A Yugi/Yami story

Through a Dragon's Eye

Chapter 19- Third Floor – Darkest Black

"Come on! We don't even know how many more levels there are!" shouted Yami, hoping that the men dragging him from behind his father would listen for once. "Can't we just all turn back while we can?"

Oh, he didn't know why he was bothering. It was clear that the men feared his father more than the magic protecting this place. But Yugi was getting worse, and if he didn't do something soon then he was going to lose the only real friend he ever had. He had to keep trying to get them all to turn back, it was his only hope.

"Look, if we all turn back now then there's a chance that we can all make it out of here alive! Unless one of you wants to be the next person to be sacrificed; look if you guys all want to risk your lives inside this tower then at least leave me and Yugi out of it. If you want to risk everything to get power then be my guest. But why drag us into this?"

He shouldn't keep wasting his breath on these guys, it's like talking to statues. What did he do to deserve something like this? Was this his punishment for running away?

He couldn't believe that his dad was once a kind person… there was no way that they could be the same person.

(A little bit later)

Yami was seriously thinking that these stairs where torturing him on purpose. They had been climbing for almost an hour and there was no end in sight. They traveled up… and up… and up…

"What is with these stairs?" complained Yami finally getting tired of all the silence. The tower must have heard his complaint, because as soon as he spoke out, a familiar light began to glow above them.

Those familiar ribbons of light began to shine in midair, just like the first 2 floors. The light began to cress-cross and overlap each other in mid-air until, written in a deep fire, color, the words spelled out:

They follow and lead, but only as you pass.

Dress yourself in darkest black,

And they are darker still.

Always they flee the light,

Though without the sun there would be none.

(The fun never ends in this place doesn't it?)

If he ever got out of this tower, he never wanted to hear or see another riddle for as long as he lived.

"YUGI!" he cried out as he ran forward.

"I s-see i-i-it Yam-Yami," croaked a weak and tired Yugi. Yami kicked the man who was dragging him in the shins and ran pass them as they reached out to grab him. There was no way that he was going to be separated from Yugi after what happened on the last floor. Just as his hand closed around Yugi's small wrist he was blinded by a shining light.

As Yami closed his eyes, he knew that that the blaring light was one of the most painful experiences he had ever been through. This light didn't just hurt his eyes; it felt as if a he were suddenly set ablaze. The kind of fire that didn't hurt the body, but the kind that made you still feel the pain.

The only part of his body that didn't feel any pain was the hand that was gripping Yugi like a lifeline.

He felt his knees give way as he fell to the ground, one hand still on his friend, and the other covering his eyes. Please let this all end…

(Later)

He didn't know how long he laid there; only that every second in this blinding light felt like an eternity of burning pain.

"Yami?" whispered Yugi's voice all of a sudden. "Are you ok?"

"NO," snapped back Yami as he felt tears fall down past his shut eyes. "I can't see and it's hurting me. What's going on?"

"The next challenge," whispered Yugi. "Don't worry, Yami. All we have to do is guess the riddle and we'll pass the next floor." He then began to recite:

They follow and lead, but only as you pass.

"Any ideas what that means?"

"No," croaked back Yami. "A friend? I mean a friend can follow you or lead you around… but only as you pass? I don't have a clue. What was the next part?"

Dress yourself in darkest black, and they are darker still.

"So no matter how dark your clothes are they dress in blacker clothes?"

"I guess," replied Yugi. "But doesn't something seem strange about that?"

"What do you mean?" asked Yami as he ignored his pain. The sooner he helped Yugi figure out the riddle the sooner this challenge would be over.

Always they flee the light, though without the sun there would be none.

"Why would they be afraid of the light if they can't exist without the sun?"

"I don't know…" began Yami. But he suddenly realizes something. "Yugi… aren't you in any pain?"

"Of course," his friend said softly. Hearing that confession nearly broke Yami's heart. He had to help Yugi no matter what the cost. But… "Yugi? Is this light hurting you?"

"I can't tell," whispered Yugi that sounded like a great deal of effort. "I'm in so much pain from the last few floors that I can't really feel anything at the moment. Funny how that works isn't?"

That did it. Yami wasn't going to let Yugi suffer here for a moment longer. "We need to figure out the riddle to get out of here!" he cried. "Help me think Yugi!"

"Let's see… they can follow or lead but only when you walk by… they are always in black… and they flee in the sun but couldn't exist without it…" said Yugi quickly. He was forcing his brain to think of the answer but the light that was shining through his closed eyes weren't helping. How he wished that there were some shade or… or…

That's it!

"The answer is SHADOWS!" he said out loud.

And just like that… the light died out… leaving the boys in the dark once again. And for the first time in his life, Yami was grateful for the dark.

He opened his eyes; although after all the light he couldn't see a thing. He had to blink at least a hundred times for his eyes to finally get used to the sudden darkness. When he was able to see without being in pain he looked to his left, expecting to see Yugi's sweet smiling face in pride and triumphant for figuring out the riddle. But instead, Yugi was face-down on the hard stone floor, breathing slowly.

"Yugi?" said Yami as he sat up quickly and turned his friend over to get a better look at his face.

Yugi's eyes were closed and he was struggling to breathe… he didn't answer when Yami said his name. And that alone was more than enough to get Yami to understand just how bad off that Yugi was.

If something wasn't done soon then Yugi wouldn't last much longer.

He heard footsteps slowly approach him from behind. A deep burning anger began to fill the pit of Yami's stomach and spread throughout his body.

"If you're so powerful…" he hissed through clench teeth. "Why do you need a couple kids to reach the top of the tower?"

"Yami," said that voice that he hated more than anything else on earth. "You really need to start paying attention. No matter how bad your friend's condition gets, he will live until we get to the top. Once there, I will have no more need for either of you… and I'll be more than happy to put you both out of your misery."

Hot tears fell onto Yugi's unconscious face as Yami let all of his pain flow out of him. "So…" he said as if just wanting to make a few things clear. "No matter what happens here… you plan on killing us as soon as you get what you want?"

He heard a dark chuckle from behind him. "Don't blame me… you brought this fate upon yourself…"

Wow! He sure won't win father of the year will he? Sorry for taking so long but I've been having a serious writer's block and I can't seem to get any good ideas. Please tell me what you think of this journey to the top of the tower is going and what you think should happen next! Yugi's fading fast and if Yami doesn't do something then they're both history! When will they meet up with the dragon? What is the next floor going to be? Find out soon!

Sorry… I have a habit of ending chapters in cliffhangers. Makes things more fun right?