And now for a "real dueling-less" chapter, enjoy 8D

-X-

Chapter 8

Casualties

It was a summer's evening. Cloudless skies stretched far off into nowhere. Shieldless rays beat down on his bright blue head.

Syrus was merely nine years old, yet his parents didn't pay much mind to him. Occasionally they talked to him, encouraged him, maybe even pity him. But all of the desired feelings and attention were focused on him. He knew better, but deep down he couldn't help but feel a deep pit of envy.

He tapped his heel against the wooden face of his back porch. His chin rested in his palms as he stared, thinking deeply. What if he was just as talented as Zane? What if his older brother was the more useless one? Syrus frowned. He didn't hate his brother; it was more of a feeling of pressure and fear. When will he shatter under it all?

The porch creaked awfully as someone stepped outside to join him. He didn't bother to turn around and see whom it was. It might have started a conversation, and frankly he was not in the mood.

Zane knelt beside him holding a tray laden with cookies. He looked at him. "Mom just got them out of the oven. She wants you to have some since you're not really eating anything." His voice was a little flat.

Syrus grabbed one and stuffed it in his mouth. He muttered an inaudible "thanks". Zane sighed and set the tray down. He took a seat on the porch step right besides his little brother.
Syrus finished his morsel and said, "So you're not continuing prep school this year?" Zane nodded.
"Yeah, I don't need to. Im going to Duel Academy a couple years from now." Syrus grimaced. "Of course… How could've forgot."
Zane noticed the hint of distaste in the bright bluenette's voice. "You don't want me to go?" It puzzled him. Normally Syrus wouldn't care about his affairs.
"Who said that?" Syrus' voice raised a notch as if Zane had offended him.

"It's obvious." Zane answered dryly.
Syrus stopped himself from shouting a smart retort. "Well it's not that. I…"
Zane raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Syrus quickly looked down, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "W-why did you have to seal that card…?" Zane stopped looking at his. Instead, he moved his gaze forward.
"I gave you that card, hoping that you would know how to use it. It turned out that you didn't." When Syrus said nothing, he continued.

"When you're confident that you can use Powerbond's effect wisely, I automatically give you permission to unseal it. Regardless if Im present or not." He sat up and turned and left.

Syrus grabbed a now cold cookie and stuffed it in his mouth.

Present day Syrus slowly opened his eyes. His back was flat against cold ground.
I remember that day… He thought. His glasses were slightly foggy, so he grabbed them and polished the lens on his jacket. That's when he noticed a Duel disk was on his arm.

"What?" He lifted his respective arm. He seemed to be in the middle of a deserted, yet nice-looking neighborhood. Just a couple yards from his was a slightly open iron gate of a large and well-taken care of house. The windows were curtained but curiosity got the best of him.

The gates were pushed open without a sound and he walked up the cobbled path. Syrus reached the front door, and knocked. However, before his fist touched the door he realized something.

I know this place… It's familiar.

He knocked. No response but the door opened just a pinch. Syrus pushed it open wide enough for his small body to fit through. He gasped. The interior looked nothing like how the outside had hinted.

It had some sort of dark aura hanging in the air. Walls were patched with paint less spots. Whatever furniture was left was broken and laying on their sides. Carpet had old blood stains and dirty smudges while cobwebs hung from any place possible, not just the corners. A musty smell immediately reached his nostrils. It seemed it was a death site for someone.

The floorboards squeaked as Syrus stepped over them. There was a window to the far end that was uncovered and cracked, giving the miserable building some shred of daylight. Classic oil paintings adorned the walls. Some had torn canvases. Syrus gazed around. He didn't recall any of this yet it still felt so familiar.

He forced open the old back screen door. Dust and debris fell from the top rail as he finally managed to get the thing out of the way. The yard was nothing but dirt and yellow grass. A single gravestone laid in the middle of it all. Syrus flinched. Why was he going to check out someone that was dead? Why was he here in the first place?

Despite his self-nagging, he walked forward and observed the tombstone. Most of its surface was dusty or worn away. However, the last name was visible.

Truesdale

Syrus paled. "Zane, he couldn't of…" He frantically dusted away at the other parts.

He was right, Zane wasn't dead.

He was dead.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

He struggled to keep awake but his surroundings kept swaying until he finally fell to one side. Jaden quickly caught him.

"Chazz, you're really tired. Let Aster take over from now." He insisted. Chazz wasn't listening though, his onyx eyes were closed and faint snores could be heard coming through his mouth.
"Alright, I'll take care of the rest." The silver-haired teen took the controls. "Tell the others we'll be there soon."

