—It's another Chapter! Yay! I've got another character to introduce in this chapter and maybe a new villain in Chapter 6…but wait, that's getting ahead of the story! Okay, well Rosenburg's imprisoned in Daelin's castle. Yugi and his army are fighting against the Immortal Thieves that have invaded the British Empire. Yugi's been wounded too and Daelin has proven to be a kick ass duelist. Chapter 5 is where Yugi and those in our world find out about Bakura's plan for both worlds…
Chapter 5 – Jhada's Debt and Nuri's Assistance
Ryou stroked his white pooka's fur and sighed sadly. "Nuri, there must be something we can do. I hate to loose my friends, but I hate to have Bakura distrust me even more."
The pooka stared at his White Druid. "I too am worried, sir. For Diamond Dust, anyways. And what of that chimera Bakura let loose on Thar Amrun?"
"Rosenburg is causing whatever trouble he wants. That was Bakura's plan when he took Rosenburg to Thar Amrun with us." Ryou replied. "Nuri, I am not very strong. Bakura and I are two halves of one whole person. The good side and the bad side. But the bad side seems to be stronger than the good side."
"You think Bakura is evil?" Nuri asked.
"I know he has a heart, Nuri. He's not an evil, pitiless villain. Rosenburg is the cold-blooded one. But then he loves the Rose Duelist."
"Bah!" snorted the white pooka. "Obsession and love are two different things, especially when it comes to Rosenburg." He paused and looked at Ryou. "Silverfox will get involved. I know she will."
Ryou sighed and nodded. "I thought she would. No doubt she'll venture into Tanna Undome and protect the King. Actually, Nuri, I asked her to do that as a favor to me."
"Jhada owes you after—"
"Yes…after I saved her life." Ryou stroked Nuri's soft fur as he thought back to that day.
"Ryou, you need to focus!" snapped the beautiful maiden with silvery hair with black and crimson highlights. She hauled Ryou his feet and helped dust his robes off. "You need to work on your fighting skills, hon." she said softly.
"I don't want to be a warrior, Jhada." Ryou said quietly. "I'm a Druid and someday I'll be a White Druid."
Jhada narrowed her silver-amber eyes at him. "And who the hell said Druids weren't allowed to learn hand-to-hand combat? I don't always rely on magic to help me. Be damned if I ever need it too."
Ryou sighed. "But you're a half elf, Jhada. Magic and hand-to-hand combat are your specialties. All I want to do is learn magic."
The archery maiden sighed. "Ryou, as your friend, I must insist that you at least try to learn how to fight with a dagger. Or at least how to use a bow and arrow. Your mentor, Simon, he uses a bow and arrow on occasions. But the old fool has grown soft and too reliant on his magic. My friend, I don't want that to be you."
"Deep in thought?" Nuri asked.
"I was just recollecting the time when I saved Jhada's life. You remember it, don't you?"
The white pooka stared at his companion. "Sadly, I do not remember every detail. Would you care to enlighten me, Ryou?"
"All right…"
The two-headed serpent had been on a rampage for several days. It had managed to find its way from Thar Amrun to Tanna Undome. Jhada had to practically drag Ryou to where the battle was. This was long before Ryou met Bakura and so he was very cowardly. His only friends were Nuri and Jhada. But Jhada was always off fighting battles and Ryou was left alone with his pooka.
Jhada shot two arrows at the serpent. One arrow found its way into the serpent's neck and the other found the serpent's forehead. The serpent roared in anger and shot a column of flames at the warrior maiden and the Druid. Ryou used a spell to block the flames.
"Your magic is useful. Try using the dagger I gave you and aim for his eye. Doesn't matter which head. At least then we'll have only three eyes to deal with." Jhada said and unsheathed her katanas. She launched herself at the serpent to distract both heads from Ryou.
