The Challenge of Life or Death
By MissLadyMinxx
Warning:This fic contains yaoi, vampires, werewolves, blood, gore, possibly lemons in the future and religious statements.
If you feel uncomfortable or easily offended in any way reading this story, please DO NOT READ!
Memories: 08
It was a rainy afternoon in the city of Domino. Storm clouds blanketed the sky, covering the sun's rays and the wind gently blew through the trees. It was an ideal setting for a day like today, for it was Sugoroku Mutou's funeral. Everyone who has ever known him was very close friends, co-workers and family, attended the funeral. The sizeable, black attired crowd, protected from the rain under the cover of black umbrellas or hats, gathered around the coffin of the gravesite to pay their respects as the priest spoke his sermon.
"It's very tragic how a respectable member of our community was brutally taken from us…" As the priest continued to speak, Yugi as well as Jou, Anzu and Honda, stood in the front row of the crowd, listening to the sermon. There was a long silence throughout the crowd except for the drifting sounds of mourning. Yugi was lost as well in silence. His empty amethyst eyes focused on the closed coffin in front him, which was adorned with gifts, some of his belongings and many colorful floral arrangements.
"Sugoroku Mutou was a beloved father, grandfather and a friend to many. His love and memory will live in our hearts for an eternity and thus his spirit as well. He will be greatly missed." the priest spoke as they began to lower the coffin into the ground.
"As we return the body to the earth, we ask our Lord to accept his spirit into the light that is your love, for he is now with you. Lord, you are our refuge from generation to generation. Year and days vary, but you remain the same. Your mercy remains with us in life and in death. Grant us to remember and to give thanks for what you gave us through Sugoroku Mutou. Receive him into your kingdom after his long working day, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Father and yours, God."
Yugi, along with his friends and family, watched with heavy hearts and in tears as the coffin that held the body of his grandfather was lowered into the ground. "Grandpa…" Yugi whimpered as Anzu caressed him in a caring embrace. He tightly returned the embrace and closed his eyes as tears poured down his face.
After the funeral service was over, paid respects to Sugoroku's gravesite and saying their last goodbyes, family and friends began to depart the graveyard and into their vehicles to take shelter from the rain. Yugi, however, stayed behind to deeply gaze onto his beloved grandfather's tombstone that read, "Sugoroku Mutou. October 4th, 1917 – September 13, 2011. Beloved father, grandfather and friend."
"Yugi…?" Anzu softly called from behind him. "Everyone is leaving…"
"I know…" Yugi spoke back quietly as he lowered his head. It didn't matter to him that everyone was leaving or the fact that he probably wouldn't have a ride back home. He just wanted to be alone with his grandfather one last time.
Anzu took a step to approach him when she felt a hand softly touching her shoulder. "Jou?"
Jou looked at her as he shook his head. "Let him be."
"Guys, I'll be okay. You don't need to worry about me." Yugi said solemnly to his concerned companions.
"Whenever you want to talk, you know where to find us." Honda said sorrowfully to Yugi as they turned to leave. Anzu took one last worried glanced at Yugi before leaving with Jou and Honda. As much as she cared about Yugi, Jou was right. Yugi needed this time to be alone.
"Yugi…I'm so sorry…" she whispered to herself before she began the walk with her companions out of the graveyard.
As Yugi continued to gaze at his grandfather's tombstone, which was placed in the same vicinity of his mother's and father's gravesite, he found himself misplaced in deep thought. He stood melancholy as the pouring rain began to drench his hair and clothing, feeling every trickle of liquid flowing down his face to the droplets of his lifeless finger tips. He slightly quivered when he felt the chill of the gentle breeze blow amongst the air and his soaked body, as he fell to his knees onto the ground, overwhelmed by great distress. It was terrible enough that he lost his parents when he was but a child, but now he lost his grandfather as well. Apart of him wanted to be where they are now, just to make all the pain go away, but that was a choice he couldn't make. Filled with anger, frustration and despair, he firmly closed his eyes and grits his teeth.
"Grandpa…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry!" Yugi thought to himself as he began to shed tears. "I miss you all so much…what am I supposed to do without you?"
As Yugi continued to grieve, there stood nonchalant Yami nearby in the distance, leaning under the shelter of a tree, watching him closely. He disapproved of Yugi venturing out to attend the funeral, even though he knowingly was responsible for the death of the small teen's grandfather, but seeing the frail boy in despair began to bring forth old feelings buried deep inside. He's never experienced such an emotional effect within him for what felt like an eternity. Yami was taken by surprise from this for he usually took great pleasure in seeing the beings he despised most in such distress, but for some reason, that was not the case with this one. His eyes lightly softened from his usual hard glare as he found himself pondering on this bothersome feeling that brought forth a memory he didn't care to remember. The day he lost whatever was left of him being once human; the day he met him on a rainy day like this.
1623, Transylvania, Romania
Harsh rain poured from the darkened sky upon the graveyard that was once a village. Homes were destroyed and some burned, leaving nothing behind but ashes. Maimed bodies of the villagers littered the muddy, puddled ground. There was only but a dead silence after the bellowing clash of thunder and lightning. The only sign of life was a young man shoveling damp earth. His maroon hair was soaked from the pouring rain. His clothing was torn, drenched and soiled with mud and blotches of blood. He panted hard from each breath he took and shed countless tears as he continued shoveling in dirt into the second makeshift grave. Once finished, he fell onto the soaked earth below him on his hands and knees from exhaustion and immense grief, his hands blistered and raw. As he glanced at the two graves in front of him, his crimson eyes that were once occupied with despair were now replaced with anger.
