Thank you for these characters and their stories, Kazuki Takahashi. Requiescat in pace.

Chapter Sixty-Five

Dria

"Da, am I bad?"

My father paused in his work when I finished my question. I was only five summers, but I could already feel the frightened gaze of my peers' parents as they hastily pulled their children away from me during our playful games, despite the complaints of my friends. I'd even heard one father say, 'that girl is too dangerous for you to play with.' I didn't understand what he meant or why my friends weren't allowed to play if I was around.

"What gave you such a thought, child?"

"My friends aren't allowed to play with me anymore. Someone said it was because I was dange...danger…"

I could hear the final word in my head, but my tongue couldn't produce the correct sounds yet.

"Dangerous?"

I nodded as my father helped me complete the word, "What does dangerous mean, Da? Is that what I am?"

My father smiled gently at me as he set down his tools and turned to face me. Extending his large palms towards me, he lifted me into his lap and kissed my forehead.

"Dangerous means something that can cause real harm, usually to other living beings. A snake, for example, can be dangerous if we're not careful. A hostile army is dangerous to Atlantis, which is why I am called to defend our home. Sometimes, even a single person can receive such a description."

I felt my heart sinking as the word's definition was made clear to me. That was the opinion surrounding me. The others' parents thought that I would harm their children in some way. I didn't want to hurt anyone, especially not my friends, but I didn't understand what made me dangerous to others. I needed to know how I could avoid doing whatever they were afraid of, but I didn't know where to begin. I was so young, so could I really do that much? My father tapped my nose to draw me back out of my thoughts.

"Little dragon, some things, like an earthquake or a fire, are considered dangerous because of their nature. There is nothing that can be done against them, and they will not stop until their course is run."

He paused for a moment, ensuring that I was following along. I nodded that I understood his meaning. He continued,

"Other things, like animals, can be dangerous because they are reacting in fear. A snake wouldn't intentionally harm a person unless it first felt threatened. People are the same. If they feel vulnerable in some way, then the object of their fear is called dangerous to alleviate that fear and channel it into a different emotion. People despise feeling weak in any way. Very few people are dangerous simply by their nature, but there are some who wish to harm others."

"But Da, I don't understand. I don't want to hurt anyone, so how am I dangerous? What did I do to make them think of me in such a way?"

My father smiled sadly before responding, "My dear, in your case, jealousy drives the reactions of your playmates' parents."

"Jealousy?"

"They wish they, or maybe their children, could possess what you have: the handsome and fearsome Dragon of the Sky."

"But why do they want him? He wouldn't hurt anyone either. He's very kind and gentle."

"He may be that towards you, my dear, but he is known for his overwhelming abilities. Power is more enticing than a lovely siren."

I'd heard stories about the sirens before, the residents of the sea whose voices had no earthly rivals. These voices were so beautiful that they drove anyone who heard them to madness, even death sometimes. Father said they were citizens from Atlantis who had been rejected by their lovers, so their songs were always melancholy and sorrowful. I had wondered once if the sirens were men or women, and Father asked if either gender was immune from experiencing heartbreak or prevented from having a melodic voice. I hadn't known how to respond at the time, but it was a lesson I'd never forgotten. Only when I'd seen and experienced my own love and subsequent sorrow did I finally understand what he'd meant.

"Da, how do I show people that I'm not dangerous?"

"Be patient, my darling, for someday you may wish for such a title. You have a gentle heart, something your dragon felt kinship with, but there is vast power hidden within you. People will be drawn to you in time for one of those two traits. The ones who seek your heart are the ones for whom being known as 'dangerous' to those who seek the power will be worthwhile."

Priestess, please help!

I awoke at last, released from my dream, but I was no longer in my bed at the Pegasus mansion. I was floating above the clouds in the Dominion of the Beasts, a realm I had not seen since the destruction of my fatherland. The beautiful land spread out beneath me, its golden castle still proudly standing in the light of the sun. The central courtyard of that castle once served as the meeting place between monster and human. It was where my father had taken me as an infant, and where Slifer had claimed me as his vessel.

As I slowly descended into that courtyard, creatures of all kinds surrounded me, each one seeking my attention. The only ones I couldn't find were Slifer and Kuriboh, the two I trusted the most. My heart sank as I remembered the power of the gods being stolen away from them; they must have been sealed away somewhere, a place that I couldn't reach or detect. My lip quivered as I realized their predicament, and as best I could, I steeled my expression so as not to worry the creatures currently around me. It was clear they were terrified, and they had every reason to feel such fear. Though I couldn't bring myself to look towards the eastern sky, I knew exactly what was watching us, waiting for the chance to swallow everything.

