Duelist's Point
Chapter 1: Pegasus's Dreams
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Disclaimer: This story is based on Yu-Gi-Oh! and its characters and situations, all created and owned by Kazuki Takahashi. Any characters or concepts not created by Mr. Takahashi are my original creations and may not be used without permission.

Pairings: Yami no Bakura/Yami no Yuugi, Yuugi/Ryou, Kaiba/Jounouchi

Notes: Oh my god, you have no idea how excited I am to finally post this story up. This was my NaNoWriMo piece, but I've actually had this massive project in works both on paper and running loose in my head for over half a decade, heh. I came up with it when I was twelve, and I decided, what the heck, might as well write the damn thing out, since I'd already come up with so much about it and couldn't seem to let it go. It was definitely worth it.

I will warn you that it does include original characters, but I've worked very hard to make them seem plausible. This story should read like a season in and of itself, set after the Doma and Kaiba Grand Prix arcs and before the Ancient Egypt arc.

This first chapter is more of a prologue than anything. Enjoy!

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Pegasus awakened in the early morning, the sky tinted an eerie twilight purple. His hair was matted to his sweaty skin and his hands clung desperately onto his silk sheets. Trembling, he tried to slow his breathing as he buried his heated face in his hands.

"Cyndia…" he murmured.

The dream began flashing back at him—Cyndia's cries for help, the disembodied voice threatening him, threatening Cyndia… The pain that had swallowed him whole when he'd refused to engage in any more magic, the hot needles prickling his body all over, stinging his flesh and threatening to tear him apart… The images of what the Voice wanted to come to pass—and the images of what It would do if Its wishes weren't realized…

Feeling bile rise in his throat, Pegasus shuddered and dashed to the adjoining bathroom. He vomited into the toilet, silver hair falling all around his face. When he finished, he rinsed his mouth at the sink and stared at his haggard face in the mirror.

"I have to save her…" he whispered, eyes falling shut and hands gripping the countertop tightly. "But Yuugi…"

"Now!" Mikaa screamed, and the battlefield exploded into chaos. Charging forth on a black horse, she wielded her polearm deftly, knocking people down left and right. Around her, her soldiers struck the barbarian invaders down, swords glistening in the sun. Her horse barreled down some foot soldiers as she glanced backward for a second, checking on her troops—before turning around and stabbing a soldier who had been trying to jump on her horse.

"Get up!" she screamed at her soldiers. "Fight! For Cade! For King Zaladin!" Hearing an echo of the battle cry, she smiled to herself and continued cutting down the enemy's soldiers.

At last, she heard the opposing commander shout, "Retreat, retreat!" The remaining invaders regrouped and marched back to their line. "You haven't seen the last of us, Commander!" the opposing leader yelled. "Expect us again soon!"

"My pleasure!" Mikaa shouted back, smirking as the enemy troops abandoned the border. She led her own army back to the palace, gold eyes sparkling with triumph.

"You fought well, soldiers, she announced as they gathered in front of the barracks. "But this was an easy battle. I saw only a few of their best warriors out there. They must be planning something bigger." She swept a sweaty strand of hair out of her eye. "Be prepared, soldiers, for a real battle soon."

"For Cade!" someone shouted.

Mikaa chuckled. "For Cade," she repeated. "Take the day off, soldiers. You are dismissed. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir!" the soldiers shouted and erupted into cheers. Stretching her wings, Mikaa flew off to the palace entrance, where she landed and found her way to the king's throne room.

The guards bowed as she approached them. They opened the heavy doors and the one on her right barked, "Commander Mikaa, my lord," and shut the doors behind her. She dropped the ground, bowing her head.

"Commander Mikaa," King Zaladin purred. "How did the battle go?"

"We won, my lord. The invaders retreated. I noticed, though, that they didn't bring their best. I fear they may be planning an attack of a much larger scale."

"Ah yes, we have been hearing from our sources about it. For security, please increase our air patrol and ensure that our weapons are fully functional. And continue studying their land troops, Commander."

Mikaa nodded. "Yes, my lord."

"Warn the palace guards," a new voice chimed in. "They will try to invade the palace." There was a slight pause, before the voice drawled, "Really, Mikaa, could you come into the throne room any filthier? You are so disrespectful."

Mikaa snarled. "I wanted to deliver the news to my lord immediately, Onii-san."

