SILENT TALE Chapter 5 – Ben Warren
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Seto Kaiba was bigger in real life than he appeared on the television or in his publicity pictures, and as he moved towards Dante it began to dawn on him that in none of the magazine articles he'd read had it ever said that he was a nice person. Brilliant and talented were words that got associated with him, there was no denying that. The man had practically revolutionized the Duel Monster's card game with his Duel Plate technology, one of which Dante still wore strapped to his left arm. But nice . . .
"What are you doing here?" the little boy beside Kaiba asked again, and this time Dante realised that he had been ignoring the question while he stared at Kaiba.
"Sorry." Dante was about to hold out his hand to shake, but remembered Kaiba's country of origin and bowed low instead in apology. "I was looking for someone who could give me and my two friends a flight back to England. I have some rather urgent business there."
"This area is prohibited to outsiders and those who don't work here."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know that."
The little boy, and Dante was fairly certain that he must be Seto's younger brother Mokuba, but he didn't want to say anything. Interestingly the older man hadn't said a word yet, he was letting his brother do all the talking, and fixing Dante with a cold calculating stare. It was almost as if he were trying to work something out about the Englishman and was mulling a thought over.
"You won't find anyone here to help you." Mokuba insisted and pointed him to the exit. Dante had taken three steps in that direction when Kaiba called him back.
"You, you're the English player correct?"
Dante nodded but didn't make any move to close the gap that he had opened up between them. "That's right sir, my name is Dante."
"I don't care about your name." Kaiba replied curtly. "What are you doing here?"
Flushing slightly red with anger, Dante did his best to swallow his feelings. This man was powerful and one of the best Duelists ever to have lived. But he was as rude and arrogant as he was successful. "I came here to duel Rebecca, the American champion. However she wasn't available to see me."
Kaiba smiled, obviously privy to something Dante wasn't and waved a hand in the air in a broad gesture. "Last I saw of her she was travelling around with Yugi and his group of friends. I doubt she'll have time to meet up with a Duelist from some backwater island."
Clenching his fist tight, he tried not to show the sting of this man's callousness, but a hint of anger was beginning to shine through. England was his home, his country and held a very sacred place in his heart, the man's words cut him deeply, but they also gave him a clue as to what had been happening.
Rebecca was with Yugi, who as Pegasus had told him was also involved in this affair with Dartz. That was why she had been unable to get hold of him or reply to his e-mails. Finally things were beginning to fall into place, and if Kaiba knew about her being with Yugi, then the chances were that he knew a lot more about what was going on besides.
"You're an arrogant man Kaiba." Dante replied curtly, "and ordinarily I'd put those words to the test, but I don't have time to be dueling with anyone right now. I need to get home and fast."
"Why, what's so important?" he replied, a hint of interest creeping into his tone.
"Because Pegasus thinks that it is the best way to cripple a man named Dartz. And because I want to make the bastard suffer for all the grief he's put me through over the last month."
Kaiba looked at him for a moment without saying a word, and then his face split into a wide grin. A laugh started somewhere deep inside his throat and erupted out with enough volume to fill the hanger.
"You have guts Dante, I'll give you that." Holding out a hand he indicated that his brother should come closer. "Give him what he needs," he muttered, and walked off, stalking out of the hanger.
Dante watched him go, and then let Mokuba show him to a plane, before gathering his friends. It looked like the Kaiba Corporation was going to be funding his home journey.
Tanya loved the plane, she spent the duration of the journey ordering food and drinks from the cabin crew and watching the movie. Bakura had settled himself somewhere closer to the back of the craft, his back to the wall where he could sit uninterrupted and watch the others unbidden. Dante however was unable to relax. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and fiddled with the one cup of tea he'd ordered from the crew before Tanya had started enjoying herself.
He was going home . . . how long had it been now anyway? Surely not as long as it felt, but then so much had happened since he had come to the states. He'd met Tanya, made fast friends with someone he hardly knew. In fact he was beginning to find it hard to imagine life without her reassuring presence. The two of them had escaped Dartz and met Bakura. And between the three they had unravelled a large part of the mystery.
But still, certain questions remained. The foremost in his mind was Tius, and what would happen should it fall into the hands of the enemy. Would Yugi be able to defeat its power? He owed it to the faceless duelist to make sure that the need never arose to find out.
And then there was their destination. A remote location where two worlds touched. What would he find there?
Unable to settle, he sipped his tea. Soon he would be home.
"The plane will be touching down in one hour at Luton airport." The captain announced over the radio, making him jump. He must have fallen asleep in his chair because below the plane, outside of the window, was no longer sea as far as the eye could see. Now there was green fields and roads. Small villages that looked like they were designed to house ant instead of people.
As they drifted lightly through a layer of clouds Bakura suddenly sat up sharply and focused his attention through the window. The sudden movement drew his attention, and Dante moved down to stand beside the Japanese buy.
"I thought I saw . . ." Bakura murmered, and shook his head.
There was nothing outside of the window, just white clouds that continued to get thicker.
