Chapter 41: The Guild Master
Once the party started to wander around through the snow it was only a matter of moments before they finally came upon a small village. Soft lights shone through the windows as on every roof was covered in snow. The street lamps were lit up with the flickering of a small fire. Nearly everyone was in awe as they gazed upon the newly discovered area. "Look at this guys! It's a whole village! It's beautiful! It's awesome!" Layla beamed happily as she ran ahead of the group. Bloom giggled. "Slow down Layla!" she laughed before Joey felt his teeth chatter.
"Yeah, all I see is snow, snow and MORE snow!" Joey cried before he let out a loud sneeze. "It is c-cold..." Roxy shivered as she tried to warm herself as she rubbed her arms. "I-It almost reminds me of whe-hen we faced...A-urora...the major Faerie of...the-N-North..." the pink haired faerie sniffed. "Yeah, we should try and find some place where we can warm up." Bloom agreed. "The question is where?" Duke muttered. Marik paused as he looked around. "Up ahead...there appears to be a large building in the distance." the tomb keeper pointed out. Layla peered nearby. "You're right I see it." she murmured.
"I wonder how long this snow has been falling." Flora murmured as they continued forward. "Don't see any flowers or plants...it makes kind of lonely." the faerie of nature murmured. "Is dat even possible?" Joey questioned as he blinked a few times. "Wat da ya think Yu-Uh I mean Atem?" the blonde questioned. Kaiba ceased movement as Atem suddenly fell forward without any warning. "ATEM!" Kaiba gasped before he quickly leaned and caught the Pharaoh before he could hit the ground. {ATEM! ATEM! ATEM!} Yugi cried out from within in a panic. But Atem wouldn't answer. Yugi switched places with him holding Atem in his arms unconscious shaking him.
"Atem! Atem Wake up! Why won't you answer me!?" Yugi cried as he bit down on his lip as tears rimmed at his eyes. "Yugi! What's going on!" Kaiba demanded to know. "I-I don't know Kaiba...Atem...he's unconscious...he won't respond when I call to him!" Yugi cried as he shook. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE WON'T RESPOND!?" the CEO yelled back as he tried to make sense of what was happening. "Maybe dares a doctor or a hospital somewhere we can go ta!" Joey spoke up. "You need not concern yourselves with the Pharoah's condition...he's merely physically exhausted. Atem just needs to rest and regain his strength." Marik muttered before Yugi walked over to Marik and narrowed his eyes. "Marik do you KNOW something about THIS!?" the scarlet-eyed male questioned. The tomb keeper remained silent before Kaiba grabbed Marik by the collar of his velvet shirt.
"YUGI ASKED YOU A QUESTION MARIK! I suggest you answer NOW!" Kaiba hissed before the girls began to look among one another. "GUYS! KNOCK IT OFF!" Layla yelled as she attempted to break up the confrontation before it came to blows. "Kaiba, please! Violence isn't going to solve anything!" Bloom tried to convince the blue eyed male. "There's no need to fight let's just talk it out!" Flora pleaded before Roxy looked at Duke. "Can't you talk some sense into them!?" the faerie of animals questioned. "I can try..." Duke muttered before he whistled loudly causing everyone to pause.
"ENOUGH! The girls are right. I understand that SOMETHING is going on with Atem but if we beat each other bloody that's not going to change the situation." Duke told them. "Dice boy actually says something smart fer once!" Joey exclaimed. Duke just narrowed his eyes as a response. "Yugi, Kaiba yer upset! Fine I get it yer worried...but we can't be fightin over wat ta do. We need to find a place where Atem can rest...though I'm not exactly sure that works with a spirit and all..." the blonde's voice trailed off. Yugi frowned as he looked down at Atem. "...You're right...Duke...Joey..." Yugi murmured. "Have it your way...let's head towards that building...THEN we can find out what Marik's hiding..." Kaiba snarled before a small light lit up the darkness.
"Goodness...what are you children doing out in this weather so late in the evening?" a woman's voice echoed nearby. As the figure came closer they saw it was an older woman holding a lantern in her small wrinkled hands with a pair of glasses near the edge of her nose. Her hair was a silvery gray tied up in a messy bun. "You'll catch cold if you linger here too long...why don't you come with me if you don't have a place to stay." Nearly everyone jumped at the voice before they calmed as they saw it was an old lady. "That would be wonderful but we wouldn't want to intrude." Bloom murmured softly as the old woman only offered a smile.
