This is my first try on something like this. The idea just struck me one day, have no clue where I'm taking it or how much I'm actually going to get done. Though it uses characters from Yu-Gi-Oh (the english TV show, I know so little on things I'm afraid I'm going to screw up on this) it relies heavily on elements from Legacy of Kain, the first game of the Soul Reaver era to be exact. I try to throw in enough background info on that for persons who might stumble into this without knowing a thing about LoK, yet it might seem very drawn out and boring in... the whole thing because of that. Anyway, enough rambling from me.
Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and everything related is (c) Kazuki Takahashi
Legacy of Kain characters, setting and everything related is (c) Crystal Dynamics and Silicon Knights.
Dreams are known for their unique settings and plots. Rather, lack of plots. Sometimes though you have a dream that is so real, you swear the lines between dream and reality have vanished and you really are living it. Be it a nightmare or regular dream. What happens when you are thrown into a situation in which you can't be sure if it's dream or reality? Everything is strange and alien to you, yet one element remains that makes it seem real. Is it real, or has your subconscious cooked up a movie for you to participate in?
The landscape was strange, foreign and dead. The rocky surface of the soil bore no life. Not even dried up grass or rotting wood, nothing. It was so dry, the air thick and hard to breath. He had come to the conclusion it wasn't clouds that blotted out the sun, but smoke. The air was so putrid and stale, it had the stench of death. Death of all kinds, death of an organic life-form and death of the earth itself.
"Joey, I think it's safe to assume we're lost," the young teen murmured as he ran a hand through his tri-colored hair.
"Lost is an understatement, this is, I dunno," the taller of the two boys replied with a shrug.
As far as they could tell they had stumbled upon a hidden passage in the ruins they had been exploring earlier. Yet, they couldn't find a way back in. A solid rock wall stood behind them, an hour of searching had turned up no door. Not even a hint of one. They had walked a bit, looking for a way down the cliff they were perched on. It was nothing but a tier to a larger stone structure, spanning up farther than they could see and down far enough to make their heads spin.
"Hey Yuug, over here," the blonde boy called as he brushed his green jacket to the side, "I think I might have found a place we can go down. It's a bit rocky, but better 'n anything else we've found."
"It's not steep?" Yugi questioned as he approached. He didn't know why, but he had felt the need to clutch his Millennium Puzzle ever since emerging in the barren wasteland.
"Na, it'll be fine. I'll go ahead 'o ya in case ya need me ta help," Joey said as he turned around and stretched a leg back to find footing. "Careful, if this is as shaky as the cliff above us rocks'll be fallin," he warned as he slowly descended. Yugi waited until his friend's head had sunk below the rock face before he walked to the edge and peered over. Heights usually didn't bother him, but after an earlier attempt to climb down had left him dangling over treacherous ground, Yugi was being more careful. "K, I'm far enough away. You can start," Joey grunted. Yugi bit his lip as he nodded and turned his back. The boy did a quick check to make sure his pockets still held his deck of cards and his backpack was securely in place. Not that he would need his cards in this place, he just felt better knowing they were with him.
"C'mon, Yugi!" Joey called as he stopped his decent. The younger boy hadn't even started. "I'll be way ahead of ya if you don't get the lead out."
"Don't mention lead, please. It's heavy and isn't a good thing to have on my mind when I'm trying to climb," Yugi asked.
"It's only an, oh forget it, just hurry. Quicker ya do it the sooner it'll be over."
"I know," Yugi whispered to himself.
I can be of help to you if you wish. Yami's thoughts reached Yugi from where he sat in his Soul Room.
"No, I can do this. Just be slow," Yugi replied to the Puzzle.
Alright, don't be afraid to ask for help.
Within a few minuets, Yugi had managed to get down the rock face. He had inadvertently pulled a few rocks loose and sent them down on Joey several times, the taller boy complained as each one either sailed harmlessly past him, or pegged some part of him.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were trying to make the cliff let you down," Joey mumbled as he drew a sleeve across his forehead.
"You were knocking foot holds down too. I was forced to find new ones," Yugi replied as he crossed his arms.
"Yeah, yeah. Now that we got down, where to next?" the blonde asked as he scanned the area. As best he could tell it was mid day, only a few feeble rays of sun managed to pierce the smoke screen above them. The land was just as dusty and dead down here has it had been on the other tier. "Wonder if we're like, in some mountain pass or somethin, I mean, what with that other cliff there on the other side an all," he pointed out.
"I don't know. I guess that makes it easy to decide which way to go. Only two after all," Yugi stated as he looked down both paths.
"I say we got this way," Joey said jerking his thumb behind the two. "We've seen parta the other way already anyway."
"I just hope we can find some source of water soon. Glad I have something in my bag to carry it. Looks like we'll need it," Yugi said.
"We'll find a settlement soon, no worries!" Joey told him.
"I hope your right, we know nothing of this area," Yugi muttered.
The rock walls had widened and steadily became shorter. While still too tall to easily pass, at least they didn't seem so looming and ominous now. They sky had a sickly greenish brown color to it now, it left the two boys feeling a bit unsure of the weather.
"If it rains on us, we're gonna hafta take shelter under a rock ledge unless we can find something better," Joey grumbled as a few drops broke from their sky holding pen and fell to the parched earth.
"Is that thunder?" Yugi asked as he cocked his head to one side.
"Thunder? Na, too continuous for that," Joey waved the idea off.
"Like, water," Yugi's eyes lit up as he began to jog.
Careful, little one. Stay close to Joey. I'm sensing something that I don't like. The mental warning came to Yugi. He complied and slowed down.
"Hey, the walls on this side are gettin smoother," Joey said as he caught up to Yugi.
"Much more than smooth. Look," the shorter boy pointed ahead of them to a chunk of rock that had clearly been part of a man-made structure.
"More ruins?" Joey questioned as he walked forward.
"Careful, Joey. Yami doesn't like this place and told us to stick together," Yugi warned as the other teen got ahead of him.
"Well if he don't like the ruins, I see a pass carved into the rock just ahead," Joey turned to his friend.
"Check the ruins first, Yami says to be careful but not to turn them down just because he doesn't like it," Yugi stated as he followed the curve of the wall. The two teens stopped once they were able to see the structure, it looked to have been totally enclosed at one point but was now broken and wounded. Part of a large dome ceiling remained, sitting on the side of the cliff. The whole structure looked to have been carved from the cliff itself. With a grunt, Joey climbed up a small ledge and into the ruined building. He walked around an odd stone structure in the middle of the round building. It looked like a slab of rock sitting on a stair platform that at one time had something written on it. He ran a hand over the corroded engravings, if they were words it was no language he had ever seen.