The young man grits his teeth and slams his fist onto the damp ground with such force. He speaks with a Romanian accent; his voice deep with apprehension and anger. "Mother…father…your sacrifice was not in vain. All them…every last one of them…is dead. They were shown no mercy and immensely suffered for their betrayal and yet…it's not enough. I want them dead. I want them all dead!" he roared in anger as his crimson eyes began to brightly glow red.
He lowered his head in grief when he then heard approaching sounds of footsteps hitting the puddles behind him when he felt the atmosphere around him began to change; feeling colder. His ears twitched at the sound of a voice.
"My poor boy…thou has been forsaken." a dark voice spoke that seemed to surround him.
The young man quickly shot up his head. "Who's there? Show yourself!" he shouted defensively.
The footsteps approached him closer and closer as a being shrouded in shadows stepped out of the surrounding fog. The presence was very menacing as the young man glanced into a frightening pair of crimson glowing eyes before him.
"It's time to come to terms with what you are truly meant for and what you are." the presence spoke menacingly. "Do you wish to fully embrace your curse and continue on your path of retribution?"
Without giving it a second thought, Yami answered without any trace of hesitation and regret in his voice. In his mind clouded from anger and impairing his judgment, there was nothing left for him to lose. "For as long as I live!"
With a malevolent grin, the voice spoke. "Then it shall be done."
Yami watched as the pale hand of the figure covered in darkness reached out to him from the shadows. "Take my hand and thy will is done. You shall have the power you desirably wish. But be warned…such a deal with me is bonding and at a cost. Whatever is left of your human soul shall belong to me."
Yami gave a threatening glare that almost matched those menacingly glowing eyes that seemed to pierce through his mind. "My soul was always his to collect and thus already condemned to hell since birth. Whatever was left of me died with my mother and father."
Yami gripped the cold hand of the figure before him and in an instant a surge of energy was passing into him. Incapacitated by the overwhelming and malevolence of this force surging through his body, Yami fell to his knees in torment. He could feel the pure evil and darkness flowing through his veins. He began to moan, and his heart began beating faster than it was before as he started to feel faint. He screamed as the pain and heat in his body began to increase. Tightly closing his eyes, trying to endure the worst pain he's never felt before. He continues to grip the hand before him more firmly as the upper part of his body gave way from the fatigue and began to lean towards the ground, quickly using his left hand to support him from falling over. Gritting his fanged teeth, he opened his eyes to reveal a bright and overflowing crimson glow along with a sinister frown upon his face. He grunted in agony, the heartache and throbbing pain now at its highest.
Despite being in immense distress, Yami continued to endure. Every ounce of pain he was feeling was without vain and his intense hatred and despair was enough to reassure his decision of giving up the rest of his humanity. He lets out one last scream of agony as the last surge of power filled his body. He faintly releases the shadowed figure's hand, his body very weakened from the intense trauma it has endured as he collapses onto the ground below him.
"Thy will is done." it spoke to him with a dark grin. "A part of my strength is now a part of you. Use it to extract your revenge on those you wish. Your hatred, anger and despair will feed your cause. Remember this day as your true birth into what you are born to be. With my guidance, you will acquire and learn your abilities as one born under the New Moon. The very gifts your mother and father tried to hide from you will become the means you will need to survive."
Yami feebly, yet steadily stood to his feet as he felt the power engulf his body. His human nature was replaced by pure animal instinct. He could feel the change within him. The appearance of his face was no longer the face as someone with feeling, sentiment or empathy. His emotionless and sinister stare replaced those eyes that used to be occupied with innocence and affection. There was no humanity left within him, only but sin and malevolence replaced his soul and to him, this feeling was vivid ecstasy. His life now devoted to the devil and he was now his minion. It no longer mattered to him if it meant leaving humanity behind, for humanity betrayed him.
"What are you?" Yami questioned the figure before him.
"My boy, you will come to know me very well and in time, everything will become clear. But until that time comes, you may know me as your master and address me as so." It spoke to him warningly.
Yami kneeled before his mentor on one knee and bowed his head. And with a fanged, disturbing grin and look on his face, he spoke, "I understand…my master. Teach me all you know."
Yami secretly glanced at his parent's graves, his heart still heavy with the despair of his parent's demise. Though he gave up his humanity, the memory of his parent's love and devotion shall always remain with him. He's softly closes his eyes, "Mother…father…a part of me will forever remain with you both. Please, forgive me. Forgive me!"
(Present Day)
As Yami wondered out deep from his memories and back into reality, he found himself staring at the ground the entire time. Realizing he lost track of time, he glanced over at the evening sky behind the storm clouds as the sun began to set. He knew he had to get Yugi back home before nightfall.
Yugi, continuing to grieve at his grandfather's gravesite, heard footsteps approaching from behind him and soon heard a deep yet quiet and dominating voice.
"It's nearly nightfall. Time to go." Yami sternly spoke to the timid boy.
"Can I…have a few more minutes?" Yugi quietly and nervously asked the firm young man behind him.
Yami spoke with no trace of sympathy in his voice as he turned to leave. "You know that's not possible."
Yugi releases a sadden sigh from his lips as he stood before the grave of his grandfather and placed a white rose on the very top as a tear seeped down his cheek. He then cringed tensely when he heard Yami's demanding shout.
"Yugi!" he shouted, not acknowledging the small teen behind him.
Yugi reluctantly stepped away from the gravesite, taking one last look at his grandfather before walking towards Yami, heeding his call. As much as he did not want to leave his grandfather, he did not want to aggravate Yami even more.
