I have no excuse. For those of you who have forgotten what's happening and don't want to read the previous chapters (though they are all sadly very short) here is a brief up to date: Ryou's hometown is destroyed by a group of sorcerers. He and the only other survivor, Yugi, set off to figure things out and get separated almost immediately by slave traders. Ryou then sets off to save Yugi from the slave traders and along the way meets Jou, a forest fairy, and Seto, a dragon. They join him on his quest. Meanwhile we meet Yami, Vampire King and his right hand man Bakura. They are fighting a war with the Sorcerers and recruit the shape shifters help. (Marik) Yugi is bought by Marik to entertain his personal slave Malik. At the end of last chapter Malik and Yugi are new best of friends, Yami is overly suspicious, and Ryou is suffering from confusing feelings brought about by Seto. Sorry, and at last here's an update.

One last thing: Warning! I didn't proofread. Sorry ahead of time. Extra warning: I typed this on a laptop in works, transferred it to notepad, switched computers, transferred notepad to word. There is probably quiet a few formatting errors. Sorry again.

Chapter 7:

"What? No! You can't!" Tears welled up in Malik's eyes. "Please, please, please don't!"

Marik sighed as he tried to avoid looking at Malik's pain filled face.

"Please try to understand, I don't have a choice."

"There's always a choice!"

"This is what's best for everyone! Don't you understand? This is bigger than you and your friend or even me!"

"b-but p-please… you're away so much lately… and… and…" The blonde finally burst into tears.

Marik wrapped him in a stiff hug as he held himself back from his own feelings. "It's for the best. Trust me please love."

Malik finally settled down after a few minutes and Marik realized the other had cried himself to sleep. He gently detangled himself from the slave and stepped outside the bedroom. There was still one other person to deal with.

He strolled across the lounge area to the bath chamber where gentle splashing could be heard. The room was filled with happiness and Marik quickly found the source.

In the pool Yugi was practicing everything Malik had taught him about swimming. Marik chuckled at the determined look on the little one's face.

Yugi started at the sound and fell out of his floating position. "H-hello Master Marik" he sputtered out as he emerged from the water.

"Hello Yugi. Come on out, we need to talk."

As Yugi swam to the edge Marik noted his improvement. The boy had been with him for about a month now, and under Malik's tutoring had grown into a decent swimmer. He could also horseback ride and was extremely successful at archery. And, Marik noted with appreciation, he was beautiful. Dangerously so.

Malik was beginning to say so to often and Marik himself was beginning to think so to often. That along with a letter from the Vampire General had caused the Shape shifting king to come to a decision.

Yugi had to go.

"Master Marik?" Sparkling amethyst eyes jerked the king from his thoughts.

"Yugi I am sorry, but something happened and I need you to do something for me." At the tri-colored hair boy's nod, he continued. "You are going to be a spy in the vampire castle. You need to learn everything you can about their king, the Pharaoh."

"You want me to do this?" The boy was clearly shocked.

"Yes, and it's very important to me. You'll need to leave immediately. You're clothes are already packed."

"w-W-b" Yugi sputtered eyes wide in shock.

"No time for that now." Marik's sense of urgency increased. "The escorts are waiting for us."

Marik grabbed Yugi's hand and cloak and rushed out the suite door and out to the palace gate. Malik would be extremely upset in the morning that he didn't even get a chance to say goodbye, but Marik would have to make it up to him later. If the Malik and Yugi talked again they would surely talk him out of this rash idea. Especially since he wasn't entirely honest with either of them.

When they reached the horses and group of guard escorts Marik tossed Yugi up on a horse before mounting himself.

He set a fast pace towards the East.

Bakura sighed as he scanned down the list of preparations. The King Marik had sent a letter that told of his soon arrival and it sent Yami into a frenzy. Every one sent Bakura expectant looks when the Pharaoh began storming around the palace, but what did they expect him to do?

The vampire king needed something, but nothing Bakura could seemingly provide.

"Sir I've sent some maids to air out the forest suite, but how many rooms will the master need?"

"No! The Oasis Suite! How many times? And make it in the West hall. And at least six extra rooms for the escorts." Bakura let out a frustrated growl that sent the nearby maids scuttering. "And make sure the stable boys know!"

"This is what the great General Bakura is up to these days?" Came a silky purr.