"Hey Yuug, check out this. What'd'ya make of it?" he called over his shoulder. "Yugi?" he repeated when he didn't get an answer.
"Over here Joey," the smaller teen called. "Look, there's more to the building. Goes right into the cliff," he pointed.
"Yeah, but seen them bars? That gate looks rusted shut. We can't get in there. This place is no good for keeping us outta tha rain. I say we check that rock overpass out," Joey replied as he tugged on Yugi's shoulder.
"I want to find the water I hear first, just in case we can't find shelter from the rain and are forced to keep moving," Yugi protested.
"Eh, guess yer right," Joey shrugged. "Let's get some water. If it looks clean, that is," he reminded the smaller boy.
"I hadn't thought of that," Yugi frowned. "Guess we just have to check and see ourselves."
The two walked the semi-short distance from the ruins and through a pass to another gate, this one perched on the edge of a cliff. A roaring waterfall lay on the other side. Yugi and Joey strained to see the whole thing, it took up all of their viewing area. Or as much as the rock cliffs would allow, anyway.
"Guess that means we don't get our water here, then," Joey grumbled as he kicked a pebble through the gate.
"But the pass you saw seems to go around. Maybe we can get to it over there? Or try this one," Yugi said as he tugged Joey to look on the other side of the ruins that lay near the gate.
"That one kinda goes back the way we came. Twists too much, can't see out of it. I don't trust it," he narrowed his eyes as he strained to see in the darkness they had just emerged from. Joey didn't like it, when they had gone through earlier he swore he heard something in the cliffs above them. A sharp intake of breath from Yugi made Joey snap around. The smaller teen was staring wide eyed at something, Joey turned to look and cocked his brow.
"That ain't no rock," he said what he and Yugi had both been thinking.
When they had passed it the first time, the two boys had ignored it. But from this position, they could see limbs on it. Arms and legs limbs.
"Is that... armor?" Yugi asked as he crept closer to the figure.
"Looks more like a giant bug, if you ask me," Joey answered as he got closer. His hand slowly reached out to touch the spear that looked to go through the whole creature.
NO! Don't let him touch it! Yami screamed in Yugi's mind. The smaller boy quickly raced up and pulled Joey's hand back.
"Something's not right. Leave it be," he hissed when Joey gave him a sour look.
"What the devil is it?" Joey questioned as he broke free from Yugi's grip and walked around to the front of the creature. From how it lay on the ground, it looked to have no neck. It's shoulder sloping sharply up to the base of the skull. The face looked human-ish, more like a gargoyle waterspout from the old buildings he'd read about in England though. The huge jaw was open, a gaping maw holding sharp fangs exposed a strange straw looking tongue. The right arm had no hand, instead it ended in a club. The left only bore three fingers, the feet held two toes a piece. Joey's first instinct was they had stumbled into some kind of virtual reality arena for Duel Monsters.
"You ever seen anything like that before?" Joey asked as he watched Yugi un-shoulder his bag.
"No, I haven't," he replied as he pulled a small book out.
"I never knew you carried onna those," Joey smiled as he caught the cover. A companion book to Duel Monsters, he figured Yugi was above needing one of those.
"It's not really something to learn from. It's a card index, lists all cards that are out. From it's publication date and backwards as well as previews of upcoming cards," Yugi replied as he thumbed through the pages.
"Take it you're thinking the same thing I am, that this is all some VR game?" Yugi only nodded as he flipped through pages. He went cover-to-cover and back into certain sections before slamming the book shut and putting it back on his bag.
"Whatever it is, it's not in there," Yugi said as he put his bag back on.
"I vote we move on, this thing is creeping me out big time," Joey shuttered as he kicked the club hand.
"Don't do that, what if it isn't dead?" Yugi yelped.
"It would have attacked us by now?" Joey answered with a question.
"Either way, the rain is starting to fall harder. Let's check out your pass," Yugi said as he walked carefully around the staked creature. A small hiss caught their attention, both boys froze and slowly turned around. The creature remained on the ground, but every drop of water burned and sizzled on it's hide.
"You think that's why Yami didn't want me touching it?" Joey muttered as he absently rubbed the hand he would have used.
"I don't know, but I don't care to find out," Yugi replied as he lead the way to the rock covering.
The rain never got too hard, but lasted long enough to soak the two had they of stayed in it. They sat on rocks, watching small tendrils of rain water rush over the dusty cliff faces and ground and pool in their shelter. As uncomfortable as they may be, at least it kept their bums dry. The pass turned out to be a dead end, another cliff on the other side. Instead they sat in the recess of the second set of ruins. It was better cared for than the area they first saw. A door lay behind them, one that had been sealed shut long ago. They had managed to gather wood, remains from a cart and build a fire in the center of the odd building.
"Why don't you just stick the canteen or whatever it is out there in the rain to fill?" Joey asked after a long period of silence.
"I don't think we should trust the rain. You saw the sky and what happened to that thing out there, right?"
"Good reason," Joey blinked.
"I don't know if the waterfall we saw was any better or not. But the water did look nice and blue at least."
"Was it just me, or was there a slight glow coming from just below what we could see?" Joey asked as he cocked his head to one side.
"I thought it was just light catching the mist," Yugi shrugged.
"That might have been it, then," Joey nodded.
"You think we'll find the others?" Yugi asked, his big violet eyes looking up at Joey.
"We haven't been gone that long. 'Sides the chances of em finding the same path we did are a million to one. Must be countless other places to go in that place," Joey stated as he put his arms behind his head and reclined on the cool stone wall.
"Don't you find it odd how this place seems so huge? We should have been able to see it from the ruins that got us here. Yet we didn't. And some of these cliffs are far taller than any wall of the building..." Yugi trailed off.
"If it's VR, bet they have it rigged to look that way. Who says we aren't actually in some small room with a moving floor that makes it so we never run into a wall?"
"Maybe because we could feel it moving. And how real is VR to actually allow you to get wet? The walls aren't some trick either, touch them and they are real. So are the rocks we are on. I don't know, Joey. But, I don't think this is VR."
"What else can it be, Yuug?"
"We've seen some pretty amazing stuff before. That duel in the Shadow Realm with Bakura should ring a bell," Yugi said with a tilt of his head. Joey went pale about then, remembering the battle and how he thought it was nothing more than his mind slipping. He shook his head as if to clear it.
"I dunno if I like that idea too much, Yuug."
"You have a better explanation?"
A pause.
"No."
The rain lasted long enough for the two travelers to fall asleep. They were rudely awakened when someone kicked the rocks they were on out from under them.
