Disclaimer: I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit. All forms of feedback eagerly accepted. Concrit is loved the most, but everything is welcome.
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal
Title: The Worst Poison: Chapter 2: Searching
Characters: Durbe, Vector, Mach, Nasch
Word Count: chapter: 4,094||story: 8,239
Genre: Drama, Friendship||Rated: PG-13
Notes: This series takes place in their past life.
Challenges: Written for the 2014 Advent Calendar, Day #19; Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, section I, #6, a threeshot
Summary: [2/3 chapters, Advent Challenge Day #19; Diversity Writing; Challenge; Durbe, Vector, Mach, Nasch; a little Tomoshipping, not-quite-Leadshipping] During the war against Vector, Durbe finds himself in a very bad situation, involving the mad prince and a truth he does not want to hear.

Vector stalked out of the makeshift dungeon and up the flight of stairs, cursing in every language that he knew. He'd been so close! He was so close! It wouldn't have taken more than another week, perhaps less, before Durbe finally broke down. Weakened by hunger and thirst, isolated, with every tool at Vector's command used to keep him from knowing what was going on, it would have worked. He would've broken the perfect loyal knight and had yet another weapon to wield against Nasch.

He's not gone yet, the mad king reassured himself as he headed for the command area. Nasch hasn't taken my toy. That was all Durbe was to him, something he could use against Nasch and for his own pleasure, in as many ways as he possibly could. And Vector did not like to give away his possessions to anyone, not for so much as a single moment.

Durbe would realize that Vector had only told him the truth anyway. He was a traitor, a mockery of a true loyal knight. A true loyal knight wouldn't have allied himself with someone who wasn't his own king. Durbe had broken his vows as surely as if he'd raised a blade to his pledged sovereign. Vector would never have allowed such treachery by one of his knights. Anyone who tried would've died in the most horrendous screaming agonies that he could discover.

But of course, Durbe denied that he'd ever done such a thing, too blind by his adoration of Nasch to realize it. Vector's lip curled at the thought. How could someone be that attached to another? It made not a bit of sense to him.

No matter. It didn't need to make sense, because Durbe would understand the truth, and in that understanding, Nasch would be broken. Vector looked forward to seeing the so-called good king again after that, with his freshly minted dark knight by his side. The look of horror and heartbreak on Nasch's face made Vector's day even when it hadn't happened yet.

All he needed was time. And yet Nasch seemed not to want to grant him that time, finally finding where he'd locked up the knight and bringing his forces to bear.

He won't take him. I won't allow it. Vector would slaughter as much of Nasch's army as possible to prevent that, personally if needed to. He'd gone to so much trouble to capture Durbe in the first place. Why give him up now, when the game had almost reached its completion?

He stalked into the command room, his generals huddled together over the map of the compound, and his favorite slave kneeling next to his chair, waiting for orders. Vector paid no attention to the pretty blond for the moment, but stared at his generals.

"What is going on?" He wanted answers, and the sooner the better.

"Nasch's army is here," one of them spoke up. They all knew not to delay when he demanded something. The general gestured toward the map. Vector's eyes followed the motion and the general began to point out specifics. "His archers have pinned down one of our battalions here, while two groups of swordsmen are coming around this side."

"Is this all of his army?" Vector knew it couldn't be; this was little more than something meant to rescue the disloyal knight.

"No, majesty," the general shook his head at once. "He seems to have only brought a small portion with him. We haven't yet found where he left the others."

"It doesn't matter. I know where he's going to end up." Or at least where he would if Vector didn't have a say in the matter, and in this land, Vector had every say that ever could be said.

He drummed his fingers on the table, considering his options. His own archers could rake the foot troops, and he could set up traps along the way. Without the annoying pegasus to warn them, there wouldn't be anything that Nasch could do to disrupt those. Perhaps he would even have them coat their arrows with poison. He knew several where the antidote was either hard to find or even impossible in this region, and whose effects would make anyone who survived being hit wish they were dead. He lovingly entertained the notion of Nasch being one of those. It wasn't as if Merag were around any more to heal him, and those priests and priestesses who still lived weren't as strong as she had been.

With those delicious thoughts in mind, he started to sketch out his battle plan, as well as a couple of backup options, just in case. He wanted to kill as many of Nasch's people as he could, enough to force the stupid king to back off and leave Vector's playthings alone. He had plans for Nasch, plans that didn't involve their wonderful war ending here and now. Preferably it also wouldn't involve killing all of Nasch's warriors just yet, but since he hadn't brought them all, that wasn't a worry.

How obliging of Nasch to do exactly what Vector wanted him to do. The mad king hoped that he would continue to do so. It would make his final plans that much more wonderful to see come to fruition.