The walk home was a long and silent one; the only sound was that of the bustling city and of the pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the cement walkway of the sidewalk. Yugi stared down at his feet, ever so often stepping into the rain puddles of the sodden sidewalk as he walked behind Yami, whom was walking nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets. His amethyst orbs slowly drifted from his feet to the back of Yami's head. It was then that he just remembered a few days ago how Yami appeared in his room that night with blood stained across his lips. The following day, there was a breaking news report about a young woman that was mauled to death in the deepest section of the park that same night. He had no doubt in mind that Yami was responsible. Feeling uneasy at the thought, he gathered up enough courage to ask…
"Um…Yami…?" he spoke.
Yami immediately stopped in his tracks when hearing the timid voice of the small teen behind him.
"That night…" Yugi paused to carefully choose his words. "…they found the mutilated body of a woman. Did you…" he lowered his head to stare at a puddle below him and caught his reflection. "…Did you kill that woman?"
There was a brief moment of silence between the two, until Yami spoke coldly, "Why must you ask questions you already know the answer to?"
Yugi, not surprised by the answer that was given to him, questioned him again. "But why must you kill innocent people? Why must you kill at all? That woman had a family and now…" Yugi sheds a tear. "…they will never see her again. Just like…I won't ever see my grandpa again. It's not right!" he then shouted.
Yami lets out a disgruntled sigh as turned his head back to glance at the distraught boy and spoke with a careless tone in his voice, "The world isn't right."
"You have no value of human life! You can't just go around killing innocent people!" Yugi shouted angrily. "It's wrong!"
Without warning, Yugi felt a forceful grasp around the collar of his jacket as he was quickly dragged into the nearest alleyway and brutally pushed against a brick wall of a building. Yugi grunted in discomfort as his eyes met Yami's callous and intimidating eyes that were teeming with anger. "And who says? 'God'?" Yami shouted with great discontent. "Your race is a pathetic waste of life! If anything, I did her a favor by ending it!"
Yami dragged Yugi's small body up against the wall as if he was weightless and he tightened his grip around the boy's fragile neck, feeling the piercing claws nearly burrowing into his flesh. "You want to know why I have no value of human life?" Yami smirked sinisterly, revealing his fangs as he gazed into the frightened amethyst orbs of the small teen. "Because I immensely take pleasure in ending lives, especially humans. Their blood curdling screams as I disembowel them, the rose-red liquid flowing from their bodies, and the taste of their flesh…does not compare to the pure ecstasy I feel when I toy with my prey before the kill is done. I savor every moment!" he shouted. "I despise humankind and every moment I spend with you is a constant reminder!"
Yugi strained to speak, forcing the words from his mouth as he struggled for air. "I-If…that were true, then why…are you protecting me…? To protect me…is saving…the entire human race…you hate so much…"
Yami scoffed with a smirk, "Don't flatter yourself. You're merely a pawn. To protect you is to defeat him. I do this because I don't have a choice. But I vow when this is all over, you'll be meeting up with your beloved grandfather shortly. You can be sure of that!" Yami growled as he released his grip from around Yugi's neck as he falls to the ground, coughing sickly.
"I've had enough of your relentless whining! You're a feeble little boy who seems to disregard his place. Maybe your grandfather assisted himself in his own demise just to be rid of you." Yami spoke coldly while glaring down at Yugi.
Yugi's eyes broaden from hearing that last cruel statement and began to soak with tears. Yami turned his attention away from Yugi as he began the trek out of the dark alley. There was a brief silence between the two until the voice of the small teen behind him spoke.
"Have you ever lost someone special in your life…?" Yugi said as he sorrowfully glanced at the ground.
Stunned when hearing the emotional subject, Yami ceased in his tracks. He forcefully gritted his teeth at the very question that had struck a sensitive memory and brought forth deep feelings he thought he left behind all those years ago.
Yugi continued to silently speak. "Everyone eventually loses someone they love. Whether it is from a death, or they leave because of some circumstance…whatever the case, they will be no longer a part of your life. Sometimes it's more than one person, but no matter how many times it has happened, you still feel that same pain as before. In some cases, we blame ourselves for their departure and we become sad and sometimes even angry…angry at ourselves and them…but the love for them still remains a part of you forever…I guess that is what you call being human…"
Yami remained silent as he tightens his hand into a fist and began trembling.
Yugi turned his attention to the distraught Yami. "That's it, isn't it? You've lost someone special and you blame yourself. You shouldn't say such cruel things, because if there is anyone who understands how it feels, it's you, right?" Yugi stood to his feet, "I don't know the reason why you chose to hate humankind, but you have something in common with us. So before you look down on us so poorly, remember that."
Yami kept his attention ahead and to Yugi's surprise, responded very calmly after a brief silence, "You're wrong. I am nothing like you or your kind. I abandoned my humanity long ago. I am a monster…nothing more." Yami spoke, hastily making an attempt to change the subject as he began to walk away. "Hurry…it's nightfall. We need to be out of the streets."
Yami casually walked off, leaving behind a very perplexed Yugi. It wasn't the reaction he expected from the short tempered young man, but he noticed a slight change in Yami's demeanor when asked about losing someone special. For a brief moment, he was almost human. Could it be that deep down under all that callousness and gruesome hatred and dominant anger, lies a tormented soul that just lost his way? Yugi's ongoing curiosity about Yami's mysterious past began to wonder into his head. Despite the slight change in his demeanor, Yugi dared not to tread on the forbidden grounds of Yami's past. He was still a ferocious killer and he would hate to put his friends in harm's way by angering him further. He was certain Yami would do anything to make sure he got his way.
