A/N- Hey, minna! Sorry for being away so long. Summer is a busy time for me and I don't usually get many chances to write. Thank you all for being patient with me; here is the chapter you have all been waiting for! Enjoy!
Yami mata Hikari no Tenshis
By: Mitsuko-chan
Chapter 6- A Startling Revelation
A golden orb stood, suspended in the center of the stretched out, blue canvas, painted with fluffy, white clouds drifting across the view. The sky stood out starkly in a bright, serene contrast to the decimation of the village below.
Many houses lay in ruins while crimson and ginger flames still greedily devoured others. Smoke hung thick in the air surrounding the village in a big, billowing haze shielding the dead bodies from view. The massacre that had taken place that morning left nothing except death and destruction in its wake. Only three survived the onslaught.
Isis, Anzu, and Ryou crouched behind a bush in the front yard of the place Isis and Mitsu had called home for eight years. Isis was peaking through the foliage at the few remaining soldiers that were left to make sure there was no one left alive.
The men were loitering around, talking idly back and forth in a secret dialogue with a foreign dialect. They were ignorant of their surroundings and Isis intended to take advantage of that.
"Ok, Ryou, Anzu, listen very carefully to what I have to say. We are going to sneak over there and take their horses-"
"But there's only two of them," Anzu interrupted.
"Yes, you'll ride with me Anzu and Ryou, I've heard that you learned how to ride recently?"
"Hai."
"Good, now both of you follow my silently."
Isis started out around the outer edge of the yard when she felt something pulling her back inside the house. Brushing it off as thinking she had just forgotten to do something, she headed on, but the force returned stronger and fiercer than before.
Looking back at the house, it seemed to almost glow with a golden light. It was then that she realized Mitsu, no Yugi, had left his Millennium Puzzle inside on his bed before going off to play with his friends.
She had to go back and get it. The king had died to keep the puzzle and the secret, ancient power within it away from Emperor Seto and she was going to make sure it never fell into the hands of him or his lackeys.
"Wait here a moment," Isis told the children before rushing off back into the house, which was wreathed in flame.
Discreetly, she made it to the front door. Pulling the top of her dress up over her nose, she slammed the door open and hurried inside as smoke poured out the door in waves. Despite her precautions, Isis started choking on the thick fumes as her eyes burned and stung, watering, making it difficult to see where she was going.
Isis burst into Yugi's room, which, oddly enough, seemed to have not been touched by the smoke or fire. Not stopping to ponder this, Isis closed the distance between herself and the bed, picking up the Millennium Puzzle, and throwing it around her neck. As soon as she left with the puzzle the room began to burn, unnoticed by anyone.
Back outside, Isis tried hard to get her breath back as she was starting to feel lightheaded and dizzy from the smoke she had inhaled. Once her strength was renewed, the trio started onward, towards the two idle soldiers.
Swinging around in an arch—so as not to attract any unwanted attention—the three circumspectly slunk towards the two horses. Never taking their eyes off the two guards, Isis led the couple of children with her, darting from bush to bush and burning house to burning house.
Coming up behind the horses and guards, hidden just out of sight beneath an overgrown fern, Isis instructed the Anzu and Ryou to stay down while she untied the harnesses from a pole that prevented the horses from running off on their own.
Isis led the two animals closer to the fern and muttered, "If only we could have a distraction."
Just then one of the houses that were still on fire exploded and sent debris flying in all directions. The twin soldiers ducked, looking in the direction of the explosion, giving the trio just enough time to hop onto the mares and take off. In all the confusion and chaos no one noticed the dimming glow of the Millennium Puzzle.
"Sugoi (Amazing/Awesome), Mai-san! Your cooking is wonderful!"
"Arigatou (Thank you), Jounouchi. You are welcome to come over and eat whenever you want."
Jounouchi smiled widely before saying, "Do Itashimashite (You're welcome)!"
Yami had invited all of his friends over for dinner and they were now sitting around a rectangular table in the dinning hall. Finally finishing, Akiva, Jounouchi, Honda, and Bakura retreated into the living room to play games.