Ryou unsheathed his dagger and was trembling all over. He threw his dagger, but the blade caught the sunlight and one serpent head saw the dagger and swallowed it. Jhada saw what had happened and was suddenly grabbed by the other serpent's mouth. She held onto one big serpent tooth with one hand and held a dagger in the other hand. She put the dagger's tip at the roof of the serpent's mouth and said, "You eat me and we both die, you giant snake!"
"Oh yes." said Nuri. "I remember now. You used your magic to create the illusion of a huge army. The serpent was so worried about being outnumbered that it didn't notice when Jhada jumped from its mouth and then slashed one head off."
"That's true. She's been training ever since for the day when I might need her to repay the debt she owes." Ryou replied.
"So you sent her to help King Henry?"
"Correct. I imagine she might run into Diana at least once, but I gave Jhada instructions to help Henry." Ryou said, curling up on his bed. "Bakura's coming. Go find Diamond Dust. Tell them everything."
Nuri jumped onto the window sill as footsteps were heard coming down the hallway. "What will you do?"
"Stay here and be seductive…" Ryou murmured with a slight red tint to his cheeks. Nuri rolled his eyes and left before Bakura could enter the room.
——————
"Rosenburg's a chimera and an evil Druid named Bakura is behind the Immortal Thieves, huh?" Daelin said, pacing the throne room.
"That's right." said Fin, sitting in an ivory white chair with a blue cushion. "What we don't know is why Bakura is doing this."
Daelin stopped pacing and turned to Diana. "You know more about this Bakura fellow than we do, Diana. What exactly is he up to?"
Diana shrugged. "I honestly have no clue. I mean, I know his lover is supposed to be our friend. His lover is a White Druid named Ryou and—"
"Ryou? The loyal friend of Silverfox?" Fin asked in disbelief.
"Silverfox?"
"Jhada Silverfox is a half elf. Her mother was human and her father was the greatest Elvin warrior of Thar Amrun. He trained my father and Fin is a distant relative of Lord Silverfox. Jhada was never welcomed here at first, but when she and Ryou destroyed one of Thar Amrun's most vicious criminals, we allowed her to come and live here."
"She's a powerful warrior herself and an expert with the bow and arrow. She is also a duelist and—like you, Diana—Jhada also has a magician for a deck leader." Fin added.
"Which magician?"
"The Black Magician of Chaos." Daelin answered.
"Wow…I'd like to meet this Jhada."
Daelin shrugged. "I don't know where she is. No one does. She wanders around Thar Amrun, training and such. She says she wants to repay a debt she has to Ryou."
Buster Blader entered the room and said, "Lord Daelin, Rosenburg has awakened, but he will not speak to anyone. What shall we do with him?"
Daelin tapped at his blindfold and Diana sat ridged in her seat. She was ridged not just because Rosenburg was awake and probably wanting her, but more because she wanted to see what the reason for Daelin's blindfold was. Daelin seemed to sense this, because he looked directly at her and said, "Silence your curiosity, Rose Duelist. I'm not taking my blindfold off."
Diana slumped in her seat and blushed hotly. "I'm sorry."
"Buster Blader, my friend, I think I have an idea." Daelin said to his deck leader. He turned back to Diana and said, "Go with Buster Blader and confront Rosenburg. Maybe that stubborn bastard will speak with you."
Diana stood and followed Buster Blader to the dungeon.
——————
"Don't touch it, dammit." Yugi snarled as Serena tried to check the wound on his eye. The battle was over and the invaders had been defeated. Yugi lost a great many knights, but he won all the same. Rex and Weevil had only minor injures and helped tend to the wounded. Joseph was hurt badly and Tristan had a broken arm. Needle Burrower, Tyrant Dragon and Dark Magician stood guard outside the castle in case more invaders came.
"Quit being an ass about it." Serena said, frowning. "Maybe you'd behave better if I were Diana."
Yugi calmed down at the mention of his love's name. "I'm sorry, Serena. I'm very worried about her. I only hope she's all right."
