Dream Prince

Chapter 6

Pass of Illusions

"May I introduce to you, Yugi, your guide through the Pass of Illusions", Sugoroku introduced the white-haired boy to Yugi as the newly transformed boy stared at the new arrival with his mouth agape. The reddish brown eyes flashed as Bakura smiled a smile that was all teeth.

"You look like a wimp, little boy", Bakura said to Yugi before he turned to Sugoroku. "What's this talk about me being some kind of a guide? There was no talk about anything like that when we previously met?"

"This is a new development", Sugoroku answered to Bakura. "I need you to lead my grandson Yugi through the Pass of Illusions and to a training camp that belongs to the Egyptian army. Yugi needs to go to the same place where the troops will be sent to."

"Isn't your grandson the prince or something?" Bakura questioned as he turned to look at Yugi again. "I'm not dragging some weakling palace brat around." The white-haired teen then leaned closer to Yugi and sniffed the boy's new hair loudly. He pulled back and eyed Yugi critically as he commented: "You don't look like the prince at all but I guess you have a spell on you that makes you look different. You reek of magic, Yugi-prince."

Growing curious because of the other teen's words Yugi brought his arm up to his face and sniffed himself. He did not smell anything odd and looked at Bakura sceptically. The albino boy burst out into laughter and since he did not seem to be able to calm down soon Yugi turned his questioning eyes to his grandfather.

"Bakura has an exceptional talent to notice active magic or faded spells", the old wizard explained to Yugi and the boy then nodded his head in understanding. He glanced at Bakura again, who was now holding his sides as he continued to laugh, before returning his gaze to Sugoroku and questioning: "Does he really smell it or simply sense it?" Sugoroku smiled in an amused manner at Yugi before shrugging his shoulders. Yugi sighed before turning away from his grandfather and looking at the albino that was rolling on the floor laughing as hard as he could.

"I'm ready to get going as soon as you're done", Yugi spoke to Bakura and suddenly the laughter was cut short and Bakura was standing in front of him like nothing had happened.

"Alright then", the white-haired teen spoke out in a calm tone. "Let's get going, pipsqueak." And with that Bakura dropped a bag clearly meant for Sugoroku on a nearby table and started to make his way out of the room. Yugi grabbed the bag his grandfather was offering for him before taking off after Bakura. Yugi actually had to run in order to catch up to the taller teen's longer steps. Even in his haste to keep up with the other boy Yugi still managed to shout out: "I'm not a pipsqueak, you big jerk!"

"Oh, I'm big alright", Bakura shot back when Yugi was finally walking beside him. "Bigger than you at any matter, prince boy."

"Don't call me prince!" Yugi hissed at the taller boy, completely forgetting about the teasing now. "You'll have to call me by an Egyptian name now."

"And what might that name be?" Bakura asked in a tone of voice that was a mix of annoyance and amusement. Yugi paused then, sinking into his thoughts for a moment as he spoke out: "I don't really know many Egyptian names." The boy's tone was startled when he said that. A snort followed from Bakura before the taller boy said: "Okay, then I'll come up with a new name for you. You can be Alu."

"I will not be referred to as 'child'!" Yugi snapped immediately and Bakura actually looked startled for a moment as he exclaimed: "I thought you didn't know any Egyptian!"

"Of course I know Egyptian!" Yugi yelled back. "I was engaged to their prince! I just said that I don't know many names. I didn't meet many people during my visits there."

"Alright, we'll come up with something suitable later", Bakura spoke out then as he led Yugi around a corner on the dark streets. "For now I'll just call you Yugi as we travel through the Pass."

"Okay then", Yugi agreed, deciding that this was a good compromise. "What will happen as we pass through?" That had been the thing that had had Yugi very curious ever since he had first heard about the tests that the pass put travellers through. He had no idea what those tests were like.

"We will both have to pass one test in order to be able to pass through safely", Bakura replied easily. "If we don't pass the tests we will be forever lost and our souls will belong to the Pass. Also, if we try to go through the guardian by other means other than taking the test, then the lost souls will most likely feast upon our living flesh."

"How do you know all this about the Pass?" Yugi questioned. "Back in the palace there were no books about the subject."

"Oh, I've passed through many times", Bakura replied easily. "I've seen people fail their tests and I have also seen people trying to cross the test point by means of force." The white-haired thief smirked widely. "It was very entertaining to watch."

Yugi shivered at the words, despite his efforts not to, and thought for a moment that he might regret going on this journey with Bakura as his only company.

"What are the tests like?" Yugi asked then, still curious even though he had a suspicion that Bakura's answers would end up disturbing him even further. "Do you have to pass them every single time you go trough and if so are they always the same?"

"There is always a test for each crossing", Bakura replied curtly. "Every single time the guardian has asked me a riddle, every time a different one. So far I've gotten them all right." The albino smiled that unnerving smile of his again. "Of course, that should be rather obvious since I'm right here, walking next to you." Suddenly the white-haired boy stopped in his tracks. "We're here."