"Let's get out the Astragal (sort of like dice)!" suggested Honda.
"Iie (No), we always play that! How about tag, AK?"
"We aren't supposed to run in the house remember? I don't want to get in trouble again. Last time was bad enough."
"Yeah, sorry about that, AK, so no tag."
"Ok, how about-"
Bakura was unable to finish as a loud banging sound filled the hall. The four friends rushed out into the hall to see Mai hurrying out of the kitchen towards the door. They stood framed in the doorway as the door was opened and Mai was almost hit in the face by the lady that was revealed.
Mai gasped, hissing, "What are you doing here?"
More whispered words were her answer and the lady and two children were ushered into the house, door shut tightly behind them.
"What's going on?"
"Mitsu put the-"
"Mitsu?"
"Yugi. He put the puzzle together and the Emperor must have felt something. This morning he sent soldiers and took him. There is nothing left of our town. We were the only ones to get away. We have to get to him before Seto kills him."
"Where did they take him?"
"The Imperial City. We have to get him out of there at all costs. You know what is at stake in this!"
"Isis, calm down. Don't worry, we'll find a way to save him, nothing will happen to him."
"You're right. I'm acting rash."
"Here, come into the dinning room and I'll introduce you. Then we can tell the children all they need to know."
Akiva and the others scurried back into the room. His friends stood by the fire as Akiva puzzled over the strange people that had dropped in on them. It seemed almost as if Mai knew them, but that could not be right.
As far as Akiva knew, Mai had not made any friends or even been around anyone besides the neighbors ever since he had come to live with her. This woman was obviously not from around the area they were living in and had probably traveled here from far away.
And the strange conversation that had taken place, who was Yugi or Mitsu? Who was this Emperor and Seto? And the woman had said this Yugi person had put a puzzle together the night before. Could it have something to do with the puzzle Akiva had put together at the same time? What was going on?!
Mai entered the room, followed by the two children with her. Crossing the threshold, Isis noticed Akiva standing in the middle of the room. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak.
"Ya-...ano (um/er)...you, what's your name little one?" she corrected.
Akiva gave her an look that she could not interpret before looking to Mai who nodded. "Akiva," he replied curtly, still wary of the stranger in the doorway.
She nodded politely and said, "Isis, it is a pleasure to meet you aga- ...ano...to meet you."
Akiva looked at her oddly once more and she cleared her throat uncomfortably. Changing the subject she said, "This is Anzu and Ryou," as she introduced the two children standing with her as they came into the room uncertainly.
They all nodded politely to Anzu and Ryou, but then did a double-take and stared at the albino boy.
"Ano...konnichiwa (hello)" the one called Ryou said, uncomfortable with all the stares in his direction. He blushed and lowered his chocolate brown eyes to the floor to avoid the gazes.
Bakura stepped out of a shadowed corner of the room and asked, "What is your last name?" never taking his eyes from the boy in front of him that looked like his twin.
"Kage," Ryou meekly replied, looking up to gasp at the sight of his replica.
"Interesting..." Bakura drawled.
Everyone was looking between the two, confusion clearly written on the faces of Isis and Anzu while the others merely looked puzzled.
"What's interesting?" Ryou asked in a small, shy voice.
"That just happens to be my last name too. Who did you live with?"
"My-my mother," Ryou stuttered.
Bakura seemed to smile at this. "I always wondered where my mother had run off to with my little brother."
Ryou's eyes widened and he choked out, "W-w-w-what?!"
Bakura's eyes softened somewhat and he replied, "I'm Bakura, your brother. My father told me that a long time ago that he got into a fight with my mother and that she had left, taking my younger brother with her. I always wondered about that, now here you are. Standing here in front of me and I didn't even need to go out looking for you like I had planned on doing when I became old enough."
Ryou's eyes seemed to fill with tears at the story and he rushed over to Bakura and hugged him tight. "S-s-she's gone and n-now she can't c-c-come back anymore!"
Bakura looked taken aback by this sudden display, but he patted Ryou on the back and led him over to one of the chairs to sit down.
