The Silent Watcher.


I can only be silent as my master suffers, again.

What I wouldn't give to tear out of the Shadow Realm to go out there and defend him? Everything. I would give everything to be there for my master.

My master is small and frail. He looks weak, but I love him. He thinks of other people highly, and places them first before himself. Although it upsets me whenever he didn't speak when it was about himself, I love him.

My master's name is Yugi Mutou, Game. And he is the partner of the one who rules all over Khemet and Shadow Realm: the Nameless Pharaoh.

My master is trapped inside his own body as he saw the duel between the Pharaoh and someone of the evil side. He is desperate. But I cannot move. I cannot move as long as he doesn't think that he can do anything by himself, drawing upon the heart of his card, drawing upon me.

I watch as Dark Magician disappeared, called to the real world because he was summoned in a duel. I watch as the seal of evil placed itself on his forehead, along with the cheeriest creature in the Shadow Realm, the Dark Magician Girl. I watch as my master shout in vain, I watch.

"Master…" Silent Swordsman joined me as I watch. Like me, he acknowledges Yugi Mutou as his Master, even when we have not been in duels with him. His deck, his cards, come from within his heart. And we, along with Marshmallon, Watapon, Gandora and the others, are inside it. We are his servants, not the Dark Magician and his apprentice.

I wish to go there, go to my Master's mind and comfort him. I want to tell him that the Pharaoh will be okay. But I cannot, because that would mean that I lie. And I do not wish to lie to my beloved Master.

Apparently, by the way he clutches his sword, Silent Swordsman agrees with me. "The seal of evil! It's awful!" Marshmallon joined us, looking worried and angry. "What is the Pharaoh thinking?" Watapon joined also, sounding upset. I want to comfort the others, telling them not to blame the Pharaoh because that would disappoint Master, but I am unable to do so. Because somewhere in my heart, I do feel that Pharaoh is to blame for my Master's current distress.

I watch, Silent Swordsman watch, Marshmallon watch, Watapon watch, the others watch.

My Master has never spoken for himself, which is why the Silent Swordsman and I, the humanoid monsters in his deck, are named as such. He is silent, and so would we, his servants. His soul room was littered with toys, which are why the little ones such as Blockman, Watapon, and Marshmallon are serving him.

The only one I do not understand is Gandora. Why would he, of all cards, serve my Master?

I watch as my Master shed tears for the Dark Magician Girl, who was sacrificed to the Catapult Turtle by the blindly raged Pharaoh. I wish to shout, I wish to break away from my silence. But my Master doesn't believe that he could do something. And if he doesn't believe, I won't be able to do anything. Tears leak from my eyes as I close them, not daring to watch anymore.

Silent Swordsman grasped my hand. "Don't look away. Master is suffering." The others, the little ones, looked like they are about to cry. But they keep on watching as everyone in the Pharaoh's deck looks at him with disappointed and sad stares. Somewhere in my heart, I feel like he deserves it, but my Master is crying. I cannot feel like this. Master would be so disappointed.

As the seal of evil comes to take the Pharaoh, we all hold our breaths. If the Pharaoh were gone, what would Master feel? He will be sad and broken. But there is nothing we can do, is there? The Pharaoh has chosen to abandon his monsters to evil.

And then, something that makes even Gandora scream happened. Master pushes the Pharaoh out of the way, stating that he trusts him.

All hell breaks loose.

Gandora screams and howls, it should have scared the little ones, but it didn't. Watapon and Marshmallon let out an angered and frustrated cry. Silent Swordsman gripped his blade's hilt until his hands started to bleed. I watch.

I watch with tears leaking non-stop from my eyes.

I stand up and everyone ask me where I am going.

I hold my wand, the sadness and emptiness raises me into level ten without effort. I look at my partners with sadness and determination.

"I will speak to him." It was the first words I spoke, and it was spoken not for my Master.


I emerge from the Shadow Realm in a valley where everything is dead. But I could see many spirits linger here.

Including my Master.

I did not expect my Master to be here, I think that he is in the grasp of Leviathan. And then I realize that he is not my Master, he is a mere phantom- darkness of my Master's soul. And darkness… never existed in his heart.

It seems that he also notices me because he looks at me quite intently. I go to his place and a sad frown made its way to my lips. "Don't be sad, dear Magician." It surprises me to see my Master's phantom act like he knows me, but it makes me happy.

"I know who you are, and I'm sure that he knows who you are too. Along with them, who watches through your eyes from the Shadow Realm." He knows that everyone in Master's deck is watching through me. This person… could he really be…? "I am not your Master," he confirmed. "Not all of him, anyways. I am merely a phantom of darkness, of hatred he felt towards the Pharaoh, who cannot swallow his pride to honor a promise." I can hear Watapon's cry of 'indeed!' in my ears.

I leave him and intercept the Pharaoh in his way, stopping him from meeting my Master's phantom. "Halt." I say, making him stop in his tracks. I cannot feel the Dark Magician duo from his deck; they must be still resting in the Shadow Realm. "You are…" he asked. "I am the Silent Magician, the magician servant of Yugi Mutou." I can see sadness, guilt, and regret flashed within burning crimson.

"Aibou… aibou doesn't have you in his deck." He shot back to me, and it hurts every one of us. "He will, you jerk!" Marshmallon and Watapon jeered, and the Pharaoh seems to hear it too. "Why do you think that is, Nameless Pharaoh?" I try to remind him that it was he who chose majority of the monsters in Master's current deck. I think I speak for everyone when I say that that deck does not belong to Master, it belongs to the Pharaoh.

He seems to understand me, because he shrinks back a little. "Why should I let you through, Nameless Pharaoh? Why should you meet my Master?" I try to keep my anger and sadness within myself, but they all slip me in the form of my tears.

I am sad, I am angry, I want to be more vocal about it, but I have no choice but to stay silent. My Master – not his Phantom – will never want me to blame others for his decision. But without his kind and compassionate presence, all of us, monsters who resides in his heart, are lost. We want him back and we will do anything to get him back.

The Pharaoh stays silent, but when he looks at me, I can see pure regret and loss. The Pharaoh, like us, also depends on Master's kindness and compassion. He was at fault, and he knew it.

"I need him," the Pharaoh's voice is shaking. "I… I need him so much, and I am sorry that I shook him away." I tremble, unable to hear the Pharaoh's explanation. How could he talk so weak when he was supposed to be doing his best to get Master back? Why? Why would he, who has Master's body and is not trapped within the walls of Leviathan, is here screaming to a dead soul?

"My dear Silent Magician," My Master's phantom spoke and hugs me from behind. We are both spirits, so it felt very real for me. "Go. I will take care of mou hitori no boku." He doesn't smile, but I know he is comforting me. I nod, and then moves away silently, back to the Shadow Realm where everyone welcomes me.

Everyone… everyone and I watch silently as the duel between my Master and the Pharaoh unfolds. We watch silently, because that is who we are. Until the day Master calls upon us with his own strength, we are merely his Silent Watcher.