Finally, I reached the floor of the central courtyard, and for the first time in 10,000 years, I saw my earliest friends. Their parents had wanted to prevent them from playing with me during our childhood, but being the troublemakers they were, these boys ignored all the rules set out by their guardians. They made every effort to include me in the children's games and had even snuck out of their homes after dark to visit and check on me on various occasions. As we grew into young adults, we trained as magicians together; they would soon give up magic for the sword instead, but they still practiced with me and encouraged my training, especially when the strength of my magic became clear and isolated me once again from those around me.

When we were finally considered adults in our society, we swore to defend Atlantis together. They served as sword and shield to our fair city, while I served as priestess and mage. It was thanks to our friendship that the relationships between warriors, mages, and priests deepened as Atlantis continued to grow. Those three groups, while always polite and respectful towards one another, had struggled with dependance and coordination. Each thought itself the most important and necessary for the city, and each wanted to put themselves alone in harm's way to defend the rest. We showed them that all groups were vital for Atlantis, and by working together, we could more easily achieve our goals with fewer casualties.

It was thanks them that Atlantis had survived for as long as she did under the influence of the Seal of Orichalcos. The king had been driven mad by visions and voices, and the magic turned those with darkness in their hearts into mindless beasts. My friends followed their king's orders to eradicate the evil, as good soldiers did even in the worst of times, but it wasn't long before they began to question the root of the problem. To their credit, they considered every possibility and explored every avenue before resorting to treason. They tried to convince me to stand with them, but I was more hesitant, and too trusting in our leader, to join them. It broke their hearts to march against me as enemies, but I encouraged them to act as they saw fit. I would bear no grudge against them because I knew they believed that they were doing the right thing.

And yet, it was because of me that they were in this current state. Frozen in time and form, my former friends had sacrificed everything for the safety of Atlantis. Only when it was too late had I realized the truth, and while I couldn't stop what was destined to occur, I wouldn't let my friends take the blame for my mistake. Though perhaps an unusual decision, I knew they would be needed again someday to finish what had been started, to defeat our greatest enemy and save our home at last. They couldn't do either of those things if they were dead. So, transforming them into the monsters we all loved so dearly, I froze their bodies to one day be awakened by warriors as brave and strong of heart as they.

"They appear to be dragons."

"I'm glad they're only statues."

I turned at the sound of two familiar voices and smiled as their eyes met mine. We hadn't yet caught up with one another on the phone yet, and since the emergence of duel monsters into the human world, finishing my work and catching a flight back to Domino had both been delayed. Though it was surprising to see them in two separate bodies, I assumed that the nature of this place played some part.

"Dria!" Yugi shouted my name in excitement as the Pharaoh made his way towards me. Taking me into his arms, he greeted me with a gentle and loving kiss. My smile only grew as I felt at home once again with my beloved, my arms wrapped around his neck and his around my lower back.

After a few moments, his lips released mine, and he touched his forehead against mine. Any remaining tension from the past few days melted away as I felt his presence surround me. He abruptly pulled away and drifted his hands from my back to my arms to my shoulders, as if he were searching for wounds of some kind. His eyes met mine again, confirming my suspicions about his worries.

"Are you alright?"

"Physically, yes. A great portion of my magic has been taken, though. The gods were stolen from you, weren't they?"

The Pharaoh froze, shame clear in his eyes; he'd been unable to protect the creatures so dear to me, and who knew what was happening to them now. So, the voice I'd heard before my magic was stolen was the cause of these problems. I couldn't recall everything, but I did remember someone addressing the Pharaoh in the moments before the seizure. It must have been the connection between our Items that allowed me to hear the voice speaking to him. Yugi approached us, sensing that our romantic moment had ended.

"We're sorry, Dria. Some biker gang took them from Grandpa, and even though we won the duel one of them challenged us to, the others ran off with them. We'll get them back, we promise."

My jaw clenched at the revelation of their kidnapping, but there was nothing I could do about it now except find a way to release them. Glancing behind me, it seemed there was only one option. What concerned me more, however, was the instigator of this plot. How did he or she know how to unlock the power of the Great Beast? How was this biker gang convinced to carry out this plan? Too many questions and too few answers sent my mind spinning with worry.

"You're here."

Dark Magician Girl made her appearance at last. She must have been the one to summon me to this place, and it appeared that she had called Yugi and the Pharaoh here as well. She bowed towards me first before speaking to my companions. She knew that I would understand the severity of the situation already, having survived it once before.

"Pharaoh, both of our worlds are in danger, and without your help, we will all cease to exist."

