Guest: I'd already posted 25 by the time I saw your review, so I'm just going to answer on this chapter instead. The portion with Ironheart? Really? Haha Why that one? Any Yami moments are so much fun to reread for edits. And I live for conflict, so I'm glad you're enjoying those interactions as well.

Chapter XXVI: Visits

Yusei wasn't sure what had changed in the few minutes Atem had spoken to his brother and Kisara. When he came back, his expression was haunted and his golden eyes glinted like dull metal. He almost rushed to intercept and ask if he was okay, but the God Dragon blinked, raised his head, and locked eyes with him. His expression had morphed to indifference and his stance was lazy. He seemed unbothered, and for the first time Yusei wondered exactly what coping mechanisms Atem truly possessed. Changing his attitude should not have been as startling as it was, yet there he stood, almost stunned.

"Are they all right?" he asked finally, when he found his voice again. Leviathan and Jaden both looked up, curious. Atem didn't pause his approach.

"I should assume so. There wasn't much to say but that we had no leads and there was no blame to be cast." He shook himself out. "Seto didn't truly care beyond making sure he and his clutch wouldn't be to blame. Kisara was far more distraught."

"She's related to the hatchling that died, right?"

"Yes. Apparently Rafael fathered them." His attention shot to the Leviathan. "I did not think he'd have sired a clutch."

Leviathan snorted. "He'd mate with a water buffalo if he found it to his liking," he scoffed. "Rafael is far more about power displays than anything. If he thought someone might challenge him, he'd mount them the moment he won."

Atem looked visibly disgusted. "Keep your brother away from my mate," he snapped, raising his head and baring his teeth. "I'm quite tired of hearing his little remarks about wanting to force him to his belly."

The war god froze, then laughed. "He's a daring little bastard," he snickered, shaking his head and turning away. He shook himself out and stretched leisurely. "I'm amazed he's survived so long when he's threatening a Sky Dragon, of all species."

Yusei huffed and turned to Jaden. "Did you know he'd sired a clutch?"

Jaden shook his head. "Why would I have? If you'd expect anyone to know, it would be Leviathan, not me."

Atem looked between the three of them. Yusei saw him studying them from the corner of his eye. He looked as if he wanted to speak but abruptly stopped and refused to.

"What of it?" Leviathan snapped. "It's hardly against nature for him to do as he so desires with whomever he chooses."

He nodded slightly, turning to him. "I would have expected him to have mated with a female prior. I just had not assumed he would have allowed her to lay a clutch." Yusei sighed. "That changes a couple of things, don't you think?"

"Rafael may be annoying and rather unruly, but he isn't a dragonet killer. He likely wants nothing to do with them and pretends they're not his."

Yusei saw Atem flinch in his peripheral. He shot him a sideways, puzzled look, but the Sky Dragon ignored him. "There's no chance he'd want to do away with them?" he asked quietly instead. Leviathan scratched his chin and glanced at them dismissively. "You know we have to rule out all possibilities."

"He wouldn't have hurt them, no matter how much he doesn't care for them. He's likely to kill the mother before he'd lift a paw toward them." Leviathan looked over at Atem. "And we would have been able to see him should he have struck. Rafael is visible to us, remember?"

"Have you ever looked in on Bakura or Malik or Seto?"

Yusei froze and looked over, startled. Jaden stepped closer at his side, puzzled when he answered, "Well, no. We've never had reason to. They don't declare war and their species are hardly as…infallible as yours or Yugi's."

Atem locked eyes with Jaden. "So, then is it possible Bakura or Malik did this? The lack of a scent trail to follow would make sense if it was an adult. Kisara's entire clutch has a scent. And so does her sister's. Her remaining hatchling smells enough to be definitive. I caught it when I was leaving. She was sitting in the tunnel, watching as I left."

His haunted look prior made far more sense now. Atem had seen her and grown guilty for not having answers.

"I…I don't believe they would have gotten away with it," he admitted reluctantly. He glanced at Jaden sideways and the Fire Dragon stared more pointedly at Atem. When he turned back, Atem was watching him in turn. Yusei tucked his wings into his sides more firmly and raised his head. He'd forgotten how unrelenting and powerful Atem's stare was. "You're forgetting they're outsiders and they'd be treated as such. They'd watch them as closely as Yugi does whenever he sees us. They'd monitor their every step. There's someone to sit vigil every night by the entrance."

"And they heard nothing."

It wasn't a question. Yusei shook his head, watching the Sky Dragon. Atem paced a few steps, then whipped around and looked in the direction the body had fallen.

"Why was she silent?"

"What?"

"Why was she silent? Why did no one hear her?"

Yusei blinked and bristled. He hadn't thought about it. "Maybe they struck so quickly that she didn't feel it when she hit the ground?"