"She's strong, my lord. She will be fine." Serena said. Simon strolled over and healed the slash wound as best he could.
Yami joined them with Cara in his arms. He looked down at his brother's wound. "Simon, can you fully repair it?"
Simon finished his healing and sighed heavily. "I wish I could, my lord. I have stopped the bleeding and the pain and completely reformed all the tissues of the skin. Unfortunately, the scar shall always remain and the eye will never see again."
Yugi touched his now useless eye gingerly. "Great…" I'm just glad Diana can't see this, he thought.
Suddenly, Diamond Dust pounced into the room with a white pooka beside her. Diamond Dust rubbed against the King's leg before stepping back to say, "My lord, I have lots of news for you."
"What is it, Diamond Dust? And who is your friend?"
The white pooka bowed his head. "I am Nuriel, Ryou's pooka companion. Nuri, for short, your Majesty. I bring news about these invaders and the plot behind all of this, sire."
"Please go on! What are these invaders and why do they attack us?"
Nuri came to sit next to Diamond Dust. "Sire, the love of Ryou's life, Bakura, created an almost endless army of emotionless knights that know nothing, but kill or be killed. They are called Kura's Knights or the Immortal Thieves. Their weapons, as I'm sure you have noticed, suck the immortality out of being such as your monsters. These knights are fearless warriors who do not stop until they have killed everything in their path. I have been helping Ryou to carry the weight of guilt for aiding Bakura in the creation of these horrid beasts."
Yami frowned hard. "Bakura betrayed us. And after I helped to reunite him with his love."
"Apparently, he took advantage of you, my lord." Diamond Dust chimed in. "From what Nuri has told me, Bakura wants to destroy everything in the world so that he can create a utopia all for Ryou."
"His heart is dedicated to Ryou, but his intentions are as black as night." Serena said.
"Correction, miss." Nuri replied. "I came here, because—" The pooka cringed and swayed from side-to-side. He began muttering to himself and moaning occasionally.
"What is wrong with him?" Serena asked.
Diamond Dust snorted. "This always happens when the human bonded to a pooka is 'doing it' as people from Diana's era would say."
"What is 'it' then?"
"Sex, girl!" Nuri snapped grouchily. "Where was I, love?" the white pooka looked at Diamond Dust.
"The reason you came here, dearest." Diamond Dust replied.
Nuri nodded, still in a daze. "Right, okay. I came here, because Ryou wanted me to tell all of you this."
"You forgot about the chimera, stupid! Tell them about the chimera." Diamond Dust hissed at him.
"Settle, lovely. I was getting to that." Nuri looked up at the humans. "Ryou also bears the guilt of knowing about the creation of a chimera. This chimera was created from a human, a wolf and a Blue Eyes White Dragon."
Yugi was on edge immediately. "Please tell me the human isn't Diana."
"Lord in Heaven no!" Diamond Dust growled. "But you aren't going to like who the human was. Bakura released him from stone only to use him to create his ultimate warrior."
"Rosenburg!" Yugi exclaimed.
"Exactly, my lord. Rosenburg is now a chimera and is imprisoned in Lord Daelin Gryphonia's castle. Don't worry; Diana is safe from Rosenburg's hormones." Nuri said.
Yugi sighed heavily. He stood and looked at Yami. "Brother, you are in charge until I return." He picked up Diamond Dust and started for the doors.
"Henry, where are you going?" Yami asked.
"I must find Diana. I have to know she is all right. I have to help her." Yugi said. "Both of our worlds depend on the destruction of the Immortal Thieves. I want to help her accomplish this task." Yugi said and left with Diamond Dust in his arms.
Yami looked down at Nuri. "When you see Ryou again, will you give him a message from me?"
The white pooka bowed his head. "Of course, my lord."
"Tell him that no matter what happens, I will always remain his good friend, now and forever." Yami told him.
Nuri nodded. "I'll make sure Ryou gets your message, sire." The white pooka bounded after the King and Diamond Dust.
