Chapter LIII: Shadi

Yusei jolted awake, stumbling to his paws and shaking himself out. The cave walls glistened where the light touched the ice. His stomach growled pitifully and his paws ached with neglect. He'd fallen asleep there to attempt to see the events to come in his rest, but the ability had failed him. He wasn't sure what kept blocking him. At first it had been nothing but a wall. Now something had forcefully shoved him away. Something had sunk its teeth into him, shaken him painfully, and thrown him aside to wake as fitfully as he had. He grunted as he cast a look around. The pool of water had frozen while he'd been dreaming, and his belly twisted with the discovery.

It shouldn't have frozen over. The temperature wasn't low enough. There was still running water in the territory. If the pool had frozen over, it meant something was happening that couldn't be prevented. Usually it meant war.

But he'd kept his ears to the ground and listened for any hint. He'd monitored alongside Leviathan more than once. And there had never been even an inkling that war might break out.

So maybe it meant death.

But whose? Was it so important it had frozen the pool over?

Usually that meant a God Dragon.

The last time he'd seen that pool freeze over, it had been when Shadi had died. He bristled and shook himself out, but dread made his bones ache. Did it mean Atem was to die?

He hesitated at the edge of the pool, staring at the crystalline surface, and touched a paw to it. The ice crackled and broke, splitting in half, and water as black as the night sky oozed forth. It seemed thicker than usual and shinier than it should have been.

His stomach knotted.

He couldn't see Atem. Nothing connected to Atem was visible at any time. He'd sooner find he was dead than be able to see him. What if Atem died because Yusei couldn't see him? What if he had the chance to save him and didn't because he was blind to him?

Yusei shifted his weight. Atem would be livid if he showed up at his territory uninvited. He didn't want to think of how much collateral damage could be done if he showed up and Atem saw him as a threat. He couldn't imagine what might happen if Yugi found out Yusei had the chance to help Atem and failed.

Between the two of them he wasn't sure who he feared most. Yugi was a powerhouse, even if he was hidden behind such warm affection so often. Atem was raw strength and he displayed it without care. He knew Atem didn't display the worst of his temper most often, so if he saw him as a threat now…

Yusei forced the thought away.

It didn't matter.

He had to find out if he was okay.

He had to know if Atem or Yugi were in danger.

It didn't matter if he got hurt in the meantime…

Yusei took off before he could rethink the decision. He was halfway through his territory and to Atem's before he realized he should have slowed to keep himself from appearing aggressive in approach. He paused and angled his wings, slowing himself, and looked at the ground beneath him more pointedly. He searched for any sign of the two of them.

And he found them a few minutes later.

Atem dove underwater and disappeared entirely. Yugi turned and raised his head to look at him when he heard his wings flap. The Gandora blinked, then bristled and stared with wide eyes. Yusei paused, hovering, and opened his mouth just as Atem flew up and straight toward him. He almost expected a collision, moving to shoot past and away from the blow. But Atem stopped inches away, opening his huge wings, and stared at him expressionlessly.

"Oh, you're both okay."

Atem blinked long and slow and Yusei noticed with wonder he didn't have to flap to stay airborne despite the stillness. "Is there a reason we shouldn't be?"

Yusei faltered a moment, considering him. He thought to answer but found himself unable. When he looked down Yugi stared back almost defiantly, as if he had been challenged despite the silence. Atem flapped his wings finally and studied Yusei with an unmeasurable look.

Yusei looked over. "May I have your blessing to land?" he said finally.

Atem blinked and tilted his head. Yugi scoffed, "Ha! No!" and the God Dragon snorted before shooting his mate a fond but exasperated look. "Yes."

Yugi huffed loudly and stomped his paws but did not argue further. Yusei snickered as he lowered himself to the ground. The Gandora looked as if he wanted to leap forward and tackle him at any moment. Atem landed immediately in front of him, stance relaxed at first glance but the tension clear in the way he braced his claws. Yusei studied him a moment, looking him up and down, and tilted his head.

"I asked your blessing. I'm here with permission."

"Mm." Atem didn't blink. "What you are here for is the real question."

Yusei chuckled and shook his head. "Always suspicious like this, Atem, or is that because it's me?"

Atem snorted. "You don't register as more than an inconvenience on the best of days, Yusei."

