The family was going around a large curve in the mountainside, the sky darkening above them.
"I'd almost think it was evening," Yui whispered as she held closer to Yugi.
"I haven't seen night in so long. I'm almost grateful," Yugi said.
Yami nodded. He'd almost feel safer in the darkness as well, but two lights stopped it from being true night. The unmoving sun and the glowing rift still stood over them. It was bizarre to see them shine through the gloom instead of glowing like a moon. And while it gave some much-needed light, the two cast deep shadows across the already dark land.
From around the next corner, Dark Magician sped back to the family. He kept that infuriating blank face, but his movement was swift and determined. Yami eagerly waited for Grandma Blue-Eyes to translate his words once he got to the family.
"There's a group running towards us from up the path." Grandma Blue-Eyes relayed.
"How many?" Yami asked, beginning to plan how the dragons could duel them.
"We are hiding first!" Junior said as he grabbed Yami.
The path was thin, leaving only about enough space for one person at a time. But along the way was a boulder jutting out of the wall. Thanks to the deep shadows, it gave enough room for two people to hide behind it and be safe from view. Junior pulled Yami there as the others had to hop on Grandma Blue-Eyes. She and Dark Magician flew below the nearby cliffs, using those outcroppings to hide their larger size. The earthbound Zara couldn't follow and had to fall back. She ran down the mountain, out of sight from the family.
Grandma Blue-Eyes's words then came to the family. 'Dark Magician saw three monsters running down the path. Two beast monsters and one fairy."
Soon enough, the three came running around the mountain. Yami could make out two Alligator Swords that were chasing a pink blob down the path. To Yami's surprise, he recognized the smaller monster. It was a newer card that Yugi had taken a liking to called Marshmallon.
The two reptiles were wildly slashing at and around Marshmallon, being pulled by nothing more than their anger. Every once in a while, one of the Alligator Swords would slice through Marshmallon, causing the monster to fall apart. Before either Junior or Yami could react, the pieces would come flying back together. Marshmallon would then continue running as if nothing happened.
'I hear your observations, younger Solomon and Pharaoh. I relayed those thoughts to Yugi, and we agree that the smaller monster is the Mad Builder, Marshmallon. Yugi insists we help them. I agree.' Grandma Blue-Eyes thought.
"Does this Marshmallon always heal themself?" Junior whispered.
Grandma Blue-Eyes said yes, and both Yami and Junior began planning as they were the first the fleeing Marshmallon would pass. Yami then saw that the bolder they were hiding behind not only hid them from view but could also shield them from attacks.
Yami felt the heat that emanated from the crystal he held to his chest. He didn't know how Yugi knew these crystals absorbed and stored ATK, but he was glad his brother did. It was relieving to have some way to defend himself, let alone just something solid to hold. Before they began climbing, the family made sure the two Blue-Eyes filled these rocks with power. While the crystals didn't seem to store all of their original ATK, it would, hopefully, be more than enough.
Yami was about to move when he remembered what he promised Junior. He wouldn't do anything dangerous unless he told the rest of the group. While time was short, he knew he had to wait. So he quickly sent his thoughts over to Grandma Blue-Eyes. She then spread it out to the group.
"That's an idea, Yami, but we wouldn't get a good shot from here," Junior whispered as he glanced around the rock. "From this angle, we might hit the wall protecting us instead of the path."
'Yui says she can hit it.'
'Yui?' Yami thought.
Yami could barely see Grandma Blue-Eyes below the outcropping. But he could make out the floating Dark Magician. Dark Magician had put out his hand in a gentlemanly manner, and Yui took it. He then levitated her entire body and moved her in front of him so she could aim. Yami was surprised just how fluid Yui moved as she rested her crystal on her casted arm, lining its end tip along with her gaze. She then held completely still. All this from someone that was floating midair.
As Marshmallon and their pursuers rounded the cliff, Yui cracked the tip of her crystal. The family had only a little time to practice with these rocks. Still, they figured out the more minor the crack, the more controlled the coming explosion of ATK. And an explosion it was as it blasted past Yami.
Junior held himself and Yami to the rock wall, the boulder being a perfect shield as the impromptu Burst Stream of Destruction decimated the path. The Alligator Swords were thrown in two different directions. One was thrown off the cliff and captured by Grandma Blue-Eyes. The other was thrown into the rock wall and collapsed, unable to get back up. The only casualty was Marshmallon, who shattered into pieces. Thankfully, these pieces were caught by Dark Magician.
"Well, no one is headed for the stars, and all are in my control." Grandma Blue-Eyes said as she held both Alligator Swords under her claws.
"Amazing shot as ever!" Junior kissed Yui once Yugi and her were let back onto the path.
"I can now add magic gems as things I can aim." Yui laughed as she wiped her sweaty hair out of her eyes.
Dark Magician and Zara then came back down from their quick search of the area. They confirmed no one else was coming. Dark Magician then put down the sugary bits.
"Marshmallon?" Yugi asked as he kneeled down and waited. It took a little longer, but the pieces found each other, and Marshmallon was rebuilt.
"Hello, Pharaoh! I knew I'd find help eventually. It just took me dying eleven times." Marshmallon smiled. Yami couldn't tell if the monster was being sarcastic or not, thanks to their squeaky voice.
"I'm so glad we found you, Marshmallon!" Yugi hugged the monster close, so close that Marshmallon literally melted in his embrace.