Yugi turned around to see the tall pillars that were the exit of the kingdom. After the 'gate' there was a steep hill that led downwards, into an endless sea of fog. The fog drifted around in the canyon innocently enough, but Yugi had read from his books that the fog was actually a group of sprits, hundreds of sprits that had never been able to cross to the other end of the Pass. All of those spirits were disappointed and angry about their failure and would forever jealously guard the Pass, doing everything in their power to make sure any and all travellers failed to cross over.

Because of the thick fog, the other end of the canyon was not visible. Yugi had often been there, at the gates of the kingdom, watching the Illusions drift around endlessly. The royal family had once possessed a charmed object that had allowed travellers to pass through without being harmed but now it was in the possession of the evil wizard Dartz. By taking the sacred item Dartz had assured that Ateru was completely isolated from the outside world. But Yugi would defy Dartz and not only that, Yugi would stop Dartz's reign of terror and bring happiness back to his family and safety back to his kingdom.

"How long is it going to take to pass through?" Yugi asked from Bakura when the albino began to lead the way down the hill. Bakura grunted before replying: "You might never pass through without the help of a knowing guide but with me here to help you, I would say that we might be on the other side before the sun rises or then right after sunrise tomorrow."

Faltering in his steps it took Yugi a moment to recover enough to exclaim incredulously: "What? It doesn't look like it's that short. I mean, I can't even see where it ends."

"That's a part of the mystery", Bakura explained. "It's one of its ways to keep people at bay. Everyone thinks that the crossing is going to take days when in reality it's only hours."

"Oh", Yugi breathed out in awe, after which he simply continued walking beside Bakura in silence. The duo continued on for what seemed like hours to Yugi, who was bored of looking at the same grey mass all the time, before there was a change in the scenery that was visible to Yugi.

There was a huge, black, stone obelisk standing right in Bakura and Yugi's way. Yugi stared up at the object and saw that the obelisk's surface had been carved full of human faces that were twisted into otherworldly expressions or terror, suffering and despair. Yugi shivered as he looked at the carvings and hugged himself to fight against the cold that was coming from the inside.

"Travellers", a booming voice bellowed suddenly. "Do you wish to pass this point?"

"Yes we do", Bakura replied and Yugi only nodded his head even though he was not sure if the gesture could be seen by the invisible speaker. Yugi had managed to loose his voice and was therefore unable to give an audible answer.

"The souls will allow you to pass through if you solve one riddle each", the loud voice continued. "This is a game, but with high stakes. If you answer wrong your souls will be forfeit and if you admit to not knowing the answer you will be given a different penalty. You shall loose a part of your body, whichever we seem fit." Yugi shivered at the thought of the penalty of ignorance and almost jumped out of his skin when the bodiless voice finished: "Do you accept?"

"What do you say?" Bakura whispered to Yugi softly. "Do you want to turn back, princeling?" When Yugi shook his head firmly in refusal, Bakura actually gave him an approving smile before speaking out louder, to whoever was listening: "We accept!"

Suddenly there was a man standing in front of the obelisk. There had been no dramatic smoke cloud or any flash of magical light. The man had simply appeared there and that was the thing that made the situation even more terrifying to Yugi than any effects would have.

"I am the guardian", the man spoke, dressed in a turban and a long cloak. The man's face was completely impassive and his eyes looked like endless oceans of dark blue.

"Hey there, Shadi", Bakura greeted the apparition. "So you will be giving me a riddle this time around?" The white-haired teen smirked and Yugi wondered if Bakura knew all the names of the guardians that might appear. Judging from the albino's words there were also other guardians in addition to this 'Shadi' character.

"You will only have one chance of answering, traveller", Shadi spoke out tonelessly and Bakura waved his hand dismissively at the man as he said: "Yeah, yeah, I know that stuff already. Hit me."

"Here is your riddle, traveller", Shadi spoke in a steady drawl, not reacting to Bakura's behaviour in any manner.

"When you're lost I can help you find your way

I keep you cool on a sunny day

I am also a disguise that is worn

Light is my mother, from her I am born

I wonder if you could, I wonder if you can

Answer the question of what I am."

Yugi felt himself relax when he heard the riddle. It was an easy one. They were going to get through. Yugi did not feel any of his previous apprehension as Shadi turned to him and started to speak: "And now, young one, you shall answer this riddle:

At sunrise I come, by sunset I'm gone

In the light of my rays you travel on

I always come back so don't feel low

But I am never the same two times in a row."

Hesitation took over Yugi's previously confident posture. What was the big deal? Why had Bakura gotten an easy riddle while Yugi got stuck with this one? Still, it was no use complaining. He would have to get this right with one try in order to continue on and, most of all, to keep his soul. But what could be the answer to such a riddle? He would have to think about this carefully.

To be continued…

Ending Notes: Sorry about the short rip-off of a chapter. I just wanted to give you guys a chance to guess what the answers to the riddles are. Come on, don't be shy. It'll make me feel loved.