I'm very sorry that I have been unable to update in a long time. I constantly make excuses but Senior Year is really kicking my ass and I've been focusing on my novels and I hit a rough patch with this story but I managed to finally get into the flow of this and wrote all of this out in about 3 hours. Its a bit short but I hope its okay since I haven't really written for this story in a while so it may take a bit to get back into the flow of things. I hope to update again soon thanks to the few days I have off before the new semester starts. I would to hear from you guys so please leave a review if you can.

Chained to the Earth

Chapter 11

Affairs in the dark realm were running smoothly, despite the tense atmosphere that travelled the halls of the palace. It's been almost two days since their fight and still Bakura has seen no sign of Yami at all. They've been distant from each other since their fight. Bakura grew more agitated by the hour.

He's sent guards to find him, he's tried their link to speak with him telepathically or to location him that way, but the signal was cut off and the link was closed off. That alone was enough to throw Bakura over the edge of frustration. He's asked the servants multiple times for a glass of ale every now and again and they were forced to oblige. Bakura was not much of a drinker, but the alcohol calmed him down while he also focused on his usual duties such as checking on the troops he's sent into the front lines of the war, check ins on the Angel Realm, and other kingly duties on his own now that Yami has disappeared.

He was currently filling out paperwork, a pair of reading glasses rests on the top of his nose as he read. They were requests for more supplies, eyewitness reports from his children, and other useless nonsense he didn't want to deal with. This was usually Yami's job, taking care of papers so that they were signed off and answered quickly. So far Bakura has only gotten through about 20 in about an hour; no where close to his partner's 50.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes for a moment, a headache forming. Nothing was going as planned at all. Ever since he went to see his brother and blasted those children into who-knows-where everything has fallen apart. His forces were slowly beginning to dwindle down in the fight against the angels, his partner is no longer on speaking terms with him, and worse he's stuck doing all of this political crap on his own. If things didn't change soon he wasn't sure what he would do.

Just then the door to his office chamber opens and Malik walked in. Clad in simple plate mail armor, that didn't cover every inch of his body due to his nimble actions and stealthy movements, he looked intimidating to the everyday person. His well built body would be enough to make any unlucky person fear for their life. Malik closed the door behind him and looked at Bakura.

"What is it?" Bakura asks.

Malik places a form on Bakura's desk. "The night patrol say they spotted a group of kids trespassing into the library at about 0 hundred hours this morning. They did not leave until the sun began to rise." While Malik spoke, Bakura looked over the forms and the sketches that the patrol managed to make for him. "We have reason to believe that they were trying to get information on something, something that was controversial if it means to be sneaking around at the darkness of night." Bakura couldn't get much of an idea on faces through these rough sketches, but the very last one was very clear. He recognized the hair, and the clothing outlines.

"This one," Bakura starts. He slides the sketch back over to Malik. "This one was at the Angel realm the same time I was. There's no doubt about it, his ridiculous hair makes it obvious. I want him arrested. And if you spot those other two bring them in as well. I have several questions for them. Just don't bring them in dead, they're useless to me that way."

Malik nods in understanding, taking the sketch in front of him and the other two from Bakura and placing them in his pocket, and then leaves the room.

Bakura leans back in his chair and looks up at the ceiling, the face of that child on his mind. A scowl set in his lips as he pictured his face. He couldn't imagine his children trying to betray him when he's done nothing but support them since they were simple zygote in their mothers reproductive systems. He could imagine no such thing.

With the arrival of the rest of their group of friends, Alexis and Aster, they were finally ready to discuss what they have inferred while at the library about The Fallen. Zane had everyone sit on the couch, the armchair was his alone, and he began to tell what they figured out.

"When it comes to The Fallen themselves and their history, Blair believes that they have completely erased themselves from history. It's not an impossible theory as it would explain why no one has heard about or from there in a few millennia." Zane explains.

"But even if they wiped themselves from the books, that doesn't mean that the people have forgotten them. Yugi recognized Kaiba almost instantly. He didn't even need to see his face." Alexis says questionably.

Zane sits back in his chair. "Well, while that may be true. It seems to me that since they have kept such a low key radar, that no one suspected them to even be alive at this point. The people may perhaps believe that The Fallen are extinct, no longer a single one walks the realms. It would make sense that no one remembers them since it's been so many thousands of years."

"So what, people just up and forgot about them? That's a bit suspicious, don't you think?" Aster asks.

"Suspicious or not it means that we don't have much to go on at the moment. Yugi is relying on us to get some information on them but so far we have little. The only way this will work is if we find someone who remembers them. But that will be difficult since no one will speak to us about anything. Not even why this this damn war is even happening. We've been in the dark since the beginning and we always will be." Zane says irritably.

No one said a word for a few minutes. No one knew what to say because Zane's statement was true. Everything involving the realms histories are a complete mystery to them. They only knew the basic history up until about ten thousand millennia ago. Everything after that was never taught to them on the grounds that it was forbidden knowledge to their generation.

"So, what do we do now?" Syrus asks. He was curled up on the floor next to his brother's arm chair. He would have sat on the couch with the others but space was limited so opted to leaning against the chair. "With no information and no source to seek out we're stuck. There's nothing that we can do."