"Joey, what was the big idea?" Yugi glared at Joey.
"Me, you kicked mine!" he shot back.
We are not alone. Yami said lowly, almost threateningly. Yugi's head snapped up when movement to his left caught his eye. He stopped for a moment on the odd metallic boots. Two toes, like a hoof sat firmly planted in the soft mud. Slowly he let his eyes trace up the figure's legs. Leather pants fashioned unlike anything else he had seen sat rather high on the figure, covering his midsection in a crisscross of leather laces. Yugi's eyes remained on an ugly scar set in the chest. The figure's flesh was a sickly yellowish-green and looked almost like scales. Yugi saw Joey stiffen from the corner of his eye but paid no mind.
"My eyes are up here, boy," the figure snarled after Yugi's stare had failed to move from the scar. Quickly, the teens eye's shot upwards and widened. A thick horned brow face glared back at him. Bright yellow eyes set on his own violet. The tightly bound white hair, which stretched from his horned brow and back, had remained untouched by the rain that was still lightly falling beyond the stone ceiling. The figure let out a small snort and fixed the red drape that hung over one shoulder.
"Of all the things the Streams of Time have shown me, this is one thing I have not foreseen," he said lowly.
"What?" Joey managed to say.
"It matters not," the figure waved. "I don't know who you are or what your intentions are. I shall be watching you. Be warned, this land will not be friendly. I can tell by your dress that you are travelers. Strange ones as that. Most of the foes you will meet are not easily dispensed with. You will have to do to them what was done to that vampire," he said. A three fingered hand reached out and pointed back the way the boys had come, the way of the body.
"Vampire?" Yugi stared wide eyed.
"Vampire. Welcome to Nosgoth, if you interfere with my plans I will be rid of you. For now I leave you, I will watch you closely travelers. I and the land will be watching." There was a quick warping of reality before the figure winked out of existence, a small flash of blue light accompanying him.
"What was that?" Joey asked after a long pause.
"I don't know. Yami says that's what he's been feeling, though..."
"Did you see his face? Did you see how tall he was? What was that thing? It was like a monster from the cards," Joey rambled before he got to his feet.
"I get the feeling we'll find out eventually," Yugi hissed. "Let's move. Rain or not I really don't like this place."
"We either go back through that pass and to the first ruins, or scale this cliff. I see a path up there with murals on the inside. This might lead into the building we camped out behind during the rain," Joey said as he scanned the rock wall. A crow's call made Yugi jump, it startled him out of thought.
"If we go back to the first ruins, there was only another cliff to climb. And that building was so run down there's no way to know if it has a way out. Let's just try this place," the shorter teen said. He walked up to the cliff and furrowed his brow. The climb wouldn't be easy, less footholds. At least there were plenty of ledges though, scramble up a short distance and take a rest.
"Hey Yuug, I think I can give ya a boost onto that first ledge, then you can help me up if I need it," Joey suggested.
"Whatever works, I really want to get out of here," Yugi said.
"Same here, that dead thing around the corner is creeping me out and that horned guy could still be around." Joey shivered. When Yugi gave him the go ahead, Joey laced his fingers and kneeled down, allowing the smaller boy to step into them. He held the wall for support as Joey lifted him. Yugi struggled to find something to hold onto in order to pull himself up. Once up, he let Joey rest a bit. It had put a strain on his fingers holding Yugi's weight. As soon as he was ready, Yugi braced himself and extended a hand, Joey made a short climb and grabbed it to help pull himself up the rest of the way. This process was repeated on other cliffs that would allow it, anything else left the two boys on their own trying to find foot holds on tall, steep inclines.
"Well, it's a hallway alright," Yugi said once the two had entered it. The walls were painted in a simple pattern, almost like wallpaper. The designs had long since faded. The hall was short, in no time the two had reached a thick wooden door. Pushing it did no good.
"There is a handle, Joey. Maybe we should try that," Yugi pointed out.
"I knew that," Joey replied as he grabbed it and pulled. "It's stuck, a little help?" he grunted. Yugi came up and wrapped his arms around the other boy's waist, pulling in an effort to help. The door moved ever so slightly, moaning loudly it's protest. With a little more effort they were able to get it open. The two were forced to race in as the door obviously liked being shut and tried to close on them.
They found themselves in a small circular room. The walls had the same faded pattern on them. Directly in front of them was another door, to the right a hallway with well shaped walls.
"I am not touching another door. We use the hall," Joey grumbled as he started down it.
"At least it's well lit in here. Kind of stale though, must not be opened much," Yugi thought allowed.
Not open much, maybe. But not forgotten. I believe the stranger from earlier is here.
"Oh great," Yugi said under his breath.
"What was that?" Joey spun around.
"Nothing, let's just keep moving."
The hall turned to the left then slowly curved to the right. The wall paintings arched up from their middle mark to touch the ceiling near where the hall let out. A harsh red glow surged in from the adjoining room.
"Well this is great," Joey huffed as he knelt on the edge of the overhang. "I see no way of getting down. And it's a big drop," he sighed.
"What do you think is the purpose of those pillars?" Yugi said as he pointed. Nine pillars lay in the room, eight in a semi circle with the ninth in front of them. They were broken, leaning and in serious need of care. An odd decoration sat at the base of the pillar in front of the rest. The large curving structures arched from the back and into horns, pointing towards the interior. It was a throne of sorts, Yugi had concluded. He might not have reached that decision if not for the figure that sat in the seat. He hadn't noticed until he began his study of the separated pillar. Joey still hadn't noticed. The pillars were of no concern to him. He continued to look for a way down, Yugi remained quiet with his eyes locked on the odd man. He could tell the elder was returning the gesture.
"I think I found a way down, Yuug," Joey exclaimed. "Yuug?"
"Huh? Oh, what?" Yugi said as he turned to his friend.
"See them drapes all over the place? Like flags? I bet we could climb onto onna them and get down. Course, they are kinda far down. We have to fall a bit and grab onto one, but it'll work," Joey explained. Yugi raised an eyebrow at the idea.
"You're leaving an awful lot to chance, you know."
"It's about all we can do. Or we could go back to that other door and try it if you want."
"No, something tells me that wouldn't get us anywhere either."
"Right, I'll lower you and you can grab one of those drapes and get yourself down. I'll jump and catch it after you're down."
"It's still pretty far from the end of the drape, and it's so old what if it tears?"
"If it lasts long enough to get you low enough then it'll be fine. I can use others," Joey shrugged.
"Alright then," Yugi answered as he suddenly remembered they weren't alone. He looked back to the chair, it was empty this time. It made him feel better as well, no eyes on him.
He'll be back.
