Yea for super fast and super long updates! Enjoy!

Note to the very nice reviewers:

Icy Sapphire16: No, no, no. That isn't Yugi's fate just yet. (Or possibly ever, that's still in the works.) Right now he is a slave, but just a normal house slave. Marik wanted him to be a friend to Malik, who is a well cherished bed slave. And if you just happen to be wondering why Marik picked Yugi, I think there are a few clues in the first two chapters.

Mjus: I'm really sorry I confused you. I didn't even think to explain the pool thing. Basically it's just a giant private bathroom for the king. The pool is the bathing area because they don't exactly have running water. There isn't much to say about the map except I probably should have just left it out altogether. And in strong defense of Ryou, Seto, and Jou, they aren't really lost! They are still trying to find what happened to Yugi. They are trying to track down the guys who took him or see if they hear any clues to where he might possibly be. Yes, it's a wild goose chase, but hopefully it will be interesting. Thank you so much for following the story, it really makes my day!

Zero-A.C.: I love you! Finally someone asks about what is going on with Seto! This chapter will explain a bit,I put the scene in just cause someone finally asked!Don't worry though, it's not as bad as it seems!

Chapter 6:

"Well my liege, their defenses are much stronger than their offense as far as I can tell, but lately I'm learning less and less. I get the feeling I'm only finding out exactly what they want you to know. I'm afraid they know of my double dealings." Rebecca sighed sadly. "I think I've become about useless to you." She bowed her blonde head in defeat, preparing for the worse.

Yami's ruby eyes scanned her form briefly before they closed. "Young one, I agree you aren't any more use to this organization. In fact you could quickly become a liability if the sorcerer's decided to extract information from you. Therefore, you will stay here under protection, and if you try to escape at any point, straight to the dungeons."

Her form shook as she took a deep calming breath. "Yes sire."

The punishment was lenient because she had admitted her uselessness, and always done a good and loyal job. Normally, she would have been killed the next morning.

"Sir, if I may talk next." Yami nodded his assent towards Duke.

The vampire-shapeshifter crossbreed took a deep breath and started.

"My situation is quite opposite of the dear Rebecca's. Suddenly the shape-shifters are telling me more. The small communities surrounding the main oasis are slowly but surely all shifting to gather directly around the palace. They are being sorted into groups of elite fighters, strong spell casters to cast defense, a normal army, a reserve army used to protect the homeland when the others come to your aide, and a group of women and underage children. When the army leaves to come fight, they are planning on moving everyone not leaving into the palace, and surrounding it with the reserve army. But there are also certain things I'm sure they are keeping from me. For one thing, I don't know any numbers, or what the elite fighters are for. It is all very top-secret past what I've told you. The elite fighters training sessions are held randomly at all hours of the night and day in locations that are extremely hard to find. I fear the worst from them. They could be training to do anything, including revolt against you so that the shape-shifters can become supreme over all."

Rebecca's sniffles became a bit louder as Yami let out an elongated sigh. "Thank you Duke. Will you please escort Rebecca to her chambers while I meet with the ambassadors?"

The two spies bowed deeply before they retreated out of the room.

Soon the two ambassadors appeared. They had left the room while Yami met with his spies.

"Thank you both for taking the time to come out here. In these troubled times it means so much to all. I hope your stay here is filled with comfort and good company." Yami smiled warmly.

Anzu returned the smile. "It always is Pharaoh." She bowed her head.

"A great and privileged vacation." Mako agreed.

"Last time we met, I extended continuation of peace treaties and asked for support from both your races. I assume you have presented my case before your great leaders?"

"Of course Pharaoh. The Queen of the Harpies was extremely pleased with your gifts, and plans on announcing open support next week with an assault on a nearby sorcerer strong-hold. They have many bases in the mountains, and often drain the harpy magic. We are ready for this revenge."

Yami nodded his head at this good news. "Good. When you are ready to head home, please tell the servants waiting on you, there is another gift."

Anzu bowed her head in respect.

The vampire turned his ruby gaze to Mako who was currently downing a pitcher of water.

He noticed Yami and choked briefly before regaining his composer.

"The King of the Mer-people also greatly enjoyed his gifts, but I regret to inform you that is has decided it in the best interest of his people to remain neutral. As regrettable as this is, Pharaoh, it is not with ill wishes he does this. He feels the sorcerers might attack our venerable city if he declares any allegiance in this battle. He does wish to inform you that he does strongly support your cause, he just doesn't have anything helpful to offer."

Yami gave a firm nod. "That is understandable, and since he wishes us the best, we wish him the best." Yami turned from Mako to address both of the ambassadors. "Thank you for your help in relaying the messages. I look forward to the Harpies assistance and hopefully seeing their amazing fighting skills destroy a few sorcerers, and I wish the best for the People of the Lake. Go in strength and friendship back to your homes."

The three stood and bowed to one another before leaving the room.

They had reached the town in the early afternoon, and now the sun had now begun to set. Ryou hadn't eaten anything since they had left the forest that morning. He also hadn't found anything out. The band of poachers seemed to have disappeared. With nothing learned about Yugi's whereabouts, Ryou's mind ran wild with horrible possibilities. Yugi could be dead, or maybe even worse. Ryou shuddered, and shook the thoughts out of his head. He couldn't think like that.

He needed to find Seto and Jou so they could get food and get out of here. Maybe they had found some information.

The only problem was, Ryou had no idea where to look. He began to concentrate hard, thinking of anywhere they could be. His feet kept walking. After a few moments, his eyes snapped open as he lost his concentration. He found himself in front of a tavern. It advertised cheap booze, food, and rooms to rent.

Ryou entered the shabby little building, and immediately choked on the smoke. It was loud with talking, laughing, and music, but two voices stuck out. From across the room Ryou could make out Jou and Seto.