"Good to see you too," Marshmallon said with a softer smile, a smile that showed one too many rows of teeth in Yami's opinion. "Your knack for finding allies out of seemingly nowhere continues. The Nameless Pharaoh even!" Marshmallon then did the best bow they could while being squeezed by Yugi.
Everyone quickly introduced themselves, and after Yugi got a few more tight hugs in, Marshmallon finally had breathing room to explain what had happened to them.
"After the mass teleportation, I awoke next to the trap card, the Tree of Eden. Its grove is just over this next cliff." Marshmallon explained, "I immediately realized what must have happened and began trying to find others. And I succeeded after a few hours. Sadly I found a Silent, a hostile one at that."
"So there was only one Silent," Yugi said.
Marshmallon shook their head. "It started that way. I believe that Silent was a Beast Master since he was quite excited to use his whip and bombs. I was attempting to tire him when another Silent came. I think that one was Silent Lancer, the one that can teleport Silents long distances? Either way, I was outnumbered. But luckily for me, monsters just kept joining our duel. Dark Magician Girl and another Silent found us."
Marshmallon was then cut off as the Alligator Swords started to wake up. The group moved away from the beasts so the dragons could make sure they were free from mind control. As the family moved to a safer space, Marshmallon continued.
"The Silent with Dark Magician Girl was on our side. 'About time I found some allies,' I thought. Then, it literally started raining cats and dogs! Or I should say beasts. They just appeared! I didn't think Silent Beast Master had gotten so strong as to summon beasts for him to control."
"He didn't. They are spirits from the human world coming through the rift." Yugi explained as he pointed at the sky.
"Ah, that would also explain their confusion. A confusion that Silent Beast Master used to turn the tides. He used some sort of ability on all of them! When Dark Magician Girl and I realized just how cornered we were, she remembered the Pharaoh putting a trap nearby. I and that friendly Silent did our best to help her. Sadly, my rotund nature doesn't help much with defending against so many. Our only hope was to escape from the beasts down the mountain. I tried to get the others to follow me, but... A fall down the mountain later, here we are."
Grandma Blue-Eyes then came to the group with the two Alligator swords. Each was slightly battered, but they seemed healthier than the beasts earlier.
"Time for another inspired plan, Mutos." Grandma Blue-Eyes said. The Alligator Swords clacked their weapons together to show they were more than excited to follow the group.
Yugi and Yami nodded at each other. They didn't need a mental link to know the other was already scheming.
"For the first time, I think we have the element of surprise," Yami said.
…
Dark Magician Girl ducked before the massive maned beast could tackle her. This left her side open as a blue and white raptor snapped at her. On it rode Silent Lancer. Dark Magician Girl deflected the reptile's bite thanks to her higher ATK and tried to fly away. But she couldn't defend against the returning maned beast.
Silent Beast Master was back in the great white trees, controlling his newest beast. While most of the spirits he turned aggressive had disappeared thanks to Yugi's trap, he still had one beast he completely possessed. That being Gazelle King of Mythical Beasts. While Gazelle usually had 1500 ATK, being under the Silent's control gave the monster his added ATK, making it 2500. One swipe from the beast kept Dark Magician Girl very grounded.
Silent Lancer reached down and yanked Dark Magician Girl onto the back of his mount. She could only hang limply, fighting to remain conscious as they rode back to the Silents' temporary camp beneath the vast white trees.
"Next time you escape, you are going to the graveyard." Silent Lancer wrote in yellow lettering.
A crack from Silent Beast Master's magic whip and Dark Magician Girl's wrists being forced together told her this escape attempt was done. Silent Lancer then had his raptor throw her next to the other captive, a small boy in blue and white gear.
"Spy." Silent Beast Master wrote to the boy as he towered over the two. His letters were a deep black. "We are running out of patients with both of you. Now, use your soul item to find other Silents."
"Or the Pharaoh. In fact, make finding him your top priority. It's going to be a lot easier to find others if we have such a hostage." Silent Lancer added. He then got off his mount and bent down to look the boy in the eyes. Silent Spy turned away and gripped his spyglass in his magically bond hands.
The yellow letters continued. "I know you only sided with the Pharaoh earlier because you were... swept up at the moment. This is your chance to prove your true loyalties. The Pharaoh wasn't there for you when the Gravekeepers threw you from your guardian position, but Swordsman was."
Silent Spy spat in Silent Lancer's face. To the rider's credit, he didn't retaliate, but Silent Beast Master did. He cracked his whip, and Gazelle's jaws surrounded Dark Magician Girl's neck. The Silent kept it just barely from pricking Dark Magician Girl's skin, all so she could practically feel the strength of the beast king if it did snap down.
"No!" Silent Spy screamed.
"Do you think the 'great' Pharaoh will be able to resurrect her before the Reaper of Cards comes to collect?" Silent Lancer asked.
Dark Magician Girl winced as she realized why the two Silents kept her awake and around, even after her many escape attempts. Incentive.
Dark Magician Girl was this domain's leader. She should have been the one protecting Silent Spy, not the other way around. It also didn't help her guilt that it was Gazelle's jaws around her. While Yugi's Gazelle card never had a spirit in it, it was still so surreal to be at the mercy of a card she was used to working with.