His inner thoughts still kept straying back to Durbe. The kiss had been a very good touch, Vector thought, showing just how serious about this he really was. If bedding the knight was what it took to convince him of how much he'd failed lhis vows, then Vector would do so gladly, eagerly. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that the knight shared a bed with a king.

Of course, Vector knew quite well that he was by far the better option between the two of them, even if he had little to no desire for the knight as a person. No, what he wanted was the chance to despoil someone that Nasch treasured, to break Durbe down that much more. Vector would use any tool at his disposal for this, even the tool of his own body.

Aside from that, Durbe wasn't his type. Vector had many others he could sate those lusts with, ranging from the pretty red-eyed slave he kept at the palace to the lovely blond plaything he took with him when on campaign, like now. He seldom objected to taking pleasure with anyone that he encountered along the way who might catch his fancy either. So taking Durbe to his bed wasn't out of desire for the other's body, as attractive as it was.

Not that he would tell Durbe that. Lies and deception were as much Vector's tools as anything else, if not more so.

"Does everyone understand?" He glanced at his generals, all of whom nodded quickly. They were the best that he had, the most ruthless and vicious who had ever been in his service, almost nearing his own prowess on the battlefield. Anyone who had anything resembling compassion for their enemies perished before he'd finished his first campaign after assuming the throne. He had no use for those who didn't understand the glories of conquest and war.

Now he rose to his feet, resting one hand on his swordhilt. "Good. Then go!"

In moments they all scattered, and Vector watched in satisfaction. There were few events he enjoyed more than seeing his orders obeyed.

He turned his attention to his slave. "Go back to our quarters and be prepared to leave at a moment's notice. I doubt we'll be here more than the rest of the day."

Despite all of his plans for fighting, it didn't matter how the battle came out for this. Now that Nasch knew where the knight was, he would either keep attacking until he rescued the traitor-to-be, or until he was dead, the fool. Either way, Vector's plans called for them to depart this place no later than sunrise of the following day, and preferably before sunset today.

He watched as the slave hurried away, satisfied once again that his orders were followed. All of those who served him knew better than to disobey. Even Nasch followed his desires, all unknowingly. Vector had several interesting surprises awaiting the boy king once he found him.

Now if only Durbe could become that well trained and bow down to his true master.

Vector allowed himself a small shrug. It would happen, sooner or later, even in the unlikely event of Durbe being rescued. He'd planted the seeds of doubt precisely where he wanted them in the knight's mind, and no matter what happened, he would think of Vector's words, of the truth that he didn't want to admit now, and he would find himself accepting it. There could be no other outcome for this. Vector himself would not allow it.

Nasch stalked through the muddied streets of the small town, bloodied sword in hand, looking for anyone else who might stand between him and Durbe. He wanted Vector. The mad king had taken enough from him already, interrupting the peaceful life he'd worked towards for so long, twisting the ocean god in such a fashion that only Merag's life had been enough to purify him, unleashing fire and sword wherever he went, costing the lives of hundreds of soldiers on both sides, and now, taking Durbe from him.

It had to stop. It would stop. He would stop Vector and if he had to kill Vector to do it, then so be it. It wasn't as if this would be the first time he killed someone. And when it came to Vector, Nasch found that he looked forward to doing so.

He had to pull himself back, though. If he simply stomped off to slaughter Vector without thinking, then Vector would pull some kind of a trick and more innocent people would die. Maybe I should challenge him personally? The idea certainly had merit. But first and foremost, he wanted to get Durbe to safety. Only when he knew the other wasn't enjoying Vector's questionable hospitality could he even think about assaulting the mad prince personally.

Vector wasn't a bad fighter; Nasch knew that quite well. He'd seen the other on the battlefield, slicing through troops as if possessed by some kind of a demon. To face him one on one would be one of the hardest fights the young king could imagine having. But it was a fight that had to happen, to save more lives than would be lost otherwise. Perhaps not now; Nasch would be satisfied with getting Durbe out of here. But sooner or later, it would happen.

'Streets', in all honesty, wasn't a very good way to describe the openings between buildings in this town. They were somewhat wider than what one might call alleyways, and they most certainly weren't broadways. Narrow, somewhat overgrown with moss and weeds, and defined only by the buildings, or what remained of them, that was really what they were.

What irritated him far more than how large or small the openings were was the fact that Vector's warriors thronged wherever there was enough space for two or more of them to do so, focusing all of their energy on him. If he hadn't been as fueled by anger as he was, he might've been tired from all of this. As it was, he kept going, looking for any sign of Durbe or where he might be held.

He didn't consider asking the soldiers. He knew something of how Vector thought and Vector wouldn't have let just anyone know where a prisoner of Durbe's importance was. If he'd seen a servant of any type, he might try one of those. Someone would have to tend to Durbe's basic needs, and he doubted Vector would trust that to just anyone.