Yugi hissed in discomfort and held his shoulder tightly when he felt a sharp pain course through his arm. "I hope it's not dislocated." Yugi thought to himself.
But the more he thinks about Yami's malicious demeanor and godless actions, the more faith he began to lose in Yami changing for the better.
Meanwhile, Yami was feeling utterly surprised at himself of his own sudden change of his attitude. Normally, such questions would have not mattered to him, but for some strange reason, it began to become a bother. He couldn't even bring himself to put the human in his place. Yami grits his teeth in frustration. "Damn him…" he thought to himself. Exposing such a flaw was unacceptable.
After a few minutes of arriving at home, Yugi was busy occupying the bathroom, removing his damped clothes and tossing them into the nearby laundry hamper. Grabbing a towel off the rack, he began drying off his soaked, magenta sheened hair. Removing the towel from his face, he caught his reflection in the mirror that hanged on the wall in front of him and noticed a moderately sized, violet colored bruise on his right shoulder which aches upon every movement of his arm.
Yugi sighed, "At least it's not broken or dislocated…" he said to himself. He cringed at the memory of Yami aggressively slamming him up against the brick wall back at the alley. He softly rubs his neck as he remembers the firm grasp Yami had around it, still feeling the sharp tips of his nails piercing through his skin and quivered from the near death experience. Glancing further down, he noticed the insignia that suddenly appeared on his body since he ran into Yami in the alley that night. He glared irritably at the tattoo-like mark that nestled on his chest near the location of his heart, convincingly feeling it has brought him nothing but trouble.
"I wish this thing had never come to me…" he thought with sigh, wishing to wake up from this nightmare. He felt completely alone and imprisoned, even though he had the companionship of his close friends, he couldn't speak a word to them about everything that is happening to him, fearing he would just put their lives at risk and that was the last thing he wanted.
A few minutes later, Yugi emerged from the bathroom and into his room fully clothed in his usual pajamas, quickly taking notice that Yami wasn't in the room.
"He probably went out…" Yugi said to himself, dreading the thought of Yami being out there most likely wreaking havoc. Despite how he felt, he knew he couldn't do a thing to break Yami out of his primal instincts and he dared not try for the sake of his own well-being.
Looking around, he noticed some clothing littered across his bedroom floor. "I guess this is a better time than ever to do some laundry." Yugi said as he began to gather up the littered clothes across the floor and into the hamper. Making his way down the hallway towards the stairs with his laundry, he walked by the door of what used to be his grandfather's bedroom. Stopping, he glanced through the crack of the door into the gloomy room. He remembered how the bedroom light would stay on throughout the night, because his grandfather would bury himself in his books and work. Yugi would occasionally tease his grandfather about how his workaholic behavior is keeping him up at night and his grandfather would say with a warm smile, "History never takes a break, my boy. It continues on with or without us." The memory brought a smile to Yugi's face if only for a moment. Now, it was just an empty, dark room with some of his grandfather's belongings packed away in boxes. Thinking back to cherish memories like those reassured Yugi that his grandfather's death was no accident or suicide like the investigators claimed. He constantly thought about the murderer who brought such misery and loss into his life. Greatly saddened, he quickly closes the door the rest of the way and continues his trek downstairs.
Yugi emerged out of the laundry room moments later after stuffing the washing machine with clothes. He walked through the silent, dark living to get to the stairs. The only sound being heard was that of the rain tapping against the windows until the stillness was interrupted by a deep yet quiet voice that caught him off guard. "You should be relieved…"
Yugi leaped in the air with a yelp like a panicky mouse upon hearing the voice in the darkness. Realizing it was a familiar voice, he walked over to see Yami spread out across the couch on his back with one leg propped up and other resting at the side with his arm relaxing over his eyes. He was wearing a loose black t-shirt and dark blue jeans.
"What?" Yugi spoke as he peaked over the couch, surprised to see him.
"That night. I was prepared to kill you that night…" he spoke with a serious tone in his voice. "It was either you or her…"
Yugi gazed at him crossly, still astonished by the fact how Yami can be so relaxed saying such things like it was nothing. "Why are you telling me this?"
A sadistic smirk appeared across Yami's face as he spoke, "Just thought you should know how close you came to death. How easy it would have been for me to take your life, if it wasn't for the fact of you being the key that spared you...you could have undoubtedly ended up like that woman that night, except there would have been no body for your family to bury. You should be joyful that she took your place. Now…do you still feel remorse for her even after with what I just shared with you?"
Yugi looked away with a gaze of disappointment and sorrow on his face. He couldn't believe what he just heard but then again, what did he expect from him?
"No one had to die…" Yugi said quietly under his breath. He then heard a chuckle escape from Yami's mouth, adding insult to injury.
"You are quite amusing. Why do you have such remorse for a complete stranger?" Yami managed to ask during his chuckle.
"Because I'm human…" Yugi spoke solemnly as he turned to walk back up the stairs. "…but of course you wouldn't know anything about that…"
Yami glanced between a small gap between the relaxed arm over his eyes and watched as Yugi took his leave up the stairs. He lets out a grunt as he stretches and props his back up onto the armrest of the couch. His eyes glance to the living room window and watches as the trail of rain trickle down the wet glass. "I guess I wouldn't…" he said to himself.