"Nonsense deary. Come Come. Right this way...it's not too much farther..." "Thank you very much, Mam." Yugi bowed before the party followed the elderly woman and came to a cozy cottage. There were soft lights illuminating the windows. Lamps that were intricately decorated with a Victorian style along with the interior furniture within. Inside there was a young man with red hair stirring a cast iron pot with a smell wafting through the air as they walked inside. It was warm with a lit fireplace flickering as it licked at the cut apple logs tossed into its hearth. One by one everyone gathered on the couch by the fire to warm themselves.
"Please make yourselves at home my dears. It isn't much but its home. Stay as long as you'd like. It gets a little lonely at times with just my grandson and I." the elderly woman welcomed them. The red head leaned his head backward as he swore he heard a bit more noise than usual but disregarded it as he tasted the soup. Back in the living room, Loore looked at Yugi worriedly before he slowly left the fireplace and walked over to the old woman. "Excuse you Mam...but is there any place I could lay down? I don't feel so well..." Yugi asked her softly. "...Oh dear, you poor thing...you do seem a bit pale...I have a room over here if you don't mind that I haven't made the bed yet..." she murmured and led Yugi to the bedroom near the kitchen. "Thanks. I'm sure I'll be fine after a little rest." Yugi offered a weary smile before she walked inside and closed the door.
"Ok...now I know that I heard something that time..." Raeger murmured before the elderly woman made her way into the kitchen. "Raeger dear do we have any herbs left to make some medicine?" she asked the redhead. "We might I'm not certain. Why are you feeling sick again?" "No don't be silly. It's for a young man that I've taken in for the night." the old woman replied softly. "Aha! I thought I heard more than one person come in...Granny we don't have a lot of room for guests..." Raeger sighed softly. "Oh I know dear but they were wandering out in the cold..." "I see...alright...let me see what I have." the redhead murmured before the elderly woman smiled sweetly. "Thank you, dear." "Of course Granny." Raeger smiled in return before he placed the soup on simmer and went to look in the pantry.
"...What's going on...?" Kaiba questioned out loud before he looked back towards Marik whom was just gazing into the fireplace. "I know you're up to something...and I'm going to find out..." Bloom paused as she felt the tension only growing more intense by the moment before Joey sniffed the air. "Mmm...aw man I smell something delicious!" the blonde exclaimed. "And I'm starvin!" "When are you not?" Duke questioned. "I think it's coming from the kitchen." Flora pointed out. "I also smell some lovely herbs..." "Yeah what IS that smell?" Roxy questioned as she looked at Loore. Loore just stood in front of Yugi's room silent. "She's worried about Atem." Layla murmured softly. "Yeah...I hope Yugi's ok he looked just as worried." Bloom admitted before they paused as Raeger walked into the living room.
"Goodness. There are quite a few quests here aren't there!" Raeger observed and offered a friendly warm smile. "My Granny enjoys entertaining though we don't have the room for it. I apologize for the small space. Normally it's just my grandmother and I that live here. My name is Raeger. It's a pleasure to meet you. I was JUST fixing dinner. You're more than welcome to help yourselves. I hope you like gumbo. It's one of my favorite recipes. There's MORE than enough I assure you." the redhead told them before he helped his grandmother serve the bowls and utensils. "While you all enjoy your meal I'll go fix the beds." the elderly woman informed them. Before Raeger could stop her she already started. The redhead let out a soft sigh.
"And here the doctor told her to take it easy. Yeah right." Raeger muttered to himself. "We hope we're not intruding." Flora murmured. "Please don't worry yourselves. Granny told me that she found you all wandering out in the snow. Sometimes when people travel to Covenant they tend to get lost out if they aren't familiar with the area." the redhead informed them. "You're not kiddin!" Joey exclaimed in between mouthfuls. "It's snowin like crazy out dare!" the blonde cried. "...So when will it stop?" Roxy questioned as she tried to catch the shrimp floating around in her roux with her spoon. "It doesn't," Raeger told Roxy flatly. "B-But how is that possible?!" Flora cried horrified. "How can flowers and plants grow in such an environment?" the faerie of Nature question.