"Silent Beast Master, Silent Lancer! You know this can't be right. What happened to the good kids I saw grow up?" Dark Magician Girl tried.
"I don't know? Where was the Dark Magician Girl from my childhood when I was dethroned by the Knights and left to rot?" Silent Beast Master soundlessly snorted.
Gazelle's jaws closed just a bit tighter, and Silent Spy stood up.
"Fine! I'll… I'll do it." Silent Spy wrote in tiny, brown lettering.
"Good boy." Silent Lancer wrote as he had his raptor grab Silent Spy by his collar and force him to the side of a nearby cliff.
Silent Beast Master gripped Silent Spy's shoulder tightly, using his other hand to casually toss one of his bombs in the air. Silent Spy swallowed hard as his gaze followed the bomb's arch. As Silent Beast Master continued to play, Silent Spy lifted his soul item to his eye and searched the mountainside.
Dark Magician tried wiggling out of her magical bindings, but any movement meant Gazelle's teeth were just that bit closer. She then stopped when she noticed a slight change in Silent Spy. His back straightened for a moment, and he briefly pulled the eyeglass away.
Silent Beast Master noticed the change just as much as Dark Magician Girl did. "What is it?" he wrote, punctuating each word by throwing the bomb back in the air.
"Uh, I found your lost animals, Beast Master. And the wishing well guardian… I think?"
Both Silents immediately crowded Silent Spy, and he began pointing down the mountain. Dark Magician Girl then noticed that Silent Spy had turned his spyglass ever so slightly. He was showing them something different than what had surprised him earlier.
Dark Magician Girl couldn't help but fidget. She hadn't heard anything from Red-Eyes the entire lockdown, so even if Silent Spy was tricking the Silents, why did he say that monster out of everyone? And if this wasn't a lie, why was Red-Eyes here, let alone with the aggressive beasts she teleported away?
Dark Magician Girl saw as brown lettering appeared behind everyone. The two Silents were too distracted to notice as these letters telegraphed each Silents' ATK and DEF. Dark Magician Girl then glanced up to see more brown words.
"Dark Magician Girl is here, with a mind-controlled Gazelle King of Mythical Beasts at 2400 ATK guarding her. Hurry."
Then Silent Lancer stood up, and the brown lettering disappeared just as fast as it appeared.
"Well, it isn't Silent Swordsman, but it's better than nothing. Beast Master, knock out Dark Magician Girl and-"
Before anyone could react, they heard footsteps on the opposite side of the grove. The Silents turned to see a human come over the lip of the nearby cliff.
"Dark Magician Girl!" Yugi screamed.
Dark Magician Girl's heart sunk when she saw Yugi alone, let alone do something like getting the attention of the two obviously hostile Silents.
Silent Beast Master and Silent Lancer reacted without a word. Both went riding after Yugi, who then disappeared below the ridge. Dark Magician Girl didn't care how close his fangs were. She was about to fight Gazelle when another whip crack echoed through the mountain grove. Silent Spy couldn't get to her before Gazelle was forced to close its jaws around her.
But Dark Magician did.
Dark Magician Girl found herself in the grips of her old master as he flew her out of Gazelle's jaws. At the side of her vision, she thought she saw the claw of a dragon knock Gazelle down, but she really couldn't compute much more. All she cared about was the spellcaster holding her.
It only took a quick slash of Dark Magician's scepter to free her from her binds.
"Dark Magician!" Dark Magician Girl cried as she threw herself onto his neck. He immediately reciprocated as they embraced midair.
"Be quiet! We have to keep the Silents chasing Yugi." Blue-Eyes snapped from below. But even Dark Magician ignored her as the two hugged.
Too soon, it ended. Dark Magician Girl felt Dark Magician's emotionless expression return, and he gently pushed her off himself. While Dark Magician Girl was at first disheartened, she was secretly expecting it. She had known for years this really wasn't her master anymore.
As Dark Magician Girl started to turn away to hide her tears, Dark Magician reached out and wiped one away with his thumb. It was such a small gesture, but to the drained Dark Magician Girl, it meant the world to her.
"And here I thought you would never return to the spirit world again." Dark Magician Girl tried to laugh as she got control of her emotions. "I thought you hated me, especially since you never talk to me when we are in duels. Is it because... I didn't fuse with Mana at her death?"
Dark Magician emphatically shook his head. A small, sad smile making its way to his face. He held out his hand, and she gently took it. He then led her back down to the grove.
"About time you two hid in the trees. Your reunion could have given away our plan." Blue-Eyes snorted. She was currently getting Silent Spy back to his feet. "A plan that would have been much riskier if you did not see us and then advertise everyone's locations and power levels, thank you."
"Yes, thank you, Silent Spy! I'm so glad to have you back with us." Dark Magician Girl said as she undid his magical shackles.
"It was nothing, not when compared to how much I have to make up for." Silent Spy rubbed the back of his head as he wrote, red in the face.
Dark Magician Girl's brain finally caught up with what Blue-Eyes had said. "Wait? Plan! Did you just use Yugi as bait?!"
"You think we would let Yugi climb the mountain alone? Let alone get the attention of the Silents unless we were absolutely sure he was going to be safe." Blue-Eye sniffed. "Trust me, his family would not have let him take one step if otherwise."
"Yugi, as in the Nameless Pharaoh's host? He's really here?" Silent Spy gasped. "I admit I wondered if I hallucinated him in my spyglass."