Jaden nodded and left.

When he heard the door close behind him, Aster sat back with a huff.

"Darn, we're lucky to have everyone intact with their keys and cards… But this is a life and death situation. What are these people after…?" He rested his eyes and massaged his temples. True, it was starting to turn into a heavier burden than before.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey everyone! Aster says we'll be there pretty soon." Jaden said happily, landing himself in a seat next to Atticus.
"About time," Atticus voiced out. "We've been in the air for several hours now. Flying isn't my thing."

Alexis let out an exasperated sigh. She was gazing out at the window. There were few clouds that could be seen. "Oh don't start, Atticus. It's a nice view outside." She was right, mountains were visible. Plains and plateaus rose high, green grass and lush trees littered all over the place.

Zane looked out his window. He admitted, ever since Syrus was gone he didn't really think that wisely, or maybe even observed what was around him.
We're going to save his for sure, why am I worrying?

"Yeah, it's a nice view."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"This is a fake." Syrus told himself over and over again. The tombstone was fake, everything wasn't real. Yet he still couldn't help but feel this dreading feeling.

"Where am I?" He took a step back, and as he did so he heard a large crack and looked behind him. The wall had split, revealing a gaping hole. On instinct, Syrus raised his duel disk.

It seemed that whatever was inside the darkness saw the sudden movement as a threat and lashed out.

He threw himself to the side, barely avoiding a horrid monster's attack. It had a sickly purple, reptilian face with rotten patches and exposed tissues. The zombie dragon roared, filling the air with a musty smell.

The gas paralyzed the trembling Syrus.

I can't move. I can't move!

He struggled to draw at least one card from his deck.

It was in vain. The dragon quickly saw its advantage and dove, ready to gore into him.

But luckily, a golden blast of energy interrupted the two and Syrus was thrown back, against the tombstone. He groaned in pain and struggled to see who had attacked as the blinding light faded away.

The zombie dragon was lying on the ground, smoking in various areas before it shattered and left no trace. To the side was a serpentine, metallic dragon. Its mouth was smoking from the fresh attack.

And its master was…

"Zane!?" Syrus gasped with surprise. He looked up at the taller Truesdale who had walked over to him and held out a hand.
Puzzled, Syrus took it and he helped him up.
"Zane… What're you doing here?" His brother looked slightly different. A little younger, maybe because his eyes were a little wider and bright, while he was actually smiling.

"Same way you did, I guess." He answered.

Syrus bit his lip. "They captured you guys too?"
Zane shook his head. "No, only me it seems."

"How?"

"Long story, I'll explain later. Now let's get out of here, its dangerous." He grabbed his wrist but Syrus tugged back. When Zane turned around to question him, Syrus was pointing at the tombstone.

"What's with that?" he asked.

The older brother narrowed his eyes which were filled with anger, sadness, longing?

"It's nothing, we're in a different world. Im not sure what but we can't trust anything here." With that he quickly paced forward. Syrus spared the tombstone one last glance before following.

The scenery had changed completely when they left the house. Day turned to night. The houses had vanished and were replaced by endless dunes of white sand. The desert scenery came complete with powerful gales, ridden with sand and dust.

"Mind explaining now?" Syrus said, tugging against the winds.
"Right now's not a good time, we're too occupied with getting through this mess. And I've already used up a lot of my energy." Syrus nodded.

But how did someone like Zane, be the only one captured along with Syrus? What was going on?

He was too busy theorizing before he could realize his brother had vanished.

"Zane?" He called out loudly, trying to get his voice over the howling.

No answer, he looked around his surroundings. No trace of his big brother.

Where did he go?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shiyo lay, panting for dear life on the ground. Her cards were scattered all around her. Yet, she clutched one last card in her hand. It couldn't help her now. Her lifepoints were at zero. She accepted the game. And now in a matter of minutes, she was going to die.

The dominant figure, probably the same one Alexis had encountered and the one that had took Syrus towered over her flat form.

"That took no effort at all…" He hissed. Dark green eyes blazing.

"Bastard…" Shiyo growled. He stepped on her fingers and forced her to relinquish her grip on the blank card key. He reached down and picked it up. A sadistic smirk on his face.

"I don't believe this… You traitor." Her vision was flickering.

Anguish said something, but Shiyo had already died before she could here whatever it was.

"What a pity." He mused.

-X-

Sorry for the slightly short update peeps. Im starting school on the 13th and stuff so that means updates will come slower. But I'll try my best if I can fit a couple of updates for my incomplete fanfictions.

Stay tuned! X3

Yeah.. short chapties. urgh...