A Yugi/Yami story

Through a Dragon's Eye

Chapter 13-All Aboard!

He had no idea where they were because he had been blindfolded, knocked out, and blinded since the day by the stream. But now he saw that the sun was low and they were standing on the edge of the ocean, somewhere much farther north than he last opened his eyes outside. They were on the riverbank in air that was so cold, that it seemed to freeze his lungs. The sand he was on, felt like felt like little tiny shards of glass perching his feet, sharp hard rocks were scattered every few inches, and seaweed was spread on the sand like long bits of slimy trains of hair.

The ocean waves were swollen and fierce in its flow, the little grass on the bank; looked like smears of shadows like ink on a deep morning grey. This place would have been depressing enough if Yami didn't look to his right… and what he saw scared him more than anything else he'd seen so far… Waves break helplessly against the boat each side.

It was a ship.

Or, maybe it was once a ship would be the better word.

Yami had to pinch himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming, because there was no way that this could be real… more like a nightmare. He was sure that it had once been a wonder to look at, and was a very beautiful and elegant ship. But after his father had gotten hold it was scraped clean of all its former magnificence and became a home for barnacles, weeds, mold, and any other extras which increased drag. The wood planks were replaced with damaged from worms, rot, battle wounds, or age, and the hull was then coated with a layer of sulfur, tar, and tallow to give the ship a darkened look.

It was rigged with a larger fore-and-aft mainsail, and it could easily be altered for various sail combinations. The huge bowsprit also added more canvas area for more maneuverability. Thirty to sixty feet long that would have taken a crew of 20 to 70 men to master this beast and work it for lightning-swift attacks, avoiding broadsides, and outrunning pursuit.

With its large square sails hanging from arms on the three masts, they were all torn and stained as if it had seen too many battles. This virtual fort on water would use resistance only as a last but terrifying resort – Yami could easily tell that the broadsides were deadly. With the huge square sails that prevented sailing into the wind, the hull narrow at the top and broad at bottom, made it built for speed and power.

The ship scared Yami because it looked like something you would see at the bottom of the ocean and then hauled up to the surface. It looked like the kind of ship that death would have sailed on… probably did too.

Yami couldn't believe how far his father would go to get what he wanted. And he knew with a sickened heart that dear old dad wouldn't stop until he did get what he wanted. He had to do something to get them out of here… and he had to think fast.

The thugs then all of a sudden lifted Yami up like a rag doll and headed towards the boat. Yami didn't want to be anywhere near this horrible thing, he fought, struggled, bit, and thrashed around. "There is no way that you're getting me on that thing," he thought to himself.

He put up such a fight this time that the thug carrying him, had to slam him against the hard ground to stop him moving. Once again Yami saw stars, and he just curled up and fought not to pass out again. He could hear Yugi's voice behind him yelling something but he could make out the words as he fought against the darkness that was threatening to overtake him again. The thugs scooped him up once again and carried him over one shoulder like a backpack. And walked over the where the nightmare ship was docked. Yami's vision was starting to go out on him again.

Yugi was right behind Yami. Or rather the guy who was caring him like a ham was walking right behind the guy who was carrying Yami… but the point was that he was right behind him. He's eyes adjusted to the light fairly quickly and he saw what was happening to both him and Yami and what he saw scared him almost as much as the ship.

He could see things very clearly not long after they were pulled from the dungeon and the first thing that he saw was that they were clearly far away from where they first kidnapped. They were walking through a large stone tunnel with a solid chunk of rock beneath their feet. Their captors made loud thump… thump… thump… with every step, and the one guy behind them was dragging some light, but strong looking chains with a nasty grin on his face.

Yugi gulped at the grin, too afraid to ask what he had in store for the chains. He had no idea how Yami must be feeling now… but if he had to guess, it would be a feeling of deep hatred for his father. What kind of parent would do this kind of stuff?

He then heard the guy dragging the chain say "I still don't see why these two little brats, are the key to finding the vanishing isle."

The rest of the jerks that were with them chuckled at that remark, "No offence boys," croaked out the guy carrying Yugi who sounded like he had a bad head cold. "It's just a small joke."

"Yeah," said Yami. "You know what they say? Small joke, small mind." Yugi grinned at that, how he wished that he had Yami's guts and was able to say what's on his mind. But he felt a deep anger when Yami's remark got him a pound on the head and a 'Shut up, Runt!'

Yugi opened his mouth to say something but before he could, Yami had already beaten him to the punch and said, "Now, I see why you're here, trying to find the vanishing isle," through gritted teeth.

"Because we deserve that power?" asked the one carrying Yami in a squeaky voice.

"No because no one hugged you when you were little."

