DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fanfiction produced for entertainment purposes only. Yu-Gi-Oh! and all related characters are the creations of Kazuki Takahashi.

A Life for a Life
Chapter 6
By Shadow's Mirror

He was enveloped in a cosy cocoon. Against his bare body, he could feel the crispness of clean sheets. There was something incredibly soft beneath his back. He felt warm and comfortable and the last thing he wanted to do was open his eyes, but a persistent thought nagged at him.

Where was Valen?

Reluctantly, Alexander opened his eyes, then frowned up at the strange ceiling above him. The exposed wooden beams were of some dark wood and the contrast with the cream of the ceiling behind them was most pleasing to his eyes. When he turned his head a little, he found he rather liked the dark green shade of the walls as well. The dark wooden furniture in the room was also rather pleasant to look at. He was not quite sure about the figure regarding him with apparent delight from the chair beside the bed, however.

The man's purple robes were a little garish for his taste and as for the hat... Alexander eyed it warily. It seemed to him that a hat that large must surely harbour plans to take over the world.

"Ah, you are awake. Excellent! How are you feeling?" The man's voice immediately dispelled the slight wariness Alexander had felt at the sight of him. He spoke in a friendly manner and a genuine smile warmed his dark brown eyes.

"Comfortable, thank you." Alexander frowned slightly. His voice was the same as ever, but his words were a little slurred. It seemed to be a bit more difficult than usual for him to speak. He tried again, taking more care this time, and was pleased when his words came more easily and clearly. "Where is Valen?"

The man's smile became even warmer. "I had a feeling you would ask about the child before anything else. He is well, safe and sleeping in the next room. Unlike you, his transformation was painless. Ah... that reminds me... Chaos sends his apologies. He is sorry about the pain you felt during your transformation. That was... a trifle unusual. He wished to watch over your rest himself, however this matter has resulted in quite a lot of paperwork. He will come and see you later."

Alexander nodded and tried not to be concerned about his transformation being 'a trifle unusual'. "Where is this place?"

"To answer in the broadest sense, you are in the Shadow Realm." The man's eyes twinkled as he chuckled at Alexander's surprise at that statement. "It is not all whirling areas of shadows here. Most of the land is quite... normal... really. Our homes are normal as well. For the most part, at least. There are a few... exceptions... due to the nature of this land." He shrugged. "You will see them soon enough. To answer your question more specifically, however, this is your new home. If you wish it to be. Yours and your child's." His smile was warmer still and he seemed to be waiting for more questions, as if he knew how many were tumbling around in Alexander's mind.

"Our new home?" Alexander tried to sit up and was surprised to find it rather more difficult than usual. He felt a little strange, he realised. Lighter and yet heavier at the same time. It was a most curious feeling, although not an unpleasant one. He managed to get an arm out from under the covers and went to use it to lever himself up, then caught sight of his hand and went very still.

Where his hand should have been... was the taloned appendage of a bird of prey.

"I realise this will come as quite a shock to you. Actually... it rather surprised all of us, also. So far, those who have come here from the mortal world have taken on more or less human forms. But it seems that the Shadow Magic sensed something very special within you and decided to give you the form that would best... hmm... how should I say it? The form that would best suit your personal needs, perhaps? I believe you will find your new abilities to be quite remarkable." The man smiled gently at Alexander and offered his hand. "If you feel sufficiently recovered, allow me to assist you up. There is a looking glass over there." He gestured across the room with his other hand.

"Thank you." Alexander accepted the help, being very careful with his grasp so he did not crush the human hand, as he sensed he so easily could. He struggled into a sitting position and then slipped out from beneath the sheets to stand beside the bed.

He was so busy studying his taloned feet and lightly feathered legs and arms that it took him a moment to realise that the rest of his body, although a little more muscular now, was still human. Alexander quickly wrapped the sheet around himself to preserve his modesty, relieved to note that the other man was kindly studying something on the other side of the room. When he was decently covered, he tentatively reached behind himself again. As he had wound the sheet over his back, his arm had brushed something...

"I have wings!"

"Ah, you noticed them." The man seemed rather surprised at that.

"I could hardly fail to, as they are rather... prominent." Alexander found the shock wearing off more quickly than he would have thought possible. Perhaps because he had already suspected their existence when he had seen his taloned hands and feet. They were definitely the claws of a bird, so really wings were not all that surprising. He looked at the other man. "My words come less easily now than they did. I believe I would rather hear the truth initially than see it. Do I, by any chance, have a beak instead of a mouth?"

The man looked somewhat apologetic. "Well... yes, you do. But it is quite a nice beak, as beaks go. Your plumage is also quite attractive."

Alexander blinked at that. "I have plumage?" Curious, he crossed to the looking glass.

Although he sensed that he should have been shocked to see the head of a large bird looking back at him, for some reason he only felt curious about his new form. After a moment's concentration, he managed to stretch out his wings... then quickly apologised to the other man for nearly knocking him over when he did so.

