Thanks for the reviews: redglowingheart, Blackened Gem, and Doragon-chan. I feel inspired by them and decided to update a little sooner than planned. Enough rambling...
Enjoy...
PhantomBrat out...
Atem stepped up, "He is somewhere safe for the moment, though I cannot say how long he will live."
"And why is that," a Council member questioned.
Marik pointed at Raiden, "Creep-face gots Hikari-Yugi soul in pretty rock 'round neck."
"Dids the same to Atemu," Mariku added. "We's freed hims, we did."
The Elemental Sprite used her powers to create an unbreakable cell for Raiden so that he couldn't escape while they tried to figure out what was going on. She looked at the three sets of copies, "I see that you eight are related in some way. Explain."
Atemu stepped forward, "That is true Honorable One. These five and Yugi, who is not here, are of our bloodlines."
"Each set of twins, and the remaining youth, bear a remarkable resemblance to the one they are descended from," the Elf Lord said, amazed at the fact.
The Faerie Queen looked at the group, "How did you meet the Young Ones?"
"We had captured a vampire that had been terrorizing a nearby area and had found Yugi at the same time. At first glance, he looked like a normal boy, but I did a preliminary exam and found hat he was a vampire. I realized that he had fed upon one of three strays after comparing measurements of his teeth to those found on the animals. After that, my team and I tracked down and captured Ryou and Malik," Atem explained.
Joey added, "We almost lost Yug, but Atem managed to save him. We found out that the Hikaris are different from your average Vamp."
"What are these Hikaris of which you speak? How are they different," the Elemental Sprite inquired.
Atem answered, "These three are an entirely new species of vampire as they have different characteristics. They have little of the traditional weaknesses and they can consume regular food and drink. They even retained their original personalities after they had been Turned. We have given them the classification of 'Hikari' as they are the innocent branch of the Vampire species. Yugi, Malik, and Ryou are the only three of their kind."
The Elf Lord looked at the group, "Will you please go and collect the one that is missing."
When he said this, a ball of light appeared and faded, revealing a still form lying on a small mattress. It was still surrounded by the barrier of flames. The Council was taken aback.
The Faerie Queen looked again at the look-alikes, "You mentioned a promise broken. Please elaborate."
"The promise originated about 3000 years ago," Akefia began. "Raiden Takeshi had the three of us captured when we left the palace for a nearby oasis. He gave us a choice to allow him to Turn us and protect our country and any and all future descendents, or be Turned and watch as our families and those we cared for were killed. We gave in just to protect them."
"I discovered that these six are, in fact, descended from us," Atem added. "When he kidnapped the three and Turned them, he reneged on the conditions of our 'agreement'. He has also sealed Yugi's soul in that gemstone around his neck and threatened to Turn their twin brothers as well."
Raiden was furious, "Say any more and this Soul Crystal will be destroyed and there won't be any hope of saving that pathetic runt!"
Atem glared at the Vampire Lord, "Don't you dare! That's my brother's soul, you demon!"
"Oh, really," Raiden taunted. He let the Soul Crystal slip through his fingers, "Oops, it slipped."
The Soul Crystal hit the floor, shattering and letting loose a bright light. They heard a faint scream and then silence as the light faded. Atem and Atemu charged the imprisoned vampire roaring in anger. The Faerie Queen created an invisible barrier around Raiden.
"Yugi never deserved to suffer like that," Atem cried, collapsing against the shield. "He was innocent despite what you did to him. Why?"
Raiden smirked, "Because I could. I wanted heirs and knew that their descendents were perfect, but it seems that I picked the wrong ones. I should have had those runts drained and left to die the moment they were brought to me."
The Council members were shocked at this admission. Raiden deliberately went back on his word and broke the Ancient Laws while doing so. To make matters worse, he had just destroyed an innocent creature right in front of them. Their Laws stated that any sentient creature was automatically declared 'protected' if there were less than 10 of their kind in existence and this applied to any newly discovered creature or branch of a current species. To cause harm to such a creature meant instant death, regardless of the wrongdoer's status and position. And Raiden did just that, and right in front of the two groups that had classified the Hikaris as 'protected' within their laws.
"Raiden Takeshi, you are hereby sentenced to execution for crimes against the Society, for breaking a bound promise to three of your victims, and for destroying a 'Protected' creature," the Faerie Queen began. "Short-lives and those with ties to them, have you anything to add?"
Atemu glared at the doomed Vampire Lord, "The Gods of Egypt have called for your to suffer for what you have done not only to me and my friends, but to our descendents as well."
"We of the Hunter's Society accuse you for causing harm to one of our own, for the attempt on several members' lives, for destroying a creature under our protection," Seto added. "For destroying families, kidnapping and Turning innocents, and for experimentation on said victims."
The Elf Lord stepped forwards, "For the crimes stated, we have no choice but to allow the family of the victim to choose the means of your end."
Atem nodded to Atemu, who replied, "As Yugi's ancestor and brother, we request that Raiden be handed over to the Hunters for to allow him to experience some of the pain that he gave to his victims. If that cannot be permitted, we hand his fate to you, Honorable Ones."
The Faerie Queen looked at the small figure lying before her, "Tis a shame that such an innocent had to suffer in order for a wrong to be righted."