He won't have done it himself. Not all of it. That's too much like work for him. Nasch's lip curled at that. He somewhat wished he'd given in to the requests of some of his advisers and had spies inserted into Vector's kingdom. Perhaps then he would have a better idea of who he should look for, if anyone in particular.

He could hear battlecries and the clash of sword up on sword or shield, the hiss of arrows flying overheard, the cries of the wounded and the dying, and he ignored them all. His generals could handle this for the most part. He'd come here to find Durbe and there was nothing that would stop him from accomplishing that.

The farther he made his way into the wrecked village, the more intact buildings he found and the more of Vector's soldiers turned up. None of them gave him more than a few moments of pause, especially since most of them seemed more inclined to head away toward where his own troops presumably marched. Nasch didn't bother to ask what the ones who didn't leave wanted, since those were the ones who started to attack him. He never wasted more than a few seconds, a minute or two at the most, finishing them off. Vector's soldiers were well-trained but he was in a hurry.

Perhaps another day he would have taken the time to fight them long-term. But today, with Durbe hidden somewhere here, was not that day.

More and more warriors began to turn up, and not all of them were interested either in going toward another battleground or fighting Nasch. Instead, they crowded thicker and thicker in one particular area, and Nasch turned his steps that way.

"Where is Sir Durbe?" Nasch cut the legs out from one soldier and seized him by the collar before he could completely fall. "Tell me where Durbe is."

The soldier stared, gibbering, panic in his eyes, shaking his head rapidly. "Don't ...know..."

Nasch didn't waste any further time here. As he'd thought, it was unlikely that the common soldiers knew anything beyond Vector ordering them to block his path. If that meant he had to cut his way through them all, he would do it.

Cutting through them wasn't as easy as all that, especially since he was outnumbered nearly fifty to one here. The farther he pressed onward, the more they pressed around him, grabbing for any body parts of his, attempting to get his sword, anything that would slow him down or stop him altogether.

He'd lost count of how many of them clung to him, throwing as many of them off as he could. He'd come alone in the hopes this would give him a better chance of finding Durbe, leaving the bulk of his army behind and bringing just enough to start a distraction elsewhere. But without all of Vector's people being distracted, this was turning out to be much more difficult than he'd thought it would be.

"King Nasch." Vector's voice echoed from far above him. "How good of you to join us. I thought you'd never get here."

Nasch's eyes narrowed just at the sound of the mad king's voice. "Where's Durbe?"

"Really, can't you say something else? That's all you've had on your lips since you got here," Vector tutted. "I don't know why you'd care about that treacherous knight. He and I have been having so much fun together."

Nasch blinked, then shook his head. "I don't have time for your games, Vector. Either release Durbe or come fight me yourself."

"That's not going to happen. I have far too much to do right now to waste time playing games with you today," Vector sniffed. "But really, tell me why you want him back. His loyalty isn't to you. He's sworn to another king. He isn't that good in bed. Trust me, I know."

Nasch decided it was just as well that Vector hadn't said that while in reach of his sword, because he wouldn't have spoken another word after that, no matter what. As it was, the look he gave those soldiers closest to him sent them backing off, muttering in fear.

"Durbe is my best friend." And more, but they didn't make an issue about it and not only would he not confirm anything to Vector, but he wouldn't believe a word that came out of Vector's mouth, either. Whatever the so-called king said was a lie. "And I'm not leaving him in your hands another moment."

"Oh, that sounds so noble! What would you do if he wanted to stay with me, then, Nasch?" Vector laughed, a full-throated cackle that echoed from too many places in the ruins to properly identify. Nasch started moving again anyway, glaring more at the soldiers to get them out of his way. "He just might, you know. I know I want him to stay, and as I told him, once someone turns their coat once, it takes hardly nothing for them to do it again."

Nasch imagined what it would be like to tighten his hands around Vector's throat and to squeeze until no more of those filthy lies could come out of him. "Durbe hasn't betrayed anyone. I don't think he'd know how even if he wanted to."

"Now, now, remember what I said? He betrayed his king to serve you." Vector's voice still came from too far away to pin down but Nasch kept on moving anyway. He'd find his enemy or his friend. He wanted to find Durbe first, but he'd take a chance to slice some chunks out of Vector as well. There wasn't anything he knew of stopping him from doing both.

Except Vector. And his twisted mind. And the two pathways that spread out before Nasch without warning. Pathways could well have been as wrong a designation as streets would be for the openings in the village, but Nasch wasn't sure of what else to call them. Two freshly placed lines of stone spread out in separate directions, each leading to a different building. Outside of each building stood an equal amount of guards.