Atem was staring at the ledge thoughtfully, but his head snapped toward the nursery again. "No," he muttered, and then turned back. "She couldn't have been. The blow would have had to have been to the head or the neck—they would have had to crush her windpipe instantly. And that didn't happen."

Yusei frowned. "Atem, where are you going with this? We don't have any leads. We already admitted as much. Why further stress yourself out worrying about this when we've already spent the afternoon searching for any sign of foul play?"

Atem fell silent, but glanced back at the nursery again. After a long time, he turned back and began walking. "It doesn't matter. We did what we came here for, and I'm done here. So, seeing as I attended this and we have not found any answers, may I return home? I had planned to hunt and sunbathe, and Yugi wanted me to show him how to fish better."

Yusei ignored the quizzical and rapidly hardening look on Jaden's face.

"Sure," he said quietly. "Staying here won't do anything for us. So, yes, go ahead and head home. We'll…be here a little longer to make sure we didn't miss anything, and then we'll go our separate ways as well."

Atem nodded and was gone when Yusei blinked. He barely saw him as a red streak against the sky before he vanished. Yusei turned to Leviathan, then Jaden. The Fire Dragon was watching where Atem had disappeared and the Water Dragon yawned and shook himself out once more.

"That was odd. You'd have thought he'd have more to say about all of it."

"Why?" Yusei asked, looking at Jaden. "There's not much more to say about any of it."

"He seemed so shaken up when we told him, and now he's dismissive."

"He's probably in shock, especially since we…inadvertently accused him of being the reason we never found an answer. His genetic tie to his siblings should not have been the first thing we brought up. I think in his place I would have run off just as quickly." He sighed. "Perhaps Ironheart could tell us something if we paid him a visit?"

"If we can't see anything, what makes you think he can?" Leviathan scoffed. "He's not all-knowing and all-powerful. I hate to break it to the two of you, but he's sick and growing older. Half of his words to me no longer make sense. At the best of times, it's easier to just listen to him ramble and grunt when he pauses. It encourages him to keep going and it keeps me having to reply and pay more attention."

Yusei grimaced. "Is he so far gone?"

"No, not quite. But he keeps saying the word 'Yami' as if it has some kind of meaning. I don't know if it's a name. I don't know if it's a human term from when he stayed with them as their shaman." Leviathan snorted. "He pretends Rafael is a nonexistent bug beneath his paw these days. There's none of that forced politeness or pretense of care any longer. I don't know what's going through his head, but I don't know he does either anymore."

Jaden turned and stared at them. "It could not hurt to get a second opinion on the matter, regardless. Even if he is as…overwhelmed as you imply, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try to get another opinion."

Yusei grimaced. "We fly there, we see him, and it all turns out for naught. What then?"

"Does it matter? If it turns out for naught, we come back." Jaden shook his head. "Well, actually, we don't come back. We go home. There's no reason for us to remain together like this now. It's over and done with. I don't want to waste my time here any longer than necessary. I promised Jesse the remainder of my day after this."

Yusei perked up, eyes widening. "Oh, you're going to spend time with Jesse?"

"It's not as if I never do," Jaden snapped. "I've just had more pressing matters to attend to recently. He knew this would happen eventually. I warned him of it when he became my mate."

"As great as it is to hear the two of you begin yet another wonderful argument, I want to go home and rest," Leviathan snarled. He straightened to his full height, looming over them. His eyes glinted like claws as he stepped forward. "I don't know if the two of you remember this little fact, but straining my visions to find the culprit of a dragonet murder is tiring."

Yusei nodded. He'd requested he try as a last resort. Leviathan was easily exhausted when he turned his focus from the possibility of war. Monitoring that one subject seemed easiest for him. Focusing on another dragon rather than the mass of them exhausted him. Jaden found it easier to focus on one rather than a group, but Yusei enjoyed mostly watching the Gandora species as a whole. He'd diverted his attention solely to Yugi on several occasions, curious and bemused by the brilliance of his blue-violet eyes. His nature had drawn his attention even further and for a short period, Yusei had found himself enjoying watching him over any others.

When Yugi had crossed paths and come into contact with Atem, Yusei had lost sight of him altogether. It had been depressing to think the little Gandora had died, but he had never been able to discover how or why, so he'd been hopeful to see him again one way or another. The moment he'd spotted him at the gathering it had seemed a blessing, though it had been more of a shock to realize he'd courted Atem and taken his place at his side.

It had been the only reason they'd realized Atem was such an immense blind spot.

"Right. Well…let's go ahead and make the trip. There's no reason we shouldn't. If you're right and something really is going on, we should be ahead of it." Yusei glanced in the direction Atem had gone and shook himself out. He forced away the oncoming thoughts clawing for his attention. "We can at least try to lower the casualties."