"Good." He paused and looked at Yugi a moment before turning back. He took a seat and made a point then of sliding to his belly and laying stretched out in the most relaxed position he could manage. Atem tilted his head and stared, surprised, and Yugi rushed forward to peer at him in bewilderment. "I thought you might be in danger."

Atem blinked and stared, tilting his head and eyeing him curiously. "I'm sorry?"

"I wouldn't have come here without reason. I'm not like Jaden. I tend to make my decisions based on necessity rather than suspicion." He studied him a moment. Atem's face had darkened briefly at the mention of the other God Dragon but he did not growl or bare his teeth. There was no sign of true aggression in his stance still. "I went to sleep after receiving a vision. And usually when I do this, I can expand it to get more details. This time all I saw was darkness. When I woke up…the pool in my cave was frozen."

Atem looked sideways at Yugi as if for explanation. The Gandora cast him an equally confused look.

"So…a pool of water froze…in your region…which is mostly ice?" Atem said slowly, looking over. He stared after a moment, smiling faintly. And then he burst into laughter. "Are you serious?"

Yusei smirked and looked away, shaking his head. "I realize it sounds stupid," he snorted, sighing after a moment. "But the pool is connected to a hot spring underground. It's impossible for it to freeze over. The only time it's ever had even a small layer of ice on the top was when the fourth God Dragon Shadi died."

Atem blinked and lost his smile, tilting his head. "Shadi? Is that who I replaced?"

"You didn't know?" he asked, studying him a moment before blinking. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. We buried that bloodstain well enough. That entire shade in history was all but hidden away. We did well with that."

Yugi shifted his weight and glanced at Atem. "Was it Jaden to kill him? Is that why he picks fights with Atem so often?"

Yusei blinked. "No. He fights with Atem so often because Atem doesn't roll over when Jaden argues. He's used to Leviathan and I stepping aside when the worst of things come to light. Atem stood up and argued when he wanted to hunt Keith's offspring. It makes Jaden nervous that he'll fight him when it matters more that we all stand in solidarity." He paused and looked to Atem. "I can't tell you everything. I always promised to keep it secret and I'm bound by my word to do so."

"Truly?" Yugi scoffed. "You're bound by your word?"

"I promised them I wouldn't say anything about it no matter the circumstances."

Atem studied him for a long time. "Jaden made you swear not to speak of the matter?" he clarified, and Yusei bristled faintly at the bold accusation in his tone. Atem nodded after a moment and turned away. "And you hold yourself to that oath still?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Atem nodded. "Then tell me what you can without betraying his confidence."

Yugi tilted his head and looked at Yusei more intently. "What species was Shadi?"

"Wind and Ice hybrid. He was a White Night Dragon." Yusei tilted his head and looked between them curiously. He flexed his claws. "He was the eldest and Jaden came soon after, when the God Dragon before him passed. I replaced the God Dragon before him, and then the Leviathan replaced the last. Shadi was…"

He struggled for words for a moment, then considered Atem. "He was…opposite of you, honestly. He didn't want to let anyone get hurt and he refused to bloody his claws if it wasn't necessary. He refused a mate altogether because of his abilities." Yusei tilted his head and ignored the way Yugi bristled with annoyance. "He was beloved by a lot of dragons, even if we made use of his name all but punishable."

Yugi huffed. "If you ever considered making Atem's name punishable I'd kill all three of you."

Atem snorted. "Yugi, we're asking for answers."

"I know. I'm just telling him."

Yusei smirked and shook his head. Yugi was too sweet. It was admirable how much he adored Atem. "A lot of dragons aren't interested in the past, either, Yugi. It helped to make his name all but nonexistent. They'd rather look to Atem as the newest God Dragon and wish him a long life than remember the deity before him who passed under such terrible circumstance."

"As they should," Yugi said with clear approval, nodding his head.

Atem snickered and Yusei chuckled. "Little one, let him talk."

"I am! I haven't taken his tongue out!"

Yusei snorted. "Grand threats from such a tiny Gandora."

Atem snickered and dodged aside when Yugi growled and pounced. The Sky Dragon took a seat and used his wing to keep Yugi from landing atop him. Yugi huffed and took a seat, glaring at Yusei as if he'd given Atem the idea.