——————
Both pooka led Yugi to the tree where Diana went through hours ago. The sun was setting in both worlds and everyone would get a brief night of peace. Yugi stared at the tree, which looked like all the other trees in the forest. Other than the fact that it was untouched by the fire that had spread across the entire woodland area. The King reached out and ran a hand across the tree's bark.
"It feels like an ordinary tree…and looks like one too. Are you two certain that this is the right tree?"
"The fire didn't hurt it, so yeah I suppose so." said a feminine voice. Diamond Dust jumped onto the King's shoulder, but Nuri was hopping with delight as a young lady stepped forward into Yugi's line of sight. She wore dark colored trousers and a crimson tunic. Her long, silvery hair went down to her ankles and shone with red and black highlights. Her silvery amber eyes seemed to stare straight through the King and into his soul.
"Who…are you?" Yugi asked.
"My name is Jhada Silverfox. I'm here to guide you and protect you, your Majesty, King Henry." the lady said.
Nuri mewed softly. "Good to see you again, Jhada."
The woman smiled at the pooka. "Hello Nuri. How's Ryou?"
"You know Ryou?" Yugi asked with a surprised expression on his face.
"Aye. Ryou and I have been friends for a long time. He asked me to come and protect you, King. I owe his a debt and this is how I can finally repay it." Jhada said.
"Do you know where Diana is?" Yugi asked.
Jhada shrugged. "I don't know anyone named Diana. But you lead and I'll follow."
"Thank you." Yugi said and touched Diamond Dust's fur. The gray pooka jumped down from his shoulder and went right through the tree.
Nuri said to Yugi, "Follow us. Diamond Dust knows where the Rose Duelist is."
Dark Magician flew down to land next to Yugi. The King looked at his faithful monster and smiled. "At least you're coming too."
"Of course, my lord. I am your humble servant forever." Dark Magician said.
"You first, King." Jhada shoved Yugi towards the tree. Yugi glared at her and stepped through into Thar Amrun, followed swiftly by Dark Magician and then Jhada.
I'm coming my Angel, Yugi thought. I will be at your side forever.
—Wasn't that interesting? Well, now Yugi and company know mostly what you readers know. Diana is going to see Rosenburg…that should an interesting conversation. Of course…geez, I absolutely love how Jhada Silverfox turned out. I dunno why…I love her hair. Silver with crimson and black highlights…that sounds cool. xD – review responses…
SG – I honestly do not know what I'm gonna do with Rosenburg at this point. His feelings for Diana kind switch on and off from obsession to love. You saw how in Red Rose Angel, he refused to kill her when Richard ordered him to. So…I dunno yet – x)
Jaded – well…did you like how Jhada turned out? I made her a half elf…just so the whole story could stay within the grounds that Diana is the first human to set foot in Thar Amrun. Daelin's technically not human and Bakura and Ryou arrived in Thar Amrun just a few minutes after Diana…so yeah, I like Jhada, she's cool. xD
Swift – yup…Yugi lost that eye. It didn't pop out of his head or anything…that's just nasty. I think Diana might be able to fully heal it…dunno yet. Daelin is a powerful duelist, but that's how DarkShadow thought him up.
mariks1andonly – O.O Chibi Atem! –snuggles chibi Atem– lol…I'll e-mail you updates – starting…now! Heh…
Sara and company-who-are-in-NY-without-Sara – lol…that was long – yeah you can be a minor character in Chapter 6…Lauren…let's see – what can we do with her? Hmmm…she can be Weevil's daughter…lmao! I'm just kidding…not sure yet. Don't abuse the chimera – o.O lol…
DarkShadow – like I said in my e-mail, don't worry about the card/deck list…I'll find some good cards for Daelin to use. Maybe give him some cool powers. You might have to explain the reason for his blindfold…or is it just a fashion statement for Daelin? Like Diana, I was just curious.