"Vector!" Nasch snapped the word out, growing swiftly tired of the other's games. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, this is just a little amusement. You have one choice here. Pick a building to enter. I'm in one of them. The traitor knight is in the other. If you choose the right one, you'll find him. If you don't... you'll find me."

"And if I find you?" Nasch bit each word off as if it had caused him personal offense.

"Then the next time you see my knight, you won't disagree that he has broken his vows. I'll have ample evidence of that by then," Vector chuckled. "But if you find him, that means that I get away. Is that really what you want?"

Nasch didn't believe a word of any of that. If he found Vector, there would be no way that they'd both come out of this alive. He'd make certain of that. Which meant that he wouldn't be able to do anything to Durbe, no matter where the knight was.

And if he found Durbe, then by very definition, nothing else would happen to him, and they could continue to chase Vector even if he got away.

Vector's too tricky not to have figured this out. Nasch knew something of how his enemy thought after all this time of chasing him. Something else was going on here, and he would have to decide carefully.

"Hurry up, Nasch. Your pretty boy-toy isn't going to wait forever for you to find him, and neither will I!" Vector's laugh echoed once more. Nasch had wondered more than once what demon from Hell Vector paid off to get that laugh.

Though he wouldn't have been very surprised if demons paid Vector to stop laughing. Even the unholy minions of Hell had standards.

Regardless, he needed to make a choice. He glanced between the two buildings; they looked almost identical. Nothing on either one made it stand out as a place where an important prisoner like Durbe would be kept.

Knowing Vector, he might not be in either one of them. Or Vector could have lied in a different fashion and they were both in the same one but in different parts of it. Nasch knew the biggest danger in dealing with Vector was believing anything that he said in the first place. If Vector told him the sky was blue and clouds were white, Nasch made a point to look up to the sky before believing a word of it.

Something caught his attention as he tried to make his mind up, something circling high above the buildings. A quick smile flashed across his features as he watched, hoping for some kind of hint.

"Nasch!" Vector's voice cracked through the air. "Are you going to make up your mind or are you going to stand there all evening?"

Nasch gave no answer at first, until that small speck swooped away suddenly. "I don't choose either of your options, Vector!"

"So you want to leave your traitor knight to my tender mercies?" Vector asked, and Nasch could envision the contemptuous look on the other's features. "How wonderful! I hope you look forward to seeing him again at my side very soon!"

"Actually, I think I look forward to seeing him again soon, but at my side, not yours!" Nasch declared, and darted forward, following the direction that speck led in.

Vector sputtered something incoherent, and the guards on both structures began to surge after Nasch. He paid them no mind, all of his attention on the speck as he ran, dodged, and weaved through the thick forest surrounding the village. The two buildings had been close to the edge of it, likely enough why Vector chose them, and a small path, little more than a trail, led away from them both.

Nasch's armor protected him from the thorns that tried to seize at him from the sides of the trail. It was just as well; he didn't pay enough attention to the obstacles to avoid them himself. He simply charged ahead, grasping for any sign of that speck or for what he expected the speck to lead him to.

Ahead of him the trail widened a fraction, and he could hear voices coming from there, ones with the accents of Vector's kingdom. The creak of wagon wheels and the whinny of horses pulled him further on as he surged forward, a new strength bursting up from within.

He kept himself from stumbling over a rock at the end of the trail only by sheer chance, and came to his feet with his sword raised and ready. Less than a stone's throw away rolled a wagon, surrounded by a dozen mounted guards, with more seated on top. The ones on horseback turned toward him, while the ones on the wagon focused their attention on what they guarded.

On who they guarded: for there in the wagon struggled Durbe, a thick gag around his mouth, a blindfold around his eyes, wrists and ankles chained together, a collar around his neck with a chain leading from it held by the guard who sat by the driver.

Every thought in Nasch's head vanished in a rush of rage and fire. He didn't care that he was outnumbered. He didn't care that they could threaten Durbe's life, or end it, before he could get there. An incoherent howl of rage burst from his lips, and he had just time to see Durbe lift his head and turn toward him before the first of the guards brought his sword down.

Nasch caught it on the flat of his own and pushed backwards, moving to the side and shoving harder as he did. As soon as he had the room to work with, he swept his blade underneath the guardsman's and cut deeply into him. The guardsman stumbled backwards, eyes widening as Nasch brought his sword in for a quick finishing blow.

For all that Nasch wanted to rescue Durbe, he couldn't let himself watch the other for very long. Seeing the noble knight treated as little more than a common criminal set his blood aflame, and he needed to focus in order to fight. So as much as it pained him, he closed off all but the sight of the guards as they drew closer, and thought of each of them only as opponents to be defeated. They followed orders and nothing more. The one he truly wanted to hate for all of this was Vector.

And Nasch was very good at hating Vector.

To Be Continued