Disclaimer: A diller, a dollar, a ten o' clock scholar — Scholar? No! I just don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! — first you come at ten o' clock, then you come at noon!

Chapter 4:

Beguiled and Riled

"Oh dear, oh dear!" exclaimed Ashen, a truly vexed expression on her face, "I'm lost again."

She stopped to look 'round, and Yugi came up behind her. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Um, this part is new," she said, "There's always something new," she muttered angrily; she turned and smiled at him despite her frustration, "I'm just lost, that's all."

"Lost?" he asked.

"Yes, but, uh, I'm sure I'll find the way!" She began to look around frantically again.

"Oh! Ashen!!" came a lighthearted voice, and Yugi turned in the direction of the call. There his eyes met the figure of another girl, older than him and Ashen by at least two years; she was coming hurriedly toward them, wearing a dress likewise to Ashen's, only hers was a soft golden-yellow color, and her hair was a beautiful flowing brown.

"Oh!" exclaimed Ashen, "I was so worried!" she looked on Yugi, "We're safe now."

The older girl arrived and smiled, though she seemed to be in some haste. "There you are! I was beginning to worry!" she puffed, "I see you've found him." She smiled at Yugi, "Come! Come!"

Both females hurried away, and Yugi, feeling dumb and unsure, darted forward to catch up. "Where're we going??" he called.

Ashen looked back. "Didn't I already tell you? We're going to visit my grandmother!"

"Of course," interjected the older girl, "We will have to make a quick stop by home. Ruin will be their soon, and father's waiting!"

Yugi's brow creased as he kept in stride with the girls. 'Ruin?' he thought, wonderingly, 'What are they talking about?' Yugi shook his head. "What's your name?" he asked girl in yellow.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "Dear me, I'd forgotten to introduce myself!" she looked back at Yugi again, "My name, it's—" her eyes widened, and a flicker of distress crossed her face, "It's . . . Cinders! Yes! That's it! My name is Cinders! Pleased to meet you Yugi!" she giggled with delight and quickened her pace.

'Ashen, and Cinders . . ? Hmm.' Yugi blinked, 'Something strange is going on here! It's like . . . Oh! I don't know!'

Of course, it didn't occur to Yugi that him being there in the first place was strange enough. But, you see, his mind wasn't working in its usual fashion; something was blocking a good part of his reasoning sense.

Thus, he had forgotten to wonder, forgotten to question; he accepted things as the came. Forsooth, the very concept of pondering over the events at hand, didn't even strike his mind. He didn't know he was forgetting something; something very important to him.

The trio raced on, and very soon came upon a long paved-straightaway, which led on to a colossal structure waiting at the end. The place struck Yugi as being very beautiful, and yet very plain.

These two sensations confused Yugi, after all, how can a place be both beautiful and plain at the same time?

The girls, almost out of breath, bounded onto the first steps of an immense mound of steps leading up to the entrance of the leviathan building; Yugi was right behind. Upon reaching the top, he blinked in wonder, for there a grand threshold spread out before them, wide and broad, and lined with towering pillars supporting the overhang looming above their heads.

Yugi shivered at the shadows above them.

Ashen and Cinders jumped forward to a giant set of double-doors inlaid into the face of the structure; the wood of the doors was deep and dark, and Yugi could see there were detailed carvings running all the way up. He squinted, trying to make out what they depicted.

The girls groaned and grunted, pushing against the heavy wood. And Yugi, seeing their strained effort, stepped forward to help.

Yet, he stopped short, for that 's when the doors "spoke." Yugi stepped back; a great guttural groan issued forth, a deep, hollow sound, as though the doors were loathe to move, and pained by doing so.

Yugi watched, eyes wide in alarm.

Cinders and Ashen pushed with all their might, angrily thrusting the doors out of their path; the portals, propelled suddenly by the girls' efforts, swung back crashing against their hinges.

"Come!" Ashen beckoned for Yugi to follow.

Yugi hesitatingly stepped forward; the doors were groaning again. They wanted to close, Yugi could tell, for he saw them now moving to, upon their hinges.

"What are you waiting for??" cried Cinders, "We're already late!"

Yugi cringed and jumped through the invisible boundary before him; he landed safely and breathed. Ashen dashed up to him and seized his arm. "Yugi Mutoh! You're dawdling!"

"Quickly!" called Cinders, already starting away.

The three were off again, racing down along immense halls decorated with pilasters, trimmed gold, and deep-red draperies. Yugi looked up as he was pulled along; the ceiling was so high, he was immediately reminded of a church.

"What is this place?" he asked innocently.

Cinders and Ashen looked back at Yugi in shocked disbelief. "This is our place of dwelling! Couldn't you tell??" quizzed Ashen, momentarily prideful, her blue dress fluttering as she ran.

"You had better not ask crackbrained questions like that in front of father, or you'll be off to a rocky start." informed Cinders.