Yugi almost did laugh that time. But it quickly turned to a frown when he saw them smack on the head again. The trek through the stone tunnel was a slow decline long steep at times. Throughout the whole hike Yugi could feel the cold air begin to hurt and he felt himself beginning to shiver. Yugi grew up south from here and he was not used to such cold weather, and he now understood what Yami had hated about it.

After trekking for awhile, they climbed out of the tunnel and came upon a clump of yellowish, brown grass which looked as if it hadn't seen any sunlight since… ever.

The grass quickly turned to rough looking sand, which looked as if it would be like stepping onto razor-sharp pieces of glass. He hoped that they wouldn't put them down in a place like this; which brought up another important question… why were they here on this beach?

He didn't have a clue just how far north they had come from the day that they were kidnapped, blindfolded, knocked out, and dragged here like a hunted dear. But he saw that they must have come a pretty long way from that tiny stream and that it was getting late because the sun was starting to sink low. They edge of the riverbank felt colder than it should have, thanks to the cold air that seemed to, freeze his lungs. The sand looked almost black in the low light, rocks as large as balls were everywhere, and seaweed looked like thrown-up spinach was every few feet.

The ocean waves were swollen and fierce in its flow, the little grass on the bank; looked like smears of shadows like ink on a deep morning grey. This place would have been depressing enough if Yami didn't look to his right… he almost started to cry.

It was a ship.

He couldn't describe it… he was so scared that he couldn't put it into words. He didn't want to stare at it, but he couldn't seem to turn away. The thug carrying Yami suddenly tossed down like a sack and Yami stood up quickly and gave the guy such a dirty look that if looks could kill the guy would be 6 feet under. Yami looked around and spotted the ship.

The look on his face was horror, disgust, and loathing. He actually took a step backwards as if he was afraid that the ship would swallow him whole. Or maybe that was just Yugi, because it looked like the ship would eat you alive.

The thug then suddenly lifted Yami up like a rag doll and headed towards the boat. It was quite clear that Yami didn't want to be anywhere near that horrible thing because he fought, struggled, bit, and thrashed around.

He put up such a fight this time that the thug carrying him, had to slam him against the hard ground to stop him moving. Yugi was so furious that he started to fight and thrash also. "LET ME GO! LEAVE YAMI ALONE!" he yelled as he fought. If Yami heard him he didn't answer, he just curled up and Yugi could tell that he was fighting not to pass out again. But Yugi was so small that he hardly did any damage to the bully holding him.

The guy who threw Yami to the ground scooped him up once again and carried him over one shoulder like a backpack. And walked over the where the nightmare ship was docked. As they got closer and closer, Yugi could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He'd been afraid before, but that was nothing compared to the fear that he had now. This was a kind of fear that no one should have to go through. Not the kind that a little kid is having when he thinks that make-believe monsters are hiding from beneath the bed or hiding outside your door.

This was the kind of fear that tore through you, and made you wish that you were somewhere, anywhere, else; the kind that could tear your mind in half, and leave you wandering around where strait jackets were mandatory.

He couldn't stand to look at it anymore. He just closed his eyes and prayed that everything was going to be alright. Hoping against hope that he and Yami were going to get out of this place and be free again. He just closed his eyes and wished harder than he ever did before.

He felt the wood of the plank leading from the ship to the shore, crack and creak as the thugs stepped onto it and began to climb. He heard the water slosh against the sides of the ship violently, heard the wind blow through the sails like it was trying to tear the already torn sails till there was nothing left. Along with what seemed like whispers of long-dead people echoing with the sound of footsteps that were coming from nowhere. He smelted the scent of the salty air mixed in with the disgusting smell of mold on the sides of the boat along with a faint smell of death hanging in the chilling darkness of the night. He could feel the dark shadows lurking in the still air,

He heard the sounds of quiet laughing from the thugs carrying them.

He felt another stab of anger as he thought about how much these guys must have been enjoying his fear and pain. Things couldn't get any worse.

He could feel that the guys had stopped climbing and then stopped. Just when Yugi thought that the worst part was over he was then thrown to the floor of the deck like Yami was through to the ground before. As soon as he made contact he felt a very powerful sense of sickness. He felt like he was going to throw up, just by touching the rotting wood.

He decided that he couldn't take it anymore and opened his eyes. He was wrong. It just got worse. The deck was huge, and could easily hold a few hundred people. How anyone would want to even touch this thing let along sail on it was a mystery to Yugi. He was so scared, upset, angry, and in so much pain that he started to cry.

He wanted to leave this place. To be free, and for a brief instant wished he was back at his village with his mother and father. Why did he have to be the 'chosen one'? Why did this have to happen to him and Yami? Why did they have to sail on a ship that looked like it had been lying on the bottom of the ocean for the last century? With squeaky doors, floorboards that creak, creatures living in the wood, shadows, eerie noises, rot, and anything else that's scary.

