me to do. So, what's going on?"

"We have the last Item of Legend. Now we can open the Path of Light!" Joy explained excitedly.

"That's good, since there is so little time left." Everyone turned to see Reila.

"Reila…what are you talking about?" Yugi asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"The prophecy…there is something else about it that not even Akujin knows about. The Path of Light can only be opened during a total eclipse of the sun. Did you read the total prophecy yet? On the dagger it said that that a total eclipse of the sun would open the Path of Light."

"That's just great…when the hell does this eclipse occur?" Seto said irritably.

"Tomorrow. I have the exact time. When the eclipse occurs, you must all be together and have your items in your possession. Then you must chant the proper incantation to open the path."

"So we all just need to say this phrase thing?" Joy asked. Reila nodded. "I guess the only thing we need to decide now is who goes in." There was a pause. "Why don't you tell your grandfather that you're coming over to my house tonight, Yugi? That way we will be together already and just in case Akujin tries to do something until the eclipse occurs." Yugi nodded and went inside. About ten minutes later he came back out, his backpack on his shoulders.

"Here." Seto held out the Sword of Kai to Yugi. Like the others, as soon as Yugi touched it, both the boy and the object glowed briefly.

"I can feel it's power," Yugi breathed.

Are you all right, aibou? Yami asked.

Yeah…it just feels so different, but not in a bad way. It feels right, somehow. It feels like it was made just for me.

The group piled into Seto's limo and headed to Joy's house. After a bit of gawking and praising from Ryou and Yugi, the group settled down into their rooms for a good nights rest, at least what was left of the night.

Morning came quickly and the group ate some breakfast and congregated in the living room. "Now we have to decide who is going in," Reila said. "Remember, only one keeper can go in, but the person can take one other with them. The keeper can choose whomever they wish, but only one other. If more than two go in, I am not sure what will happen."

"Do dark sides count?" Joy asked.

"Yes. If you choose to go in with your other half, it is considered taking another person, since there are two souls entering the pathway. So…who will go?"

Everyone was silent. Kira looked over at her dark side. Reila…aren't we going to tell them why we need to even get to the path? she asked.

I am hoping to convince the keeper that goes to take you, hikari. Who do you think is the best for me to convince? Joy perhaps? Of the three, are you not the closest with her?

But Kaiba is even closer…if she is chosen, she may go with him instead of me. I will not force her to take me. I have a better idea. Trust me.

Very well, hikari.

"I have a way we can do this." Joy got up and went upstairs to her room for a moment. When she came out, she had a hat in one hand and a pencil and paper in another. She tore the paper into three small pieces and wrote each keeper's name on a piece of paper. "We are going to draw for it. Whoever's name comes out of the hat is the keeper that is going. Agreed?"

Everyone nodded. Joy handed the hat to Yugi and had Ryou draw a name. He looked at it. "It looks like the lucky person is you, Joy."

"Really?" Joy took the paper and looked at it. "I guess I'm going."

"And who will you take?" Reila asked. "Remember that it cannot be Yugi or Ryou, and that if you do not choose Katilli, she must stay behind." Joy nodded in acknowledgement and was silent for a moment.

"I choose Kaiba," she said simply. "That is, if you want to go."

Seto gave her a look that said 'You are actually asking me that?' Joy smiled. "It's all settled, then. The eclipse will happen in just an hour, so we need to be outside. The Path will open to you when you three chant the incantation exactly like I say. Here it is:

We call upon the Path of Light
To led us to a wondrous sight.
Grand to one a wish of eternity
And bring us peace and unity.

Once the words are spoken, and they must be said simultaneously, the Path will open. It will be like a white tunnel. Then Joy and Kaiba can enter. We will stay here and wait for you to return and make sure no one else goes in. Agreed?" Everyone nodded.

As everyone headed outside, Kira pulled Joy aside and whispered something in her ear. She blinked in astonishment, but nodded with a serious look on her face. When Seto asked what Kira said, Joy refused to answer, saying it was said in confidence and she would not repeat it right then.

When the group gathered in Joy's backyard, they saw that the eclipse was starting. "Now say the words," Reila urged them. The three lights held up their items and said the incantation exactly like Reila said. Then a huge gust of wind blew through the area, nearly knocking a few people off their feet in the process. The wind gathered to form a sort of tunnel like vortex in front of the keepers. "Go now, you two. You have one hour to find the Shine of Kokoro and make your wish. Only Joy can make the wish, though. Got it?"

Joy and Seto nodded and headed into the white tunnel that was the Path of Light.

Joy: There you have it! BTW: 'kokoro' means 'spirit'…I think it does. That's what my translator says at least. Anyhow, review and see you next time for chapter 21 – 'Traveling'