Arriving at the Water Clan camp sent a shiver down his spine. There was obviously something wrong the moment they set paw. Leviathan looked oddly nervous, as if something were increasingly wrong, and Yusei spent a moment trying to swallow his doubt and smother the instinct to flee. Jaden looked uncertain now as well, as if the charge of the air around them had somehow struck him. Yusei wished for a moment they'd delayed Atem and brought him there, if only so he could tell them if they were all making up this disturbance in their heads somehow.

Yusei glanced at Leviathan. "What…is that?"

"Ironheart is dying," he said shortly, shaking himself out. Yusei thought he was trying to conceal a tremor but it didn't quite work. The Divine Serpent turned to Jaden. "When he passes, the Clan is meant to go to Rafael for the sake of his presence being more easily forgotten than mine. But with his current behavior, it's been overruled. The Clan requests I take leadership until someone else can be decided."

Jaden was quiet for a long moment. "There are no other heirs?"

Leviathan scoffed, padding ahead. "My days are spent watching water hoping for the possibility of a war," he sneered. "As per your request. I hardly have time to mount every female to cross my path."

Yusei tilted his head as the Water Dragon disappeared down a ledge. When he strained his senses, he could hear Ironheart hissing in pain, groaning something or other that he couldn't quite make sense of. All he knew was that he was undeniably saying the word "Yami". Yusei looked at Jaden sideways. The Fire Dragon had leaned forward, head tilted and eyes wide with puzzlement.

"Is he saying to…bring Yami?"

Yusei tilted his head to angle an ear toward the ground and listened intently. But Ironheart had gone silent. Leviathan must have gotten to his side by then. If they were speaking, it was too quiet to eavesdrop. Yusei looked to Jaden.

"Does it matter? For all we know it could be a human in this region. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not interact with them just to find someone he's calling for on what might be his death bed."

Jaden blinked and nodded shortly, turning away again. He took a seat and Yusei awkwardly followed suit. They remained a few yards apart, wings tucked into their sides as they waited.

In the cavern, Ironheart was breathing harder, rasping. Leviathan had taken a seat inches from him, head tipped down and eyes caught on his face. His father looked ragged and tired. It was clear he hadn't eaten and some of his teeth looked as if they'd fallen away. He looked nothing like he'd appeared when they'd come to see him moons before, when he'd requested audience with Atem and refused the rest of them.

He narrowed his gaze. Ironheart had claimed there was a wave of change on the horizon, that hatred and fear would come to stalk the dragons. War was brewing, he'd said. It wouldn't strike in the light, but rather in the dark. He'd said it would be stealthy and terrible and the blows would come to light only when the moon aligned with the sun. Leviathan assumed he meant another eclipse, and the fact he predicted two so close together and so insistently spelled disaster. He knew that. His father had taught him enough to understand it.

He'd said it'd be two summers after the first, long after he himself had dropped dead. Leviathan had argued that wouldn't happen, that he'd live to see it if came to pass. Ironheart had laughed at him. He'd looked over, snorted, and then burst into laughter all while shaking his head and smiling with bared teeth. He hadn't known what to make of it then, but he did now.

The dreams had started. He'd seen more than he cared to admit.

But Ironheart had made him pledge not to tell Yusei or Jaden. Atem had been the only soul he'd said he was allowed to speak to. But Atem was a flighty creature and he took off when he was scared and stood his ground when he was forced. Leviathan found it amusing how contradictory the little Sky Dragon was now from how he'd been when they'd met at the gathering over a year before.

He had no plans to explain what was happening, however.

Soon after Ironheart had said Atem was the only one he could speak to of the matter, he'd retracted the statement. Quietly, shaking his head, he'd turned and told him otherwise. Atem wouldn't listen. Atem was too afraid. Atem would lash out and kill him. Atem would rampage.

Leviathan couldn't imagine him turning to bloodlust as his father suggested. It didn't seem to be in the other male's genetics, but his father had insisted. He'd snarled and hissed and threatened to skin him if he told him. He'd begged even; Leviathan had never seen his father beg.

"Who is Yami?" he finally asked. "Speak softly. Jaden and Yusei are still above, likely trying to listen in."

"Atem…" His father blinked and looked at him from a twitching, half-closed eye. "Atem…"

"Atem?" he prompted. "Atem what? Does he know them?"

Ironheart shuddered and Leviathan almost flinched when the smell of illness wafted from the floor of the cavern. He bristled slightly but ignored it, watching him intently.

"Did you want to see Atem?"

His father twitched and shuddered, sputtered for air for a single second, and then looked him in the eye. It was perhaps the first time since he'd gotten sick that he'd done so, and the sight burned him for a moment. Ironheart snorted softly and closed his eyes again after a heartbeat, grunting as if he'd been struck with a paw or falling stone, and then exhaled wearily.

"Yes." He was quiet a moment. "Bring him…to me."

Leviathan twitched his tail. "Is that what you desire? What about this Yami? Shall I call for him too?"