Blue-Eyes then spread her wings as she spoke. A clear show of pride. "We all agreed only Yugi could distract the Silents so well they would overlook Dark Magician and me flying along the other side of the ridge. Don't worry about Yugi. We found a place for him to run into and hide. And just past that is a family ready to end those two for daring to think of hurting him."
Suddenly there was a rocky crack, and a tremendous bolt of energy shot through the sky.
"That would be Yui's sign that she and Yugi are hidden. That means it's our turn. You two remain where it's safe and make sure Gazelle wakes." Blue-Eyes said. She and Dark Magician then both dove down the cliffs.
Dark Magician Girl stood in shock, unable to comprehend what in the stars was just told to her. She looked to Silent Spy, but he wasn't any more help deciphering what was going on. They then heard wild whip cracks and raptor hisses. Dark Magician Girl found she couldn't remain still. On the other hand, Silent Spy was more than happy to hide in the trees and watch Gazelle. So Dark Magician Girl took a step outside the mountain's shade. She told herself she wasn't disobeying Blue-Eyes. She said stay where it was safe, and it sounded like down in the ambush was safe enough.
As Dark Magician Girl collected the last of her energy to fly, she felt water drop on her head. It wouldn't have been too odd if one of the trees' branches were still above her, but no, it was the open purple sky.
"Rain?" Dark Magician Girl whispered to herself. Sure enough, more drops fell, backed by the distant rumbling of thunder. But there were no clouds in the sky. Just the oppressive dark purple.
There hadn't been rain in centuries; the domain's unchanging weather didn't allow for it anymore. Then a crack of Atlantian magic shook the sky. This was followed by more thunder as a downpour doused the mountain, all coming from the rift.
"One thing at a time, girl." Dark Magician Girl breathed as she chose to ignore the weather and fly down the cliffs.
Dark Magician Girl found the Silents quickly enough. They were trapped under an unscarred Blue-Eyes's claws. Surrounding them was the scarred Blue-Eyes, Dark Magician, two Alligator Swords, Marshmallon, and a group of humans holding crystals.
Dark Magician Girl froze in awe. Two Blue-Eyes, two Yugis.
"Hey, Dark Magician Girl! Good to see you again!" Yugi called as he came out from behind a large boulder.
Then, Yugi's twin grinned. "Yo!"
It was the Nameless Pharaoh. She didn't need Dark Magician staying protectively by his side to know that. What she didn't know was who these other humans were. She would have liked to greet them, but the most her tired body could do was collapse. A smile across her face.
…
The Muto family was forced to make their way to the angelic grove thanks to the ever-increasing rainstorm. The trees did their job of blocking out most of the water as everyone regrouped. While the spirits had spoken about how weird it was to have rain again, Yugi found that the wavering rift was more disconcerting.
"Yugi!" Dark Magician Girl squeaked as she hugged him hard. She had been carried by Dark Magician after she fainted. But she woke up quickly and was more than happy to ignore her injuries and the storm for Yugi.
Yugi grinned as he hugged back, equally as desperate to not let go. He then heard his parents' footsteps. They were nervously leaning forward as if to separate the two.
"Don't worry, Dark Magician Girl has been one of my oldest spirit friends. She's the one that told us about the Great Leviathan and everything. Oh! Dark Magician Girl, that's my Mom and Dad. I don't think you ever met them."
"This is your family? They are sure brave to come here." Dark Magician Girl said as she looked on in awe. "Wait! How did they even get here?"
"I can catch you up, Dark Magician Girl," Grandma Blue-Eyes said as she made sure the Silents were bond in magic shackles Dark Magician conjured. She then began to explain the situation to those that didn't know.
As Grandma Blue-Eyes explained, Yugi was nearly knocked down as Marshmallon jumped into his arms.
"Woah, now Marshmallon! You aren't as small as Kuriboh." Yugi laughed as he hugged the Mad Builder again.
"I can't believe this all happened because of my teleporting magic!" Marshmallon said. "I'm so sorry for that. If it hadn't been spread over everyone. We wouldn't be separated like this."
"You're right," Yugi said. "Without that little accident, we would be all together, probably fighting the Silents in a bloody war. No, you have nothing to feel bad about, Marshmallon."
"Besides, it's kinda our fault the portal sucked up your magic anyways," Yami added. But Marshmallon was soon pushed out of the Pharaoh's thoughts by the hug panther Dark Magician Girl, tackling him in his own hug.
"You came to our aid again, Pharaoh! And all of you! I will never be thankful enough to you all!"
"Well, we got to get out of here alive first." Dad sighed as he looked up the mountain.
The group was about to plan their next steps when Mom began a set of horrible wheezes. Mom's coughing was nothing new to Yugi. It was almost background noise to him, except for her last hack. It cut off halfway. Both Yugi and Dad immediately knew what that meant, even if they hadn't been focused on her.
Mom seemed frozen for a moment, then her arms and legs stiffened to the point she was completely straight. She began to fall, hard. Thankfully Dad tossed the crystal in his hand aside to catch her before she hit the ground.
"What happened?" Yami gasped as he and the others ran over to her. But Yugi stopped Yami and kept him from getting too close. He then made the other monsters take a few steps back also.
"Is it a fiend?" Dark Magician Girl asked as she was practically hopping in place to stop herself from trying to help. "We'll get it out of her."