Having a deck that sounded as if sighing like an old man wheezing or the sails shook like they were laughing at you?

Every nightmare that you ever had… everything that ever scared you… it was there on this plagued ship.

As tears continued to fall down Yugi's face; a pair of rough hands grabbed him and slammed him against the mast, causing him to see little stars again. He was so stunned that he hardly noticed Yami being slammed against the mast right next to him, or the chains being tied around them, securing them to the tall pole. Now he knew what the chains were for.

The chains were wrapped around his body so tightly that he could hardly breathe. He was soon panting for breath. "Stop it!" yelled a voice that he didn't recognize. "We need them alive. If they die then we have no way of finding the vanishing isle."

The men then loosened up the chains slightly. Loose enough for them to breathe, but too tight for them to escape. Then the men turned and left. Yugi heard them turn towards the front and the back of the ship getting ready to make sail. Yugi looked to his left, Yami's head was hanging forward and his breathing was uneasy, his eyes were closed.

"Yami?" whispered Yugi quietly. "Can you hear me?"

"Oh, don't worry about Yami. He won't die so easily," said the voice that told the men to leave them alive. He looked up and was staring into the coldest eyes that he ever seen. He could see that they were once warm and laughing. That they knew happiness and joy. But now they were cold and sad; and the only laughing he knew was for the pain of others. They were the kind of eyes that were so full of anger and pain that they got pleasure of seeing others suffer.

The face looked like it aged to fast, and that the man who wore it was wasting away from the inside. The face had such a powerful thrist for power, as if he was a vampire, longing to suck the life out of a victim. His hair was a dark, almost onyx color, his skin a pasty, sickly white, an ugly face filled with nothing but hate and lust that made twisted smile.

Yugi gulped. "Are—are—are you Yami's—father ?" he stuttered out. He only replied with a smile that gave him the creeps. "Can't you tell?" he asked him in a silky voice that scared him more than the smile.

Yami's father stood up and turned away from the mast, slowly walking away. "You have no idea just how long I've been looking for you, Yugi," he said not looking at him. "I have to say how surprised I am to see how you resemble my only son. To tell you the truth I thought that it was my own son who would be the 'chosen one' but I have to say that this pleases me just as well. I am sorry to put you through all this but understand that I need you to find the vanishing isle, which in turn to find the ultimate power on top of that tower. Of course, I'm already aware that you already know the old legend almost as well as I do."

Yugi shook his head slowly, "Why?" he asked. "I don't understand why it was me? I don't understand what you need me to do!"

Yami's father slowly turned to look at him in the eye. "You are much more important than you know my dear boy. And you will soon see the part that you play in this story. You and my son both will understand the parts that you have to play before the end of this journey."

Yugi couldn't even look at this man anymore. He just looked at the deck, shaking his head as he continued to cry. "Why?" he asked again. "Why did you turn out this way? How could you do it?"

Yami's father raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Do what?" he asked in a harsh voice.

"Do this…" said Yugi raising his head and staring wildly around him. "What kind of person would do all this? Do all this to his son? How could a father hurt his own child in such a way to make them hate their own father? Do all this… hit their own family… kidnap… torture… all this…? You're a monster… don't you see it?"

He turned his head to look at Yami who was still out of it, "You just love to watch other people suffer don't you? Yami told me what happened. What had happened to your family… and it wasn't Yami's fault. What happened wasn't his or your fault but you continue to hurt Yami forcing him to run from this pain. And you continue to do so knowing that he's in pain but you don't seem to care…"

He took a deep breath and forced his eyes to look him in the eye. The look in Yami's father's face was unreadable.

"Why?" he asked wanting to know the answer. "Hasn't he paid enough? Haven't both of you paid enough already?"

The look on Yami's face turned from unreadable to a deep burning rage. "You're lucky that I need you or I would kill you right here and now!" he walked a few steps away before stopping to say, "as soon as I get what I want… I'm leaving you on the isle… as soon as this whole deal is over… you're history. As soon as I know for sure that I don't need you anymore… you're gone. But keep talking then I might have to reconsider my resolve!"

He marched away, as if he couldn't get far enough from him fast enough, and he walked to the stern and yelled out to the crew of men, "Raise the anchor, fluff the sails, and make ready. We make way for the vanishing isle… we make way for the ultimate treasure!"

The anchor was raised, the sails opened and the strong wind picked up immediately, almost violently. They were on their way towards the vanishing isle… under different circumstances this would have been one of the coolest things he'd ever done… if he and Yami weren't in so much trouble… and if he wasn't crying so hard for the pain that was in store for them.