A Yugi/Yami story
Through a Dragon's Eye
Chapter 21- Fifth Floor – The Less You See
Yami had finally woken up after he felt as if he slept for about a hundred years; he felt sore, tired, and weaker than a newborn baby. He didn't want to move ever again.
He then noticed that he wasn't lying on the floor anymore, but being carried like a sack of potatoes. "Please, sir," said the person who was carrying him. "Can't we turn back now? I mean, even if the next floor comes up… the brats are both out like lights so they can't figure out the riddles… so we're all pretty much dead…"
'Turn back? Turn back from what?' thought Yami. Oh, his head was so foggy that he couldn't think straight; couldn't remember anything.
"Oh, do not worry," said a voice that Yami recognized but couldn't remember from where. "My son won't let any harm come to his little friend. What was it that he called him? Ah yes I remember… my son called the boy his 'aibou'. His partner…" the voice laughed in a cold way that Yami didn't like at all.
'Aibou?' he thought. That word rung a bell from somewhere inside Yami. He knew that word… he remembered calling someone… someone that…
"YUGI!" he yelled out so suddenly that the man, who had been carrying him, dropped him in surprise. "Oww!" Yami said as he rubbed his sore backside. "Watch it!"
"See what I mean? His aibou is far too important to him for him to give up now."
"What's happening?" Yami demanded as he forced his aching body to stand up. "What are you up to now?"
His father rolled his eyes. "You're even dumber than I thought."
Yami gave him another dirty look before looking around. "Where's Yugi?" he demanded.
His father sighed almost wearily before pointing behind them. Yami turned to see that Yugi was being carried by one of the few remaining men. "YUGI!" he screamed as he ran to him.
His father stretched out to grab him by the scruff of his neck. "I'm afraid that I can't allow that."
"LET GO OF ME YOU…" Yami screamed as he fought to get free.
"Where are your manners?" his father asked irritated. "You can have your friend back once I get what I want. This means that you and the boy will no longer be of anymore use to me once the top floor comes."
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Yami screamed.
His father merely started to clean out his ear with a finger before saying calmly, "Must you keep shouting?"
"I'LL SHOUT IF I WANT TO!" yelled Yami as he fought tooth and nail to get free from his father's grasp. "LET ME GO!"
"Not a chance," said his father. "But I'll tell you what? Once the next floor comes up, I'll let you go to your friend. But only if you stop yelling."
Yami only continued to fight harder as his father began to drag him up the stairs like he was a rag doll. He wasn't getting anywhere like this. He had to think of something…
"I may not remember much about mother," said Yami as he continued to fight with all his strength, "But I know that this was not what she wanted!"
His father had stopped dead in his tracks. He stood there completely frozen; and Yami knew that he struck a nerve. Even after all these years… his dad never forgot about his mother. Just when he thought that he had a way to get them out of this, his father raised his hand, and smacked him so hard on the cheek that Yami thought that he was going to black out again.
"Don't you ever…" began his father, his voice filled with so much menace that everyone else drew back in terror. "If I ever hear you say that again… I'm going to make sure that you're little friend pays the price. And…" he looked up at Yugi before looking down at Yami again, who was rubbing a bright red mark on his face.
His father gave him an evil grin, "I don't think that your 'aibou' isn't going to last much longer in his condition. So I'd be careful if I were you."
Yami gulped. Can you blame him? He became quiet and allowed his father to continue to drag him up the stairs. He was so scared of saying something that would make his father take his anger out on Yugi. As much as he hated to admit it… 'Dear old dad' was right. Yugi's condition was bad, and if he didn't get help soon, he wouldn't last much longer. They were running out of time.
After awhile of silence, except for the sounds of footsteps upon stone… light once again began to appear above them… and Yami knew what was coming. He was able to wrench himself free from his father and ran back to Yugi, who had been dropped by the frightened men. Yami pulled Yugi's body away from them and held Yugi against him.
"Yugi?" he whispered.
"Yami?" said his father. "I'd pay attention to the riddle if I were you."
Yami turned his head in time to see the words,
This engulfing thing is strange indeed.
The greater it grows, the less you see.
In his opinion… the person who created riddles should be dragged out into the street and beaten to death with a club.
Yami quickly memorized the riddle before bending over Yugi's body; ready to protect him from whatever was coming.
As he heard the men scream and run, another blinding light began to come from out of nowhere. But unlike the last light that had blinded and hurt him, he didn't feel any pain… instead he felt as if a hot sun was blaring down from above him… he felt soft hot sand from beneath his body… and the wind that suddenly blown from nowhere, felt bone dry.