"We have Winter Roses that flourish in the cold. They're very beautiful flowers. Many actual venture to Covenant to see them." Raeger told Flora. "But then what about the vegetables in this gumbo?" Duke questioned. "Oh that. We have a town down aways from our village where the seasons shift with the time in a normal flow. As for Covenant, it's always snowed like this. Ever since I can remember. So we get our vegetables, fruits and more or less all of our food from that town." Raeger explained. "Well, the gumbo is delicious." Bloom complimented with a smile. "Yeah, it's the best!" Roxy followed up as she took another bite. Raeger felt his cheeks reddened slightly before he spoke up.
"I'm so glad you're enjoying it!" Raeger beamed happily with a broad smile. "I love to cook. I'm even happier when I can serve people." the redhead told them as he poured them some hot chocolate. "This is Granny's special peppermint hot chocolate. It'll perk you right up!" Raeger assured them. "Hmm not bad..." Kaiba muttered as he took a sip. Marik paused as he tried it and froze. "Ya burned ya tongue didn't ya?" Joey raised his brow as he blew on the cup. "...No..." Marik muttered as he averted his eyes with a slight flush on his cheeks. "Oh, I hate when I do that!" Layla exclaimed. "Yeah." Bloom giggled before she looked towards Kaiba. Once again his eyes were drifting back towards the door where Yugi had yet to exit. She needed a distraction.
"You know Kaiba maybe we should asked Raeger about the ruin since he lives in this area. Hmm?" Bloom suggested with a smile. Kaiba paused as he thought about it. "That's not a bad idea?...Raeger you said your name was..we're looking for a ruin that is supposed to be here in Covenant? Would you know anything about that?" the CEO questioned as he crossed his arms. "...Ruin? Oh, do you mean the ruin outside the village?" the redhead questioned before the elderly woman came back into the livingroom gathering her own bowl of soup. "Well, i'd certainly hope my grandson knew about that old thing. He is after all The Guild Master of Covenant.
"...EH!?"everyone cried out at once except for Marik. "I'd that that have been obvious..." the tomb keeper muttered. Kaiba looked at the young man with a sharpened gaze. Was this the one Froste spoke of? The one that would help him to learn about the origins of this power hidden inside of him? He certainly didn't appear to be anything special. But as Kaiba learned from experience. Appearances could be deceiving. The bigger question was, what was going on with Yugi and the Pharoah.
Meanwhile, Yugi was secluded in the small room as he switched places again with Atem. Atem was laid out on the bed with a fever in a great deal of pain. Yugi just watched the Pharoah as rage swirled inside him. But while he was angry with Atem more than that he was utterly mortified! It was only now Yugi understood what Marik meant and why he was suddenly feeling better. Atem took all of his pain and turned it upon himself. "You're such an idiot..." Yugi muttered bitterly as he watched the Pharoah tremble from the sharpened pain running through his body. Yugi placed a cold washcloth on his head gently. {The reason I agreed to the pact in the first place was so that I could become stronger...so that I could be more...like you...I never asked for this...} Yugi wept as tears fell onto the sheets.
"I'm alright Yugi..." Atem spoke up as he eased himself upwards as he shook. "My body is more durable than yours...in time it'll pass...besides I'm a spirit...my life isn't a risk to be taken...that's why-" {THAT'S NOT THE POINT ATEM!} Yugi yelled as loud as he could upset. Atem paused as he looked at Yugi silently. {...If you don't understand then I can't explain it to you...and I guess you NEVER will!} the scarlet-eyed male cried before he stormed out of the room. "Y-YUGI WAI... UGH-" Unable to keep physical form Atem reverted back to his spiritual form. Loore leaped out of the way as Yugi nearly sent her flying. {YEESH!} she thought to herself as Yugi took a seat and started to shovel in the gumbo in the empty seat aggressively.
"Oh my you must be feeling better if you have such an appetite I'm so relieved." the old man smiled as she saw Yugi emerge from the room. "oh yes I feel MUCHbetter..." Yugi muttered sarcastically and took a large spoonful grumbling as he did. "...Is it just me or did I miss something?" Bloom questioned. "Well, all I know is that Yugi's PISSED..." Kaiba muttered.
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