Darkness: To Find it or be Found by it

Even though the meeting had ended, Seto, Mahad, and Joseph couldn't take their minds off the matter. "You know, I'm actually surprised that the heir of Cobalt hasn't made himself known yet," said Mahad. "You would think he would after the announcement the queen made to the public."

Joseph smiles and shows optimism. "Relax, you worry too much. I'm sure that the heir of Cobalt and the evil Star are right under our noses." Then he jokes to himself, "The best place to hide as long as we're not sneezing."

Seto heard him and hit him on the head. "This is not funny," he scolded. "But you make a good point. That's probably how he wants it. He knows everything, but is waiting to attack until the time is right for him. And I can wager that the time is when our princess will be born."

Joseph rubs his head. "But that's supposed to be when spring starts. What are we supposed to do in the meantime? Sit and wait for him to attack us or go out there and find him first?"

Both Mahad and Seto had a hard time trying to decide. For one, they didn't know the first thing about the enemy they knew, yet didn't know. Meaning that they didn't know what they would be up against once they would encounter him. Since it would be a first, they had to be cautious, patient, and think things through. But they had to protect the royal family and the people of their kingdom.

Typically, the silence made Joseph impatiently decide for himself. "Well, that's it then."

"Where are you going," Mahad asks.

"I'm going to find him right now," he answered. "He does his work at night." Then he headed outside to get his Flygon ready.

Seto and Mahad follow him and try to persuade him to stop, but he stubbornly refuses to listen to him. They finally give in and decide to follow him by riding their own beasts Salamence and Latios. The three friends decided that the first place to look would be in the outskirts since that was where many of Cobalt's followers lived.

They landed their dragons in the outskirts and stopped to rest for a while. It was a big place and they knew that the heir of Cobalt could be anywhere. But Seto and Mahad hoped that their Millennium Items would detect his presence. If the Millennium Star could sense the Cobalt Star, there was no reason why the Millennium Items couldn't.

Everyone decided that they needed to store up their energy for when they would be ready to meet the heir of Cobalt, so a fire was set and dinner was made. While they ate, they went back to the matter and talked about Luna. Joseph considered Luna his friend and didn't like hearing others speak ill of her. But he had to bring himself to agree with Mahad and Seto because they had legitimate reasons even if they were personal opinions.

"She is a spy," said Seto, "but not for us. If she was, she would be telling us everything she knows about the heir of Cobalt. But the way I see it, she comes to the palace to gather information on the royal family and pass it on to him."

Joseph swallowed a bite of his fish and spoke up. "Well, didn't it occur to you that perhaps Luna's silence is an act of protection? She is trying to be cautious so she doesn't end up being killed."

"It still doesn't seem that way to me," Seto argued. "I say she is keeping herself alive to help the enemy attack and kill the royal family."

Mahad decides to interfere as usual and stop an argument from rising. "Both of you stop. We don't know anything about our enemy and trust is becoming a difficult matter. We shouldn't be quick to make assumptions without first gathering as much information as we can. That is why we are here. Whatever Luna's reasons are for being secretive, we have to take matters into our own hands." He drinks from his flask and continues on. "Although it is true that our queen revealed to the Egyptian people that she is heiress of Millennia, whether or not the heir of Cobalt knows is at this moment unclear. Pray he remains ignorant of her secrets."

"So if he knows," Joseph was saying, "He'll come to the palace to attack her?"

"Attack, kill, destroy, condemn to the Shadow Realm," Seto answered. "But while we're here, we should keep quiet about our queen. Our enemy could be hiding in the shadows and listening to us."

Mahad nods in agreement and finishes his meal. Then his Millennium Ring starts reacting. The pointers on the Ring start moving around. "Something evil is nearby. It is hard to tell what kind of force it is, but it is too weak to be the Cobalt Star." Hearing that, the men learned that they were in the right vicinity. But it was still too soon to act. They didn't know what they would be up against, so they couldn't afford to make a hasty or careless mistake.

The Millennium Ring started acting up again, only much stronger. "Wait a minute," Mahad says, now standing up and looking more alert. "There's something else out there." Seto and Joseph stand up also and follow his gaze into the southwestern direction. Since the force was this strong, it wasn't far away, so they could walk.

They found themselves standing before the ruins of Kul Elna. They looked in surprise and fear. Neither Seto nor Joseph had any idea what could have happened. Mahad knew all of its secrets, but didn't think it would be wise to tell his friends. Perhaps the darkness he was sensing was coming from the spirits of the village.

