A Yugi/Yami story
Through a Dragon's Eye
Chapter 5-The Legend of the Vanishing Isle
The sky was so bright and sunny you never would have thought that a storm had ever happened. Yami got up and looked out from the cave to look at the sky; he knew that the time will come tomorrow. He left the cave to walk a few feet into the bright sunshine, and smelled the rich, raw air. He wasn't alone for long though, a few minutes later he heard Yugi's footsteps right behind him, walking toward him.
"Yugi?" he said uncertainly. "I say we ought to leave tomorrow. I was thinking that we spend today collecting food, firewood, water, and everything else we can carry." He didn't look at Yugi; he didn't want to see his expression.
"Great, let's get to work."
You could have knocked Yami over with a feather. He did not see that one coming. "You really mean it? I thought that you would want to stay for a while."
Yugi shrugged at that, "Well I know that we can't stay here forever. And the sooner we leave the sooner we can find that enchanted ship." He was excited, he wanted to find that ship as soon as possible and sail through the sky, like he always dreamt about. When his parents were alive, his mother always told him that he would be the one to find the ship... though he never believed her when she told him about the ultimate treasure.
He was still very young when she told him the story, but he remembered it clearly.
(Flashback)
4 year old, Yugi was being carried back to the hut by his father. (His father had the same hair as Yugi did, and he had his mother's face and eyes) he had helped his father collect firewood for the night and he was so tired, that his father had to carry him piggyback and the firewood in each hand. It was getting dark, and he could smell his mother cooking stew for their dinner, when they had arrived home his mother had welcomed them back with her smile and her amethyst eyes, shining.
After dinner, his mother had told him the story of Merlin and Morgan le Fay and the enchanted ship.
"A terrible war was fought for a power, beyond anything they had ever imagined," said his mother. "This power was greater than any magician and according to the legend, whoever had the strength to posses it, would have their destiny changed forever."
"What do you mean their destiny?" asked Yugi excitedly. His mother gave him a beautiful smile before continuing, "I mean that it has the power to turn the poor into kings, and making the weak strong. Cowards can become heroes, and the weakest of magic will become the most powerful of magicians. So people began to fight over the power.
Many kings and soldiers fought to gain control of it; however, many innocent people lost their lives over the fighting. So it was decided that the power would be hidden away, in a tower in the middle of the ocean. It was the great wizards, Merlin and Morgan le Fay who decided the power's fate.
They created a vanishing isle, an island in the middle of the ocean that disappeared and appeared only when someone came to claim it. They sealed the power away at the very, top of a tower on the vanishing isle and, as an extra protection; they put up a magical mist around the island so that only a chosen person can find it.
As you can imagine, the kings and people that fought for control of it were angry at the two wizards for locking the ultimate power away, far beyond their reach. They demanded that Merlin and Morgan release its power and give it to them. The wizards refused many times, but they were finally resorted to placing a curse upon the greedy. They were sealed into the magical mist surrounding the island itself, so instead of gaining the ultimate power, they would be cursed to guard it until the time that a chosen one would come and rightfully claim it."
"A chosen one?" asked Yugi confused. "Mommy, what do you mean?"
"Well, Merlin, himself, said that only a child who is completely pure of heart… will be able to see through the cursed mist. When that child see's through the mist then all the kings and soldiers that were sealed inside it would allow them to sail through. The legend goes like this:"
"In vain glory they arose,
Shouting challenges at the magic.
But prevail they did not. Their doom it was
To guard the power until time's end."
"So, Yugi, the only way that those cursed in that mist can become free is for a child to go to the vanishing isle and claim the power. And to this day, the power still waits on top of the tower, unable to give its gift to anyone."
"WOW," said Yugi in wonder. "Mommy, how does the child get to the vanishing isle? Where is it?"
His mother smiled at him again as she tucked him into the bed, "Well, Merlin and Morgan le Fay knew that someone special would arrive, someday, to claim the power. So they made it so that there is only one way for the right child to get to the isle. So do you know what they did?" she asked him.
When Yugi shook his head, his eyes as big as dinner plates, his mother whispered to him, "They used their powerful magic to create a ship. But not an ordinary one, no, this ship didn't sail upon the sea. It sailed through the sky."
Yugi gasped. A flying ship? It was the most amazing thing he ever heard.
"You see," continued his mother. "The hull of the ship was assembled a compact special construction of light and enchanted wood, it was made so that the wood would never rot. The stern is a superstructure that contains the Captain's cabin and the bridge, it also included other rooms that may also be located in the hull. The ships rudder wheel and the levers that control the hull weights and sails are located there.
The masts carried square sails consisting of panels of magical linen, which will never tear, and each sail can be spread or closed at a pull, like a blind. The ship was made for speed, not battle, so it was a narrow galley, and was incredibly fast, great for negotiating shallow waterways, essential when running from pursuit. Their chief notable design characteristic is a pear-shaped hull cross section, narrower at the main deck level, but broadening out considerably down to the waterline.