"Well, this is an interesting turn of events. It seems that two lost brothers have been found," Mai said mysteriously.
Akiva was confused. What was Mai talking about? Was she just saying that Ryou and Bakura had each been a brother lost to each other and now they had finally found the other or was she saying someone else had a lost brother? It just did not make any sense at all.
"Sit down everybody. I'm afraid I have some bad news I have to tell and it has to be done quickly so I want no interruptions."
Everyone hastened to follow Mai's directions. Once everybody had done what she said, Mai began.
"Ok, as you all know, this is Isis Ishtar. She's a friend of mine from a long time ago before any of you were born. Both of us were charged with the care taking of a boy. Very similar these boys were, in appearance, in heritage, and in fate.
"Their parents were killed by their father's best friend, Seto, and we had to flee our home with these two boys to make sure they stayed safe, but with the death of their parents Seto gained power. Using this power he became the ruler of Imperial City and has now used his power to kidnap Isis's ward, Yugi or Mitsu.
"What I need is your help to get him back children. Bakura, Honda, Jou, I know each of you have learned fighting skills and I have taught Akiva as well. We will need these skills to help recover Yugi from Emperor Seto. Will you help?"
Immediately they jumped up and cried their agreement.
A brick wall lined the perimeters of the square as people gathered, clustered around a raised, stone platform where a long shaft of wood protruded into the air. Smaller sticks and logs of wood surrounded the shaft, leaning against it in the form of a tepee, ready to be ignited and burn the person tied to the protruding log to ashes.
Akiva and everyone else stayed hidden in the shadows of the surrounding wall, bidding their time, waiting for the right opportunity to spring their trap and save Yugi/Mitsu.
They did not have to wait long; soon they saw a small boy with tri-colored hair being led out of the palace into the courtyard towards the stake. A tall, dark-headed man dressed in finery headed the procession, his expression grim and stoic.
The man stepped onto the platform and faced the crowd of eager onlookers as the two guards that flanked him fanned out on either side of him, looking out for any possible assassins that might be after the man.
The man cleared his throat and everyone fell silent.
"Good evening," the man said in a solemn tone that annoyed Akiva. "We have gathered here for the execution of a rebel. When interrogated, this rebel withheld vital information and is therefore sentenced to death by burning."
The man inclined his head to someone behind him and two more guards climbed up onto the platform dragging the small boy behind them. Whispers and muttering broke out all around Akiva when the people saw the rebel as a child.
"How can someone like that have vital information?"
"Who cares how?"
"It's not just to kill children!"
"Emperor Seto is always right. If he says this is a rebel with vital information, we should believe him and respect his decision!"
That shut everyone up; Akiva merely rolled his eyes and directed his gaze to study the boy. Holding back a gasp he saw that the boy looked like an exact replica of him only smaller and sweeter looking. It was almost the same as when he had seen Bakura and Ryou meeting. So this was his brother.
Idly Akiva wondered if they were twins, but he focused once more on the task at hand as Yugi/Mitsu was tied to the stake and the soldiers readied their torches to light the fire and set the boy ablaze.
Akiva readied himself for a fight as he looked around at all of the others in their positions. Finally, his gaze settled on Mai, just like everyone else, waiting for the signal.
Scarlet and gold flames erupted out of Akiva's peripheral vision and Mai waved. Jounouchi, the only one to have had training with a bow and arrow, shot at the platform to distract the guards.
The reaction was instantaneous. Emperor Seto's personal guards stepped in front of him while the two of the soldiers that had dragged Yugi/Mitsu up escorted him safely into the palace.
Akiva ran forward, a sword in hand like Bakura and Honda, as it was commonplace to teach swordsmanship to young boys in their town. Jounouchi scattered the crowd and kept many of the guards at bay that were trying to swarm into the courtyard.
Mai and Akiva ran to the platform immediately. Akiva reached Yugi/Mitsu first and cut the bindings. He would have fallen forward onto the flame if it had not been for Mai reaching them at that exact moment and catching him in her arms.