Yugi closes his bedroom door behind him and leaned his back against it. He sulks his head and releases a sigh of despair as he glanced over to his nightstand to see a picture of himself as a child with his parents and one with his grandfather. His eyes began to fill up with tears and felt his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach. He firmly closes his eyes and the tears stream down his face as he leaned his head against the door and leisurely slid down to the carpeted floor below. A feeling of hopelessness and isolation swept over him and consumed his mind and very being. Losing his parents and now recently his grandfather, being hunted down by living dead beings and the possibility of losing his own life in the process and above all, being deprived of telling his closest friends about his dilemma. All this and more was a constant struggle of his now unstable mentality and with each passing thought, he felt more distraught.
He brings his legs up to his chest and tightly wraps his arms around them for the feeling of security, resting his head between his knees. "I just want all this to end…" he said to himself with the trace of distress in his voice.
Just then, his glance was lured from a beeping jingle coming from his cell phone, charmed with a chibi dark magician, on the floor near his bed. Thinking it was either one of his friends checking up on him, he inched over to the spot where his cell was located. Wiping the tears from his amethyst eyes, he sits down and leans against the side of his bed while fidgeting through his phone, only to find a text message from an unknown number. Surprised that it wasn't one of his friends, he curiously opened the message as a feeling of bewilderment seized him while reading it.
"If you wish to find your grandfather's murderer, please arrive at this address. Come alone. All your problems will be unraveled."
Feeling as if his heart skipped a beat, his hand suddenly became limp as his phone nearly dropped from his fingertips. This was not only strangely coincidental and bizarre, but too good to be true. He remembered how Yami warned him about being sought after, but whether or not it was a setup, that didn't matter to him. It could be a way to get information and solve his grandfather's death and there was no way he wanted to ignore this opportunity and that was more important to him now more than anything, even his own safety.
"I have to know…" Yugi thought to himself.
After quickly getting dressed, he began to make his way towards his bedroom door when he stopped himself from turning the knob. He just remembered: Yami was downstairs. Yugi gritted his teeth in frustration.
"There is no way he'll let me leave…" Yugi thought to himself as he glanced over to his digital clock that read 9:30 pm. "…especially at nightfall…"
Not giving mind to what Yami might do to him once he goes through with this; he made his way towards the bedroom window without hesitation. Opening it, he leaned outside into the pouring rain and cautiously climbed his way down the two storied house until he made it safely onto the ground. Treading silently onto the puddle soaked walkway as to not alert Yami, he diligently made his way down the street to the designated location.
It was nearly an hour walk when Yugi arrived at a towering building that seemed to be abandoned for years. The only sign of activity was a vibrant lit, florescent billboard at the very top. He looked at the piece of paper in his hand which the address was written on. "This is the place…" Yugi said to himself apprehensively. And with a deep sigh, he walks into the cold, damp building and makes the lengthy and difficult trek up the flight of stairs to the top.
Moments passed when he finally arrived at the top of the building, virtually out of breath. He shuddered when he felt a strong gust of wind blow through his jacket, which seemed to be stronger at the peak. He could feel the rain beginning to become less of a down pour as he searched for the person who sent him the text message. "I don't even know who I'm searching for…" Yugi thought. His eyes glanced around his surroundings, seeking for any signs of movement, but it seemed that he was alone.
"H-hello?" Yugi called out with the tone of apprehension in his voice. "I-Is anyone here…?"
Yugi recoiled frighteningly at the abrupt roaring sound of thunder and lightning. And as hastily as the flashing lightning came and went, the silhouette of a figure suddenly appeared and stood behind the anxious boy. Once he regained what little composure he had, he could feel the sudden presence behind him, hastily turning and backing away as the figure stepped towards him, walking into the well-lit area from the billboard, revealing himself to Yugi. It was a young man, appearing to be the age between 17 and 20, wearing an outfit consist of typical biker clothing. He had an abundance of brown hair that was tossed and stuck out in all directions. Yugi noticed the young man smirking as his amethyst eyes met the round and deep sapphire eyes of the stranger in front of him. Those eyes expressed a trace of virtue, yet harsh as if they told a story of struggle in his life. There was a moment of silence between the two; the only sound that was heeded was that of the bustling city and the booming clash of thunder.
"Yugi Mutou?" the young man spoke with a soft, yet heavy Australian accent in his voice.
"W-who are you?" Yugi asked stuttered nervously.
"It's a pleasure that we can finally meet. I'm the one who sent you that message." He spoke with a warm smile.
"How do I know that for sure?" Yugi asked with the expression of distrust on his face.
He nodded, "Fair enough." The young man turned and began to walk away. "I guess you're not interested in finding your grandfather's murderer…"
"Wait!" Yugi called out to him as the young man ceased in his tracks. "Please…if you know anything, please tell me!"
"The young man spoke with his back still turned to Yugi. "I want nothing more than to bring this killer to justice just as much as you do." He turned to give Yugi another warm smile.
"Did you know my grandfather?" Yugi asked as he watched the young man walked towards the edge of the building and leaned on the metal railing.
"No…I didn't." he casually answered back as he looked over at the city ahead.
"Then why tell me first before going to the police?" Yugi questioned.
The young man glanced back at Yugi as a sinister smirk suddenly replaced the calm and innocent appearance as if a mask was uncovered to reveal his true exterior. "Because I wanted to see the look on your face once I told you…" he spoke sinisterly as his eyes began to glow.
A gaze of alarm and fear overcame Yugi's face when he saw those glowing, threatening eyes.
He turned to face the frightened young boy and nonchalantly rested against the railing behind him. "I wanted to see the look on your face once I told you how pathetic you are that you came down all this way, hoping to put your grandfather's death to justice. But ask yourself…will it bring him back once you do find out? Will it solve all your problems and bring you happiness in what little time you have to live?" He chuckles. "I highly doubt it."
"Then why?" Yugi questioned him.
