Tornado: Hey people! I got four reviews on my last chapter!
DT: This is the frenzy that I had to listen to when she saw this.
Tornado: Shut up, DT. I don't own Yugioh so let's get on with the fic!
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Sheatana's eyes fluttered open to reveal the somber healing room. There were several nobilities and servants tending to her every want and need. She turned her head slightly to see the prince sitting on her right staring intently at her face. She made no move to acknowledge him, but instead pivoted her head to the opposite side, where she had felt a light brush. Yami sat there, gazing sympathetically into her eyes. Voicing his apologies, he did not speak. Sheatana stared at the ceiling fighting the tears that threatened to cascade down her cheeks, but all her efforts failed when she heard Seth's silk voice whisper to Yami. She flipped quickly, burying her face in the pillow that was beneath her head. The thick material stifled her sobs though everyone had seen the crystal droplets. Seth placed his hand on her shoulder blade. She could feel the heat that they shared in his touch: the heat of love.
"I think that Sheatana and I need a few moments alone," Yami murmured.
The bystanders nodded, and receded from the room. They sat there, engulfed by the silence of anger and sorrow. Yami gently caressed his sibling's back with fondness. Nothing could retain him from understanding now.
"You love Seth," he said quietly.
Sheatana lifted her head and stared into her brother's eyes. The crimson had become a royal purple with his softened expression. The shadow realm had strange effects on people.
"Yes, Yami. I do love Seth," she replied.
"And Seth loves you."
"I believe so."
"Of course he does. I saw it for the first time when he rushed to your side after the duel. He didn't really hide the fact that he was crying on your shoulder. Sheatana, I know that you will hate me for this, but I must forbid it."
Another wave of tears seized the girl. She was weeping hysterically by this time. In her heart she had known this day would eventually come, but it seemed too soon.
"Yami, I knew you would. That is why I kept it from you, but you cannot deny the bond love. It will always be there."
"Sheatana, you must control it or I will be left with no choice but banish Seth from the palace forever."
She stared at him, baffled by his sudden change. At first he had been kind and caring, but had rapidly transformed into the pharaoh that the whole kingdom had saw. One thing that the princess had learned in her many years of aiding Yami at his throne was that he would do what he says. No matter who you are, he will take action for the words he spoke.
"Yami, please don't do that! I need him! If not to be my lover, than at least as my friend! I'll do anything, just don't send him away!"
"Sheatana, I don't want it to come down to that, but it may have to. I don't want to be the villain in this."
"I promise that we will reduce to friends. I promise."
"As you said though 'you cannot deny the bond of love'. Prove yourself wrong," he said before fleeing the room.
Sheatana sat alone in the darkened room. Nothing was going the way that she had dreamed of when she had been a girl. Her dream that she and Seth would die by each other's sides was slowly slipping away. Her mother had once said that "all good things must one day come to an end", but she had never thought that love would fall under the category of good.
Her tears had bow become stains on her pearly face, and she pulled her knees tight against her chest. The moon flooded the shadows with light, creating an eerie aurora. Suddenly, a hue of red could be distinguished in the soft blend of white and black. Sheatana gazed intently as it grew angry into a bloody light. A flame towered from the marble floors, leaving a void of black. The flame began to fade away, and the shape of a human being with a pair of tattered devil's wings became clearer. Shortly the demonic human was crisp and as real as anything else in the room. Her eyes were rubies setting off her white face and flame-streaked hair. Her outfit was that of a warrior's: black leather top and pants with silver metal surrounding the breasts. The creature in front of her awed Sheatana, though she had no idea what this thing could be.
"Do you have any idea what I am?" the demon asked.
"Something from the Shadow Realm?" Sheatana guessed.
"That is a very close guess. My name is Draconia, and I am a demoniac."
Sheatana remembered hearing about the demoniacs. They roamed the Shadow Realms, searching for lost souls to feed on. She had dealt with their kind on more than one occasion, most of them during her trips to the Shadow Realm. Now and then, one would escape from the depths of the realm causing a panic. Hunts would be organized, and rewards were given to the person who could slay it. Only once in her lifetime had Sheatana ever had to slay a demoniac. She had been seven years old when the event had occurred, but it remained in her mind, fresh as spring water.
She was on an outing with her father and brother. Seth was also along on this expedition, but only because Sheatana forced him to attend. They had been resting at the oasis a good eighteen miles from the city when the air suddenly grew hot. It was the kind of unnatural heat that you would have expected to feel from an angry person. Yami and the king had stared around wildly while Seth had moved closer to her.
"Whatever you do, don't look it in the eye," he whispered.
"Don't look what in the eye?" Sheatana asked feverishly.
He never got the chance to answer her question. It seemed that the creature appeared from thin air, for neither Sheatana nor Seth knew that it was behind them until the creature let out a sharp cry. Seth pulled the girl away from the demon as he whirled around to face it. With a quick swipe, the demoniac threw the boy to the side before approaching for the kill. Seth squirmed as it cradled the boy in its arms, and opened its mouth to reveal long fangs. Sheatana's heart was throbbing in her chest. She closed her eyes, and prayed that she had the strength to destroy the predator. A dark energy surged through her veins, giving her the power that she had requested. Abruptly, the girl stood, focusing all of her energy the shadow sphere that was forming in her hand. The demoniac felt the presence of evil, and faced the princess. The ball in her hand was now encased with thin flame lines. The demon dropped Seth to the ground, and backed away from Sheatana. It was too late. She had already launched her attack, hitting the creature square in the heart. A loud scream filled the air as the demon burned in the black flames that engulfed it. The flame soon died, leaving Sheatana feeling more powerful than ever.
"Do not allow your past experience with my kind cloud your vision," the demoniac whispered, startling the princess. "Just like humans, we are all different. I am one of the demoniacs that you hear nothing about. I am a guardian."
"Explain to me why I should believe you? How do I know that you won't just feed on my soul?" the teen questioned.
"If I had wanted your soul, why did I bother explaining my nature to you?"
The princess fell silent.
"Every person is born with a set guardian. It is highly unusual that a person is assigned to have a demoniac for their guardian, in fact there is only one person in the world," Draconia continued.
"Is there a point to all of this?" Sheatana questioned irritably. "I have other things to do.
"My point is that you are that person, and I am your guardian. I've watched over you for your entire life, and now I feel that it is time for me to offer my guidance to you.
"Your brother is forbidding you to be in love with your true love. I must warn you, the promise that you made to him will not last very long. You will be unable to control your emotions, and that will cause your worst fear and your greatest wish to come true. However, they will take place at separate times so you may not reap the full reward.
"Conflict will also come. An epic war will begin between old friends and new enemies. Your heart and loyalty will be tested, though the outcome is uncertain. You will grow stronger in both love and hate, but you mustn't let these emotions rule your life. I have been in similar situations like the ones that you will face. I know what is best to do and what is not. Think about it," she said before fading into the shadows.
Sheatana blinked numerous times at the spot where the demoniac had been standing. The metaphors baffled her, the message was still hidden, but most importantly, she now felt a something that she had not felt before the guardian had arrived. It was the sense that from this moment, the world would never be the same.
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Tornado: What do you think? I had to add a bit of a mysterious air in there.
DT: Sorry it took so long to post. With school and all it was hard to find time to update.
Tornado: Hopefully, I'll be able to update once every month or so, but there are no guarantees.
DT: Right now, I see no real point to this chapter except to foreshadow.
Tornado: Draconia is going to become a semi-important character, but you never know. There may be something else in this chapter that is important. ^___~!!! R&R.