"Well we can't just give up." Chazz speaks up next. "Jehu and Haou are still in that other dimension, along with the dork and Jesse. We need to get them back."

"But we also need to work on saving King Ryou." Alexis urges. "King Yugi says he will handle trying to get them back, but our task is to get information on The Fallen for him. That is our trade. He brings back our friends, we try and find his fiance. That is our job."

"But how do we know it's another dimension?" Syrus' soft voice chimes in again. He buries his face in his knees. "How do we know they didn't die?"

"Those four don't die easy. Jehu and Haou are stronger than anything I've ever seen, save the kings. And Jaden is too stupid to die like that." Zane replies.

"But how do we know?" Syrus asks again. "This could be all for nothing. How do we know there's another dimension aside from ours? How do we know this isn't just a cover story that King Yugi is putting on us? How do we really know?"

"You're thinking too much into it." Aster says. "He wouldn't lie like that. It takes a lot for an Angel to lie."

"That's true." Syrus replies.

"But either way we have to-" Zane stops abruptly and stands up from the chair. Everyone looks at him as he does. Syrus looks up at him in worry.

"What's wrong?" Alexis asks.

Zane looks towards the door and his body grows stiff. He moves his hand towards the back of the house. "Everyone, go hide."

"Hide? Zane, what's going on? You're acting weird." Blair asks.

"Just do it!" Zane shouts. His face showed anger, but also a small lace of fear. That's what drew everyone out of their seats to run to another part of the house. Zane stood watching the door, his senses of strong demon power that was lurking closer and closer by the second. It was very strong, almost as strong as his king's.

The door was kicked in moments later and a palace guard, clad in plate armor walks in. His platinum blonde hair and dark skin were enough of an intimidation tactic, but the sword on his belt was even more of a worry for Zane. The palace guard makes his way inside with two others at his side, also clad in plate armor but with helmets as well.

"He's here. I know he is. Where is he?" Malik asks sternly. He takes the picture out of his pocket and holds it out in front of him so Zane could see. The lines and shading were a bit messy but the picture was clear as day to him. The spiky hair, the jacket, it was obvious.

"He's not here." Zane says. "He never was." Similarly to Angels, Demons are excellent liars.

"You can't fool me." Malik says. He puts the picture away and walks further into the house. "This entire home smells of Angel and Demon energy. And it's not all from you and that little brother of yours."

Zane turns to face him as Malik passes him by. "What makes you think he's here? Why would he be here?"

"Does that really matter to me?" Malik asks in reply. "My orders are to capture him, along with you and the girl. So don't even think of trying to run, kid. If you do, you'll face the consequences."

"There's nothing here that suggests he's stepped foot in my house." Zane says.

Malik's sword within a matter of a single blinking second was just centimeters from his neck. Malik held the sword towards him, but didn't bother to look his way. "Search the house. I want him and the girl found. Leave Truesdale to me."

The two other men left the living room to search the rest of the home, while Malik kept a close eye on Zane. However, Zane was beginning to worry not for himself but for his little brother. Malik said that he was being arrested, along with Blair and Chazz. That means that someone saw them last night at the library and told the King. But if they were being taken in, possibly to be imprisoned, that would mean that Syrus would be on his own. Syrus couldn't be left alone in the Demon Realm without him, that would cause problems. He needed to be with his brother.

"Don't bother saying anything, kid. You talk and I'll hurt you. Bakura said as long as you aren't dead I bring you to him. He never said I couldn't hurt you." Malik says without hesitation.

Zane stayed silent. He kept his hands up to show that would not resist. But he knew he needed to make a compromise here. If they found Chazz and Blair, they might find everyone else and they could be punished for trespassing on Demon Realm territory.

"I know where they are. But if I tell you then you have to let the others go."

"Others?" Malik questions. He lowers his sword a bit as he turns to face Zane. "What others? Who else are you hoarding away in here?"

Zane was going to respond but was silenced by the one guard returning with Blair, throwing her onto the ground on her knees. She looked angry from being handled in such a rough manner, but kept her head down.

"That's two. Any sign of the other one?" Malik asks.

"Not yet sir." The guard replies. "Do you think he may have escaped?"

"If he did then he'll be in a lot more trouble than he already is. So, I hope for his sake that he's here and not running like a chicken across the streets of this place." Malik says.

Blair lifted her head for a split moment to look at Zane, who refused to say anything to her. They were in a tight spot. His only hope was that Malik would take him up on his offer and let the others go and he gives Chazz up.

"I'll tell you where he is. Just let the others go." Zane proposes again.

"You still haven't told me who these others are." Malik says. "Were they with you last night at the library? Are they accomplices of yours?"

"No. They're just friends. Let them leave."

"Tell me where the boy is."

Zane stayed silent for a moment. He had no exact location of Chazz's whereabouts. And it would take too long to call him through the link, plus the others would hear him. So, he had to call him out.