"Shadi was one of the healer deities. He was stronger than Jaden and it didn't take nearly as much out of him as it does Jaden. He could heal almost anything and if I remember right, he used to be able to ease death pains if he breathed beside another dragon as they passed." Yusei shifted his weight and drew a paw toward his chest. "He tried to teach Jaden how to do something similar, but their abilities were too different. Jaden takes the pain himself. Shadi could…dissipate it."

Atem seemed to almost bristle at the statement, but when Yusei considered him more pointedly the God Dragon was expressionless. He tilted his head and studied him a moment, but Yugi growled as if he thought Yusei might leap forward any second. He decided not to comment; what was the use in trying again to reassure him? Yugi never listened. He was too fearful of what could happen if the three of them turned on Atem.

Yusei wasn't concerned in the slightest. Atem could hold his own. He knew that much. Even if the two times they'd collided Atem had been slowed by Yami or prior disregard for his own health, he'd been more than capable. Yusei had the sinking feeling that no matter what obstacle was put in Atem's path the Sky Dragon would prevail. It was something in the way he held himself, he supposed. Or maybe it was the rumors that haunted his steps. He didn't know. But he had no doubt if they turned on Atem, he'd deal with them with ease.

"None of us know exactly how he managed it. It wasn't something he could teach. So we just accepted it and moved on. But he was far stronger than Jaden in that regard, and he refused almost entirely to use his own teeth and claws in battle. If he could avoid it, he did. But that's what got him killed." Yusei shifted his weight and rose to a stand, pressing his wings into his sides and sighing. "It's a long story, but the sum of its parts are simple. There was a fifth God Dragon. We hadn't known about it—similarly to how we were blind to Atem. But we knew the parents. We knew there was a chance they would be Divine."

Atem raised and tilted his head, eyes sharpening. Yugi froze and then shot his mate a sideways glance before turning back with his teeth bared in a small snarl.

"We didn't think much of it because nothing manifested for a while. But the mother… She was…unstable. She lost her mind slowly but surely. And she…went after the others in the clutch. From what I understand of it… She did quite a few vile things to them. She was convinced the nest was poisoned and the only one worth anything was the eldest. He was the biggest and he was the healthiest. And she…starved the rest." He halted and looked at Atem, for a moment thinking to add more before glancing at Yugi as well. Their stares were mirroring images of bewilderment. The words choked in his throat and he turned away. "He grew up extremely strong and…ill-tempered. He tried—unsuccessfully—to basically raise an army of superior Divine Dragons."

Atem blinked. "Sounds familiar," he scoffed.

Yugi bristled and shifted his weight. "I'd pee on his corpse if I still could."

Yusei tilted his head. "Hmm?"

"Keith," Atem stated with a small shake of his head. "He said he was going to breed a superior race of dragons greater than the God Dragons. He said it would no longer come to random genetics or natural selection that a God Dragon would be born. He was determined to raise an entirely new breed of far more powerful dragons."

Yugi huffed. "I guess he succeeded in certain areas. But they were all so young they didn't know how to use their claws properly for the most part."

Atem snorted but his expression wasn't as boastful as Yugi's. A shadow had passed over his face and his eyes seemed darker than ever. Yusei shivered and the Sky Dragon blinked, raising his head slightly.

"You fought his son."

Atem huffed. "Yes. His armor was harder but he didn't have much stamina or endurance." He shook himself out and looked at Yugi as the Gandora shifted his weight and glanced at him almost expectantly. Yusei wondered at the expression. Atem curled his lip on his top mouth and turned away, growling. "He was a lot stronger than he should have been. He winded me once or twice but it wasn't enough to actually slow me down. But he could have grown to be a much bigger problem if I hadn't killed him then. Keith could have truly raised an army of superior dragons if he'd been able to resist chasing me."

"Keith himself was monstrous by the end of it, wasn't he? Or was that just rumors?"

"He hardly looked like a Barrel Dragon any longer. I almost thought he seemed like a cross between a Barrel and a Gandora." Atem's eyes darkened again. "But he was devouring the hearts from the Gandora species, so that could also explain his physical mutations. He was able to wield more magic as well…"

"I heard he was only incapable of earth and ice."

"Yes. It seemed so."

Yusei grimaced. "Because he was eating the hearts from other dragons."

"That's the thought, yes." Atem cast a small glance at Yugi. Yusei looked over as well, startled but also amused as the Gandora snorted and shifted his weight with his chin lifted. "I assume he meant to eat Yugi's as well when he got the chance."