Yami opened his eyes… blinking several times before getting used to the sudden light.
'Oh, you have got to be kidding me,' he thought as his vision came into focus. He and Yugi were stranded in the middle of a hot desert. The sky was a cloudless clear blue, with a bright sun blaring down at them; the sands stretched as far as the eye could see in all directions, and there were no rocks or cactuses in sight.
"First a storm... with icy water… and now a desert… with a hot sun," he said bitterly. He then glanced down at Yugi's face; the sudden warmth from the sun had actually done Yugi some good. The shivering had stopped, and his face wasn't so pale. Yami let out a small sigh of relief before turning around, and heaving Yugi onto his back.
He took a deep breath, and began to cross the desert; hoping against hope on finding some shade.
*A little later*
Why did he bother wasting his energy? He knew from the start that there wasn't anything in this giant sandbox other than sand and sun. Yami was struggling to keep going… he was tired, thirsty, and hot… and with Yugi on his back, it was a miracle that he was still moving.
Sweat began to flow down his body, soaking him; his mouth on the other hand felt as dry as the desert that he was in. He was willing to give up almost anything to have just a tiny sip of water. His feet began to drag; the heat of the sun was starting to blur his sight.
And the next thing he knew, he was lying face down with a mouthful of sand and a weakened Yugi lying on top of him. This heat… was too much.
"Yami?" said a voice. The voice was so quiet, that at first, Yami thought that the sun caused his brain to melt and he was starting to hear voices.
"Yami?" repeated the voice, a little stronger this time.
"Yu-Yugi?" asked Yami as he tried to turn his head to look at Yugi. But he couldn't move a muscle.
"Don't tell me," said Yugi. Yes, this was definitely Yugi's voice. "This is the next challenge?"
"Wow," said Yami. "You must be psychic." Yet another weak attempt to make a laugh.
"Yami? What's the riddle this time?"
Yami didn't answer for a moment. The heat was messing up with his way of thinking.
"Yami?" repeated Yugi, who by this point was sounding scared by Yami's silence.
Yami had to work hard to get his heated brain to think:
This engulfing thing is strange indeed.
The greater it grows, the less you see.
"Well," said Yugi after a short moment of silence. "At least, it's shorter."
"Ha ha," said Yami. "Please Yugi. Figure it out quick. Before we melt."
Yugi thought… engulfing thing? What strange thing engulfs other things? And when it grows, you see less of it? These riddles are getting even more ridiculous with each floor.
"Ahhh…" moaned Yami suddenly.
"Yami!" said Yugi in a panicked voice. "What's wrong?"
"I can't take it," whispered Yami. "I can't go on…"
"Don't talk like that!" said Yugi with as much force that he could muster. "I need you Yami. Now more than ever!"
"No," said Yami closing his eyes. "It's my fault that you're in this mess."
"Your fault? Did you make your father evil? No! Did you ask your father to try and take over the world? NO! It's your father's fault! You can't keep comparing yourself to him! You're not him!" Yugi started to break down and cry. "Why can't you see that?" begged Yugi.
Yami had opened his eyes and was finally was able to look at the face that had become his family. The one person in this world that he trusted… the person he would've thrown himself in front of a sword to protect him…
Yugi would never give up on him… so why should he let Yugi down by giving up on himself?
That thought alone was enough for Yami to be able to push himself back up onto his knees; Yugi had slid off his back and was leaning against him—too weak to move.
Yami then seized Yugi and pulled him into a hug. "Why did this have to happen?" he asked quietly.
Yugi just held onto Yami and let the tears fall. What were you supposed to say at a time like this? "I don't know. Life is hard. But you just keep going. The world may seem dark sometimes, but I don't know, you just have to find your way until the sun rises. You just follow your own path, and don't worry about the darkness, because that's when the light shines the brightest."
Once he had finished speaking, Yugi's eyes widened. Yami felt Yugi stiffen; "You figured out the riddle didn't you?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes," said Yugi as Yami lowered his head to the ground. "The strange engulfing thing… when it grows, you see less… it's the NIGHT!"
The white hot sun had then quickly begun to set. One second, it was stuck in a permanent high noon, and then the next… it had suddenly lowered to the horizon and the sky had become a blood-red sunset. The air had cooled down, and darkness began to fall. Yami looked down at Yugi again, and saw that he had fallen asleep.
Yami had also felt his eyes beginning to close again…
The last thing he remembered saying before he blacked out was, "You're the light in the darkness, Yugi."