Sorry for the delay! Real life got me.

But odds are this will be the last update for a few more days. The 30th might be the next update for this and Compromises because of a few things going on.

Chapter LV: Answers

Timaeus jolted when he heard his name. He jerked so hard he hit his head against the ceiling of the den and stumbled for his paws with a jerk. Kris snorted beside him but looked tense, head raised and eyes wide with confusion. She bristled faintly as they considered each other, and abruptly she blurted, "Is that Atem?"

Timaeus was almost too afraid to hope so. He got to his paws, shook himself out, and stepped out of the den. He bristled faintly, then grinned, so happy his hearts felt fit to burst.

"Atem!"

The God Dragon paused a few steps away, as if assessing him, and narrowed his gaze. He looked past Timaeus and toward the den, tilting his head. Behind him Yugi seemed puzzled but did not hesitate to match Atem's every step as he continued forward again.

"Is that Kris?" Atem murmured, puzzled despite the recognition on his face. "I hadn't expected the two of you to mate again."

"We didn't," he mumbled, feeling small for a split second beneath his friend's scrutiny. He'd never known Atem to be judgmental but for when he asked his opinion and requested he answer as freely as he felt necessary. Atem was straightforward and blunt, never wavering from an answer when directly confronted with a question, but he had never been cruel. He wasn't like his brothers. He didn't judge a situation at first glance, drawing information and waiting for more to be offered or hidden away. He wasn't nosy enough to demand answers where they did not pertain to him. "I… I'm helping her raise her clutch."

Atem blinked. "You didn't take a mate?"

"Why would I have?"

The question hung in the air between them for a long time.

"You don't have to halt everything just because he's gone."

"And you don't have to cut everyone out."

They looked each other over a moment.

Timaeus almost expected Atem to turn and trot away just as quickly as he'd come, but the God Dragon snorted and shook his head. "No," he said abruptly, almost snarling, "he wouldn't have wanted that, either. Although, well wishes and considering the opinions of the dead has never done anyone any good."

Timaeus blinked. Was he actually discussing it? "No, but keeping them in mind does help you move forward when things are too hard," he offered quietly, shifting his weight. Yugi was staring at him, expression soft yet somehow cold all at once. Something flickered across his eyes when Timaeus risked a glance, and the Gandora jerked his head away to glare at a point past his shoulder.

"I'm sure Yami would have been happy to know you had another clutch."

"I'm sure he would have," Timaeus mumbled, feeling oddly hollow. "But that's not what you came here for."

"No," Atem acknowledged, pacing forward and then twisting around to scent the air. "The Wind Clan is…marking rather heavily."

"I think I made Aki nervous when I returned."

Atem nodded and looked at him pointedly. "That wouldn't be too unlikely." He shook himself out after a moment. "I just had an interesting conversation with Yusei, actually. And I wanted to know if you knew more about the situation we discussed."

Timaeus blinked and tilted his head. "If I can help, you know I will."

Yugi looked between them with that same emotionless glance that made his skin crawl. And then he turned away again, as if their presence somehow burned him. Timaeus considered them both closely for a moment, then turned to Atem.

"It's actually a relatively simple question." Atem looked at Yugi and then Timaeus. "Do you remember the God Dragon Shadi?"

He blinked. "Oh. Well… I never personally met him. But I remember hearing of him, yes. He was more or less a super powerful healer, right? And Jaden replaced him when he died?"

Yugi bristled. "Atem replaced him."

Timaeus looked at them for a moment. "So…then Jaden, Yusei, the Leviathan and Shadi were active at the same time?"

"Yusei claims that. But he said Leviathan wasn't present when Shadi died."

"That's not possible. Yusei is second youngest. Leviathan is second oldest."

"That's what I thought." Atem tilted his head. "But he said Leviathan wasn't present when the attack happened that ended Shadi's life. And he wasn't present when the Water Clan was taken over by a third generation Gandora who apparently served to be a Divine Dragon."

Timaeus blinked and shook his head. "That's impossible."

"I thought so."

"Why would he lie to you about it?"