Dad gave a humorless chuckle as he shifted Yui to her back. "It's a seizure, nothing more. Hopefully, she'll be back with us in under a minute." He then checked his watch. It may be off from the time of this world, but it counted seconds, and Yugi knew that's all he cared for at that moment.
Yami and the monsters still seemed terrified as they looked on. Yugi recognized those looks, and while he understood them, he never was fond of when people stared at his mom like that. Like she was some pitiful thing.
"She'll be fine. When she wakes up, she'll just be tired, and a bit discombobulated," Yugi said as he brought the others' gaze to the center of the grove. "Hey, is there still fruit in that tree for you guys? If I remember right, they heal wounds. Maybe we can use them-"
"Oh, thank the stars!" Once again, everyone was taken by surprise. Everyone turned to see the limping Silent Paladin come out of the trees, barely dragging her sword and shield behind her.
Silent Paladin seemed to barely look past her heavy eyelids as she yelled, "Help!" She then collapsed where she stood. Before anyone could assist her, she began glowing her green aura. Then in a burst, two dueling figures appeared in the middle of the forest.
A fully leveled Silent Magician barely had time to use her staff to protect herself as the equally powered Silent Swordsman slashed down. Each had a fire in their eyes and magic cracks across their body.
…
Yami barely registered the three new figures before he was being yanked away by Dark Magician. The mage tried to take Yami farther but found he couldn't pull him more than behind a nearby tree. The wind was knocked out of Yami thanks to the invisible wall that Dark Magician yanked him into. Only the jangling of the rocky puzzle on Junior's hip reminded Yami of what was stopping him.
When Yami's arm slipped from Dark Magician's grasp, they were both thrown in opposite directions thanks to the force of the puzzle's magic. Yami found himself back near Junior and Yui, and Dark Magician was pushed into the trees.
Yami then saw the absolute chaos that erupted in the grove. Everyone was forced to look for cover as the two fully leveled Silents dueled each other. Both were obviously damaged, breathing heavily from what looked like a long battle, but neither seemed close to slowing down.
Silent Swordsman was about to take another swing at Silent Magician when Grandma Blue-Eyes charged the warrior. He had only moments to turn and swipe up the dragon's chest. At first, Yami wasn't too worried. He knew that there was no way Silent Swordsman had higher ATK than a Blue-Eyes. Yet, Grandma Blue-Eyes cried out in pain as she fell back. Zara immediately helped her dodge Silent Swordsman's next slash as the two were forced to pull away. Yami realized that Silent Swordsman specifically cut along Grandma Blue-Eye's scar. If Silent Swordsman had been so accurate he could slash her exactly with only a glance, Yami began to worry.
Silent Swordsman was about to return to Silent Magician when the other spirits attacked. Marshmallon, the Alligator Swords, Silent Spy, and Zara tried to swarm him.
"Wait!" The flickering blue word was smashed through as Silent Swordsman spun his sword in an arc, managing to cut anyone around him. Nearly everyone had to pull back to not be grievously hurt, including Zara. Only Silent Spy managed to dodge the arching slash as he tried to attack with his small knife. Silent Swordsman easily kicked the boy away and was right back on Silent Magician.
The following blue words were written high for everyone to see. "At his highest level, his ATK raises every turn! He has more than 3000 ATK at this point!"
Silent Swordsman soon noticed this message and sent a silver slash through the comment. With Silent Swordsman distracted, both Dark Magician Girl and Dark Magician raised their sectors at the same time to fire a combined spell at him. But Silent Swordsman raised his hand without turning to the two and gripped it into a fist. Suddenly their magic disappeared, much to the two's confusion.
"How many abilities does this guy have?" Yami whispered as he tried to get Junior and the still seizing Yui back on their feet.
"Get out of here, Yami!" Junior hissed. "I can lift her just fine."
Yami shook his head and tried to help carry Yui, but his bodily static returned and slowed him. "I'm not going to leave you two out in the open-!"
You need your strength. Stop fighting.
"You won't control me again!" Yami yelled at seemingly nothing
Junior ignored Yami's random scream as he grabbed the Pharaoh and practically threw him into the trees. Junior then focused on protecting the still stiff Yui from a stray blast of magic.
Yami found himself behind one of the white trees, next to the knocked-out Gazelle King of Mythical Beasts. He wanted to go back out for his family (they had to be close to him thanks to the 5-foot rule), but the bursts of glowing attacks blinded him in the dark rain.
Silent Swordsman had to focus on stopping the magicians' magic. Silent Magician used those few seconds to summon an azure blast and smashed it into him. The steam that came from the attack actually helped Silent Swordsman. It blinded the others as he was thrown farther into the grove. The warrior then forced himself to his feet as he realized, just as everyone else did, that he was right next to the tied-up Silents. Only the two weren't shackled anymore; Dark Magician's magic no longer surrounded their limbs.
Silent Beast Master and Silent Lancer were still slightly out of it, but seeing their leader was particularly sobering. That was also when the Alligator Swords tried to double team Silent Swordsman. The warrior took one of their stabs to his side and instead focused on the other one. He slashed right through the Alligator's weapon and bashed the beast with the side of his massive sword. Once that one was down, the other alligator couldn't retreat far enough as Silent Swordsman swung again.