"You sure know how to ruin a feeling of relief, you know?" Yugi said inwardly to where Yami sat in the Puzzle's Soul Room.
Joey lowered the tri-color haired boy low enough to allow him access to a drape. Yugi clung to the ancient fabric as he slowly climbed down. He felt the need to sneeze, dust was called up with each movement of the faded red fabric. Yugi wanted a moment to study the strange symbol that resembled an angular and backwards question mark, but ripping of the fabric made him hurry down. He dangled at the end of the drape and bit his lip, the drop was still a good twenty feet. He could land safely, but one wrong move could result in a twisted ankle or broken bone.
It's alright little one, the fall won't hurt you. But you must let go yourself when you can be ready or the cloth will rip and let you go no matter what.
Yugi hesitated a moment longer, another rip sounded before he braced himself and let go. The fall was quick, not as long as it had looked. Yugi landed hard though, it hurt the bottom of his feet and jarred him pretty good. He shook both feet out before sitting on the dusty floor. Joey had walked to another drape, fearing Yugi's wouldn't hold him. Joey's drape was a faded purple, it must have been richly colored at one time as the color was still fairly dark. Yugi caught the grey symbol on it before Joey's form blocked it. It was an N shape of sorts, the first leg of the N curled inwards some, like a tail on a fancy type face. The upwards angle of the N had a slash across the top, like the cross of a T. Yugi looked around the room, other such drapes decorated it. There was a blueish grey one with a symbol like a curvy double T, an olive green with a backwards seven and a smaller backwards seven sitting upon it's cross, a medium blue with a five and S combo. The pillars and their chair blocked Yugi's view, he couldn't tell if there were any other drapes behind them. He turned to the right then, to look at the yellow drape on the other side of the red on he had used. The yellow had a three of sorts on it, it was tilted enough to almost resemble a lower case M. The room was bigger than it had looked from the ledge, the drapes hung on the wall that stretched from the ceiling of the rest of the room. The center was the tallest, most likely for the pillars. The ledge they had been on was held up by smaller stripped pillars as well as rectangular columns that bore the same symbols as the drapes. Behind them on the wall were more of the same pillars. They bordered smooth slabs carved with the symbols. Between the pillars and slabs was the same pattern that had been in the hall on the other floor. The ceiling too had the pattern, only darker.
"What'd'ya make of alla this?" Joey asked. He too had taken a moment to check out the circular room once he was down.
"I don't know, some form of gathering place?"
"For what?" The taller teen asked as he dusted himself off.
"Beats me," Yugi shrugged. He needed to dust off himself, and sitting under Joey while he did it wasn't helping.
"Not a very useful room anymore," a familiar voice called out. Yugi quickly got to his feet as Joey scowled. The tall man walked into the room casually, the doorway directly ahead of where the throne sat facing. "No chatter this time?" he asked in an almost musical tone. "No, I guess not," he chuckled lowly. The sound was almost unnerving. "You have stumbled upon the one room no human has lived to tell of. It's former importance is of no concern to you, as the meetings of the Clans are no longer held here." He paused for a moment, looking at the two boys. "Tell me, where are you from? I do not recall ever seeing anyone such as yourselves anywhere. In this time at least," he tilted his head slightly.
"In this time"? I don't like the sound of that. Yami told Yugi.
The figure frowned a bit and looked directly at Yugi.
"You are far from normal, are you not?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, instinct forced him to clutch the Puzzle.
"Your dress. It is alien and much too clean and well kept for you to call this area your home. You speak with an accent I have not heard before and your smell is unique as well. And that charm you hold so dearly, there is something about it as well," the figure replied.
"Smell?" Joey mumbled as he began to check himself, hoping it wasn't due to needing a shower.
"Domino City. That is where we are from," Yugi replied. The figure furrowed his brow and tapped a talon on his chin in thought, his other arm crossing over his chest and allowing the tapping one to rest on it.
"The name is not familiar in the least. There are two ways you could have arrived here and I do not trust you, no matter which way you took. What are your intentions?" he demanded, his voice growing even more hostile.
"Intentions? To get back home, what else?" Joey snapped at him.
"Mind your tongue, boy. Or I'll cleave it from your skull," the figure replied levelly. Joey glared back but held his tongue, he knew nothing about who stood before him and figured it best to be careful. The figure raised a brow as he turned back to Yugi. "Tell me, child, what makes your charm so special? I can feel the power it holds, do not lie to me," he growled.
Yugi only clutched the Puzzle tighter and drew it into himself. He looked back to the much taller figure before his eyes rolled into the back of his head. An aura surrounded him momentarily as a glowing eye briefly flared up on his forehead. The aura faded and the boy stood slightly changed. He was taller, but still at least a head shorter than Joey. The white shirt he wore under the blue jacket had vanished, a leather shirt with buckles and straps shown instead. His tri-color hair had changed as well, the blonde bangs were more numerous, four strands arched up and back like lightening bolts, tracing the thick spikes that seemed to magically be held up. Black faded into red along the outside of his hair. Yugi stood with more confidence now, his eyes narrowed to match the glare the horned brow stranger was giving him.
"Magic such as this has not been seen in Nosgoth for over a millennia. Have you harnessed the power of the Glyph, child?" he asked forcefully.
"Glyph? No, my magic differs from yours. Can you not feel it?" Yami Yugi asked, he hoped now he could do the questioning and demands.
"Time can change magic, so can realms and dimensions. I trust you less as you reveal more. What of your friend, does he hold a power so different I am unable to sense it? Once again I shall leave, when I return I will know of your intentions. Be it you tell me or not, I will know." As before, with a warping of reality and a flash of light he was gone.
"Are we ever going to get his name?" Joey muttered.
"Somehow, I don't think we need it. He seems to be well known and has assumed we are against him," Yami replied.
"Well, I dub him Mister Scary Looking Guy." Joey grunted.
"I don't care what you call him, but as he trusts us less so should we do for him. He is our biggest worry now, getting home is now second. Something is going on and we are assumed part of it."
"What, no way. There ain't no way we could be a part of... whatever it is. We know nothing!"
"Exactly. Even the ignorant play parts in greater stories. If we want to know why we are thought to be a part of this, we need to find out what it is."
"And how do you know if Mister Scary is well known or not, anyway?" Joey asked.
"Why else would he be worried about us and what we are doing?"
"He's just paranoid?"
"I doubt it."
"Let's just get outta here already," Joey sighed as he lead the way to the door.
Yami, if you don't mind I'd like to stay here, for a while. I don't think I like it out there. Yugi called mentally from within the Soul Room.