Joseph volunteered to go and check things out. He knew the Millennium Items would make his friends easily detectable. Since he didn't have a Millennium Item, he would be safe and unnoticed. He wouldn't be able to sense any force of darkness, but it wouldn't matter. Just one quick glance would be enough.

Mahad knew Joseph would be unprotected, so he suggested, "We should head back to the palace and alert the royals."

Joseph was just as scared, but he didn't want his friends to sense his fear. So he chuckled and assured them that he would be all right. "Don't worry, Mahad. Nothing's going to happen."

No matter what the situation or how worried they were, Mahad and Seto would let Joseph have his way. Sometimes it was a good thing to do, but if he really would end up in trouble, then they would take action and come to his rescue. It was only good because he would help them gather information. Seto sighed in submission, then asked, "Well, what are we supposed to do while you're gone?"

"Nothing," Joseph answered. "Absolutely nothing. Do not draw attention to yourselves." Then he disguised himself in a hooded robe. "I'll be back in a few minutes." So he started his path down the village.

As he was walking, Joseph started having second thoughts. Since nighttime was the time the heir of Cobalt would start his attacks, he would probably be out attacking the nearest villages. The outskirts were his domain, but he would be out making his rounds. Realizing that, he went back to Mahad and Seto and told them so. That was when they decided to come back in the morning.

And they did come back in the morning. Things started out quiet, so they took it easy for a while. Mahad's Millennium Ring hadn't been acting strangely; meaning that they were safe. "We should take this time to plan," suggested Mahad.

"I agree," said Joseph. "We need to think things through. To find the heir of Cobalt, we have to think like a follower of Cobalt. We have to know what they want and where they would go."

Seto grinned, liking the idea. "Say the heir of Cobalt does know everything. He may be wanting us to think that. Then he'll be expecting us to search for him. But he'll already be out of our reach."

Just thinking about it started giving Joseph a headache. "Just when I start to think we're onto him, he's actually onto us."

"This is all hypothetical," Mahad assured. "But it may just be that way. The heir of Cobalt is cunning and not to be taken for a fool. This is also for sure, we're dealing with a dangerous man. But there may be a way to investigate him undetected." Then he stood up and placed his fingers on his friends' foreheads.

"What are you doing?" Joseph asked.

"I am casting a spell that will allow us to communicate mentally. That way, if the heir of Cobalt is nearby, he won't be able to hear us. I will also make sure he won't be able to see us." Then he started incanting a magic spell. The three men turned invisible. "These protective enchantments will conceal us and hide our scents from any monsters. Just remember, keep quiet and calm." Finally, they started on the path to Kul Elna.

Since they were invisible, they would easily get lost from each other. That was why mental communication came in handy. Of course, the enchantments wouldn't last long, meaning that they had to be quick. That didn't mean they didn't have to be careful. Mahad went to the square of the village. With so much evil in the atmosphere, it was hard to know for certain which part of the village to check out. Seto and Joseph thoroughly investigated every house. Strangely, every one of them was empty.

When the enchantments wore off, the three met up again in the square. "I don't understand," Mahad told them. "The forces of darkness are strongest here. I was certain that the heir of Cobalt would be here."

"It's clear that he's onto us," said Joseph. "He must have known we would be coming back." Then he growls of impatience. "This is practically a game to him. He's toying with us like a rat would to cats."

Mahad was also beginning to lose his patience. He was about to speak up until his Millennium Ring started shining. "Why is it acting like this?"

"Could be trouble," Joseph suggested. "That's what it usually means."

"Never mind that," Seto told him. "We are the ones in trouble." The others follow his gaze and see three dogs coming their way. The dogs stop in front of them growling with their teeth bared.

Joseph cries out and gets behind Seto. "Don't let them get me," he whined.

Irritated, Seto asks him, "Do I look like a human shield to you!?"

Nervously, he answers, "I'm not going to lie to you, Seto. Yes, you do." He said that because Seto was much older and stronger than he was.

The dogs finally soften their growling after hearing a whistle. The three friends see a man dressed in a hooded black cloak. "Well, this is unexpected," the man told them. "Pardon my dogs. Anyone they see trespassing on our home is an enemy. But it's clear that you three men are royalty." He looks closely at Mahad and Seto and tells them, "Based upon your clothes and golden ornaments, I assume that the two of you are high priests. And your friend must be your squire."

Joseph growls, taking that as an insult. "And you must be the man we've been searching for."

They can't see it under his hood, but he's smiling. "I suppose I'm a wanted criminal," he joked. "But I guess that's to be expected. I am well known around these parts." He finally lifts his hood and reveals his features. "Perhaps it's time we became acquainted. I am Bakura."

Mahad's eyes widen. "You are Bakura?" he repeated.