"Princeton. Get your ass out here." Zane ordered. He kept his arms up so that Malik knew he wasn't playing any games. Blair sat on the floor in her same position and prayed that nothing would go wrong and that Chazz would come quickly and peacefully. The waiting felt like hours but it was only a few moments. Chazz's shoes came barging up the stairs from the basement and the door opened. Zane and Blair watched as Chazz came walking into the living room. He saw the situation and raised his arms as well.

"What's going on? What do you guys want with us?" Chazz asks.

Malik motions for Chazz to get on his knees, and Chazz listens, quickly kneeling on the floor with arms behind his head.

"You three have been ordered by King Bakura to see him in person to discuss your punishment for trespassing into the library after curfew. He also has suspicions that you three are up to something and won't put up with any negligence against him. Do you three understand on the grounds of the law?"

"Yes." They all replied at the same time. Malik tasked the two guards, the one finally returning after a few minutes, to take them out of the house. The guards listened, one taking Chazz and Blair, and the other grabbing Zane. But before Zane was walked out, Malik had him stop.

"As for those friends of yours, they are free to go. On legal grounds our king only requested you three. I have no use for them. So, you call tell them through our link that they are free to go, but they must do so quickly." Malik says sternfully.

"Thank you." Zane replies. The guard then continues to walk Zane out of his home. As he does, Zane contacts the others through the link, including Syrus. 'Get out of there, quickly. He's letting you all go, but go out the back. We can't have him knowing that you're Angels. They will arrest you all as well.'

'But what am I supposed to do, Zane? What can I do while you're gone?' Syrus asks worriedly.

'I want you go with Alexis. She can keep a better eye on you while I'm gone.' Zane says. 'I hope you don't mind that, Alexis.'

'Not at all.' Alexis replies. 'Just don't do anything stupid. We expect you all back before long. We weren't finished with our discussion.'

'Right.' Zane says before closing off the link.

Malik walks out from the home and joins the guards. "His Majesty will have a lot to discuss with you about this. Remember to be respectful. One inappropriate response and you'll be hearing from me, get it?"

"Yes sir." They all responded once again. Malik locked them all up in chain handcuffs before they all started back towards the castle. Malik had the carriage that would bring them all there parked a little ways away to avoid conflict with the neighbors of the area. But despite that people were looking out there windows towards them, whispering about what they thought was going on. Some had smiles on their faces, happy to be ridding themselves of the "too curious for their own good" generation from their area.

After arriving with King Seto and his partner Joseph, Ryou wasn't sure what to think. Despite being tied up when he awoke in the carriage in a strange land he had never seen before he was immediately knocked out again, another needle filled with the strange serum that put him right to sleep, a specific form of anesthetic he assumed. He had awoken again inside this locked tower room. It was high up, a view of the entire forest area could be seen at his height. But the room he was in was not lonesome either. He had a desk with some paper and pencils, a bed in the corner with a comforter and soft pillows, and a few books. It would seem perhaps they had not dragged him here to be tortured and abused, but to be just held here, a simple kidnapping. He was a pawn in their game, but they didn't want to make him feel out of place.

Ryou was currently looking over the books that they had given him and they were all quite astounding, he was sure he would be reading them all, depending on how long he was to be stuck here. He assumed it would be a long while since he had no idea where he was and that Yugi could not do much on his own while the kingdom was at stake. He assumed that Seto already had a plan in store to draw this out as long as possible, but was unsure what that plan would be. He was clueless to it all.

He put the book in his hand back with the rest and went over to the desk. He supposed the best thing he could do would be to send Yugi a quick message. Angels had the distinct ability to send messages through a small time/space rift that they could create, but they had to be small messages and only messages could be sent through it. Anything larger than a the size of a fist would cause the rift to distort and whatever would be put through would be lost in time/space. He sat down in the desk and grabbed a pencil and paper and thought of a short message to send. There was so much he wanted to say to Yugi, but knew he had to keep it brief. There was also the side thought that any one of King Seto's guards could come in at any moment, and he was unsure if there was punishment for sending messages.

He wrote out his message on the clean sheet of white paper before rolling it up like a small scroll. He then laid it in his hands and watched it levitate a few inches from the palm of his hands before it was sucked into an open rift in time/space and gone the next moment. He hopes that the message will reach Yugi before long.

"My lady, My lady, come to the window and let down thy beautiful white hair." A voice sung obnoxiously.

Ryou walked over to the window and peered his out to see who dared to mock him in such a way. When he saw that it was Atticus he could only scowl. "How dare you say such things to me? I am King of the Angel Realm. Show some respect."

"I'll show you some respect once you bow down before me, My Lady." Atticus teases.

"You're lucky you're down there or I would hurt you." Ryou growls.

"Ah, relax, My Lady. You don't need to fuss. I just came to tell you that King Seto will be expecting you soon. So I'll be up there soon to come and bring you to him." Atticus informs him.

"That's fine. I wish to speak with him myself as well." Ryou replies.

"Well that's all I have to say. In due time, we'll meet again, My Lady." Atticus says with a bow before walking away.

Ryou steps away from the window, a feeling of frustration in his stomach for that boy. He acts so formal around him, joking around with nicknames and no formality at all. It was unusual. It made him wonder just how this kingdom was run, and what kind of king Seto was to these people.