As he neared them, he could smell the beer, and tell they were wasted.

They were laughing, hugging, and hanging all over each other.

"What in the hell is wrong with you two?" Ryou was furious. "You said you would help me and here I find you doing nothing more than helping yourselves! You both disgust me!"

The two had the decency to look ashamed of themselves.

Ryou let out a frustrated groan, and grabbed the two by their ears, and drug them out into the street.

"We need to find some food and a place to stay." Ryou ran his hands through his hair.

"We can rent a room in this tavern. Between the three of us it should be safe."

Ryou sighed. "Great idea, but I don't have any money."

"I do." Jou held up a small, jingling bag.

The room had two small beds. Strangely enough to Ryou, Jou and Seto offered to give him his own bed. After eating and discussing that no one had found anything out, they went to bed.

Ryou found himself unable to sleep, but the other two were quickly snoring. Or at least Jou was.

Ryou tossed and turned for what seemed like half the night to him. His head was filled with horrible scenarios chasing one another, each progressively worse, each filled with Yugi.

Finally, unable to stand it any longer, Ryou threw back his covers and crept to the window. The small town was obviously deserted at this time of time, and looked quite ghostly in the moonlight.

"So you can't sleep either huh?"

Ryou jumped slightly, but relaxed as he turned and saw Seto sitting on the edge of his bed. He shook his head, causing the white locks to fall across his eyes. Hiding the leaking tears.

Seto sighed, his eyes focused on his hands. "I know how you feel. The sickening scenes fighting their way through you head, each filled with awful things happening to those you care about."

Ryou stared at Seto in shock. He quickly walked over to where the male sat on the edge of his bed, and sat next to him.

From this location he could see identical crystal tears. Seto was also obviously fighting memories.

"What happened? Maybe we could help?" Comforting others always gave Ryou the strength he needed to push through his own pain.

Seto laughed bitterly. "There isn't anything you can do."

"I can listen."

His offer was followed by the longest silence Ryou had ever endured in a conversation. The only sound in the room was Jou's loud crackling snores.

"I'm a dragon of the mountains, and for most of my life I lived in a rare community. My parents died shortly after my coming-of-age ceremony. The entire settlement was attacked by sorcerers. Only the children, who were put into hiding with me in charge, survived. We survived for a few years, but the sorcerers found out about us, and began picking us off one by one. As soon as my brother hit his coming-of-age ceremony, we decided to get revenge. We fought back, and almost won, expect they had dragons on their side as well, who were much more experienced at fighting. We outsmarted them and escaped. The sorcerers weren't done yet though. They came back for their revenge. We fled, but they leader of the fighting sorcerers was determined and followed us. He drained all my power and left my as you found me for mockery. Before my eyes he tortured my brother for awhile before he told me he had bigger plans for him. He was going to let his town feed off of my brothers power till he begged for mercy. My brother didn't give him the chance though. He sacrificed himself so they couldn't gain any power. The last thing I saw of him was the sorcerer howl in fury before he instantly transported himself and my brothers carcass away."

Ryou was shocked into silence, so for a while the only sounds were again Jou's snores.

Finally he gathered his wits. "Why aren't you trying to find him?"

Seto stood up angrily. "What don't you get?" His voice raised slightly from the whispers they had been talking in. "He killed himself to protect our honor! He is dead, and there's nothing left to do but to get revenge. And… and… I'm just not ready yet. I can't face them."

Seto's anger fled and was replaced by his tears as he sat back down.

Ryou soothingly rubbed his back for a few moments, wishing he could do more. His own tears flowed just as strongly.

After a while they both calmed down.

"We should get some sleep." Seto spoke in his old I-know-everything tone.

Ryou nodded and turned to climb in his bed. Seto suddenly stopped him by grabbing his shoulders. Ryou's brown eyes looked at Seto's deep blue ones in confusion for a split second before they widened into shock as the dragon gave him a soft kiss. Seto's tongue briefly touched his own before the other drew back.

"You look absolutely gorgeous bathed in moonlight. The light is your element, so use it to your advantage." Seto quickly stood and walked back to the bed he shared with Jou. "Sleep well." He said as he laid back down next to the snoring figure.

Ryou finally felt sleepy, even though he was extremely confused by both Seto's actions and words.

Soon all three were sleeping, one troubled and alone, tossing and turning, another still and facing his nightmares with strength, and the third, seemingly carefree but simply ignoring his own issues.

Yami found Bakura in their room, eating dinner while going over strategic maps of possible battle fronts.

"Hello king, you look like you've actually been thinking. I didn't know you had it in you."

Yami ignored his second-in-command's attempt at banter. "I think the shape-shifters are planning a revolt and my meeting with the spies has heightened that fear. I think we should cancel the alliance."

Bakura stood in shock. "Are you going paranoid? Everything is fine."

The ruby gaze hit the brown eyes hard with radiating emotions. Bakura took a step back in shock and slight fear.

"If I did not know better General, I would think you were in on it." Power radiated unrelentingly from Yami's aura, forcing Bakura to step rapidly backwards.

"Yami… I…"

Yami ignored him and quickly strode to his personal room, one he rarely used. The door slammed and Bakura could feel the wards thrown against it. He wouldn't be allowed to plead his case tonight, making his situation all that much worse. Hopefully this would blow over, but things were never that easy with Yami. Bakura was in a deadly and dangerous situation.

TBC

Well what did you think? Personally I'm extremely proud of this chapter. I absolutely love it. I wrote it in one setting in response to the reviews from Chapter 5. Don't expect the next update to be so quick! Please review and tell me what you think! I love it when people ask questions! Oh and sorry for any big mistakes, I wrote and posted immediately.