Mai and Akiva nodded to each other and called to the others to retreat. Akiva led the way, Mai behind him with Bakura and Honda on either side, and Jounouchi bringing up the rear.
They battled their way through the surprised soldiers that were making their way onto the grounds and back to their horses where Isis, Anzu, and Ryou were waiting for them.
Leaping up on their horses they rode away, full gallop with an army of soldiers chasing after them, at least twenty or thirty on horses and still more on foot. Akiva frowned and looked over at Mai.
"How is he?"
"Not good. It looks like he's been beaten before they brought him out. If we don't get him help soon...he won't make it."
Isis and Ryou gasped while Anzu's eyes filled with crystalline tears that threatened to fall down her peach cheeks. (Anzu means peach BTW)
"It would help if we weren't being followed so we could actually get him back so he could receive help!" Akiva shot to the others.
Bakura, Honda, and Jounouchi nodded their agreement.
"Ugh, I wish we could get away from them," Akiva muttered to himself and to his enormous amazement the puzzle he had put together began to glow a deep, rich golden color and a bright beam of light shot back towards the way they came.
Looking back, the group noticed the army of soldiers seemed to run into an invisible wall and were not able to chase them any further.
A/N- Wow, that took forever to write for some odd reason. I'm so sorry, guys! This chapter just didn't want to be written, I'm telling you! Well, I'm glad I finally got it done and now I can put it up! (I'm sure all of you are happy as well.) Maybe I'll become more organized by the time school starts?
Well, that's all for now. Please review!
Thank you for reviewing!
Wokie: Don't worry, now that I have a plot, I'm not going to give up on it, but those bouts of writer's block don't help to speed up the writing process. Sorry for taking so long, but here you are. I'm so glad you like my story!
Nicky: Wow, it's been a long time! School starts real soon! Did you take creative writing or have you already had it? I've got it for second semester...uh, do you even have your schedule yet? Man, I really need to check my e-mail! I've probably got 200 notes to read! Haha! I LOVE your reviews! They're always so energetic! It reminds me of me on a sugar rush, don't ya think? Hope you like this chap!
Pharaoh Atemu's Angel: Nice name! I'm glad you found this story and even gladder (is that a real word?) that you like it! I hope you keep reviewing!
Subieko: I torture him because I love him to death...makes no sense I know, but I'm a BIG angst fan I guess you could say...can't tell you, but it really doesn't matter because you'll find out this chapter! Wow, you really think so! Thank you so much!!
Mists: Hehe, I'm evil, I know! Don't worry too much about the characters. They have to last to the end of the story after all...(blushes) Thank you!!
Ente: (blushes) heh, yeah, I'm still alive and kick'n not that you would be able to tell by my super long absence! Sorry about that. Well, here it is! The next chapter you were so anxious about! Enjoy!
Yami mata Hikari no Tenshis
By: Mitsuko-chan
Chapter 6- A Startling Revelation
A golden orb stood, suspended in the center of the stretched out, blue canvas, painted with fluffy, white clouds drifting across the view. The sky stood out starkly in a bright, serene contrast to the decimation of the village below.
Many houses lay in ruins while crimson and ginger flames still greedily devoured others. Smoke hung thick in the air surrounding the village in a big, billowing haze shielding the dead bodies from view. The massacre that had taken place that morning left nothing except death and destruction in its wake. Only three survived the onslaught.
Isis, Anzu, and Ryou crouched behind a bush in the front yard of the place Isis and Mitsu had called home for eight years. Isis was peaking through the foliage at the few remaining soldiers that were left to make sure there was no one left alive.
The men were loitering around, talking idly back and forth in a secret dialogue with a foreign dialect. They were ignorant of their surroundings and Isis intended to take advantage of that.
"Ok, Ryou, Anzu, listen very carefully to what I have to say. We are going to sneak over there and take their horses-"
"But there's only two of them," Anzu interrupted.
"Yes, you'll ride with me Anzu and Ryou, I've heard that you learned how to ride recently?"
"Hai."
"Good, now both of you follow my silently."