Gazelle King of Mythical Beasts began to moan. Yami tried to shake the beast awake, but it simply rolled over and went back to sleep. Yami groaned in frustration and looked up just in time to see the two Silents get to their feet. The three then began sending quick flashes of symbols to each other, something Yami had no way of decoding.
Finally, English appeared in silver letters as the Silents started backing into the trees.
"Don't move." Yami guessed it was Silent Swordsman who wrote that. "I have more ATK than all of you! The first to act dies."
"You can't win this Silent Swordsman!" The blue letters replaced it. "You can't defend against so many at once."
The words were clearly ringing true as nearly everyone had staggered to their feet and were surrounding the Silents. The three Silents desperately looking for an escape.
Yami felt a surge in the static of his body. Hidden in the familiar chill was an acidic streak. Yami could only call it evil intent, and he felt it from Silent Swordsman. The Pharaoh watched in horror as Silent Swordsman's wild eyes landed on Junior and Yui, the two still in the open.
Yami's legs moved before he thought, before even Silent Swordsman slashed. Junior had defended Yami multiple times, and it was his turn to return the favor. The problem was he had only his crystal to protect him. But Yami didn't care at that moment as he jumped in front of the silver magic, crystal outstretched as he released its energy. And to Yami's surprise, he wasn't alone.
Yugi must have been hiding in the trees, waiting for his opportunity. And now, he was mirroring Yami to his left. They both stood to protect their parents as Silent Swordsman's cut hit their combined energy.
The explosion exceeded the thunder from the rainstorm as everyone was blown back. Yami was awoken by cold raindrops along with the stabbing of pain he expected. Yami found he had been thrown to the edge of the cliff, barely caught by a lower ledge. He glanced around to see Junior, Yui, and Yugi by him, all looking just as badly hurt as himself.
Yami felt a sudden heat. He turned to see a glow from inside the unconscious Junior's sweater. It was a small outline, and Yami suddenly remembered Junior had two crystals this entire time. One he had thrown aside earlier, and one he kept on his person. That crystal must have absorbed some of the blast, and Yami didn't know if the smaller gem could hold so much damage. Another explosion might be on their hands.
Yami should have been panicking, but instead, he felt something new. The world seemed to slow down as he felt something in the static of his body. It was cold, but not like the strange chill. It was almost like a cool night's breeze, drifting and calming his racing heart. It wanted to go somewhere. Yami then noticed a strange light from the rocky Millenium Puzzle. It had disconnected from Junior's belt and was now hanging on a rock by Junior's head. The wind inside Yami wanted in that puzzle, and his bodily static seemed to be trying to suppress it.
Yami could hardly think. He could only go off of feelings as he shakingly reached out and barely touched the eye of the puzzle. Turbulence leaped up Yami's arm and into the puzzle.
Lightning crashed, and the crystal on Junior turned scarlet.
...
The first thing the dragon heard was the distant crackling of torches. He groaned and rolled stiffly to his other side while keeping his eyes tightly shut. He must have fallen asleep in the palace again. His body was going to punish him for that once he got up. Even though he couldn't affect the human dimension, its surfaces sure affected him. Specifically, the hard floor he no doubt had been sleeping on. But as the dragon stirred, he realized something was off. He wasn't sore. In fact, he felt almost nothing.
The dragon jumped to his feet as he woozily looked around. He recognized the many hieroglyphs and detailed carvings that covered the main palace's interior. Yet, at the same time, he didn't. He did know the alcove he always slept in when he didn't want to go back to the monster dimension. He chose it because it was out of the way of the servants' footpath but close enough to his human partner's room to keep an eye on him during the night.
Thanks to the new hatchling added to his partner's family, the dragon had been on high alert lately. The dragon couldn't help but smile as he remembered the day the child was born. But instead of an Egyptian boy wrapped in cloth, the image of a different hatchling swaddled in a blue blanket jumped to the dragon's mind. What's more, this memory was of the child being his.
The dragon paused, falling back a step. He…he didn't have children. Well, he had many, many hatchlings, but Gandora males were never involved in raising them (even if he had wanted to be). But a child? A human child? That was impossible.
The dragon looked down at his own body. He was… much less scaly than he last remembered. His flesh was pinkish with no orbs or spikes. Even his feared claws were now dexterous fingers. He immediately used those fingers to feel the left side of his face. His left eye was back like it never had been lost in battle.
The dragon yelped and jumped back, hitting his head against the high ceilings. To his continued shock, he wasn't a man anymore. He was back to being a tall Gandora, even his eye once again closing over.
This did not bring the dragon peace as this form wasn't any more familiar. This wasn't his body.
This was his body.
This was home.
This was a tomb.
The dragon roared as conflicting identities fought in his mind. He clutched at his head, being both terrified and relieved by the rigid head plates he gripped.
He was Gandora-X the Dragon of Demolition
He was Solomon Jr.
He was a monster
He was a monster.
"I could never quite agree with you on that last statement. No matter how many times you repeated it." A tired but gentle voice came.
Both sides of the dragon recognized the voice, but neither could name him. Still, they immediately trusted him as soon as they felt his presence. It was a deep and unwavering feeling. This was the dragon's pharaoh.
The dragon turned to see a grey-bearded man standing on a balcony overseeing a desert kingdom. He was leaning on the railing with both his arms, seeming too exhausted to fully stand. The pharaoh did not turn, but the dragon knew he was invited all the same to stand beside him. Slowly, the dragon got up and stuck his massive head out of the human-sized opening.
