Joey: Chapter three of the Final Six!
Atem had everyone load up the three vehicles and call the other teams to remain on standby for backup. To take up less space, the Supernaturals took on their animal forms and allowed the rest of the team to secure them in their carriers. Malik and Yugi had thought ahead and took a drink of Holy Water just in case. Everyone who could followed their example before loading up.
Odion, Atem, and Joey were in charge of driving the vans while Bakura called out directions to Atem from the passenger seat.
Shai was angered at the fact that his quarry had attacked and overpowered him so easily. He hadn't expected the two to be able to change forms. He rushed to his master in hopes of gaining assistance. The Tracker found Dartz with his pet, fawning over its unusual white hair once more.
Shai knelt on the ground, "Master, forgive me for failing to capture the remaining targets. I did not anticipate their having the ability to alter their forms or to fight so well. I request aid in obtaining them for you."
"You admit defeat at the hands of my brother's failures? How dare you return without something other than excuses," Dartz ground out. "I want those two boys and I wanted them as of two days after I ordered you to capture them!"
"I will accept my punishment, Master."
"Yes you will." Dartz snapped his fingers.
A guard stepped forward with an item wrapped in a thick fabric. Shai tried not to look at the item as his master unwrapped the silver object within. Shai trembled as he remembered the object from so long ago. A silver ankh attached to a wooden handle…so many times had he been subject to it for failing his master. The wounds would heal, rarely leaving a scar, but the pain was great.
"Hand," Dartz ordered the Tracker.
Shai pulled the Shadows from his left hand reluctantly. The second his hand was revealed, Dartz pressed the silver ankh to the bare flesh. Shai bit back a cry of pain, knowing if he let out a sound Dartz would make it last longer. Dartz removed the silver from Shai's hand after five seconds. "Don't fail me again."
The Tracker nodded and allowed his Shadows to cover the injury. The Shadows soothed the burn as they made contact with it.
Bakura was shocked to see that they had been led to another location similar to the one they destroyed when they went to rescue Yugi and had met their ancestors. Atemu looked at Akefia, "Anyone you know?"
"It's Dartz," Akefia stated coldly.
"What happened to Zorc," the Daywalker asked.
Mariku smirked, "He fell into a volcano in Iceland known as Hekla. I found him in a Hunter's Arctic-bound shipment and marked it for instant incineration on their logs around 1947. I miss the days of penned logbooks…made for easy changes to records."
Everyone looked at the crazed Daywalker in shock. "You told me that you stayed away from the hunters' bunker," Akefia said.
"I didn't go in. They left the book out in plain sight and hadn't separated the stuff yet."
Atemu rolled his eyes, "Let's just see about taking down the creature and seeing if Ryou is here somewhere."
Yugi perched on Atem's shoulder, gripping the fabric of his brother's jacket with his claws. *Yami, sorry if my claws are digging into your skin.*
Atem shook his head, "Don't worry about it. Ishizu stitched extra padding into the shoulders for that very reason. Marik's lucky that she made sure to bring Malik's glove."
The twins looked over to see that Odion had Malik perched on his gloved right arm. Mariku was perched on Mahaad's arm as well. Atemu and Akefia scouted ahead for signs of a possible ambush. Marik and Bakura were just behind Atem and Odion. Behind them were Tea and Ishizu, Mahaad and Isis, Joey and Tristan, with Duke on his own.
The team went deeper into the tunnels, staying alert as they advanced in near silence.
Shai hid in the darkest part of the Keep in order to keep tabs on all areas with shadows. He felt the presence of an intruder in the underground tunnels. Letting out a low growl, he used the Shadows to pull him ahead of the trespasser.
He was not pleased to see the people he'd attacked to capture the boys in his master's abode. Narrowing his yellow eyes, Shai let out a battle cry and attacked them head on.
The Tracker aimed for the human with a cat on his shoulder. The attack dislodged the feline instantly. The two birds flew from their humans' arms in order to protect the human and cat. A slightly larger feline and a canine rushed towards him to try to chase him off.
Yugi had an idea. *Yami! Throw me!*
Atem hesitated at the thought of throwing his brother at the creature, leaving Bakura to do it. "Good luck, shortstop," Bakura said as he threw the cat with all his strength.
Yugi shifted to battle form one as he soared for the creature. As he knocked the creature into the beams holding the old tunnels up. The end result of their collision was a collapsed tunnel. Yugi was trapped with the mysterious creature while the rest of the team took cover without a second thought.
This one was a bit short because I hit a rock wall...
Yugi: Or rather, I did. Thanks a lot, PhantomBrat.
I'm sorry!
Ryou: While I calm Yugi down, please enjoy the next chapter.