"Oh no, my fault entirely. Considering my experience with wings, I should have known that you would want to do that." He chuckled softly. "You seem to be getting accustomed to them quite nicely. If you wish any advice, my sister has already offered her services to you for that."

Alexander folded his wings again and turned to look at the man curiously. "Your sister has wings?"

Beaming at Alexander as if he had asked the most intelligent question in the world, and one that he was particularly delighted to answer, the man nodded. "Oh yes. Black wings very much like yours... only a little smaller, I believe." He eyed the birdman's wings for a moment before nodding again. "Yes, I would say her wingspan is about four feet less than yours. She will be quite jealous."

For some reason, that thought seemed to make the man rather happy.

"I... see." Alexander studied the rather odd man thoughtfully. As his mind whirled with more questions, he suddenly realised he had forgotten something important. "Ah, forgive my lack of manners. I have not introduced myself. I am..." He paused in confusion as the other man raised a hand and shook his head. There was a very gentle look in his eyes that worried Alexander. It was the look of someone who knows something that is likely to upset someone else when they hear it.

"When you and your child joined us, your names changed along with your forms. But do not worry. That does not mean that you cannot keep your true names. It just means that you need to use your new ones as well. I suggest adding your true name to the end of your new name. That way, you will always have that link to your past. That is what I often do." He smiled.

Alexander was about to nod when he realised what the man had just said. "You? Then you are also...?" He blinked in surprise.

The man chuckled and nodded. "I was the first to come here from the mortal world." He was about to continue when a soft sound came from the next room. A moment later he arched his eyebrow as he found himself alone in the room.

Apparently birdmen were faster than normal men when reacting to the sound of a child's frightened whimper.

Smiling slightly, the man followed his new friend, stopping to lean against the door as he peered into the room beyond.

The room was identical to Alexander's room, only a little smaller and with dark blue walls instead of dark green. Also, the bed was a child's single instead of the larger bed that was needed to accommodate a birdman with large wings. But the child sitting up in the bed was obviously more worried about other things than admiring the room.

Like the strange being that had come running into the room and was now staring at him.

"Who are you? Where am I? Where is my father? Where is Alexander?" The young boy frowned. "You are staring at me. Stop it at once. Do you know who I am?" He drew himself up regally.

"Yes. I know. You are Valen." Alexander was proud of how calm he sounded. There was no trace of his sorrow in his voice.

Valen did not recognise him.

Alexander silently cursed himself for not realising that sooner. He did not recognise himself and he barely recognised Valen as well, and the boy had not changed nearly as much as he himself had. Because he had not realised, though, his abrupt entrance had scared Valen.

Making an effort to pull his wits back together from where they had scattered at the boy's new appearance, Alexander smiled as well as he could with a beak rather than a mouth. "I will explain everything to you, but it is quite a long story, I fear."

The boy frowned slightly and peered at him intently for a moment, his pale silver eyes searching the bright orbs of the strange creature standing before him. When he spoke, his voice was hesitant. "Alexander?"

Pure joy surged through Alexander as Valen recognised him. "Yes. It is I." He moved nearer, settling on the bed when Valen showed no more fear of him. The little boy immediately moved closer and he slipped his arm around the child's slender shoulders and held him close. "You are safe now."

"Was it all a dream? Is my father really..." Valen bit his lip and could not finish voicing his question.

Alexander bowed his head. "It was not a dream. I am so sorry, Valen."

- - -

As the child reacted to the confirmation of his father's death, the man in the large purple hat moved from the doorway where he had been watching the reunion and went into another part of the house.

There would be plenty of time later for introductions and explanations and even a tour around their new home and the very special building it was connected to. For now, Alexander had a sobbing child to try and comfort and the man knew that was something too private for him to witness.

He smiled at the woman seated in the cottage's main room and nodded to her. "They have woken. He is comforting the child now on the passing of the boy's father."

The woman sniffed and frowned. "The passing of a man who gave the boy life and nothing else. Why, that man in there is more of a father to that child than King Roland ever was!" Despite her annoyance, the woman kept her voice low so only the man could hear.

"Nonetheless... he was still the child's father and it is right for the child to mourn him." The man held up his hand as the woman glared at him. "Oh, do not scowl at me so, I beg you. I did not say that I disagree. My feelings on the matter are quite the contrary, I assure you."

The shadow of a deep past sorrow stirred in his heart. It must have shown on his face also, because the woman reacted to it immediately. She moved over to him and hugged him tightly. "Forgive me, my brother. Of course it is right for a child to mourn the loss of a father... no matter what sort of a man that father was."

She eased back and smiled at the man. "Do you think our new friend would mind if we used his kitchen? I dare say he could use a cup of tea in the near future."

"My dear sister, I do believe that is one of the best ideas you have ever had. Now then... where do you suppose we might find the teapot?"

Before the woman could do more than arch an eyebrow at the question, two startled cries came from the other room.

The two siblings were halfway to the room when the first wisps of smoke greeted them.

The Dark Magician winced and looked at Dark Witch. "It seems that the young one cannot yet control his new abilities. Remind me to teach our new librarian a water spell as soon as possible."

To be concluded...