"Why do you ask? C'mon, you look like a smart boy. Deep down you knew this was too unreal to be true." He glared with a smirk, flashing his pointed canines to the frightened boy. "You're the key. The intense and intoxicating scent the one who is chosen gives off is a dead giveaway."
Yugi frighteningly backed away as the young man took steps towards him. "You see, the thing is, I love humans, but not to be mistaken for adoration, of course. I enjoy toying with them until my heart's content. I find them very interesting, yet pitiful creatures and though you're the key, I'm afraid that wasn't enough to exempt you."
Yugi glared nervously at the young man before him. "You're one of them…"
Yugi cringed when he felt the young man's firm grip around his wrist as he was pulled along with him towards the very edge of the building, effortlessly overpowering him. "Come here." He demanded as Yugi struggled to break the grip on his wrist.
"You see, I had to get you alone and your desperate attempt to solve your grandfather's murder was perfect enough to get you here willingly. So in a way, I guess you have no one to blame but the undying love you have for your poor, old grandfather." He taunted as he brought himself and Yugi to the very edge of the building. Yugi glanced chillingly down the 100 foot drop to the wet cement ground below, feeling the resilient wind blowing through their bodies.
"What are you doing?" Yugi shouted with fear in his eyes.
"It's not what I'm doing. It's what you are going to do." The young man tauntingly glared into Yugi's eyes. "The very spot were standing on is high enough that if you were to jump, the fall will kill you. This is what you want, right? To make all your problems disappear…to end it all…to die?"
Yugi remained silent as he glanced back down to the prolonged drop below.
"Let me ask you something. Do you think you're special? You're not. If you were to die tonight, the world wouldn't cease to turn. Yes, your friends will be greatly saddened, but eventually they'll get over your loss and go about their business as if you never existed. You can easily be replaced, because when it all comes down to it, everyone is the same. No exceptions. Everyone equal before God. Dying is just another adventure so if you were to jump now, whatever problems you have will be nothing but a big, old bloody stain on the pavement. So why bother fighting to live when you can end it all with just one, little step?" the young man continued to taunt in Yugi's ear.
Yugi stared vacantly at the cement ground below in a deep daze, taking in everything what the young man was preaching to him word by word. A part of him wanted to admit he was right. What is the point of living now if his fate as the chosen one is being sacrificed in the future. It was just a matter of time before he was captured and killed if not by the ones chasing him then by Yami. Maybe this was the opportunity he has been waiting for.
"Why prolong my fate…?" Yugi spoke quietly to himself as tears poured from his eyes.
"Now you're getting the picture. Just say the word and all your problems will become obsolete. Do you want me to let go?" he smirked as he dangled Yugi over the edge. "Or would you rather come with me and I'll promise to try to put in a good word for you to make your death as painless as possible."
"Varon!" a deep and commanding voice shouted from behind them.
The young man turned around to see Yami and greeted him with a smile. "I was beginning to think you'd never show up…"
"Let the boy go." Yami glared furiously as he began to approach him.
"A poor choice of words, don't you think?" Varon chuckled as he released Yugi from his grip.
As swiftly as possible, Yami raced to the aid of Yugi. Meanwhile, Yugi was in a daze, not realizing that Varon had released him to fall from the edge of the building. He quickly snapped out of the daze when he felt a tug on his jacket and looked down, realizing he was dangling in midair. He looked up to see Yami holding onto the edge of the building and grasping the collar of his jacket to hold onto him.
"Yami?" Yugi said with a tone of disbelief in his voice.
Yami grits his teeth in frustration and pulled Yugi effortlessly back on top of the building to safety. He scowls at the small teen before returning his attention to Varon. Without hesitation, Yugi hid behind a large power box on the roof. Yami and Varon stood before each other, meticulously glaring into each other's eyes.
"I had to see it for myself. You, one of the strongest of us, protecting and living alongside a human? So the rumors are true. Gone soft, have you?" Varon smirked tauntingly at Yami across from him.
"I'm in this for my own gain. Make no mistake about that, half breed. " Yami growled.
"My comrades and I are very much aware of your attempts to thwart Master's takeover. It was something you were once apart of before you betrayed us…before you betrayed him." Varon glared with such hatred.
Yami smirked. "Maybe I thought it was time for me to move onto better pastures. It was more promising than being a domesticated pet, like you…"
"Still arrogant as ever. It will be the death of you." Varon spoke.
Yami glared, "I've already died twice."
"Care to shoot for a third?" Varon joked menacingly. And with the snap of his fingers, vociferous snarls and barks that wailed unholy enclosed Yami. Glowing, yellow eyes pierced through the surrounding darkness as the growls became more vociferous with every approach towards him.
"Try hard as you might to conceal it from me, I've noticed that you are losing strength and you have been for some time now. I guess protecting that human boy is a full time job. You haven't been feeding as much as you should." Varon spoke as Yami stood, undaunted by the intimidating snarls surrounding him from the shadows.
Yami could hear the snarls along with the loud thunder bellowing through the blackened sky as the lightning flashed, exposing the menacing creatures as they approached him. They took the appearance of demonic canines and were over the size of full grown wolves. They were hairless, their skin as black as coal with a short wolf-like snout lined with elongated drooling fangs in its gaping jaws as their rancid breath as if the smell of rotted flesh and sulfur. The frames of their spines and skeletal structure took the appearance of emaciated, yet muscular bodies. Their overgrown, razor-like claws scraped against the cement as they sauntered towards him.
"Do you like them? They're a new breed; hybrid of a lycan, like yourself, and the genetic structure of the hellhound. It took years to perfect." Varon boasted.