Pann wrinkled his nose. Mikaa could tell a retort was on the tip of his tongue, but the king interrupted him.

"Silence, you two."

"Yes, my lord," they replied in unison.

"You are dismissed, Commander."

Mikaa bowed and left the room, still scowling at her brother's rudeness.

Several floors below, in the basement of the royal palace, a blonde doll cackled madly as a prisoner was whipped for murdering his sister.

"Scream, killer," she shrieked. "Scream and see if the gods hear your call!"

The man screamed and screamed, and insane, childlike giggling filled the room.

The dreams didn't stop. For the next week, they populated Pegasus's sleep: Cyndia's screams and the Voice's commands terrified him to the core of his soul. Each night, he was given an instruction—and with Cyndia's wellbeing on the line, he had no choice but to follow all of them.

The first day, he hacked into a Peruvian museum, disabled the heavy security, and stole an enormous tome from its exhibit. The second day, he examined the book and found that he could read the strange characters it was written in. He didn't ask how, attributing his new ability to the Voice and its doings. He spent his spare time in the next couple of days perusing the Necromancy section as instructed, fascinated as well as excited. His hope of seeing Cyndia again — which had disappeared after Duelist's Kingdom — was revived, and he found himself aching to feel her golden hair and kiss her soft lips again.

On the fifth day, he traveled to the Painted Desert in Arizona at midnight and waited on a dune. For half an hour, he stared at the small rip in space, shimmering in the moonlight. Then, without warning, a blinding light issued from the hole and five people flew out of what appeared to be absolutely nowhere.

A dark-haired woman was the first to rise, stretching the black wings that seemed to jut unnaturally out of her back.

"Do you know of the Regalia?"

For a moment, he wondered what she was referring to, but then he remembered the instructions of his dream. "Yes. I can attain them. In exchange for your service," he said evenly.

"Explain service," drawled the aqua-haired man, standing up next to the woman. The other figures stood as well. With a start, Pegasus realized that one of them was transparent.

Signaling to the helicopter, he proposed, "Let's return to my castle."

As he led the way back to the chopper, he heard one of them murmur, "Castle? Is he a king?"

Melting into the stone wall, Shadowcat crept around the corner and came across a Panton general and what appeared to be a scientist

"…ready, sir, and in perfect shape to be launched against Cade. It will take the entire royal city out. The country will be defenseless.

"Good. Don't tell me any more. The walls have ears." The officer turned the corner and began walking in the opposite direction as the other man.

Shadowcat smiled and followed the officer. Walls indeed.

Several doors down, Akai sat with the Panton Queen, buttering her up for their discussion about formulating a treaty between the two countries – one that would give Cade a quarter of Panto's land, of course.

"Oh, Ambassador, you flatter me!" she laughed.

"Not at all, my lady. It's a rule to compliment intelligent woman."

She sighed, "If only half of the men in my court were as generous as you, sir, then I would be content."

Akai laughed lightly, smiling. "Now now, let's not get carried away. Don't want it going to my head, after all."

"Of course," she laughed.

"Let's get down to business," he proposed. "Now about that treaty…"

Pegasus smiled at how silly the creatures looked, standing around in his office with their wings folded back and arms crossed. The youngest-looking man was gazing at the moon through the enormous window behind the desk, his fingers gingerly touching the glass.

"My wife is in trouble. I want to save her by reviving her from the dead," he said, leaning back in his chair comfortably.

Silence.

"That's dangerous magic," the transparent figure stated.

Pegasus smirked. "I'm a dangerous man."

"You promised us the Regalia," the aqua-haired said.

"That's right. You'll help me gather the ingredients I need and assist me in whatever other way is necessary. In return, you will receive the Regalia."

"They are in your possession?" the one at the window asked.

"No," Pegasus smiled, "not yet. But the people who do own them are the same people who I need for my project."

Smiling and bowing, the dark-haired one stepped forward. "I'm Mikaa," she said, teeth glinting in the fluorescent lighting of the office, "at your service."

"Pann," the aqua-haired creature said.

"Akai," said the one at the window.

"Shadowcat," murmured the transparent figure.

"I'm Celestine!" a new voice chirped. Startled, Pegasus looked at the last creature, the previously silent woman holding a doll — which had spoken.

"Excellent. I'm Pegasus," he said, eyes glinting. "Let's get to work."