Isis started out around the outer edge of the yard when she felt something pulling her back inside the house. Brushing it off as thinking she had just forgotten to do something, she headed on, but the force returned stronger and fiercer than before.
Looking back at the house, it seemed to almost glow with a golden light. It was then that she realized Mitsu, no Yugi, had left his Millennium Puzzle inside on his bed before going off to play with his friends.
She had to go back and get it. The king had died to keep the puzzle and the secret, ancient power within it away from Emperor Seto and she was going to make sure it never fell into the hands of him or his lackeys.
"Wait here a moment," Isis told the children before rushing off back into the house, which was wreathed in flame.
Discreetly, she made it to the front door. Pulling the top of her dress up over her nose, she slammed the door open and hurried inside as smoke poured out the door in waves. Despite her precautions, Isis started choking on the thick fumes as her eyes burned and stung, watering, making it difficult to see where she was going.
Isis burst into Yugi's room, which, oddly enough, seemed to have not been touched by the smoke or fire. Not stopping to ponder this, Isis closed the distance between herself and the bed, picking up the Millennium Puzzle, and throwing it around her neck. As soon as she left with the puzzle the room began to burn, unnoticed by anyone.
Back outside, Isis tried hard to get her breath back as she was starting to feel lightheaded and dizzy from the smoke she had inhaled. Once her strength was renewed, the trio started onward, towards the two idle soldiers.
Swinging around in an arch—so as not to attract any unwanted attention—the three circumspectly slunk towards the two horses. Never taking their eyes off the two guards, Isis led the couple of children with her, darting from bush to bush and burning house to burning house.
Coming up behind the horses and guards, hidden just out of sight beneath an overgrown fern, Isis instructed the Anzu and Ryou to stay down while she untied the harnesses from a pole that prevented the horses from running off on their own.
Isis led the two animals closer to the fern and muttered, "If only we could have a distraction."
Just then one of the houses that were still on fire exploded and sent debris flying in all directions. The twin soldiers ducked, looking in the direction of the explosion, giving the trio just enough time to hop onto the mares and take off. In all the confusion and chaos no one noticed the dimming glow of the Millennium Puzzle.
"Sugoi (Amazing/Awesome), Mai-san! Your cooking is wonderful!"
"Arigatou (Thank you), Jounouchi. You are welcome to come over and eat whenever you want."
Jounouchi smiled widely before saying, "Do Itashimashite (You're welcome)!"
Yami had invited all of his friends over for dinner and they were now sitting around a rectangular table in the dinning hall. Finally finishing, Akiva, Jounouchi, Honda, and Bakura retreated into the living room to play games.
"Let's get out the Astragal (sort of like dice)!" suggested Honda.
"Iie (No), we always play that! How about tag, AK?"
"We aren't supposed to run in the house remember? I don't want to get in trouble again. Last time was bad enough."
"Yeah, sorry about that, AK, so no tag."
"Ok, how about-"
Bakura was unable to finish as a loud banging sound filled the hall. The four friends rushed out into the hall to see Mai hurrying out of the kitchen towards the door. They stood framed in the doorway as the door was opened and Mai was almost hit in the face by the lady that was revealed.
Mai gasped, hissing, "What are you doing here?"
More whispered words were her answer and the lady and two children were ushered into the house, door shut tightly behind them.
"What's going on?"
"Mitsu put the-"
"Mitsu?"
"Yugi. He put the puzzle together and the Emperor must have felt something. This morning he sent soldiers and took him. There is nothing left of our town. We were the only ones to get away. We have to get to him before Seto kills him."
"Where did they take him?"
"The Imperial City. We have to get him out of there at all costs. You know what is at stake in this!"
"Isis, calm down. Don't worry, we'll find a way to save him, nothing will happen to him."
"You're right. I'm acting rash."
"Here, come into the dinning room and I'll introduce you. Then we can tell the children all they need to know."
Akiva and the others scurried back into the room. His friends stood by the fire as Akiva puzzled over the strange people that had dropped in on them. It seemed almost as if Mai knew them, but that could not be right.