The Hull of the ship is split into two sections; the fore hull normally contains the crew sleeping quarters and a hold and the back which contains a cargo bay, food storage, galley, and the weights used to control the ships balance.
The most distinguishing feature of a sky ship is its bow. It was in the shape of a dragon, which was said to protect the ship in any kinds of weather, and it was also what gave the ship the power to fly..
They built this magic ship for children, and when that child finds it, all they have to do is tell the ship where they want to go… and it will take them there. However, to prevent just anyone from just taking the ship, the two wizards hid it far away."
Yugi sat up and asked his mother while he was jumping up and down on the bed, "Where? Where did they hide it?"
His mother held up her hands, and Yugi knew that she wouldn't tell him until he stops jumping. So he sat down on the bed and waited. When she was sure that Yugi was calm down she whispered softly,
"On the farthest shores,
Beyond the dagger rocks
And past the river of time...
Shrouded deep in a roiling mist...
The sacred ship sleeps: its name… Swiftflight
Who knows the Paths?
Children, alone, know the way."
"You see, Yugi?" she asked him when his mouth dropped. "The ships name… Swiftflight. It's the flying ship."
"Swiftflight," whispered Yugi in an amazed tone.
"But…" said his mother, "Merlin and Morgan le Fay also placed a curse on the vanishing isle. They made it so that only the right could make it to the top of the tower."
"What did they do, Mommy?" asked Yugi excitedly. "What kind of curse did they put on it?"
"Well here is how the legend goes," said his mother,
"Lo, Child, born from days unfold,
Oh, young, pure heart, free of any evil.
Know this: This tower
Challenges the sky,
Where the watcher; the true guardian,
He waits, for one with a pure heart.
Those without power,
Want it not.
Those with power,
Trust it not.
Those with sight,
Heed it not.
Destroy the illusion,
Cut through to the true path.
You must choose the right way, but not just for yourself,
Decide what is most important in the end."
Yugi stared at his mother in amazement. But he was confused by something, "Mommy," he said. "What does it mean? The watcher… the true guardian… who is he? And what does it mean, those without power, want it not? Those without power, want it not? Those with sight, heed it not? What does that all mean? And the last part… what was it?"
His mother shook her head, "I don't know, only the right child will know what it means… and even then… only at the right time… will they know. You see, it's a prophecy that Merlin and Morgan le Fay made many years ago, they made it so that only the right child will be able to fulfill it. And as to who the watcher is… the watcher is an ancient creature whose soul duty is to protect the ultimate power until the time came when someone with a pure, untainted heart will make a choice.
"What is that creature?" asked Yugi.
"Miasmador," replied his mother. "Miasmador is a dragon."
Yugi stared at her. A dragon? That was the true guardian of the power? Yugi was amazed, he always wanted to see a dragon… but now he really wanted to see the guardian.
His mother went on, "The child will be forced to make a decision… one that will decide their own fate… and the fate of someone close to them. They will make a decision; on top of that tower… they will decide what is most important to them."
"What is most important to them? What is that?" he asked.
"I don't know, little one," said his mother gently. "But I will tell you this," she then got very serious. "I know that you are the one to find that ship… I know that you will be the one to reach the vanishing isle… and I know that you will make the choice on top of that tower."
Yugi stared at his mother as though she lost her mind. "Me?" he asked her. "But… but you said only a person with a pure heart will be able to find the ship. And with the ship they will fly to the vanishing isle. I don't have a pure heart."
His mother shook her head; she then placed her hands on both sides of his face and looked at him long and hard.. "No, Yugi," she said so quietly that Yugi almost couldn't hear her. "You don't see yourself the way that I do. The way that I and your father see you… you have a pure and strong heart. Don't ever think otherwise."
Yugi tried to say something to her, but she interrupted. "Yugi, I know from the bottom of my heart, that you will be the one to find the ship… and once you do you will find your way to the isle. You will reach the top of the tower… and you will make that choice. And I know that you will make the right choice."
His mother then kissed the top of his head, forced him down on the bed and tucked him. She got up to leave when Yugi asked her, "Mommy?" she stopped to look back at her son. "If I really am the right child… then what makes you think that I'll make the right choice?"
She smiled at him, you could see the love in it, "Because, Yugi. You have a good heart… one that is pure… and I know that in the end you will make the right choice."
She then turned and left… leaving Yugi alone to think about what she had just told him. He thought about it for a long time… and wondered why his mother would tell him all that.
(End of Flashback)
Yugi stared ahead of him, completely lost in though. He never understood why his mother had thought that he was the right child. But if he ever did find that ship, he would go to the isle… but not for the power. He wanted to see the guardian.
He told Yami the story last night, during the storm.
(Flashback to last night, after the Yugi told the story)
"Miasmador?" asked Yami in wonder. "Boy, I give anything to see him."