"I was actually going to suggest you staying there, little Light. Allowing me to be in control makes reaction rates considerably quicker," Yami replied aloud. Joey wrinkled his nose and shook his head.
"Still ain't used to the fact there are two 'o ya."
Still going on this, I know it was long for a chapter, but was so boring for so long figured I needed to throw something halfway interesting in.
Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and everything related is (c) Kazuki Takahashi
Legacy of Kain characters, setting and everything related is (c) Crystal Dynamics and Silicon Knights.
Dreams are known for their unique settings and plots. Rather, lack of plots. Sometimes though you have a dream that is so real, you swear the lines between dream and reality have vanished and you really are living it. Be it a nightmare or regular dream. What happens when you are thrown into a situation in which you can't be sure if it's dream or reality? Everything is strange and alien to you, yet one element remains that makes it seem real. Is it real, or has your subconscious cooked up a movie for you to participate in?
The landscape was strange, foreign and dead. The rocky surface of the soil bore no life. Not even dried up grass or rotting wood, nothing. It was so dry, the air thick and hard to breath. He had come to the conclusion it wasn't clouds that blotted out the sun, but smoke. The air was so putrid and stale, it had the stench of death. Death of all kinds, death of an organic life-form and death of the earth itself.
"Joey, I think it's safe to assume we're lost," the young teen murmured as he ran a hand through his tri-colored hair.
"Lost is an understatement, this is, I dunno," the taller of the two boys replied with a shrug.
As far as they could tell they had stumbled upon a hidden passage in the ruins they had been exploring earlier. Yet, they couldn't find a way back in. A solid rock wall stood behind them, an hour of searching had turned up no door. Not even a hint of one. They had walked a bit, looking for a way down the cliff they were perched on. It was nothing but a tier to a larger stone structure, spanning up farther than they could see and down far enough to make their heads spin.
"Hey Yuug, over here," the blonde boy called as he brushed his green jacket to the side, "I think I might have found a place we can go down. It's a bit rocky, but better 'n anything else we've found."
"It's not steep?" Yugi questioned as he approached. He didn't know why, but he had felt the need to clutch his Millennium Puzzle ever since emerging in the barren wasteland.
"Na, it'll be fine. I'll go ahead 'o ya in case ya need me ta help," Joey said as he turned around and stretched a leg back to find footing. "Careful, if this is as shaky as the cliff above us rocks'll be fallin," he warned as he slowly descended. Yugi waited until his friend's head had sunk below the rock face before he walked to the edge and peered over. Heights usually didn't bother him, but after an earlier attempt to climb down had left him dangling over treacherous ground, Yugi was being more careful. "K, I'm far enough away. You can start," Joey grunted. Yugi bit his lip as he nodded and turned his back. The boy did a quick check to make sure his pockets still held his deck of cards and his backpack was securely in place. Not that he would need his cards in this place, he just felt better knowing they were with him.
"C'mon, Yugi!" Joey called as he stopped his decent. The younger boy hadn't even started. "I'll be way ahead of ya if you don't get the lead out."
"Don't mention lead, please. It's heavy and isn't a good thing to have on my mind when I'm trying to climb," Yugi asked.
"It's only an, oh forget it, just hurry. Quicker ya do it the sooner it'll be over."
"I know," Yugi whispered to himself.
I can be of help to you if you wish. Yami's thoughts reached Yugi from where he sat in his Soul Room.
"No, I can do this. Just be slow," Yugi replied to the Puzzle.
Alright, don't be afraid to ask for help.
Within a few minuets, Yugi had managed to get down the rock face. He had inadvertently pulled a few rocks loose and sent them down on Joey several times, the taller boy complained as each one either sailed harmlessly past him, or pegged some part of him.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were trying to make the cliff let you down," Joey mumbled as he drew a sleeve across his forehead.
"You were knocking foot holds down too. I was forced to find new ones," Yugi replied as he crossed his arms.
"Yeah, yeah. Now that we got down, where to next?" the blonde asked as he scanned the area. As best he could tell it was mid day, only a few feeble rays of sun managed to pierce the smoke screen above them. The land was just as dusty and dead down here has it had been on the other tier. "Wonder if we're like, in some mountain pass or somethin, I mean, what with that other cliff there on the other side an all," he pointed out.
"I don't know. I guess that makes it easy to decide which way to go. Only two after all," Yugi stated as he looked down both paths.
"I say we got this way," Joey said jerking his thumb behind the two. "We've seen parta the other way already anyway."
"I just hope we can find some source of water soon. Glad I have something in my bag to carry it. Looks like we'll need it," Yugi said.
"We'll find a settlement soon, no worries!" Joey told him.
"I hope your right, we know nothing of this area," Yugi muttered.
The rock walls had widened and steadily became shorter. While still too tall to easily pass, at least they didn't seem so looming and ominous now. They sky had a sickly greenish brown color to it now, it left the two boys feeling a bit unsure of the weather.
"If it rains on us, we're gonna hafta take shelter under a rock ledge unless we can find something better," Joey grumbled as a few drops broke from their sky holding pen and fell to the parched earth.
"Is that thunder?" Yugi asked as he cocked his head to one side.
"Thunder? Na, too continuous for that," Joey waved the idea off.
"Like, water," Yugi's eyes lit up as he began to jog.
Careful, little one. Stay close to Joey. I'm sensing something that I don't like. The mental warning came to Yugi. He complied and slowed down.
"Hey, the walls on this side are gettin smoother," Joey said as he caught up to Yugi.
"Much more than smooth. Look," the shorter boy pointed ahead of them to a chunk of rock that had clearly been part of a man-made structure.
"More ruins?" Joey questioned as he walked forward.
"Careful, Joey. Yami doesn't like this place and told us to stick together," Yugi warned as the other teen got ahead of him.
"Well if he don't like the ruins, I see a pass carved into the rock just ahead," Joey turned to his friend.
"Check the ruins first, Yami says to be careful but not to turn them down just because he doesn't like it," Yugi stated as he followed the curve of the wall. The two teens stopped once they were able to see the structure, it looked to have been totally enclosed at one point but was now broken and wounded. Part of a large dome ceiling remained, sitting on the side of the cliff. The whole structure looked to have been carved from the cliff itself. With a grunt, Joey climbed up a small ledge and into the ruined building. He walked around an odd stone structure in the middle of the round building. It looked like a slab of rock sitting on a stair platform that at one time had something written on it. He ran a hand over the corroded engravings, if they were words it was no language he had ever seen.
"Hey Yuug, check out this. What'd'ya make of it?" he called over his shoulder. "Yugi?" he repeated when he didn't get an answer.
"Over here Joey," the smaller teen called. "Look, there's more to the building. Goes right into the cliff," he pointed.