As far as Akiva knew, Mai had not made any friends or even been around anyone besides the neighbors ever since he had come to live with her. This woman was obviously not from around the area they were living in and had probably traveled here from far away.
And the strange conversation that had taken place, who was Yugi or Mitsu? Who was this Emperor and Seto? And the woman had said this Yugi person had put a puzzle together the night before. Could it have something to do with the puzzle Akiva had put together at the same time? What was going on?!
Mai entered the room, followed by the two children with her. Crossing the threshold, Isis noticed Akiva standing in the middle of the room. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak.
"Ya-...ano (um/er)...you, what's your name little one?" she corrected.
Akiva gave her an look that she could not interpret before looking to Mai who nodded. "Akiva," he replied curtly, still wary of the stranger in the doorway.
She nodded politely and said, "Isis, it is a pleasure to meet you aga- ...ano...to meet you."
Akiva looked at her oddly once more and she cleared her throat uncomfortably. Changing the subject she said, "This is Anzu and Ryou," as she introduced the two children standing with her as they came into the room uncertainly.
They all nodded politely to Anzu and Ryou, but then did a double-take and stared at the albino boy.
"Ano...konnichiwa (hello)" the one called Ryou said, uncomfortable with all the stares in his direction. He blushed and lowered his chocolate brown eyes to the floor to avoid the gazes.
Bakura stepped out of a shadowed corner of the room and asked, "What is your last name?" never taking his eyes from the boy in front of him that looked like his twin.
"Kage," Ryou meekly replied, looking up to gasp at the sight of his replica.
"Interesting..." Bakura drawled.
Everyone was looking between the two, confusion clearly written on the faces of Isis and Anzu while the others merely looked puzzled.
"What's interesting?" Ryou asked in a small, shy voice.
"That just happens to be my last name too. Who did you live with?"
"My-my mother," Ryou stuttered.
Bakura seemed to smile at this. "I always wondered where my mother had run off to with my little brother."
Ryou's eyes widened and he choked out, "W-w-w-what?!"
Bakura's eyes softened somewhat and he replied, "I'm Bakura, your brother. My father told me that a long time ago that he got into a fight with my mother and that she had left, taking my younger brother with her. I always wondered about that, now here you are. Standing here in front of me and I didn't even need to go out looking for you like I had planned on doing when I became old enough."
Ryou's eyes seemed to fill with tears at the story and he rushed over to Bakura and hugged him tight. "S-s-she's gone and n-now she can't c-c-come back anymore!"
Bakura looked taken aback by this sudden display, but he patted Ryou on the back and led him over to one of the chairs to sit down.
"Well, this is an interesting turn of events. It seems that two lost brothers have been found," Mai said mysteriously.
Akiva was confused. What was Mai talking about? Was she just saying that Ryou and Bakura had each been a brother lost to each other and now they had finally found the other or was she saying someone else had a lost brother? It just did not make any sense at all.
"Sit down everybody. I'm afraid I have some bad news I have to tell and it has to be done quickly so I want no interruptions."
Everyone hastened to follow Mai's directions. Once everybody had done what she said, Mai began.
"Ok, as you all know, this is Isis Ishtar. She's a friend of mine from a long time ago before any of you were born. Both of us were charged with the care taking of a boy. Very similar these boys were, in appearance, in heritage, and in fate.
"Their parents were killed by their father's best friend, Seto, and we had to flee our home with these two boys to make sure they stayed safe, but with the death of their parents Seto gained power. Using this power he became the ruler of Imperial City and has now used his power to kidnap Isis's ward, Yugi or Mitsu.
"What I need is your help to get him back children. Bakura, Honda, Jou, I know each of you have learned fighting skills and I have taught Akiva as well. We will need these skills to help recover Yugi from Emperor Seto. Will you help?"
Immediately they jumped up and cried their agreement.
A brick wall lined the perimeters of the square as people gathered, clustered around a raised, stone platform where a long shaft of wood protruded into the air. Smaller sticks and logs of wood surrounded the shaft, leaning against it in the form of a tepee, ready to be ignited and burn the person tied to the protruding log to ashes.