She provided a brief explanation of how the parallel worlds worked, something I had long since known to be true. As she spoke, I turned my gaze towards the dragons behind us. The scarred eye of the one before me, despite having been stilled so long ago, burned through my deepest marrows with his gaze. He had forgiven me for my naïveté regarding our king, but I dreaded hearing what words he'd have for me regarding the curse I'd placed upon him. I could only hope that he, along with the other two, would understand logically why I'd done it. If my instinct, and prayer, had been right and it did lead to the end of this evil, I would happily accept their anger and even hatred afterwards.

"We need you. If this continues, we'll be gone forever."

Frightened monsters gathered around us as Dark Magician Girl finished explaining the situation. These were the ones who'd managed to escape to the safety of the castle, and it was easy to see that it had been an arduous journey. Many of them bore wounds of some kind, simple scrapes to painful injuries. My eyes welled with tears at the sight of my beloved creatures in such pain. Without thinking twice, I strode towards the groups and healed what I was able to. I didn't have much magic to call on, so I couldn't heal everything, but it was enough to at least take the pain away. Many clung to my arms, waist, or neck, chittering their pleas for help in their own ways.

"We'll help." The Pharaoh's voice, quiet and sympathetic for their situation, declared his intention to fight until the monsters were safe. I smiled and nodded towards the monsters in agreement, kissing their foreheads and cheeks as a sign of our promise to them. Hope began to regather in their eyes as their bright smiles reappeared.

"But how? What are we supposed to do to stop this giant monster?"

Dark Magician Girl turned our attention back to the dragons, explaining their position as the guardians of this world. She didn't mention how they'd once been human, or how I'd been the one to place them under this spell, both of which I was thankful for. They had sacrificed much of themselves to defeat the Great Beast, and their current situation was the only way that I had been able to save them.

"The legend states that three brave warriors will awaken these dragons when they are needed again. Pharaoh, I believe one of these warriors is you. If I am correct, you will be able to remove that sword from the ice. I know you once saved Egypt from the Shadow Games, and I believe you can do the same for us."

The Pharaoh and Yugi looked towards me, seeking reassurance that they were about to do the right thing by unleashing the beast before us. I nodded in return, knowing the release of Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos would set our long-awaited retaliation plan into motion. This time, I wouldn't allow my own feelings to cloud my judgement. It must be stopped, not simply delayed. The Pharaoh and Yugi both placed their hands on the hilt and pulled with all their might. The sword crashed into the ground with a mighty clang, and the first of my former playmates was freed from his ice-like prison.

"You've released Timaeus!"

He roared loudly, thrilled to at last be able to move once again, before immediately bringing one of his large feet on top of me, pushing me against the ground and trapping me beneath his toes. My body was trapped, and only my head was left uncovered. I heard my companions call out my name in fear, but I made no moves to resist the dragon above me. Thankfully, he hadn't tried to crush me; he was only keeping me from escaping, not that I intended to.

I smiled weakly in response, "It's good to see you again, Timaeus." He roared again, this time in my face, and narrowed his eyes into an unhappy glare. He bared his teeth, sending a shiver down my spine. As a human, though a usually gentle-hearted man, he'd been fierce when angered or when Atlantis was in danger; as a dragon, that ferocity had only become more pronounced. Even so, I wasn't afraid of him. I closed my eyes and lowered my chin, bowing my head as far as I could while pinned to the ground.

"I deserve every ounce of your anger and hatred. I won't ask for your forgiveness. I only ask that you keep the ones who freed you safe."

The dragon maintained his eye contact for a few more moments before his gaze softened and he sighed as if conceding the victory to me. Lowering his head towards mine, he nudged my cheek with his nose, pressing his scales softly against my skin and gently pushing my head back up. He huffed against my cheek before withdrawing his foot and returning his attention to the Pharaoh and Yugi. Getting up from the floor, I smiled as the merging spell began. If I couldn't be at his side for some reason, I knew that Timaeus would protect Yugi.

"Now join forces!"

"I can feel its power surging through me!"

"I can't take much more!"

A bright light exploded in the room, forcing me to shield my eyes, as the dragon loaned his power to Yugi. When I was able to see again, Timaeus was gone, having transferred all his power into a Duel Monsters card. How he'd known to do so would be something I'd have to remember to ask him once the war was over.

A tremble through the courtyard alerted us to the trouble in the human realm. The Pharaoh and Yugi needed to leave quickly in case our friends were in trouble. My beloved extended his hand towards me, wanting to take me with him. I smiled and shook my head in response.

"We will be together again soon. Keep Timaeus close by and trust in his strength."