"He's protecting the father. And he's protecting the Divine Dragon by refusing to give names." Atem shook his head. "But I don't know any of this. I don't know any of the history involved in this. It doesn't make sense. Leviathan was active before Yusei was even born. And so was Jaden. Unless there was another dragon before Yusei became active—or somehow the two lives overlapped, he's lying."

"That's treason, to say a God Dragon is lying," Timaeus snickered, relieved to see Atem's smirk at the small joke. "Of course, I say it's always possible and I wouldn't be shocked. Yusei tends to try to protect others even when he doesn't need to and really should reconsider. Why did he come to see you anyways? It wasn't to tell you the history of the world, I'm sure."

"He saw an omen. And he panicked because he assumed it had to do with me. He can't see me. None of them can. They're blind to any action I make. No matter the circumstances or the potential war to break out due to any decision I make, they cannot see me. They see nothing but a blank space. Yusei thought the omen must have had to do with me because he couldn't see anything. He just…" Atem shook his head. "The omen apparently aligns with the circumstances of what foretold Shadi's death. He couldn't save him, so I assume he meant to save me instead."

"Yeah, because you clearly need saving. You seem so incredibly defenseless. Every time I fail to see you I think you must be hurt and dying somewhere on your own."

"That explains your visits."

Yugi snorted but his smile looked tired and half-hearted. Timaeus wondered what had gone on between the two of them to bring on such weariness.

"So what do you think of it? Are you worried?"

"I want to know more about the God Dragon I replaced but besides that I couldn't care less. Fate can only bind those who allow it. I was likely destined to die more than once. And I defied those odds. I'm here. I'm alive." Atem scoffed. "Keith did not bind me. The Uria did not mount me. I've survived on my own and I'll continue without their interference."

Timaeus smirked. "Good. I'm glad you're not so superstitious."

"No, but I am suspicious. Yusei comes to visit. He claims to want to help me and see to it that I'm okay, yet he lies and hides things every opportunity." Atem shook his head. "If so much relied upon my knowledge of what happened before, why should he hide information like that? What if what he's hiding is what matters the most?"

"If he's hiding something it's…possibly for the best." Timaeus looked over and stared. Yugi would not raise his eyes from his paws. He sat statuesque, shifting his weight after a moment and flexing his claws. "Ironheart said that so much relied upon you being ignorant. Even Yami said so at one point. He told you the future relies on you being in the dark to most things that might occur."

Timaeus blinked. "What?"

Atem scowled and huffed. "I don't know. I don't understand half of it. But I was told I couldn't know much about the future in regards to Yugi or Yami, but especially myself. He said the balance relies on me not knowing. Yami said something similar later, but Ironheart was insistent. He seemed almost panicked when I asked him what he could tell me. All he said was I have a thousand shadows and pain in my path. He said there's pain both physical and emotional and I'd suffer more than I've ever known. If that's true, I suspect Yusei's omen may have to do with something other than my death if it was about me at all."

Timaeus grimaced. "Pain and suffering? As if you deserve more of that…"

"Yes, well life is not about what you deserve." Atem glanced briefly upward at the sky and Timaeus swore he saw a flicker of something like guilt in his eyes. "The fact he lied is more what troubles me. Yusei said the Divine Dragon killed Shadi and ate his heart. He took over the Fire Clan and went after the Wind but got scared off. For the three of them to be active and Shadi be present it means the Divine Dragon was one of theirs… Shadi remained unmated for the sake of preventing his genes continuing."

"You said the Divine was a third generation?"

"That's what Yusei said." Atem fell silent for a long time, then sneered. "And that led to the wonderful Gandora edict we all hold in such high regard."

Timaeus glanced at Yugi, but the Gandora still refused to look away from his paws. He kept his head down and his wings more firmly pressed into his sides.

"The implication is there was an overlap of God Dragons—or Yusei replaced the father." Atem fell silent, then laughed. "But I suspect he's just protecting Jaden. I suspect he's protecting Jaden, who was the father and the name Yami said before was Sartorius."

