However the moment they stepped outside Yami realized that they were too late. It was almost dark and visibility was nearly zero with the blinding snow. He sighed; they'd have to find another way. He pulled Maura back in.

"What's wrong big brother? I thought we were going to place the rocks."

"We were but you saw that snow there's no way we can do it. We'll have to find another way."

Yami hated to go to Yugi and ask if there was another way but he had too. Unfortunately Yugi didn't know of any other way. So dejectedly they went upstairs to the family room where Mokuba and Seto were.

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

After they got upstairs and into the family room Seto sat down on the couch and turned to Mokuba and said, "Mokuba, I'd like you to tell me what you saw in the dining room."

Mokuba looked up in surprise, then asked, "Y-you believe I saw it all?"

"I don't care about Yami's stupid explanation. Yugi told me you had sensed Zariah long before he did. So if Yami's theory about you not having magic was correct then how did you know she was there? Now please tell me what you saw."

Mokuba was surprised; he didn't remember Yugi telling Seto that. Then he debated upon lying but then remembered Seto had promised to always believe him if he told the truth. So he told Seto everything he saw.

Seto frowned, "Are you sure if it was your friend Zariah?"

"W-well I c-couldn't see her r-really j-just s-someone but what I c-could hear of her v-voice sounded like her."

"I wonder why she chose to appear and make such a production out of it?"

"What?"

"Oh sorry, I mean, well I'm trying to figure out why she chose to show up and confront Mahaado."

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Just then Yami came in with Maura.

"What happened? I thought the two of you were going to place the rocks."

Yami sighed, "We were but we barely got out the door and it was already darker than it should be and the snow storm is so bad we couldn't even get out two feet much less get to the gate and work our way around. I could probably do it with my shield but I can't put Maura in a shield too. We talked to Yugi but he said he didn't see another way to place the rocks, that he'd checked all his books and scrolls."

Then suddenly a portal appeared, "Perhaps my training you was wrong."

Everyone looked up and saw Dartz and Krystyn come out of the portal.

"Master Dartz, what brings you here?"

"I am sorry to have to do this." Yami was confused till Dartz walked over to him and then to everyone even Krystyn's shock he pulled out a large red bubble. Yami collapsed. Seto quickly ran to him and laid him on the couch. Then he watched Dartz poke the bubble with his cane and it seemed to pour into him. He nearly collapsed if not for Krystyn.

"Grandfather, what did you do?"

Just then Yami groaned and sat up holding his head. Seto quickly sat beside him.

"What happened?" Yami asked.

By this time Dartz too had recovered and was no longer using his cane or Krystyn for support. "Simply put I have removed your magic. I have much more need for it than you do at the moment. Your magic will soon make me as young as you are."

"Grandfather, why would you take his magic?" Krystyn asked.

"Because I was no match for Laria Dice in the condition I was in. I do apologize Yami, but I know now she has been watching you since I took you on as my apprentice. Perhaps even before that I cannot say. But if she were to decide to stop watching and launch an attack at your current level you would be killed by her before you could get the first spell ready to fire."

"Who is this woman Grandfather?"

"Your mother."

"What? But…no that's not possible. Mother and father are still living in town with my siblings because they have no magic."

"No my child, they were simple commoners who agreed to raise you till you were old enough to start using magic. Then they returned you to me. Laria and I, well, we were once married and I loved her. But then she betrayed me and started using ancient spells forbidden due to the dangers they pose to both the user and the world. She simply did not care. Then she seduced my only child, my son away from me to the dark side. I finally was able to locate him and bring him to his senses but then to my horror he returned to her claiming he loved her. Only when he returned on death's door, did he show me the real reason he returned to her. To get you; our powerful bloodline and hers together she was hoping to create a powerful warrior beyond all warriors beyond all the greatest magicians in history! But I suppose with her heart tainted and my foolishness to allow you to live a somewhat normal life destroyed any chance of that happening."

Krystyn was stunned; she always knew she was different from everyone else. Especially her parents; she remembered just a week before she had been sent to live with her grandfather she saw fear on her mother's face when she saw her doing laundry using magic. But she was also angry. Her grandfather was implying she was a weakling like Yami and couldn't do any kind of decent magic!

Yami couldn't believe this! After all his years of practice after all the training he and Dartz did. It was all for nothing! He was now powerless to ever protect Seto, Mokuba or Maura again!