"I've heard that name somewhere before," Joseph whispers.

Seto leans closer to him and whispers back, "So have I. He is the criminal the people here have mentioned. They say he is a master thief and vicious murderer."

"I can hear you over there," Bakura told them. "Did any of those pitiful excuses for barbarians also happen to mention accusing me of being Cobalt's true heir?"

"Actually," Mahad was saying, "we were about to assume the same thing. I sense great darkness within you; practically stronger than any other dark force I have ever sensed before. We do not know for sure because we do not hold the Millennium Star, but perhaps you could tell us the truth."

Bakura keeps silent for a moment, then starts laughing. They see black bat wings emerging from behind him and unfolding. "There's nothing to tell. The truth is out." The three friends gaze in fear and amazement. "But I'm afraid I can't let you go free. Now that you know my secret, you must pay the price. There are many different kinds of punishments I could inflict upon you." While Bakura thinks of a way to torture his victims, Mahad, Seto, and Joseph take this chance to escape. Bakura growls and sends his dogs to go after them.

Joseph turns back and sees the dogs coming. He runs back to them to hold them off and give his friends the chance to escape. He tries fighting the dogs off, but they keep leaping on him and biting him. Mahad and Seto come back with their dragons and send the dogs running back. Darkrai takes their place in the fight and launches his Dark Void attack, putting the dragons to sleep and forcing them to have haunting nightmares. The dragons fall to the ground and the men tumble off of their backs. They landed in the middle of the desert. They were far away from their enemies, but also far from the city.

Seto picked up his hat, dusted it, and placed it back on his head. Mahad did the same with his headdress and gathered his medical supplies. Joseph was covered with so many scratches and bite marks that it hurt to move and stand up. He knew he had to be treated. Mahad took a vial of medicine and rubbed it all over Joseph's scratches. Joseph winced and hissed, but he tried to endure it. Finally, after applying the medicine, Mahad wrapped clean fabric around Joseph's arms and legs.

"There. That should do it," Mahad said, tightly wrapping the fabric. "Take it easy and don't strain yourself or your wounds will open up again."

Joseph smiled weakly. His lower lip was swollen and bleeding from when Houndoom's paw landed on his face and scratched it. "You really are a reliable companion. Now I just need a new pair of clothes."

Seto began rubbing medicine on his own scrapes and said to Joseph, "I'm sure we can sew up those tears and wash away those stains."

"What are we going to do now?" Joseph asked.

"We start making our way back home," said Seto. But that would be a difficult task. With the dragons having nightmares, it would be hard to snap them back to their senses.

Joseph wanted to go home and rest, but getting home was actually the least of his worries. "No, I meant about Bakura," he clarified. "He is going to attack the royal family, guys. Now that we know what we are up against, what do we do?"

Seto keeps silent for a second, then turns to his friends and gives them a simple and obvious answer. "We stop him." But that response led to another question: how would they stop him? The magic of their Millennium Items don't come close to the magic of the Cobalt Star. What would also be the use of planning? They already knew that no matter what, Bakura would be one step ahead and be expecting them to do something. All they could do now was stay on their toes and wait.

Another question arose. "Should we tell the pharaoh and queen what we found out today?" Joseph soon realized it was pointless to ask that. Of course, they would have to tell them.

But Seto instead answered, "No. The less they know, the better. That man is bad news. In the meantime, we should continue to gather as much information as we can about him; what his objectives are and who he is. If Luna refuses to help us, we have to do it ourselves."

"And when he does make his move," Mahad was asking, "What do we do?"

"I don't know yet," Seto answered. "But for now, we need to be prepared for anything. We need to make ourselves strong, cunning, and steady. Mahad, I think it is time you started training your students for combat. And, Joseph, have the royal beasts trained as well. No holding back; give it all you've got."

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy, Seto," Joseph told him. "Don't make it sound like war has begun. While I agree we need to be prepared, we shouldn't be hard on our students and guardians."

"We cannot just sit by and pretend nothing is wrong," said Mahad. "But if we train like we are going into war, Bakura will assume that. I believe that for the time being, we should keep quiet and act as though nothing has changed. If we do that, Bakura won't assume we may be planning something."

Seto takes time to think about it. "I see, it's the element of surprise. Bakura won't be able to suspect a thing. He'll assume we're ignoring the matter. And when he comes to attack us, we'll be ready for him."

"Great idea," said Joseph. "But how are we going to surprise him?"

"I suppose we will just have to improvise," said Mahad. "Take whatever comes our way and make the most of it." The three friends found themselves agreeing on the matter and began thinking of ideas on how to make their plan work.