Yugi's head snapped around now, eyes wide and owlish. Timaeus noticed his pupils had flipped to the horizontal position, and he wondered if he was afraid for Atem or just of the bloody history they were likely digging up. Atem glanced at him sideways.

"Yami said it was the name he plucked from Jaden's head during the confrontation in the wood. He didn't say it, but I sensed the pain the name brought when it was mentioned. Jaden grew furious and kept demanding to know if I was truly capable of killing Yami if he became unstable, remember? And Yami said he and Sartorius were nothing alike. Yusei even said their circumstances were different."

Timseus shivered. "Sartorius was Jaden's son, a Divine Dragon who killed and ate the heart of other dragons and then devoured Shadi's." He grimaced as he considered. It made sense but he wished he could deny it all the same. The idea was almost terrifying somehow. They'd hidden that so far in the dark he didn't even recognize the two names. What else had they covered up that everyone was too afraid to go searching for? "And then because Sartorius was a third generation Gandora, it justified Jaden's desire to kill and prevent any further reproduction of Gandora Dragons. By Paradise…"

"Yusei is obviously protecting someone, and even said he was bound to oath not to speak too much on the matter. Jaden used to be his mate, and after everything that was said before Yami died, it's not an innocent coincidence." He paused. "What I want to know is why Leviathan didn't stop Sartorius from taking over the Water Clan. Shadi was leader in the time that Sartorius went after it. And the Leviathan never intervened."

Timaeus glanced at Yugi and then over his shoulder where Kris was hiding in the entrance of the den. Atem was carefully ignoring her, he realized, so as not to startle her. Yugi watched Atem as if he were the only thing in the universe as usual. Timaeus shifted his weight.

"I didn't even know Sartorius existed. If he was Jaden's, then who was the mother?"

Atem shook his head. "I don't know. I don't remember the name Yusei said. I also don't care. She's likely dead, regardless. I guess…honestly, none of this really matters. It's all likely irrelevant." He huffed. "All I wanted to know was why Leviathan did not step into this fight to stop him. Unless they were feuding for some reason, he should have intervened and stopped Sartorius killing Shadi."

Timaeus nodded slightly, considering him for a long moment. "I don't know. I couldn't tell you."

The God Dragon tilted his head and glanced at something overhead. Timaeus looked as well and found nothing there but a single drifting cloud. When he turned back Atem was watching him again.

"He said this was the first time he knew of that two Divine Dragons existed at the same time. Obviously, in Sartorius's case, if he had a sibling it died." Atem paused and seemed to pick his words, blinking long and slow. Yugi looked disgusted beside him when he turned away. Something briefly flickered in Atem's eyes, but it was so fast Timaeus couldn't read it. "Yusei said he'd wanted allegiance with Yami to be able to contain the potential threat Seto's hatchling poses. I'm not…certain if he meant to pit them against each other or try to use Yami another way. It doesn't matter, seeing as Yami is dead, but he claimed I'm the reason Seto was capable of producing a Divine as well."

Timaeus scoffed. "Because you're related to him?"

"Because the impossible happened and an entire clutch survived alongside a God Dragon," Atem answered, voice edged with frustration. "He all but said the fact they survived is why Seto's son is Divine, despite the bloodline usually coming directly from the God Dragons instead. He knows one of them is Divine, because they've been practicing their mental prowess on him like they did with me and Yami at one point. But he said he doesn't know which, either. I suppose that means this is all going to turn into a waiting game now."

"Is that it?" Timaeus muttered. "I would have expected Jaden to want immediate action, considering he went after Yami so quickly."

"Yusei said he'd thought Jaden was in agreement with him about Yami and they were going to hold off and wait until he was older to confront him with the idea of allegiance. I don't…" Atem blinked. "It's probably better he's dead than subjected to whatever they had in mind."

He shivered, blinking. "You think it would be so bad?"

"I don't know how it couldn't."

Timaeus didn't want to know what was going on in Atem's head. His eyes were darker, the gem on his forehead was almost black, and his head tilted slightly as his tail lashed back and forth once. Yugi shifted closer, pressing into his side to comfort him, and the God Dragon calmed just enough to continue.