He scowled slightly in response, grabbing my hand regardless and touching his lips to my forehead to seal his side of the promise before he acquiesced. Yugi smiled at me and nodded, far more compliant than his older counterpart. Then, after a few moments, they both faded away from my sight as they returned to the human world. The Dark Magician Girl bowed once more before leaving as well. Soon, I was alone in the courtyard with the two remaining guardians. I turned towards them and lowered my eyes once again.

"I did what I thought was right. I could never apologize enough for what it did to you three, but I still believe it was a necessary move to bring about an end to this madness. The Pharaoh can help us this time, and I promise you now, I will not hesitate again when the moment comes. Please lend your aid to the other champions who come to release you."

Though they gave no indication, a sudden breeze through the courtyard led me to believe that they had at least heard my words and acknowledged my vow. I had loved Atlantis dearly, we all had, but I couldn't allow her to rise again. Old kingdoms fell and new kingdoms rose; such was the way of history. Time had moved on from Atlantis, as it had moved on from the kingdoms of Egypt, and as it would one day move on from me. I closed my eyes, bidding a silent farewell to this beautiful land. When I reopened my eyes, I was again in my bedroom in the American Pegasus mansion.

Glancing out the windows, it looked as if a second sun had suddenly appeared in the heavens. Bright lights of many colors that reminded me of the Northern Lights bounded across the sky in broad daylight. I quickly threw back the covers and ran out onto my outdoor balcony. Beautiful as it was, it was a sight I'd never wanted to see again. The boundary between the two worlds had been broken, and now each side could freely cross over into the other. Since humans had forgotten about the existence of the Dominion of the Beasts, it was unlikely that anyone from this world would wander over into their realm.

But, with one glance, it was clear that monsters were now freely crossing the border. I couldn't see the eye of the Great Beast, which sent my heart plummeting into my stomach; he had gone after Timaeus and Yugi. Dropping to my knees and clasping my hands together, I prayed to every deity I could recall and begged that they keep the Pharaoh, Yugi, and Timaeus safe.

"Just as I left you, my dear priestess."

Yugi

When I first opened my eyes, I thought it was already morning because the sky outside was so bright. Shaking the final remnants of sleep off, I realized that it wasn't the sun I was seeing; it was the same bright lights that the Dominion of the Beasts had around the beast consuming the monsters. Grabbing my duel disk, I quickly ran out the door and into the town square.

"Things are getting worse. Or at least, they're getting weirder."

A giant green crystal had appeared in the sky and was growing at an alarming rate. All the monsters who had become trapped in the lights were absorbed into the crystal and disappeared. It was just as the Dark Magician Girl had predicted. The crystal soon broke away to reveal a single eye, just like in the Dominion of the Beasts. It glared at the world from above with an intensity I'd never felt before. This would be the toughest and most dangerous opponent we'd ever faced before.

The pupil soon focused directly on us and released a tornado into the city. My friends and the others quickly scattered, but I knew the Pharaoh and I had to stand strong. The winds whipped around us with incredible force, and it was painful to keep my eyes open. Only when I noticed the new card containing Timaeus did I know what my plan would be.

"Now I summon Timaeus!"

The great green dragon I had seen in the courtyard appeared over the city. He glared at the eye with equal ferocity; I was amazed that Dria had maintained her composure when this creature had trapped her beneath his foot. He wasn't even looking in my direction, and I was afraid of his power. I'd never fully considered it before, but now I wondered just how strong Dria truly was.

Timaeus released a powerful flame attack against the monster and managed to strike it. Another green crystal fragmented and broke into many small pieces before vanishing altogether. It was over for now.

"We've only just begun. He retreated for the moment, but the Great Beast will return again, and his power will grow. He must be stopped. Time is running out!"

As the lights across the sky began to fade, another vision flashed before my eyes. It was Dria again, this time pinned to her bed by a cloaked figure, possibly a man by the size, with his hands wrapped around her delicate neck. Her fingers pulled against his palms, inhaling what little air she could as her torso twisted in every direction as she attempted to free herself. At last, she managed to somehow strike her attacker, and he released her throat as he was pushed off her. She lifted her back off of the bed and sat upright, glaring at the attacker.

"Come now, Tyche. Together, you and I can rebuild what once was. We can make a paradise on Earth once more. We may be all that remains now, but the two of us together will create a new dynasty to last for eternity."

"Basileu, I will always respect the man you once were. But I will never help the man you have become. Our people would weep to see you now."

The stranger laughed, unbothered by her declaration, "In time, priestess, you'll see it my way. All but one of former guardians are frozen or dead, the gods are powerless, and you alone can't stop me. Not even your mortal lover has the power to stop me. One day, you'll come to me, Tyche."