The pharaoh made room for the dragon and turned back to the setting sky. He then spoke in a hushed whisper, "I should be using this limited time to explain things to you, but… beautiful, is it not?"
The dragon looked out at the massive city built around the Nile river. The dancing lights signaled the many lives milling around the town during the sunset. Then the scent of perfumes and spices drifted by. It was so familiar and yet so distant to the dragon that it only made him melancholy.
"It has been an age since the Millennium Puzzle's pieces were by you as you slept. Not since you ran away on your eighteenth birthday, I believe." The man said as he watched the kingdom bathed in the orange sunset.
The dragon snorted as his only reply. Neither part of him wanted to remember the dark days of his adolescents.
The dragon then bent down to better look at the man beside him. He had the quiet air of royalty, which is why the dragon had dubbed him the pharaoh. But while this man tried to put on the face of a strong wall, the dragon could see cracks, the deep cracks created over centuries.
"Hmm, You really don't remember me, do you?" The pharaoh asked when he noticed the dragon studying him.
When the dragon didn't answer, the pharaoh nodded to himself. "Let us keep it simple then. Call me Aknamkanon. And my nickname for you was X. Or, that is a name close enough to it in this modern language."
X flicked his tail in acknowledgment and waited for Aknamkanon to continue. The dragon didn't know what he wanted first, an explanation of why he was here, or what here even was. But Aknamkanon did not speak; he simply turned back to the kingdom.
"Still not one for words?" Aknamkanon asked.
X did not reply.
"I suppose this is how you have always been when faced with an unknown. And sadly, I suppose I am very much an unknown to you right now."
X pointed at Aknamkanon and tilted his head. A silent question.
"I will answer what I can, X. I don't have much time. I am sure the Higher-ups will be furious with me for even doing this. But when I felt your pain and confusion after all these years… I could not help but shove myself into your business once again. I apologize. Old habits die hard, I suppose. But since I'm saving you, I feel you'll forgive me this once." Aknamkanon said with a joking smile.
A reptilian grunt was X's only response. He couldn't really forgive someone for something he didn't understand himself.
New darkness then covered Aknamkanon. It seemed to only be a trick of the light at first, but soon it grew to a whispering, swirling force. As soon as it came, Aknamkanon immediately winced and held tightly to the railing. X, too, felt the eerie pressure. He snapped at the darkness, swiping at the air until it was nothing but light again.
"Thank you, old friend. But they have every right to want me back…." Aknamkanon looked at the gloom of the palace behind him. While he still stood firm, looking back seemed to sap what little energy he had left. "They can be a bit… much at times."
X roared into the darkness, letting the shadows know to wait their turn. The only answer was his echoed roar, but the effort made Aknamkanon chuckle, which was more than enough for the dragon.
"I apologize again," Aknamkanon whispered as he collected himself.
X flicked his tail in vexation. He then gestured for Aknamkanon to continue with what he was saying. When Aknamkanon didn't answer, instead his eyes falling far off, the dragon nudged him.
"I seem to do a great deal of apologizing, but not a lot of solving, don't I?" Aknamkanon ruefully laughed, anger and frustration mixed equally. "I apologize for everything! Everything I have ever tried to do seemed to make things worse. Holding to the hope of peace? It ends up making my kingdom a bigger target and distancing my brother from me. Protecting my people? I used malicious magic to not only kill many but let in a great evil into our universe. Try making amends to the gods? My soul is taken, leaving my young son to a war where he cannot win. All while cursing my close friend." He then seemed to deflate. The anger sucked out of him, leaving nothing but exhaustion.
Aknamkanon then turned back to X, his eyes downcast. "The bond I originally forced you into, by using those accursed items to control my Ka. It connected our souls in such a way that when the gods took my soul, yours followed in death."
X's heart seemed to skip a beat. Death? He wasn't dead yet, right? Right?! The dragon had no idea of what to do with the feelings that flowed into him. So he did what any good Gandora did with their emotions. He roared and growled at anything and everything around him.
Aknamkanon dryly chuckled at the dragon's display. "I know. I agree. Get what you need out."
Aknamkanon and X then both fell silent. Down in the courtyard, a woman draped in burgundy jewelry caught their attention. She was holding the hand of a young toddler with tri-colored hair as the two began to play together in the setting sun. The two then look up to see the pharaoh and his spirit partner. They both smiled and waved at the pair, seemingly not affected by the dragon's appearance.
"Well, maybe I made a few correct choices," Aknamkanon said.
X stared at the two. He knew them.
An exhausted woman smiled up at him in a hospital bed. She was holding a newly born baby in a blue blanket.
"Yugi it is then! And since you're so insistent, his middle name will be Yahtzee. Are you trying to make him a game maniac like your father?"
That same confusion returned as X clutched his head, falling to his knees. Aknamkanon followed and held one of the dragon's hands, or he tried. It was more like he lifted one of the dragon's massive claws, but it made X feel better all the same. Then the dragon paused, astonished. He looked down to see his hand now perfectly fit in Aknamkanon's. They were the same size, the same species.
"I did not come here to mourn my life. I came to help get you back on your feet… And to thank you, one last time."
"What… do you mean?" X asked, his voice hoarse and shaky like he hadn't used it in years.