"I don't know what they plan to do now. Yusei clearly stands in support of Jaden, even if he went against their agreement. He wasn't keen on me threatening him. He's likely going to run back to tell him I'm on the warpath and want his head."

"Do you?"

"No. That passed a while back." Atem got to his paws, shaking himself out and huffing a breath. "I just want to know more about Shadi. I replaced him. I feel I have a right to know."

Timaeus grimaced. "And you think they'd actually tell you anything?"

"Leviathan would if I were to ask. He doesn't care one way or the other what happens. He likes having conflict of some kind. It means he's not bored."

"Is that what you plan to do then? Confront him for answers?"

"Not now. Another time, perhaps. I'm too tired to go skulking about the Water Clan territory for answers. Between the idea they had plans for Yami and the fact that they worked so hard to bury their failure to save another God Dragon, I don't have the warmest of feelings toward any of them." Atem tucked his wings into his sides and Timaeus wondered for a moment if Yugi knew that was a fear response in the other male. Atem always did that when he was nervous or uncertain, but especially when he got anxious. He'd gouged his sides open once when they were younger, pressing so firmly into his flanks that the tips had rubbed the flesh raw. "I don't…know, either, that I should look for answers. The problem becomes what Ironheart and Yami said. If I know too much, the balance falls apart. I don't know what that pertains to—me, Yami, the other gods. I don't know that I won't be the reason something gets out of hand and everything begins to spiral and fall apart."

Timaeus opened his mouth to deny it, then stopped short. He didn't know. There was no telling. "Did Ironheart strike so much fear in you?"

"Yami did," Atem snapped. "He began speaking about the future before he was killed. If he had an ability to see my decisions—even for short bursts—and he knew something might go wrong, and he warned me against it… I can't ignore him. Ironheart may have been the last Judgment Dragon and they may have had the ability to see more than even the God Dragons, but I didn't care until Yami began saying similar things."

Timaeus couldn't imagine the feeling their words must have instilled in him. The fear must have been disabling and the idea he had to be kept in the dark about everything must have inflicted more doubt than Atem was willing to admit. He was probably worried more often than not whether he was even allowed to make certain decisions or know anything.

But Shadi was long dead. And Atem had replaced him the moment he was born. That's how God Dragons worked. One died and in the same breath the next was called. Why should his death be something Atem couldn't know more about?

"I don't…see how knowing more about your predecessor could influence anything."

"I don't, either. But for the moment I'll sit on what I know and wait for things to come to a better point for me to find out. I don't want to cause something. I'd rather be the one to finish it if something arises."

Timaeus nodded and glanced at Yugi. "I don't suppose your parents ever mentioned anything about the God Dragons while you were growing up?"

Yugi snorted. "Only that I should stay away and especially to give up on the notion of pursuing Atem, because he's a Sky Dragon and it'd be the death of me." He paused and looked over at Atem. "I was always told to watch myself around them because I was a first generation Gandora and the edict had only recently come to an end before I was born. I remember my dad alluding to it being why they had fled together like that, and especially why they'd chosen your territory initially. Jaden, Leviathan and Yusei all hate the forest regions—or at least that was what they said. I don't think that's really true, considering, but Jaden was the one they were actually running from since he declared the edict to begin with."

Atem blinked. "So, do your parents know why it was declared or did they just run?"

"I don't know. They never said anything about it. They just told me to always keep my head down and avoid attention. They said I should value my life more than I seemed to, since I was so caught on the idea of courting you. It was never…discussed more than admonishments about my attraction to you."

"I see."

Timaeus tilted his head. "You think Yugi's parents might have answers? But you're more certain about Leviathan. Wouldn't it make more sense to find him before you waste your time searching for them?"

"I still don't know that I should know any of it," Atem scoffed. "I don't know that I should bother chasing answers if it will cause problems. For the moment all I know is there are two choices. I can ask Yugi's parents who might not have answers at all or I confront the second eldest God Dragon and hope I don't overstep and force things into motion prematurely."

"How do you know it would be prematurely?"

"I don't. But between Ironheart and Yami, the warning seemed to imply it would have to be too soon."