"More productive than you at least Duke." Bakura stalked off in the direction of the kitchens. He wasn't left alone though.

"Can you tell someone to get me something to drink or eat? They all just ignore me. They also won't come put silk sheets on my bed! I only sleep with silk and they keep making the bed with cotton." The green-eyed vampire whined.

Bakura let out an annoyed sigh. "Get yourself something to eat, the kitchen staff is trying to prepare a welcoming feast for tonight and the maids are using all the silks on the guests. Figure something out for yourself and leave me alone."

"You have silk sheets."

"I'm a higher ranking than you. I deserve better."

"Can I have your sheets?"

"No"

"Come on, why not?"

"They're mine."

"Well fine, since you won't help me get my own or give me yours, I have only one option."

"Leaving me alone to do my work?"

"No, sleeping with you!"

When he was younger it happened all the time, it happened to all the children at one point or another, the elders said it was just apart of growing up.

But it was always little and never hurt anyone even when it hit someone.

"Ryou, man snap outta it. It's not your fault. You just lost control. It's okay it happens to everyone at one point or another." Jou sympathetically patted the young man's back.

The trio had been traveling through small towns for a while now without any luck when Ryou suddenly recognized one of the men that had taken Yugi. He'd tried to ask questions but lost his temper when the man just laughed at him. White sparks began to dance around the man and soon they evolved into a spinning column covering him causing him to scream in fear and pain. When Jou and Seto finally managed to calm Ryou down, the man had been severely burnt and in complete shock. Seto had said it would be impossible to get any information from him in this state.

"Ryou" Jou's voice took on a pleading note. "come on. It's okay. We know you didn't mean to hurt him."

"It's not that Jou." Ryou finally began to whisper. "I don't know how I did that. I've never hurt anyone before."

"Your magic just got a little out of control." Jou grinned. "It happens to me all the time."

Seto, who had been watching the scene silently, spoke up. "Of course it would happen to an idiot, but that it's what Ryou's trying to say."

Jou glared at the dragon briefly before turning a questioning gaze on Ryou who nodded.

"I don't have magic. I don't know what that was."

"What do you mean you don't have magic? Of course you do!" Jou grinned goofily.

"Ryou," Seto's smooth voice cut in. "How could you not realize you had magic? You restored my stone and didn't even blink an eye. You also shield Jou and I from fighting all the time. Those are both pretty impressive spouts of magic. Weren't you ever taught to use your powers?"

Ryou shook his head. "The elders always said magic isn't important. It isn't right to force your will upon the forces of nature no matter if you believe it for good or evil. It is still using force against someone or something. Bending nature to your will is against everything my tribe lived and breathed for. Either nature gave you what you needed or you went without."

"But nature gave you your amazing ability, didn't it?" Seto moved to stand in front of the semi albino boy. "Just as nature created me to be a dragon and Jou a fairy. We are magical creatures and we aren't against natures wills. Am I correct?"

Ryou gave Seto a contemplating look before nodding slowly.

"Ryou what is your greatest desire?"

"To rescue Yugi and find out what happened to my village."

"What if I told you I know someone who could help answer those questions?"

Ryou and Jou sent Seto sharp looks of shock.

"You've been holding out on us? You knew something and didn't tell us?" Jou moved in-between Seto and Ryou and pushed the dragon backwards slightly.

"Get out of the way fairy-boy." The dragon growled and scales began appearing on his arms.

"No way, you are explaining now." Jou took a fighting stance.

"Stop" Ryou's soft spoken word disrupted the eminent fight. "There's a catch isn't there? That's why you haven't spoken before now."

Seto gave Ryou a nod of approval. "Yes and no. I didn't quite realize you had no knowledge of your magic. But since you don't I also assume you don't know much about the world. And I know for sure Jou doesn't because he's not only stupid but also probably isolated in that forest of his."

"Enough with the wisecracks ya dumbass." Jou's short temper was only held in by his curiosity of what Seto knew.

"The sorcerers, the same people who destroyed my village, probably destroyed yours. If you want revenge on them, then go to their enemies and aide them. They have powerful enemies you know, powerful enough to help you track down your friend. Powerful enough to help you with your powers."