Yami glowered at the approaching creatures. "They're revolting abominations. Mindless slaves, no doubt." He then turned his attention to Varon and smirked. "No one on one…or does your master have you on a short leash?"
"As much as I would love to take you up on your offer just like old times, I'm afraid I can't…" Varon grinned. "…at least not tonight. My honest reason for being here was to deliver a message…and I think I've done that quite well. Besides, I had my fun with your human boy. He didn't disappoint." He stood and made his way towards the door of the staircase as he casually waved with a grin. "Well…time for me to take my leave. It's been real, Yami. It was nice catching up after all these years, I'll be sure to stop by more often. I had a wonderful time. Oh, and remember to have fun with your new playmates." He spoke as he closed the door behind him, leaving Yami to fend off the ferocious hybrids.
As the outnumbering hybrids surrounded him, circling his every move, Yami remained undaunted by the menacing glares and barks. He growls and bears his fangs and lengthens his claws in retaliation as one of them charges and leaps towards him, initiating the first onslaught. He effortlessly grasped the creature by the neck, sinking his claws into its neck as it snarled in his face. He grinned sinisterly and tightened his grip as he impaled his teeth into the creature's neck, ripping into the flesh. He then threw the dead hybrid across the roof as if it were a rag doll. Unfrighten by the fallen member of their pack, numerous hybrids charged towards him as Yami gashed and fought from what seemed the never ending onslaught of hybrids, using whatever strength he had left in his human form. Soon, Yami fell to his knees, weakened from exhaustion, surrounded by the mutilated corpses of hybrids but left with more to fight as they stalked him, licking their chops. If he was going to survive, he knew he wasn't in his current state. He growled from frustration.
Meanwhile, hearing all the commotion, Yugi gathered up enough courage to peek from his hiding spot. There he saw Yami on his knees, surrounded by what he thought were massive, rabid dogs as well as the dismembered corpses of the creatures. His eyes were wide with awe and fright as he glanced at those crimson eyes of Yami began to glow brightly. Those eyes…Yugi was yet again lost in those eyes. It was those same eyes from before in the alley. But tonight they were different. They showed signs of great anger and bloodlust…they had become the eyes of a raging beast. An apprehensive chill ran down Yugi's spine when he heard the unearthly growls escape from Yami's mouth followed by a terrifying roar. It was something he's never seen or heard in his life. He then observed in disbelief as Yami began to transform into his beastly, wolf form; no longer the young man he was moments ago.
He continued to observe the battle in dismay as the hybrid canines attacked and swarmed around the massive, black furred beast; clawing, gnawing and pulling at the skin and flesh, trying to overpower Yami. He roared as he felt the intense pain of the piercing teeth and claws shred into his body. He felt one of the hybrids leaping onto him and penetrates his fangs into the flesh of his back and pulled with the intent of ripping it. Letting out another roar from the pain, he seizes the hybrid from off his back before letting out a daunting wail in the creature's snarling face and throws it into the air as it crashes into the nearby florescent billboard, the surge of the electricity frying the body of the hybrid. Yugi took cover from the falling glass and debris of the billboard crashing around him as well as the charred corpse of the hybrid as it fell in front of him with a loud 'thud'. Frightened by the appearance of the lifeless creature lying in front of him, he quickly backs away, covering his nose and mouth, hoping to shield the strong aroma of the burned flesh emitting off the seared body. He then felt a slimy substance gush onto his shoulder and neck. The warmth of the substance slightly made him shudder as he dared himself to slowly glance up to see where it was coming from and there stood a snarling hybrid standing over him on top of his hiding spot, drooling profusely. The frightened young boy backed away from the bloodcurdling creature, his panicky eyes making sure not to lose sight of the hybrid in front of him. His heartbeat began to race as he quickly loses his balance over the previous dead hybrid and falls onto the ground. Before he could react and regain his stability, he saw the creature leap towards him and was swiftly tackled by Yami in seconds, still in his lycan form.
Yugi watched as the creature was pinned down and cringed at the sound of gashing flesh as Yami gnawed into the neck of the hybrid. He howled triumphantly that echoed in the cold night with the lifeless body of the creature in his jaws as he threw it onto the blood soaked ground. Yugi couldn't help but stare at the ground which resembled more of a crime scene. The roof was covered with the mutilated bodies of the creatures as well as their blood. He's never witnessed so much carnage, let alone something that was only known in horror movies and fiction literature. As he turned his attention to the beastly Yami, blood trickling from his jaws as well from his wounds, he noticed his weakened and weary condition when Yugi's eyes interlocked with Yami's deep crimson eyes which also displayed signs of fatigue. He stared cautiously into the beast's weary eyes as he heard the strenuous breaths, grunts and growls from Yami before suddenly collapsing onto the ground. Hastily standing to his feet, Yugi took this opportunity to try and escape, taking advantage of Yami's current state. As he turned to run, something in the back of his mind made him cease in his tracks. After a short moment, he turned and glanced at the beast lying in a pool of its own blood. He releases deep sigh of anxiety as he gradually approach towards him. He could see that the massive beast was still barely breathing and unconscious. His body was covered with grave lacerations and puncture wounds with some patches black fur matted from the minimum areas of dried blood stains. The resilient beast he witnessed fight an onslaught of those monsters, tearing through them as if their bodies were made of paper, was now helpless as a newborn puppy on the verge of death. Any other person would have taken this opportunity to run away or take advantage of his condition and destroyed the monster, but not Yugi. Despite the horrible treatment he received from him since day one, something forced him to take mercy on the beast.