"I must be imagining things." He commented and settled back again, opening his mouth to speak just as the plane rocked violently to one side. Cursing, the two of them got to their feet. Tanya, a drink spilling out of her hand and over her top, let out a high pitched scream and grabbed onto the chair in front of her for support. The plane continued to rock and shake.
"This isn't turbulence." Dante stated simply.
"Dartz has caught up with us!" Bakura agreed.
And there it was. Outside of the window, a large shape amidst the clouds, getting steadily closer. A winged monster that was too indefinable within the clouds for either of them to identify.
Large claws fastened themselves to either side of the plane and snatched at the wings, holding the plane stationary and causing the three occupants to roll forwards with the shock of stopping.
Someone screamed from inside the cabin crew's quarters and two of the girls that had been serving them ran out. Followed closely behind by tall lanky female monsters, recognizable as Vampire Ladies. Seven in total, one of which grabbed for the passing form of a pilot and snapped his neck, drinking deeply from the blood that spewed forth.
"Everybody stay behind me!" Dante yelled and reached for his Duelplate but to his horror he realized that it was sitting across the room, left there when he went to check on Bakura. The Vampire Ladies evidently noticed it too, because the closest one smiled and reached out to grab him. Stepping hurriedly backwards Dante was too slow, and thin fingers caught his left arm.
Swinging wildly with his right, he smacked it a ringing blow across the face and it let go, but to his shock the pain from his own wounded arm was still shockingly bad. Letting out a yell of pain he was quickly caught up by another of the monsters, and this time both his hands were held tightly.
He watched in horror as the horrifically beautiful face moved closer – teeth bared and ready to rip out his throat.
But there was a blinding flash and suddenly strong hands were pulling him back. Dante had a second to witness Bakura reaching for his Millenium Ring with one hand, and pulling him free with the other before the world was flooded with bright yellow light.
The closest of the monsters yelped and shrunk back, but it didn't vanish like he had been expecting. Instead Bakura appeared to be having trouble summoning the power of his item.
He's stayed in control too long! Dante realised, he can't stay like this all of the time and summon his full power. Soon he'll have to revert to the original personality of his host.
"Hurry up and get the plate!" Bakura yelled harshly, "I can't keep this up forever!"
"Right!" Tanya yelled, and grabbed it, throwing it across the gap between them. Dante caught it and drew a card from his deck, slamming it into position and summoning a tall warrior. Command Knight.
The swordsman slashed his way through three of the monsters before the others ganged up on it, slicing it to pieces and causing it to vanish, the card reappearing on the plate and going directly to the Graveyard. Bakura, unable to hold it any longer, took two weak steps back and passed out.
"Don't just stand there, help me!" Tanya yelled at the dumbstruck crewmen as she pulled his sleeping form away from the battle.
Unslowed, Dante drew another card and slammed it onto the board. Black Luster Soldier appeared beside him, sword drawn and charged, blitzing his way through the enemy. But more and more of the Vampire Ladies kept appearing.
"We need to land this plane!" Dante yelled. "If I clear a path can you make it to the cabin?"
The captain nodded and waited for his chance. Black Luster sliced a path through two of the monsters in front of the door and Dante shepherded the man through safely before locking the door behind him. Now, surrounded by the enemy, he had to think of a tactic fast.
Drawing a Lightening Blade from his deck he hesitated about equipping it to Black Luster, instead using it to create the weapon for himself like he had done before in the Pegasus Building. Ducking under an attack he severed a Vampire in two, and was soon fighting back to back with Black Luster. The plane, still under the grip of the larger monster, was still not moving.
"We need to break free!" he yelled. "I can hold these guys, you take the big one."
Black Luster nodded once, and then sprinted towards the emergency hatch. Thumbing the latch he pushed the door out into open air and then judged the distance to the wing. Taking a step back he leapt out and landed on the flat surface. Drawing his sword and throwing it with all his might up into the soft underbelly of the monster, which withered and vanished.
The plane lurched forwards, suddenly free.
Finishing the last of the monsters, Dante gasped and panted, then let the cards he had been using disappear. Black Luster and his sword vanished.
"Everyone alright?" Dante yelled, and glanced around quickly for Tanya. He hadn't been able to keep track of her through the duration of the fight, and was worried about her safety.
"We're fine." She announced simply, bent over the sleeping form of Bakura. "The crew are a little shaken, but I think that we're starting to get the hang of these encounters, don't you?"
Unbidden, Dante laughed. Relieved and happy to see her safe.
"You'd better check on the captain." She reminded him, and he nodded is agreement. Turning and walking the length of the craft back towards the control room, he knocked three times on the door and entered.
"What's the situation?" he asked,
"We'll have to land out in the countryside." The captain announced simply. "I can't land this thing without my co-pilot and he was killed in the attack, besides, with the state of the wings we're lucky to still be in the air. What was that?"
"You're better off not knowing believe me." Dante answered. "If I give you coordinates, would you be able to land there?"
"Sure. As long as its close."
"Oh its close." Dante assured him. "I need to get to Stone Henge."