Yugi huffed. "I'm too awesome for that."

Atem snorted and shoved him with his paw. Yugi almost fell over, then spun on him with a growl. "I don't think Keith cared that you were so awesome, little one. I think he planned to eat you especially because you stood up to him."

Yugi grinned. "I did slow him down. He was definitely more interested in you showing up so he could try to kill you, though."

"He didn't want me dead. He wanted me as his slave. There's a huge difference." Atem's tail thrashed once. Yusei noticed with interest that his eyes had darkened and the gem on his forehead was almost black. "But he certainly wanted to eat your heart. You even said so."

Yugi huffed. "True. He did say that." He looked at Yusei. "So, what about Shadi and this Divine Dragon? What happened exactly?"

Yusei shifted his weight, paced a few more steps, then looked at Atem again. The other deity stared back, eyes narrowed almost suspiciously. He wondered what went on in his head, if he truly saw Yusei as a threat or if he was just growing impatient.

"The mother filled the Divine's head with a million things that just…shouldn't have been spoken of or said. He…did as Keith did, hunting and killing certain species to swallow their hearts and adapt more." Yusei paused. "The Divine was a third generation Gandora. He was already too powerful, even before he…began killing and eating. We don't know the extent of his abilities, though, because of how quickly he began to deteriorate due to his mother."

Atem tilted his head and glanced at Yugi. "Second generation are already too strong and unstable. Who in their right minds would have bred a third?"

Yugi didn't look offended in the slightest. Yusei was actually amazed when the Gandora snickered and turned away with a wide grin.

"The…more unfortunate part was the father didn't know." Yusei shifted his weight and sighed. "The father had no idea he'd courted a second generation Gandora."

"Was Leviathan active by that point?"

Yusei faltered and studied Atem's expression. He looked away. "His presence is inconsequential. He was active after."

Atem narrowed his eyes in his peripheral but did not speak. Yusei noticed Yugi tilt his head and glance at Atem in bewilderment. The two of them swapped looks and Atem leaned forward to lick Yugi's cheek before settling back into his former spot. The Gandora looked so pleased with himself he visibly preened.

Yusei smiled faintly as he looked them both over. "The Divine Dragon deteriorated more rapidly the older he got. He…turned and…mutilated an entire Clan of dragons for the sake of breeding quickly." He found himself looking at Yugi then, studying the horrified expression on his face. "Yugi?"

"The Fire Clan?" he whispered. "Was it the Fire Clan? I remember hearing from Honda that something like that had happened. He said he was…one of the clutches that got pitted against each other to prove their will to survive. The Divine Dragon put them all in a huge pit and they were forced to kill each other to make it to their first six moons."

Yusei flinched. "Yes. I remember hearing about… We didn't know when it happened. By the time we'd gained knowledge of it, it was already too late to save the Clan. The Divine had eaten the leader alive in front of the rest of them and then he'd…slaughtered the elder members. He'd pitted the youngest to see that they had the will to survive, and he'd planned to wage war with the Wind Clan. We barely intervened in time. But we only managed to chase the Divine away from the Fire Clan. He…went to the Water Clan then."

Yugi shivered and glanced at Atem, horrified. The Sky Dragon peered at Yusei expressionlessly for a moment, then turned to him as well.

"Shadi was there. He was… He actually served as the leader at that time." Yusei trailed off a moment, then looked at Atem. The Sky Dragon had caught on, eyes narrowed suspiciously once more, but he was not willing to question him. Yugi, however, seemed not to realize. "Regardless, the Divine went there. He absolutely slaughtered Shadi. Shadi tried to heal him, and the Divine would have none of it. He attacked him, eviscerated and tortured him, and then finally killed him by eating his heart as well."

Atem snarled softly, shifting his weight. "He ate the heart of a God Dragon?"

"He did. And he lost his mind. He lost every hint of sanity he possessed after he ate Shadi's heart. We don't…know what truly set it off. It could have been Shadi's abilities. It could have been just that he snapped. But, either way, he began to kill anyone and everyone around him. He…turned on his mother. And that was when his father put an end to him. His father had to tear him to pieces to protect her."

Yugi looked sick. Atem had turned away.

