Chapter Seventeen

Sethos men had completely over taken the once beautiful majestic ship. Smoke filled the air, dark and thick to the point where everyone nearly choked on it, everyone who was left alive that is. Blood painted the wooden floor red as the air calmed down after battle. Assessment was taken by the men of Sethos' crew. The dead and seriously wounded men of Isis' crew were thrown overboard while the wounded of Sethos' crew were taken in for healing. Yugi and the gang were taken onboard Sethos' ship and thrown in the cell with Isis.

"Sister!"

"Brother!"

They embrace, joyful of their reunion. Marik holds her at arms length and looks her over. Grateful that she didn't seem harmed. His sister was strong-willed and that's what he loved the most about her. He knew she wouldn't break easily, not from this.

"You're okay, right?"

"Yes, fine. They tried to get information from me about all of you but I refused. Why they left me alive, I do not yet know."

In another part of the ship, Kaiba is thrown in a small cage. He was knocked unconscious by the impact with the water and laid soundly in his prison. Sethos was thankful for that. Holding down a struggling person can be somewhat tiresome and he didn't want to deal with that or the questions Seto may have for him. For now he needed to think about his next move and ponder why the group of youngsters was after the stones as well. Franco's voice over the little two-way communicator woke Sethos out of his thoughts. He was amazed at these little gadgets that can make it possible to speak to someone over long distances as if they were right in the room with you. 'Almost like magic' He thought as he pushed the button to speak.

"Make whatever repairs needed to the other ship. We will stop in Bairiki for a short time. I want you to take a large sum of money and recruit more men to replace the dead." He said to Franco, wondering how he sounded on the other end.

"Yes sir. The Mast can be repaired. It won't be in top shape but it will do."

"Good."

Inside the cell Yugi paces near frantic in the small space he has to move around. His main concern was Kaiba and if he was still alive. He couldn't imagine his body floating all alone in the ocean like that. 'No! I don't want to think about him being dead at all!' Yugi thought trying desperately to force the images from his mind. Joey wondered if Yugi was thinking of Kaiba, he had to admit that as much as he hates him he did feel bad about him going out the way he did. Who knows what could have happened to him in-between him falling into the water and the commotion in and around the ship. Anything could have happened. He walked over to Yugi and embraced him.

"Don't worry Yug. He's Kaiba Seto, if anyone can survive this it's him!"

He tried to put on his best smile hoping that it would enough to cheer him up and was glad his effort was paying off when Yugi looked up at him with a small and simple smile.

"You think so, Joey?" Yugi said hopefully.

"Of course! If there was a nuclear explosion I bet there would be only roaches and Kaiba left."

Yugi's smile brightens a little more and Joey returned with his own. But still in the back of Joey's mind he wasn't so sure. After all it was a long drop and just hitting the icy water alone from that feet were like bouncing on cement. Then to add a huge mast with it . . . 'But then again I survived it' Joey piped up 'And If I did then I know he must have too!' Joey felt a wave of relief with that thought.

Later . . .

Seto finally wakes up and looks over his surroundings. By the movement of the objects in the room he knew he was still at sea. And it appears that he is in a cage in a room. Franco appears and looks at him amusingly.

"So you are the one needed, I see. Don't struggle or I'll kill you."

Seto could swear he was concussed from the ordeal and couldn't really make out what the man in front of him said. But he knew he was dangerous. 'I can be dangerous too, but even so I know not to mess with certain people' he thought. There was something oddly chilling about this man, he then remembered the hideous demonic forms the men took. 'No it had to be some sort of mind trick or mask to make themselves sinister. 'Demons don't exist!'. He screamed to himself. Franco opened the cage and placed chains on him, he was surprised Seto didn't struggle but then he took a good look at his head injury and knew why. "You're lucky to be alive!" Franco laughed.

Franco opened the door to the Captain's quarters allowing Seto to walk slowly inside. Once in he shut the door giving the two men privacy.

"You . . . you're the same man from the Hotel!" Seto said shocked.

"Correct."

"What the hell is going on!"

"Hell is what's going on, boy."

"Are we related?" Kaiba was still dumbfounded by the resemblance and wouldn't put it past his father to have a bastard child running around.

"I guess you can say that. I'm the darkness that was released from the High Priest Seto thousands of years ago. You are his incarnation."

Seto chuckled at the thought and winced as his head felt as if someone bashed him against a brick wall.

"That is ridiculous!"

Sethos roll his eyes. "Believe whatever you like. Enough of this . . . chit . . . chat. I need you to open the Demon world and save my Kisara from darkness."

'Okay I'll play along with this freak for a while' Seto thought to himself.

"And how the hell am I suppose to do that?"

"Simple. The Blue Eyes White Dragon will not obey me, but he will obey you. I need you to summon him and let him guide us to Kisara in the Underworld. It's the only way to find her."

During the short stay in Bairiki Franco found more greedy criminals willing to work for a nearly unknown boss for a hefty amount of money and Isis' ship was completely restored. In the cell of the Black Beard, Tristan was out of his mind with frustration.

"We should attack now and take over the ship!" He whispered.

Isis refused to take that chance. "No, that will not be the best action right now. He has the upper hand no matter what course we take. Therefore it's better to wait until we reach Aaru and escape."

Above board Sethos was proud of the progress he was making. He had Seto and he was on his way to Aaru to retrieve the final three stones. He will then unlock the Demonic world and find Kisara. He also had plans to keep the gate open and allow any demon to pass into this world. What did this pathetic world mean to him anyway besides never ending boredom? Sethos open his case and pull out the white stone and hold it out to sea, West. It glows revealing the coastline of an island. He orders his men to prepare to head out.