Yugi cautiously reached out to comfort him when suddenly before his very eyes the beast was reverted back into the young man he was moments before the battle. There Yami rested, unconscious, his bare body covered in the same wounds. Yugi's cheeks flushed with a bright red, blushing from the sight of Yami's perfectly toned and framed nudity lying before him. Without a moment's hesitation, Yugi shuts his eyes tightly and takes off his jacket, covering Yami's unclothed body.
It was a long while before Yami feebly opened his eyes, his blurred vision adjusting to his surroundings. He hastily lunges himself up when he finds himself resting on the couch, realizing that he was now in the living room, his bare upper chest wrapped in bandages and the lower half wearing a pair of gray sweatpants. Experiencing some lightheadedness, he grunts feebly and rubs his forehead before rubbing his eyes to try and rid them of the blurred vision. He could feel his face covered with some band aids. Memories of the fight flash in his mind; becoming enraged by them and tries to rip off his bandages.
"I wouldn't do that." Yugi spoke has he emerged from the kitchen with a bucket of hot water and washcloths. "You were injured critically while fighting those things. I wasn't sure if you were going to survive the night."
"Don't touch me!" Yami shouted back angrily. "My wounds would have mended rapidly with time. Your assistance wasn't required."
'Wow, you're welcome.' Yugi thought to himself as he rolled his eyes. "It didn't look like that to me. You're injuries were severe," he then spoke as he kneeled next to Yami near the couch and dipped the washcloth in the hot water. "You were unconscious the entire time. I had to carry you here, which wasn't exactly easy."
Yami questionably glared at the small teen next to him. "You…brought me here…?"
"Yeah." Yugi nodded with a slight blush, remembering Yami's bare frame, as he brought the hot cloth to the deep laceration wound on Yami's arm.
Yami defensively snatched his arm away from him. "Are you deaf, boy? Don't touch me!" he growled.
Yugi angrily glared and scowled at the stubborn young man. By this time, he had enough. "Just hold still! You're wounds need to be cleaned!" He shouted as he forcibly grasped Yami's injured arm and wrapped the hot cloth around the wound.
Yami hisses in pain as the hot water made contact onto the infected flesh. "That hurts, you idiot!" he then shouted furiously into the teen's face.
"It wouldn't hurt so much if you would have kept still and stop being so stubborn!" Yugi shouted back into the face of Yami. Now, at this point and time, it became a shouting match between the two.
"You dare raise your voice to me?" Yami continued to shout back, flaunting his long canines. "This was all your doing in the first place! I never would have had these injuries if you heeded my warnings!"
Yugi remained silent and looked away in shame, "You're right…safety was the last thing on my mind…it might mean nothing to you, but I'm sorry…" he spoke calmly. "I just thought…" he shakes his head. "No. I was stupid. I should have known…I've always been so damn gullible…"
Yami was surprised by the unusual submission as well as the unexpected outburst of anger from someone who is usually so meek. Yugi was silent and continues to gently clean Yami's wound. There was also silence from Yami until he spoke, "You said you brought me here…why?"
"Well, I'm really sure I couldn't take you to the hospital. It would have been hard to give an explanation…" Yugi spoke.
Yugi glared, "No. I meant why did you bother to bring me here when you could have undoubtedly left me to die? You would have been justified to do so."
"You're right, I could have…but I chose not to. It's not in my nature to turn my back on someone in need, even if the person is a cruel, supernatural being like you…" Yugi said while cleaning the washcloth in the bucket of water. "Besides, whether we like it or not, we need each other for the time being. You, to protect me, and I, to assist you in stopping whatever it is these things that are after me is planning…"
Yugi began to wrap the bandages around the wound of Yami's arm, "By the way…thank you…for saving my life…though it was done out of obligation…thank you just the same…" he bashfully spoke while secreting his blushing face.
Yami turned his head away in silence, not knowing how to react to the sudden act of sympathy and gratitude from the small teen. Yugi's compassionate and moral nature was something he has never experienced from anyone in his centuries of living and he undoubtedly never returned those feelings to anyone since. It was unheard of for a human to willingly aid an immortal being of sinister descent. He just grunted with a slight nod, not wanting to liberate himself of his stubbornness and callous exterior.
Yugi glanced to Yami and noticed him looking away and couldn't help but smile a little, holding back a giggle. He knew it was his stubbornness that kept him from responding properly. Though he was familiar with Yami's cruel and malicious nature, he felt beneath all that anger and hatred was something left of him that was human. If that's true, perhaps there was a chance for him to bring that part of Yami to the surface and finding out anything of his past could help shed some light on his negative outlook on life and humans. He had a strong feeling Yami wasn't born malicious. Something or someone planted the malevolent seed that created the cruel being in front of him. He can only hope, if he uncovered the secrets of the mysterious young man, it will lead to a process of change and Yami warming up to him, but this would be something he would have to tread carefully. It wasn't like Yami was just going to willingly share about his life to him, let alone let him sneak around and ask questions. It would have to be done in secrecy and hastily. His life depended on it.
To Be Continued...
Author's Note: If you have any questions, comments, creative and helpful criticism or to clear up some confusion regarding this chapter or this story, please share to me and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Please tell me your opinion and I will respectfully hear them out, even if there is something that requires correction or editing, please let me know so I can go back reedit the chapter. I apologize for the really long delay in this chapter. So many things got in the way of trying to finish it, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to try and make this chapter longer. I haven't forgotten about you all and I really want to continue with this story! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I will do my best in hastily bringing you the next chapter. Thank you all so much for your support and reviews! I read them all and I enjoy every one of them. :)