"Then the catch is I risk myself. I risk becoming a slave or a weapon. I risk the chance of becoming something I have been brought up against." Ryou's eyes took on a hard look as he turned away from the others and turned his attention inward. "And if it works and the sorcerers are brought to justice, what would justice be? Death or extinction like my village? Exile? Is there a safe and fair justice?"

Jou sighed. "There is also no proof that the sorcerers destroyed your village. What did the people look like?"

"I never saw anyone. Things just began combust into flame and buildings exploded."

"Definitely sorcerers." Seto shot a smug look in Jou's direction.

"Well there's a chance that these sorcerer enemies won't want to help Ryou even in exchange for his help."

"They'd be idiots not to and not everyone is on your brainwave fairy-boy. Ryou's powerful. He's just not trained. A little training and the vampires or shape shifters will give up their armies for him. They'll track down Yugi just to win Ryou over. Every one will be looking for Yugi if Ryou's alliance is the reward."

Ryou blushed. "You really think I'm that important?"

Seto shot him a rare gentle smile. "Of course you are."

Ryou smiled back, and it was almost a heartwarming moment if Jou hadn't starting growling and caught Seto's attention.

"I didn't know fairies had such a dog side. Are you a fairy-boy or puppy dog?"

"So how do I become trained?"

"What?" Ryou's question caught the two off guard.

"You are going to ignore the possible repercussions of this decision? Ryou this might not work. In fact I think it has a very slim chance of working!"

"Then thank god we don't need you to think puppy fairy. Hmmm… that doesn't quite sound right… fairy pup maybe?"

Ryou sighed. "I know it's risky Jou, but Seto seems to think it has a chance of working, and its not like I have many other options at this point."

Jou gave a sullen nod. "okay then, how do we get ya trained?" He looked at Seto.

The dragon shrugged. "I guess we train him."

The day was cool, too cool to go swimming but that didn't stop him. Few things relaxed him like floating in his secret spot or doing a few laps in the connecting stream.

It wasn't the safest pastime for it left him venerable to enemies and bringing someone along to watch would ruin the secret.

Yami left his robes folded on the bank as he entered the water. The stream normally was only a few feet across but in this spot it stretched out to the size of Yami's entire suite, which was quite large even by royal standards.

As he began his laps it became apparent to him just how much he needed this.

There was war brewing everywhere and he had no idea where the enemy was. He just had to do the best he could with his alliances. Maybe someone could figure out what was happening before it became to late.

The sorcerers were extremely powerful and sneaky. They were stealing the dragon power in the mountains, picking off the shape shifter colonies in the desert, and killing the Hikari village in the green forest. The last village.

At first he thought they were afraid to attack the vampires, or had snuck in spies, but that village made their plans apparent. They were disrupting the balance.

The vampires powers were those of the night and shadows, the greatest warriors called shadow mages. But to have darkness, you need light. The Hikari power of light.

Destroying the Hikari's initially caused Yami's powers to increase, but they soon increased so much he lost control.

Yami was forced to push everyone away, including Bakura lest he hurt someone or accidentally leak his condition. The sorcerers were just waiting for news that Yami was out of control to launch an attack.

The vampires would be in disarray from the loss of him and taken completely unaware.

Yami was frustrated but the laps helped him control that. He couldn't afford any unnecessary frustration. That's why he had Bakura handling all of the preparations for King Marik's arrival.

As he climbed out of the water and rested in the sun to dry, Yami wondered exactly why the shape shifter was coming. In his letter he said it was for more negotiations about the treaty, but what was left?

Suddenly Yami became aware of a nearby presence. Coming closer quickly. Covering himself only in cloaking spells he headed towards the presence. It was a group.

He soon found himself on a path towards the castle and he nearly slapped himself when he saw the group.

They were obviously shape shifters, the escorts surrounding the king. Then Yami noticed an extra person. They were inside the escort circle, too small to be one of the shape shifters the kind brought last time.

As the group became parallel to Yami's hiding spot the figure turned looking directly at the vampire, pinning him to the spot.

Deep sparkling amethyst eyes gazed imploringly towards fiery ruby, a clear message.

'Save me'

The group was soon out of sight and Yami had to rush to get his clothing and beat the visiting king back to the palace in time to make himself look presentable.

TBC

Uh yeah… This isn't at all in my original plans, but the story should wrap up a lot quicker this way. I know I don't deserve it, but review please? I appreciate your thoughts.