"He disemboweled him to slow him down and had to decapitate him to truly put an end to him. He…buried the heart elsewhere, as none of us knew whether he might somehow revive. It was a situation none of us were prepared for. It was…horrifying, to say the least." Yusei exhaled slowly and turned away. "We did what we could to fix things and after Shadi was murdered in cold blood, we…made the decision to force the Gandora edict."

Yugi huffed. "Because every Gandora is the same, right?" he spat. "I'm a first generation so any offspring I have must be a monster."

Yusei faltered and turned away. "That's the general idea, yes. That's the fear we all harbor. That's why we turned on any Gandora in existence."

"And then you put an end to it."

He paused and looked over, opening and closing his mouth. He exhaled slowly and studied the ground. "I…I didn't do it out of anything heroic. I did it because I was afraid we would lose our place in Paradise if we continued like we were."

"Is that it?" Atem scoffed. "You chose to save your own soul rather than stop a mindless slaughter for what it was?"

Yusei shook his head. "I was just as afraid as everyone else—we didn't know what might happen if we let the Gandora species continue. The mindless slaughter had a purpose, despite everything. It was just… We were foolish to follow it and we should have reconsidered, but…" He fell silent and shivered, looking away. "We learned later that second generation Gandora dragons are often sterile. They cannot reproduce more often than not. It was…an oddity in itself that she managed to lay a clutch."

"And that's why you feared Yami."

"Yami?" he echoed, then almost laughed. "I'm not worried about Yami. He's got the most vibrant and amazing parents a dragonet could ask for. Yugi went against his nature for you and you've got the most level-headed temperament I've ever seen for a Slifer."

Atem looked away as if he'd been struck. Yugi shifted his weight and stared down at his paws.

"Are you both all right?"

"What of the Slifer edict?" Atem asked, turning to him abruptly. His eyes narrowed and he bore his teeth in annoyance. "What caused the Slifer edict?"

Yusei paused for a moment, then sighed and turned away. "There was an overabundance and their territory overlapped with the Urias. The fighting got out of control. They basically eradicated the Urias so we attempted to stop them. They had enough in numbers to hold their own for a long enough time it almost incapacitated us altogether. But Leviathan was active by then. He turned the tide for us in that fight."

Atem scoffed. "The Slifers killed off the Urias? Are you insane? I almost got killed by one. I could barely hold my own. How are you going to tell me otherwise?"

"Slifers in numbers are some of the most dangerous forces in the world, Atem." Yusei looked over again. "The Urias weren't vast in numbers to begin with. And their lifespans are unusually long as well as their incubation periods. The mothers carry eggs for over seven moons and it takes another two for the clutch to hatch. For the hatchlings to be even remotely safe on their own, they require another two years of parent supervision. A Slifer requires a moon of incubation, and their carry period is barely a lunar phase. The hatchlings hit a growth spurt within six moons and by twelve their almost half their adult size."

"And then their growth period stalls. I know this." Atem huffed and shook his head with a snarl. "You can't convince me an edict was declared because of Slifers killing Urias. Urias are…monstrous. They basically devour magic."

"I'm aware. I've fought one in my time as well, Atem." Yusei shook his head. "But it doesn't matter. They're extinct."

"That's quite the declaration. There have to be some left."

"Not that we've seen in years. If they exist, it's in more remote regions than even my territory or so deep within it that we've forgotten their presence." He paused and continued pacing, eyes narrowed. "They may be just as extinct as the Judgment Dragon or as elusive to us as the Gandora species has been."

Yugi growled softly. "You fought to save them and yet you never made sure they survived?"

Yusei snorted. "We fought to save them, yes, but none of us are capable of ensuring their survival for them. It's just like when a hatchling leaves the nest. You train and raise them and from there you hope that they survive on their own." He paused, then studied the looks on their faces. Atem looked exhausted and small, and now Yugi seemed frustrated. "What? Am I wrong? I was raised and taught and then left to my own means. I survived. And I can't influence others to find their ways and live to see the next day."

Yugi turned away with a snort. "It doesn't matter. Urias are extinct according to you and Shadi died because he didn't want to raise a paw to kill a beast that deserved it."

Yusei fell silent for a long moment, then looked at Atem. "Divine Dragons are nicknamed the Divine Beasts for a reason. The Divine I witnessed wasn't the first to hold that title. It most certainly won't be the last."

Atem barked a laugh and scowled. "Yami isn't a threat."

He shook his head. "I never suspected he was."