"That's what I said," said Yugi. "I don't know if that story is true, but my mom sure believed it is. So that's one of the reasons I left the village… I'm trying to find that ship, so that I can find that vanishing isle and see the guardian."
"You really think that you're the right child," asked Yami curiously.
Yugi shook his head. "I don't know why my mother said I was, but I really don't think that I'm the right person. No I just want to find that ship and sail wherever I want to. Why?"
Yami shrugged and asked, "Do you think that your parents would have wanted you to go after it?"
Yugi sat in silence for a while before answering, "Mine- mine had already died before that. I told you that the plague took them both."
Yami went red, and put his head down. "I'm sorry. I keep forgetting. I never should have asked." Yugi shook his head." It's okay. It's been two years now.. After that, I lived on my own for a while, but it got lonely; I didn't want to come home to an empty house anymore, so I left. "
Now Yami felt really bad. "I'm sorry," he said again. Yugi looked at Yami full in the face, "You don't have to keep apologizing. Really, it's ok. I'm just glad that it's all in the past now. I'm not alone now… right?"
Yami smiled. "Yeah, neither of us has to be alone anymore. We'll find that ship, and then we'll head off towards the vanishing isle, and see the guardian real quick. I don't know about you but I don't think that we should get to chose to the guardian. After that… we'll be free. Free to go anywhere we want to."
Yugi nodded but something was bothering him. "Yami, it's not going to be easy. How do we know that we'll make it?"
Yami thought that over for a second before answering, "If I lean on you and you lean on me… then I think that we'll be okay."
(End of Flashback)
"If I lean on you and you lean on me… then I think that we'll be okay."
Those thoughts kept playing over and over and over again, in Yugi's head. What did Yami mean? He guessed that all he could do was to just trust Yami.
The two boys spent the rest of the day collecting all the food, herbs, and water they could. At the end of the day; they once again were sitting beside the fire, and talking about where they should go to.
"On the farthest shores,
Beyond the dagger rocks"
Yami thought for a long time about that line. "Well, the farthest shores are up north right?" he asked Yugi. When Yugi nodded Yami went on, "And the dagger rocks… that must mean that we have to go past some mountains." He then went on to the next few lines
And past the river of time...
Shrouded deep in a roiling mist...
The sacred ship sleeps: its name… Swiftflight
Who knows the Paths?
Children, alone, know the way."
He thought long and hard about that… "Well… I think that river of time is some kind of special river that we have to cross. And there is a lot of mist surrounding the area. Ok so I think that I got it. 'On the farthest shores' means that we have to go up north, 'beyond the dagger rocks' must mean that we have to cross some sharp looking mountains…
And past the river of time...Shrouded deep in a roiling mist.... we need to past some kind of river, past a strong mist. And once we passed through all of that… we've found Swiftflight. At least I hope so."
Yugi was impressed. He never would have thought of all that, "So, the journey begins at dawn?" he asked.
Yami nodded. "Think about it? We'll find that ship and then everything will get better for us."
Not long after that, they lay down and covered themselves with the blanket, and waited for sleep to come to them.
"So," said Yugi. "You really think that we'll find the ship if we head north?"
"You bet," said Yami smiling. "It's sure better than wandering around with no place left to go."
"But…" said Yugi in a worried tone, "What if the ship isn't real or what if we go all that way and we don't find anything? What will we do then? It'll be all my fault."
Yami shook his head and put his arm around Yugi's shoulders, "I know that the ship is real," he said. "We will find it. And then everything will be ok… you'll see. And even if the ship isn't real, then it will be my fault also for thinking that we needed to go north." He looked at Yugi and said very seriously, "Let's make a promise, alright? We'll promise that no matter what happens we'll always look after each other. Deal?"
"Deal," said Yugi quietly. He finally understood what the man had said, just a few days ago. A true friend really does want nothing more from you than the pleasure of your company. And even if the ship wasn't real… as long as he had someone here by his side; then he knew that they'll both be alright in the end.
They both went to sleep at the same time, and they were holding hands when they did finally stop talking about the journey ahead of them, and went to sleep.
(The same creature from last night was watching them again)
It had watched them all day talk about 'the guardian.'
"So, they were leaving in the morning? They were heading up north to find the ship Swiftflight?" it thought.
It let out a smile, finally after all these years; someone will find the ship and head to the vanishing isle. The creature knew that there was something special about those boys and it knew that they'll find their way to the ship.
The creature stretch and got up from where it was sitting, and took flight. It was heading home. After all if the boys wanted to see Miasmador so badly, he should be there to greet them.
To be continued…
Yes, the creature watching them is the guardian Miasmador. If you want to find out if they ever do find there way to the Swiftflight and to the vanishing isle then keep up with the story. If any of you have any ideas though about a really cool adventure or two they might see along the way then let me know.