Before she could react, the man placed a silver circlet with a green stone on her forehead. Her eyes widened in panic as she realized what he'd done, and when she attempted to remove it, a light electrical shock struck her hands. The man vanished, only the sound of his laughter remaining. Dria rubbed her neck before wrapping her arms around herself tightly and, leaning low to the bed, she began to tremble.

"Pharaoh, Yugi, please."

The vision had barely ended before the Pharaoh had begun planning how to reach the woman he loved as quickly as possible. I wanted to ponder what the conversation I'd seen had meant, and why the stranger had called her by the name of Tyche, but something more important crossed my mind. It was clear that she was in danger, and while the stranger had left her, she was frightened and alone. There had been no sign of Pegasus nor any of the employees of the house. My heart clenched at the idea of Dria being alone yet again, just after we'd promised her that it would never happen again.

But how were we going to get to her? She was in California, and plane tickets weren't cheap. We would have to find an upcoming flight with seats and hope that we could afford it. I was sure that Grandpa would understand, but being able to secure a flight in the first place was unlikely. The Pharaoh clenched his fists in anger as he read my thoughts; there was no way for us to get to her quickly.

Returning home, I immediately resumed the game of phone tag that Dria and I had been playing the last few days. We kept missing one another somehow, and this time was no different either. I had tried to account for the time difference as much as possible and hoped that my vision had been wrong; maybe Dria was just asleep right now or working with her father.

The Pharaoh and I ran through multiple ways that we could travel to Dria as soon as possible if for no reason other than to keep our concerns about her safety at bay. We painstakingly waited until morning came for more information. News stations across the world were reporting on the monster appearances and the bright lights from the previous night. There was no word on whether the public ire was turning towards Pegasus, which seemed to be a good sign for Dria's sake. We debated where to begin, but there were too many options between the monsters, the lights, and the biker gang.

I believe the secret lies in your hand. Perhaps Dria will be able to tell us more. She seemed connected somehow to this dragon. We must get to her.

Joey requested to see the Eye of Timaeus, and a quick argument arose between him and Tristan. Though it felt like old times, I couldn't help but feel a noticeable hole in our group; Dria should have been here with us, and she might have been if this madness hadn't started. As the volume of the argument escalated, the door to my room opened and Grandpa stepped inside. He was carrying a package addressed to me.

"From the office of Maximillian Pegasus."

My friends were less than thrilled about Pegasus sending another video message with a special card. The last time he'd done this, he'd stolen Grandpa's soul and forced me to participate in his Duelist Kingdom tournament. Although it had been a horrible introduction to one of the creators of Duel Monsters, I couldn't maintain a grudge against him because it had led us to Dria. Maybe the miracle we were looking for was in this video. The Pharaoh seemed to agree with me.

We should hear what he has to say. Let's play the tape.

"Everybody grab hold of something solid!"

I considered reminding the others again that Pegasus no longer possessed the Millennium Eye, but even I felt a little hesitant about watching another video. Pushing past my fear, I pushed the tape into the video player.

"You never call, you never write. You could at least send an email."

I held back my sarcastic remark about how it was impossible to get in touch with anyone in his household given how many times I'd called Dria. I was slightly disappointed in myself for having expected anything serious from the man. I had to remind myself that Dria loved him dearly, and that he had been a wonderful father figure to her. For those reasons alone, it was worth listening to his message carefully.

"I'm sure you're aware that Duel Monsters are suddenly running amok all around this world of ours. I know who's really behind this, and I must stop them. They're ruining the reputation of my darling daughter's game. It's not good for business, but more importantly, she has put her heart into this game, and I won't let anyone take that away from her."

I smiled slightly at the mention of Dria. I was pleasantly surprised by his gentle and loving tone when speaking of her, and the fact that he wanted to protect the game for her sake made me re-evaluate his position in my mind. Perhaps, Dria had been right about him all along.

"It's too risky to leave any information on this tape, so that means you'll have to come see me in person. I've enclosed a one-of-a-kind card. Just make sure you don't lose it!"

My eyes widened at the force of his command; Pegasus was truly worried. The card was the only way to enter his compound, and it sounded like someone else was after the card. We would have to be careful, and it would probably be dangerous. But Dria needed us; there wasn't even a choice to be made.

Let's go.

I nodded at my partner as if I would even consider trying to keep him away from the one he loved. Though I tried to dissuade my friends from coming, they all declared that they would accompany me. I didn't want them to be in danger, but it was a relief that I would have their support. Now, all we needed was for Dria to rejoin our group, and we would be unstoppable.

"He is flying us there first class, right?"

Hold on, Dria. We're coming.