Akiva and everyone else stayed hidden in the shadows of the surrounding wall, bidding their time, waiting for the right opportunity to spring their trap and save Yugi/Mitsu.
They did not have to wait long; soon they saw a small boy with tri-colored hair being led out of the palace into the courtyard towards the stake. A tall, dark-headed man dressed in finery headed the procession, his expression grim and stoic.
The man stepped onto the platform and faced the crowd of eager onlookers as the two guards that flanked him fanned out on either side of him, looking out for any possible assassins that might be after the man.
The man cleared his throat and everyone fell silent.
"Good evening," the man said in a solemn tone that annoyed Akiva. "We have gathered here for the execution of a rebel. When interrogated, this rebel withheld vital information and is therefore sentenced to death by burning."
The man inclined his head to someone behind him and two more guards climbed up onto the platform dragging the small boy behind them. Whispers and muttering broke out all around Akiva when the people saw the rebel as a child.
"How can someone like that have vital information?"
"Who cares how?"
"It's not just to kill children!"
"Emperor Seto is always right. If he says this is a rebel with vital information, we should believe him and respect his decision!"
That shut everyone up; Akiva merely rolled his eyes and directed his gaze to study the boy. Holding back a gasp he saw that the boy looked like an exact replica of him only smaller and sweeter looking. It was almost the same as when he had seen Bakura and Ryou meeting. So this was his brother.
Idly Akiva wondered if they were twins, but he focused once more on the task at hand as Yugi/Mitsu was tied to the stake and the soldiers readied their torches to light the fire and set the boy ablaze.
Akiva readied himself for a fight as he looked around at all of the others in their positions. Finally, his gaze settled on Mai, just like everyone else, waiting for the signal.
Scarlet and gold flames erupted out of Akiva's peripheral vision and Mai waved. Jounouchi, the only one to have had training with a bow and arrow, shot at the platform to distract the guards.
The reaction was instantaneous. Emperor Seto's personal guards stepped in front of him while the two of the soldiers that had dragged Yugi/Mitsu up escorted him safely into the palace.
Akiva ran forward, a sword in hand like Bakura and Honda, as it was commonplace to teach swordsmanship to young boys in their town. Jounouchi scattered the crowd and kept many of the guards at bay that were trying to swarm into the courtyard.
Mai and Akiva ran to the platform immediately. Akiva reached Yugi/Mitsu first and cut the bindings. He would have fallen forward onto the flame if it had not been for Mai reaching them at that exact moment and catching him in her arms.
Mai and Akiva nodded to each other and called to the others to retreat. Akiva led the way, Mai behind him with Bakura and Honda on either side, and Jounouchi bringing up the rear.
They battled their way through the surprised soldiers that were making their way onto the grounds and back to their horses where Isis, Anzu, and Ryou were waiting for them.
Leaping up on their horses they rode away, full gallop with an army of soldiers chasing after them, at least twenty or thirty on horses and still more on foot. Akiva frowned and looked over at Mai.
"How is he?"
"Not good. It looks like he's been beaten before they brought him out. If we don't get him help soon...he won't make it."
Isis and Ryou gasped while Anzu's eyes filled with crystalline tears that threatened to fall down her peach cheeks. (Anzu means peach BTW)
"It would help if we weren't being followed so we could actually get him back so he could receive help!" Akiva shot to the others.
Bakura, Honda, and Jounouchi nodded their agreement.
"Ugh, I wish we could get away from them," Akiva muttered to himself and to his enormous amazement the puzzle he had put together began to glow a deep, rich golden color and a bright beam of light shot back towards the way they came.
Looking back, the group noticed the army of soldiers seemed to run into an invisible wall and were not able to chase them any further.
A/N- Wow, that took forever to write for some odd reason. I'm so sorry, guys! This chapter just didn't want to be written, I'm telling you! Well, I'm glad I finally got it done and now I can put it up! (I'm sure all of you are happy as well.) Maybe I'll become more organized by the time school starts?
Well, that's all for now. Please review!