"Yami…mustn't come." Ironheart shuddered. "Atem…wouldn't bring him."

He tilted his head. "Atem knows Yami?" he repeated, watching his father's labored breaths. "How?"

"…Son…"

He blinked and shook his head. "The sun is high overhead and the water sparkles beneath its rays," he said quietly, then got to his paws when Ironheart did not answer. "I'll see to it that Atem is brought here. Would you wish to see Jaden or Yusei in the meantime?"

His father snarled softly. "Jaden…" he spat. "Make him leave."

Leviathan turned around, startled. "Make him leave?" he repeated incredulously. "You wish for me to banish Jaden?"

"Make him go," Ironheart snarled. "I do not wish to see him."

The Divine Serpent peered at him a long moment. He was lucid. For the first time in over a moon, Ironheart appeared entirely coherent. "Why? Why should I banish him?" he said slowly, raising his head. "He's going to request to see you regardless."

"Yami…"

The word was laced oddly with affection and maybe the smallest hint of scorn. Leviathan had heard the tone the numerous times he'd acted out and Ironheart had disciplined him as a hatchling. He'd never laid a paw on him, nor berated him. But he'd given him looks and fallen silent when Leviathan had acted out and spoken to him later of his disappointment. It had, oddly enough, been more devastating than he'd ever admit. He'd acted out at times to reinforce the image of being the bloodthirsty creature of legend, but he didn't truly care for his domain to grow.

War was harder than anyone often admitted.

"Protect…"

Leviathan tilted his head. Ironheart was mumbling under his breath, saying something or other he was not privy to. He watched him a few moments longer, then prompted, "Protect? Protect what? Protect who?"

His father twitched and rasped for air. And then he curled his neck and peered at him. The lucidness was gone, replaced by pain. He shuddered and twitched again.

"Atem…"

Leviathan snorted. Atem didn't need protection. Atem could lay waste to all of them in the blink of an eye if he so wanted. Atem was death incarnate as far as he was concerned. Atem was capable of anything.

He turned and trotted out.

"He's requesting Atem," he announced the moment he saw the other two. Yusei raised his head and got to his paws.

"Really?" He sounded mystified. "Atem?"

Leviathan turned to Jaden, ignoring him. "And that you leave."

Jaden looked taken aback. "What?" he hissed, regaining his composure and scowling. "Why would he request my absence?"

"I don't know. He doesn't want to see either of you. He wants Atem."

The Fire Dragon scoffed. "Everyone always wants Atem," he snarled. "Atem this, Atem that. Atem, Atem, Atem. What? Was he born during an eclipse? Is he an omen of some kind? I should sharpen my claws on his spine for all the trouble he's caused me."

Yusei charged, pinning him with a paw to the throat, snarling so angrily that froth dripped from his teeth. "You will not. I let you declare war on another God Dragon before. I let you enforce edicts. And I bloodied my claws for you," he spat. "But if you lay so much as a paw on Atem, I'll wage war on you myself. Get control of your spite and lose your anger. It makes you useless, Jaden."

Leviathan tilted his head, watching them intently. Jaden tried to shrug Yusei off and the Ice Dragon snarled louder. Every scale on his back was raised into a bristle and the froth in his jaws was glinting and sizzling as it hit the ground. The war god lashed his tail.

"Declaring war on each other over someone as insignificant as Atem is beneath you, Yusei," he commented. He expected the Ice Dragon to turn on him in reprimand but Yusei never took his eyes off Jaden. The Prime Material Dragon was snarling and glaring, teeth bared as he tried to squirm away and failed. Leviathan stepped forward. "As much as I would love to see Jaden's flesh sizzle away to nothing and stomp upon his husk of a skeleton, it doesn't change anything. My father requested Atem. He asked that Jaden leave. As for you, Yusei, I don't know. I'd assume he didn't mean to say you leave as well, but he also never mentioned you or answered when I said your name."

Yusei chomped his teeth when Jaden tried again to shove him off. His saliva fell in a thick strand across the Fire Dragon's paw and Jaden yowled with pain. For a moment Yusei refused to let him up and the sizzling grew until it was almost deafening. And then Yusei backed away. Jaden sprang to his paws and hurried to dip the wound beneath the water gushing nearby.

Yusei turned to him abruptly. "See to it that Jaden leaves. I'll fetch Atem. He doesn't quite despise me as much as you two."

Leviathan burst out laughing as the Ice Dragon took off, then turned to Jaden. He was watching his former mate with a furious expression, teeth bared and eyes narrowed.

"I'm going to see your father. There's something he's hiding from us. From me. And I need to know what it is."

"There's no way you'll get it from him. Not in the state he's in." Leviathan grunted. "And, honestly, the stress of seeing you when he wished for your banishment for the moment might very well be enough to kill him. You can stay here and wait. But I'm not going to allow you to see him."