Yugi's brow creased. 'For crying in the night!' thought he, worriedly, 'Who is their father?? And why am I even here in the first place?' Yugi cringed then, as a pain came into his brain.

They turned a wide corner, and in doing so, came to their destination: a long, high wall with a rounded red door in the center.

The girls stopped momentarily, to catch their breath; Yugi watched them, apprehensive about what lie beyond the door.

Then Ashen and Cinders straightened themselves, smoothing down their dresses, and nodding, Cinders seized the door knob, and thrust the portal open.

Yugi was struck then, with an odd smell that came with a sudden out-rush of air. He wrinkled up his nose; the smell wasn't exactly bad, but, it wasn't good either.

Cinders moved, entering first.

"Ah," Yugi heard a deep, melodious voice say, and as a shiver ran down his spine, he found there was a hint of familiarity in the intonation. He tried to espy whoever I was who had spoken, but they were beyond sight of the doorway.

Ashen entered next, "Oh, you two arrived together. Is he with you?"

Yugi watched as the two girls nodded; Ashen then turned, beckoning for Yugi to enter. He swallowed, and slowly started forward.

As Yugi moved into the room, the atmosphere suddenly changed. He stopped, staggering at the stark humidity in the chamber; he opened his mouth wide, gulping a deep breath of air.

Ashen beckoned to him more vigorously, and Yugi reluctantly stepped out from the door shielding him from view.

Once more, Yugi was brought up hard; he stood staring, not realizing he was holding his breath.

There, behind a large gilded table, sat a figure of immense stature, swathed in black robes so that no hint of features could be seen.

"Ah," simpered the figure, who in voice could be told was a male, "There he is. Greetings Yugi Mutoh, I'm glad to see you have arrived at last."

Yugi stared still, unblinking, and abruptly remembered to breath again; the black figure was in definite contrast with the beauteous golds and reds, surrounding him; not to mention the rose-colored marble pillars.

Ashen prompted Yugi with a dig in the ribs.

Yugi was breathless in his reply. "Hi!"

The curtness of Yugi's response seemed uncivil and artless in the ears of those around him, and both Cinders and Ashen flinched.

There was a dead silence, and, of a sudden, Yugi was painfully aware that he had done something considered wrong. He glanced anxiously betwixt the girls and the figure behind the table.

The robed form rose from the chair in which he was sitting.

'Oh dear!' thought the girls, with sudden anxiety. Ashen promptly put her lips to Yugi's ear. "Apologize Yugi, quickly!"

"Eh," Yugi tried to gather his thoughts, but all inside him froze at the sight of the macabre figure coming 'round the table toward him.

A slight squeak escaped Yugi's throat, and he immediately backswept from the approaching menace.

"Stay boy." was the hollow command, and Yugi was frozen in half-step, "I am the Erlie King, and in this, my realm, all things obey me."

The Erlking reached forward, and took Yugi's arm in a frighteningly hard grip. Yugi cringed, suddenly deathly afraid. And it was here that something sparked in Yugi's mind; he remembered something about the figure whose grasp he was in, or at least he thought he had.

For as soon as the notion came to mind, he became suddenly dizzy, sickeningly so and tottered on his feet.

"Father!" piped up Ashen suddenly, coming and laying her hand on his arm, "Please stay any wrath you might have been about to deal! Yugi Mutoh, he is newly arrived here! And knows nothing of the rules of our realm!"

Yugi's eyes turned to Ashen, being unwilling and unable to look in the Erlking's black-shrouded face.

"Yes, father," added Cinders timidly, "He has much yet to learn. Please give him a chance."

The Erlking nodded slowly. "You speak wisely my daughters; I was quick to anger. Much is on my mind. However Yugi," Yugi flinched at the sound of his own name, "You must learn our rules of conduct quickly. So to that, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I—I am sorry Erlie King. Forgive me. I—I had no time to gather my thoughts, I – was disoriented." Yugi looked down at the floor.

The Erlking gave a short nod, and Cinders and Ashen took eased breaths as they saw their father release Yugi, and move away.

Yugi felt like falling to the floor.

"Come," said Ashen and Cinder's father, pausing on the threshold leading out of the room, "My mother awaits, it is time for us to embark." he moved out the doorway.

Ashen leaned in to her older sister, and spake in hushed breath. "But what of Ruin? Has she not yet arrived?"

Cinders shook her head dispiritedly. "To my knowledge, no."

The two began moving toward the outlet, giving Yugi quick glances that said he should follow or expect to face ill consequences; his pace was soon in stride with theirs.

Ashen shuddered. "I do hope she arrives before father realizes she is not yet come. You know how he hates unpunctuality, and she always seems to—"

"Yes, I know." Cinders breathed.

Yugi listened to their conversation, pity and sadness forming in his heart. 'They're father sounds like a tyrant.' he thought, then remembering the limb with which the Erlking had seized him, 'Correction,' Yugi said to himself, rubbing his arm tenderly, 'Is a tyrant.'