"I wanted to thank you for taking care of my son and his new mother when I couldn't."
Aknamkanon then pulled the dragon to his feet. X was wobbly on these smaller legs, but he did his best to stand. Then he realized he could see depth better. He felt the left side of his face to find his eye was back and surrounded by scars.
"Since I gave my soul in penance for my crime of making the Millenium Items, I couldn't be there for my only child when he needed me most. And even when everyone else was given a chance to be with him the second time around, I was still trapped by my own prison." The dark palace seemed to resonate with those words, the shadows creeping in closer to the two.
X faced the darkness with a threatening snarl. Or it would have been threatening if his human throat had let him make such a sound. Aknamkanon patted the dragon's back and returned to the balcony. He then looked down at the woman with burgundy jewelry.
"Ah, she deserved to be so much more than what she was given. Married to a foreign ruler for an alliance. Then immediately abandoned by her family when I refused to support her birth kingdom in a greedy war. Then to die of an unknown disease. I thank you for giving her the love and family I never could."
X's eyes narrowed as protectiveness welled in his chest. "You better have treated Yui right." The snarl his human throat didn't allow earlier suddenly returned.
"Yui? Oh yes, that is her name now." Aknamkanon smiled. "Do not worry. She and I were always amiable. She was never the great royal wife, that would be my son's biological mother, but 'Yui' was a good friend and a great adviser. And when my royal wife died in childbirth, Yui immediately took on the role of mother-figure. She did an amazing job until she, too, followed. My son probably would not remember her even if he did have all his memories."
X was still watching the two playing together below, barely registering what Aknamkanon said. The woman and boy were so familiar…
Aknamkanon noticed X's distraction but continued on, talking more to the wind. "When my love made the hard decision to remain behind with me instead of being reborn, I believe Yui was the first to volunteer to come back. She could finally have the family she craved so much."
X felt his headache growing more and more as he tried to pull at his tangled memories. He knew those two. In fact, the dragon knew everyone here. He just had to remember who he was. He had to-
He was coming home. His guilt and exhaustion were swarming him once again, as it had for many months, years even. He went to the backyard to see his wife and their toddler playing with robot toys. His son took one of his robots and purposefully broke it in two. "Destroying the monsters in his way," as the child put it.
Solomon stumbled back, more memories forcing their way into him. A lifetime's worth of memories.
"I… volunteered to come back, to have a second life, when we found out you couldn't return," Solomon said in a low voice. "And I failed."
"You have failed nothing."
"I was never there for your son or... Yui. I let my instincts control me."
Aknamkanon rested his hand on Solomon's shoulder. "I know you have done much that you regret. I was silently with you the entire time. But I also know you are fixing your mistakes. If I did not completely and utterly trust you as my partner, we would not be meeting now."
"But… I really am a monster... A duel spirit at least."
"Do not talk like you are a mindless creature. You never were. Your soul may have originally come from another dimension, but that changes nothing. You are a human. Dark magic and the duel spirit dimension can bring out the more… ancient parts of you, but you are a human through and through. Whether or not you are more is for you to decide. The term 'dragon' is not interchangeable with 'monster.' And that difference is exactly what our boys need."
The looming darkness returned. It sat at the edges of the torches and the setting sun, waiting. Once Aknamkanon acknowledged the shade, it seemed almost to embrace the old spirit.
"Impatient, aren't you?" Aknamkanon sighed, speaking to the shadows.
Aknamkanon then pulled Solomon into a deep hug. Solomon was at first stiff, but he slowly embraced him just as deeply. It felt like coming home.
"Again, thank you. Please help guide and protect them. And I will do my part when it comes time." Aknamkanon tried to pull away, but Solomon gripped tighter.
"Where are you going?"
"I have my role to play before both I and this darkness are free. I hope we play it well. Or, to be more accurate, are played well in the coming shadow game." Aknamkanon then pulled away and stepped into the palace. The shadows moved to give him a path into the gloom.
"Wait! I still don't understand!" Solomon tried to chase after but found he felt too heavy. He was being forced to the ground as the shadows spread and covered all the light.
"Thank you, my dear Dragon of Demolition. Please, give my son and his modern twin the love I was never able to properly convey. But for now, this is all I can provide.
"Every spirit partnership has a small bonus. We practiced and grew our specific ability until it was more than summoning one additional ally as it was originally. Near the end, I could run to the front of the battle lines and always have my army right behind me. Perhaps, we should use it one last time?"
…
Yami flinched at the thunder that immediately followed the lightning strike. The simultaneous boom and flash took Yami's senses. He didn't see Junior standing until he was at his full height. Yami could only see a silhouette thanks to the rain, but at first, he almost didn't think it was Junior. He was hunched protectively around the family, the rain seeming to absorb any light the crystal made. Then his scarlet eyes landed on Yami.
Slowly, without a word. Junior raised the glowing crystal. Another lightning strike turned the sky red as a tremendous roar shook the mountain. Then everything was dark. Even the crystal had lost its light.
A pressure pinned Yami, like the sky itself was about to collapse on them.
Then came more roars, not as intense, but just as vicious. Soon everyone in the mountain grove found themselves amid a horde of black dragons lit only by the glow of their red orbs.
"Yugi! Silent Magician! Everyone!" Came a growl from one of the largest of the dragons. "You will not be taken from me again!"