"Yeah, but seen them bars? That gate looks rusted shut. We can't get in there. This place is no good for keeping us outta tha rain. I say we check that rock overpass out," Joey replied as he tugged on Yugi's shoulder.
"I want to find the water I hear first, just in case we can't find shelter from the rain and are forced to keep moving," Yugi protested.
"Eh, guess yer right," Joey shrugged. "Let's get some water. If it looks clean, that is," he reminded the smaller boy.
"I hadn't thought of that," Yugi frowned. "Guess we just have to check and see ourselves."
The two walked the semi-short distance from the ruins and through a pass to another gate, this one perched on the edge of a cliff. A roaring waterfall lay on the other side. Yugi and Joey strained to see the whole thing, it took up all of their viewing area. Or as much as the rock cliffs would allow, anyway.
"Guess that means we don't get our water here, then," Joey grumbled as he kicked a pebble through the gate.
"But the pass you saw seems to go around. Maybe we can get to it over there? Or try this one," Yugi said as he tugged Joey to look on the other side of the ruins that lay near the gate.
"That one kinda goes back the way we came. Twists too much, can't see out of it. I don't trust it," he narrowed his eyes as he strained to see in the darkness they had just emerged from. Joey didn't like it, when they had gone through earlier he swore he heard something in the cliffs above them. A sharp intake of breath from Yugi made Joey snap around. The smaller teen was staring wide eyed at something, Joey turned to look and cocked his brow.
"That ain't no rock," he said what he and Yugi had both been thinking.
When they had passed it the first time, the two boys had ignored it. But from this position, they could see limbs on it. Arms and legs limbs.
"Is that... armor?" Yugi asked as he crept closer to the figure.
"Looks more like a giant bug, if you ask me," Joey answered as he got closer. His hand slowly reached out to touch the spear that looked to go through the whole creature.
NO! Don't let him touch it! Yami screamed in Yugi's mind. The smaller boy quickly raced up and pulled Joey's hand back.
"Something's not right. Leave it be," he hissed when Joey gave him a sour look.
"What the devil is it?" Joey questioned as he broke free from Yugi's grip and walked around to the front of the creature. From how it lay on the ground, it looked to have no neck. It's shoulder sloping sharply up to the base of the skull. The face looked human-ish, more like a gargoyle waterspout from the old buildings he'd read about in England though. The huge jaw was open, a gaping maw holding sharp fangs exposed a strange straw looking tongue. The right arm had no hand, instead it ended in a club. The left only bore three fingers, the feet held two toes a piece. Joey's first instinct was they had stumbled into some kind of virtual reality arena for Duel Monsters.
"You ever seen anything like that before?" Joey asked as he watched Yugi un-shoulder his bag.
"No, I haven't," he replied as he pulled a small book out.
"I never knew you carried onna those," Joey smiled as he caught the cover. A companion book to Duel Monsters, he figured Yugi was above needing one of those.
"It's not really something to learn from. It's a card index, lists all cards that are out. From it's publication date and backwards as well as previews of upcoming cards," Yugi replied as he thumbed through the pages.
"Take it you're thinking the same thing I am, that this is all some VR game?" Yugi only nodded as he flipped through pages. He went cover-to-cover and back into certain sections before slamming the book shut and putting it back on his bag.
"Whatever it is, it's not in there," Yugi said as he put his bag back on.
"I vote we move on, this thing is creeping me out big time," Joey shuttered as he kicked the club hand.
"Don't do that, what if it isn't dead?" Yugi yelped.
"It would have attacked us by now?" Joey answered with a question.
"Either way, the rain is starting to fall harder. Let's check out your pass," Yugi said as he walked carefully around the staked creature. A small hiss caught their attention, both boys froze and slowly turned around. The creature remained on the ground, but every drop of water burned and sizzled on it's hide.
"You think that's why Yami didn't want me touching it?" Joey muttered as he absently rubbed the hand he would have used.
"I don't know, but I don't care to find out," Yugi replied as he lead the way to the rock covering.
The rain never got too hard, but lasted long enough to soak the two had they of stayed in it. They sat on rocks, watching small tendrils of rain water rush over the dusty cliff faces and ground and pool in their shelter. As uncomfortable as they may be, at least it kept their bums dry. The pass turned out to be a dead end, another cliff on the other side. Instead they sat in the recess of the second set of ruins. It was better cared for than the area they first saw. A door lay behind them, one that had been sealed shut long ago. They had managed to gather wood, remains from a cart and build a fire in the center of the odd building.
"Why don't you just stick the canteen or whatever it is out there in the rain to fill?" Joey asked after a long period of silence.
"I don't think we should trust the rain. You saw the sky and what happened to that thing out there, right?"
"Good reason," Joey blinked.
"I don't know if the waterfall we saw was any better or not. But the water did look nice and blue at least."
"Was it just me, or was there a slight glow coming from just below what we could see?" Joey asked as he cocked his head to one side.
"I thought it was just light catching the mist," Yugi shrugged.
"That might have been it, then," Joey nodded.
"You think we'll find the others?" Yugi asked, his big violet eyes looking up at Joey.
"We haven't been gone that long. 'Sides the chances of em finding the same path we did are a million to one. Must be countless other places to go in that place," Joey stated as he put his arms behind his head and reclined on the cool stone wall.
"Don't you find it odd how this place seems so huge? We should have been able to see it from the ruins that got us here. Yet we didn't. And some of these cliffs are far taller than any wall of the building..." Yugi trailed off.
"If it's VR, bet they have it rigged to look that way. Who says we aren't actually in some small room with a moving floor that makes it so we never run into a wall?"
"Maybe because we could feel it moving. And how real is VR to actually allow you to get wet? The walls aren't some trick either, touch them and they are real. So are the rocks we are on. I don't know, Joey. But, I don't think this is VR."
"What else can it be, Yuug?"
"We've seen some pretty amazing stuff before. That duel in the Shadow Realm with Bakura should ring a bell," Yugi said with a tilt of his head. Joey went pale about then, remembering the battle and how he thought it was nothing more than his mind slipping. He shook his head as if to clear it.
"I dunno if I like that idea too much, Yuug."
"You have a better explanation?"
A pause.
"No."
The rain lasted long enough for the two travelers to fall asleep. They were rudely awakened when someone kicked the rocks they were on out from under them.
"Joey, what was the big idea?" Yugi glared at Joey.
"Me, you kicked mine!" he shot back.
We are not alone. Yami said lowly, almost threateningly. Yugi's head snapped up when movement to his left caught his eye. He stopped for a moment on the odd metallic boots. Two toes, like a hoof sat firmly planted in the soft mud. Slowly he let his eyes trace up the figure's legs. Leather pants fashioned unlike anything else he had seen sat rather high on the figure, covering his midsection in a crisscross of leather laces. Yugi's eyes remained on an ugly scar set in the chest. The figure's flesh was a sickly yellowish-green and looked almost like scales. Yugi saw Joey stiffen from the corner of his eye but paid no mind.
"My eyes are up here, boy," the figure snarled after Yugi's stare had failed to move from the scar. Quickly, the teens eye's shot upwards and widened. A thick horned brow face glared back at him. Bright yellow eyes set on his own violet. The tightly bound white hair, which stretched from his horned brow and back, had remained untouched by the rain that was still lightly falling beyond the stone ceiling. The figure let out a small snort and fixed the red drape that hung over one shoulder.
"Of all the things the Streams of Time have shown me, this is one thing I have not foreseen," he said lowly.
"What?" Joey managed to say.
"It matters not," the figure waved. "I don't know who you are or what your intentions are. I shall be watching you. Be warned, this land will not be friendly. I can tell by your dress that you are travelers. Strange ones as that. Most of the foes you will meet are not easily dispensed with. You will have to do to them what was done to that vampire," he said. A three fingered hand reached out and pointed back the way the boys had come, the way of the body.
"Vampire?" Yugi stared wide eyed.
"Vampire. Welcome to Nosgoth, if you interfere with my plans I will be rid of you. For now I leave you, I will watch you closely travelers. I and the land will be watching." There was a quick warping of reality before the figure winked out of existence, a small flash of blue light accompanying him.
"What was that?" Joey asked after a long pause.
"I don't know. Yami says that's what he's been feeling, though..."
"Did you see his face? Did you see how tall he was? What was that thing? It was like a monster from the cards," Joey rambled before he got to his feet.
"I get the feeling we'll find out eventually," Yugi hissed. "Let's move. Rain or not I really don't like this place."
"We either go back through that pass and to the first ruins, or scale this cliff. I see a path up there with murals on the inside. This might lead into the building we camped out behind during the rain," Joey said as he scanned the rock wall. A crow's call made Yugi jump, it startled him out of thought.
"If we go back to the first ruins, there was only another cliff to climb. And that building was so run down there's no way to know if it has a way out. Let's just try this place," the shorter teen said. He walked up to the cliff and furrowed his brow. The climb wouldn't be easy, less footholds. At least there were plenty of ledges though, scramble up a short distance and take a rest.
"Hey Yuug, I think I can give ya a boost onto that first ledge, then you can help me up if I need it," Joey suggested.
"Whatever works, I really want to get out of here," Yugi said.
"Same here, that dead thing around the corner is creeping me out and that horned guy could still be around." Joey shivered. When Yugi gave him the go ahead, Joey laced his fingers and kneeled down, allowing the smaller boy to step into them. He held the wall for support as Joey lifted him. Yugi struggled to find something to hold onto in order to pull himself up. Once up, he let Joey rest a bit. It had put a strain on his fingers holding Yugi's weight. As soon as he was ready, Yugi braced himself and extended a hand, Joey made a short climb and grabbed it to help pull himself up the rest of the way. This process was repeated on other cliffs that would allow it, anything else left the two boys on their own trying to find foot holds on tall, steep inclines.
"Well, it's a hallway alright," Yugi said once the two had entered it. The walls were painted in a simple pattern, almost like wallpaper. The designs had long since faded. The hall was short, in no time the two had reached a thick wooden door. Pushing it did no good.
"There is a handle, Joey. Maybe we should try that," Yugi pointed out.
"I knew that," Joey replied as he grabbed it and pulled. "It's stuck, a little help?" he grunted. Yugi came up and wrapped his arms around the other boy's waist, pulling in an effort to help. The door moved ever so slightly, moaning loudly it's protest. With a little more effort they were able to get it open. The two were forced to race in as the door obviously liked being shut and tried to close on them.
They found themselves in a small circular room. The walls had the same faded pattern on them. Directly in front of them was another door, to the right a hallway with well shaped walls.
"I am not touching another door. We use the hall," Joey grumbled as he started down it.
"At least it's well lit in here. Kind of stale though, must not be opened much," Yugi thought allowed.
Not open much, maybe. But not forgotten. I believe the stranger from earlier is here.
"Oh great," Yugi said under his breath.
"What was that?" Joey spun around.
"Nothing, let's just keep moving."
The hall turned to the left then slowly curved to the right. The wall paintings arched up from their middle mark to touch the ceiling near where the hall let out. A harsh red glow surged in from the adjoining room.
"Well this is great," Joey huffed as he knelt on the edge of the overhang. "I see no way of getting down. And it's a big drop," he sighed.
"What do you think is the purpose of those pillars?" Yugi said as he pointed. Nine pillars lay in the room, eight in a semi circle with the ninth in front of them. They were broken, leaning and in serious need of care. An odd decoration sat at the base of the pillar in front of the rest. The large curving structures arched from the back and into horns, pointing towards the interior. It was a throne of sorts, Yugi had concluded. He might not have reached that decision if not for the figure that sat in the seat. He hadn't noticed until he began his study of the separated pillar. Joey still hadn't noticed. The pillars were of no concern to him. He continued to look for a way down, Yugi remained quiet with his eyes locked on the odd man. He could tell the elder was returning the gesture.
"I think I found a way down, Yuug," Joey exclaimed. "Yuug?"
"Huh? Oh, what?" Yugi said as he turned to his friend.
"See them drapes all over the place? Like flags? I bet we could climb onto onna them and get down. Course, they are kinda far down. We have to fall a bit and grab onto one, but it'll work," Joey explained. Yugi raised an eyebrow at the idea.
"You're leaving an awful lot to chance, you know."
"It's about all we can do. Or we could go back to that other door and try it if you want."
"No, something tells me that wouldn't get us anywhere either."
"Right, I'll lower you and you can grab one of those drapes and get yourself down. I'll jump and catch it after you're down."
"It's still pretty far from the end of the drape, and it's so old what if it tears?"
"If it lasts long enough to get you low enough then it'll be fine. I can use others," Joey shrugged.
"Alright then," Yugi answered as he suddenly remembered they weren't alone. He looked back to the chair, it was empty this time. It made him feel better as well, no eyes on him.
He'll be back.
"You sure know how to ruin a feeling of relief, you know?" Yugi said inwardly to where Yami sat in the Puzzle's Soul Room.
Joey lowered the tri-color haired boy low enough to allow him access to a drape. Yugi clung to the ancient fabric as he slowly climbed down. He felt the need to sneeze, dust was called up with each movement of the faded red fabric. Yugi wanted a moment to study the strange symbol that resembled an angular and backwards question mark, but ripping of the fabric made him hurry down. He dangled at the end of the drape and bit his lip, the drop was still a good twenty feet. He could land safely, but one wrong move could result in a twisted ankle or broken bone.
It's alright little one, the fall won't hurt you. But you must let go yourself when you can be ready or the cloth will rip and let you go no matter what.
Yugi hesitated a moment longer, another rip sounded before he braced himself and let go. The fall was quick, not as long as it had looked. Yugi landed hard though, it hurt the bottom of his feet and jarred him pretty good. He shook both feet out before sitting on the dusty floor. Joey had walked to another drape, fearing Yugi's wouldn't hold him. Joey's drape was a faded purple, it must have been richly colored at one time as the color was still fairly dark. Yugi caught the grey symbol on it before Joey's form blocked it. It was an N shape of sorts, the first leg of the N curled inwards some, like a tail on a fancy type face. The upwards angle of the N had a slash across the top, like the cross of a T. Yugi looked around the room, other such drapes decorated it. There was a blueish grey one with a symbol like a curvy double T, an olive green with a backwards seven and a smaller backwards seven sitting upon it's cross, a medium blue with a five and S combo. The pillars and their chair blocked Yugi's view, he couldn't tell if there were any other drapes behind them. He turned to the right then, to look at the yellow drape on the other side of the red on he had used. The yellow had a three of sorts on it, it was tilted enough to almost resemble a lower case M. The room was bigger than it had looked from the ledge, the drapes hung on the wall that stretched from the ceiling of the rest of the room. The center was the tallest, most likely for the pillars. The ledge they had been on was held up by smaller stripped pillars as well as rectangular columns that bore the same symbols as the drapes. Behind them on the wall were more of the same pillars. They bordered smooth slabs carved with the symbols. Between the pillars and slabs was the same pattern that had been in the hall on the other floor. The ceiling too had the pattern, only darker.
"What'd'ya make of alla this?" Joey asked. He too had taken a moment to check out the circular room once he was down.
"I don't know, some form of gathering place?"
"For what?" The taller teen asked as he dusted himself off.
"Beats me," Yugi shrugged. He needed to dust off himself, and sitting under Joey while he did it wasn't helping.
"Not a very useful room anymore," a familiar voice called out. Yugi quickly got to his feet as Joey scowled. The tall man walked into the room casually, the doorway directly ahead of where the throne sat facing. "No chatter this time?" he asked in an almost musical tone. "No, I guess not," he chuckled lowly. The sound was almost unnerving. "You have stumbled upon the one room no human has lived to tell of. It's former importance is of no concern to you, as the meetings of the Clans are no longer held here." He paused for a moment, looking at the two boys. "Tell me, where are you from? I do not recall ever seeing anyone such as yourselves anywhere. In this time at least," he tilted his head slightly.
"In this time"? I don't like the sound of that. Yami told Yugi.
The figure frowned a bit and looked directly at Yugi.
"You are far from normal, are you not?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, instinct forced him to clutch the Puzzle.
"Your dress. It is alien and much too clean and well kept for you to call this area your home. You speak with an accent I have not heard before and your smell is unique as well. And that charm you hold so dearly, there is something about it as well," the figure replied.
"Smell?" Joey mumbled as he began to check himself, hoping it wasn't due to needing a shower.
"Domino City. That is where we are from," Yugi replied. The figure furrowed his brow and tapped a talon on his chin in thought, his other arm crossing over his chest and allowing the tapping one to rest on it.
"The name is not familiar in the least. There are two ways you could have arrived here and I do not trust you, no matter which way you took. What are your intentions?" he demanded, his voice growing even more hostile.
"Intentions? To get back home, what else?" Joey snapped at him.
"Mind your tongue, boy. Or I'll cleave it from your skull," the figure replied levelly. Joey glared back but held his tongue, he knew nothing about who stood before him and figured it best to be careful. The figure raised a brow as he turned back to Yugi. "Tell me, child, what makes your charm so special? I can feel the power it holds, do not lie to me," he growled.
Yugi only clutched the Puzzle tighter and drew it into himself. He looked back to the much taller figure before his eyes rolled into the back of his head. An aura surrounded him momentarily as a glowing eye briefly flared up on his forehead. The aura faded and the boy stood slightly changed. He was taller, but still at least a head shorter than Joey. The white shirt he wore under the blue jacket had vanished, a leather shirt with buckles and straps shown instead. His tri-color hair had changed as well, the blonde bangs were more numerous, four strands arched up and back like lightening bolts, tracing the thick spikes that seemed to magically be held up. Black faded into red along the outside of his hair. Yugi stood with more confidence now, his eyes narrowed to match the glare the horned brow stranger was giving him.
"Magic such as this has not been seen in Nosgoth for over a millennia. Have you harnessed the power of the Glyph, child?" he asked forcefully.
"Glyph? No, my magic differs from yours. Can you not feel it?" Yami Yugi asked, he hoped now he could do the questioning and demands.
"Time can change magic, so can realms and dimensions. I trust you less as you reveal more. What of your friend, does he hold a power so different I am unable to sense it? Once again I shall leave, when I return I will know of your intentions. Be it you tell me or not, I will know." As before, with a warping of reality and a flash of light he was gone.
"Are we ever going to get his name?" Joey muttered.
"Somehow, I don't think we need it. He seems to be well known and has assumed we are against him," Yami replied.
"Well, I dub him Mister Scary Looking Guy." Joey grunted.
"I don't care what you call him, but as he trusts us less so should we do for him. He is our biggest worry now, getting home is now second. Something is going on and we are assumed part of it."
"What, no way. There ain't no way we could be a part of... whatever it is. We know nothing!"
"Exactly. Even the ignorant play parts in greater stories. If we want to know why we are thought to be a part of this, we need to find out what it is."
"And how do you know if Mister Scary is well known or not, anyway?" Joey asked.
"Why else would he be worried about us and what we are doing?"
"He's just paranoid?"
"I doubt it."
"Let's just get outta here already," Joey sighed as he lead the way to the door.
Yami, if you don't mind I'd like to stay here, for a while. I don't think I like it out there. Yugi called mentally from within the Soul Room.
"I was actually going to suggest you staying there, little Light. Allowing me to be in control makes reaction rates considerably quicker," Yami replied aloud. Joey wrinkled his nose and shook his head.
"Still ain't used to the fact there are two 'o ya."
Still going on this, I know it was long for a chapter, but was so boring for so long figured I needed to throw something halfway interesting in.