A/N: I’m getting sick of these words, but I’m being forced to say it anyhow. I DON’T OWN YU-GI-OH! Also, I hope the author of the fic AN ANGEL IN SHADOWS doesn’t mind me borrowing one of her characters for a while. Now, enough of this chitchat. Read on!



1 Spellbound

//…// = Yami’s thought

/…/ = Yugi’s thought

1.1 Ch.1 Enter…the Darkness

The darkness embraced him, welcoming him into its lifeless world, He felt himself drowning…sinking into a void of blackness, hatred, anger…He struggled to swim upward, to reach the tiny speck of light that showed the only sign of hope in this murky place, But to no avail, as he wallowed through his nightmare. Suddenly, his vivacious, liquid-like vicinity was pulled into a torpid spin, gaining momentum and ferocity as time ticked on. The incessant whirlpool forced him down with it, and he found himself falling among shattered dreams and lost souls, a place where all hope dies…

“Aaaaaahhhhhh…!” Yugi jotted from his nightmare as beads of sweat ran down his forehead and neck. Gasping for breath, Yugi lay trembling in the darkness of his room.

//Aibou? Are you alright?// Yami’s strong, confident voice rose from the Millennium Puzzle. Seconds later, he was beside Yugi, soothing his other self.

“It’ll be OK, aibou,” Yami hugged the smaller body gently, rubbing small circles on his back. “I won’t let anything happen to you…I promise.”

Minutes later, Yugi’s ferocious trembling had subsided and he soon fell into a deep slumber in Yami’s arms. The game king cradled his light and rocked back and forth silently, gazing at the angelic face before him---so pure and innocent, a creature too precious to disturb. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he repeated. “You are my hikura(light)…my life.”

(A/N: I don’t know if light in Japanese is ‘hikura’, so sorry if I messed that part up!)

Little did the game king know that a silhouetted figure was watching them through a puddle of water. “Let’s see if you can keep that promise, Yugioh,” the shadow smirked, and lashed at the image, sending ripples through the water as the scene dispersed. “Yugi had something I want, and I WILL get it. Nothing is going to stop me---not even you, king of games.”

***

//Why must you insist on buying a new card?// Yami asked from his soul room.

/Well, Seto ripped up my Dark Magician, so I’m hoping to replace it./

//But why can’t you just get one from Grandpa?//

/I’ll still have to pay for it. Besides, there’s a new game shop that opened just a couple of days ago. I really want to check it out./

Yugi stopped in front of a quaint, little parlor on the corner of the street. A huge bay-window advertised all the merchandise on sale, and there was an old, archaic door that seemed to have been there since ancient times. There was something creepy about the place, yet it was mysterious and inviting.

//Not much of a shop, is it?//

/Well, you can’t judge something from the outside./

//True, but…//

As Yugi crossed the threshold, a chime echoed through the tiny compartment, indicating a customer.

“Hello? Is anyone here?” Yugi called out. The shop was quite small, with a couple display cases and shelved heaved with boxes of games and puzzles. The carpet was a bloody red and the air had a feeling of death to it, sending shivers down Yugi’s spine.

“Hello, there.” A voice emitted from the backroom. The figure stepped out, as the light revealed his pure, black hair… blackness that seemed to keep the boundaries darkness. His eyes was the color before the dawn of day and the dusk of night, a color that only lasts a few seconds…such blueness that held a sea of secrets and mystery…hope and love…hate and betray.

Yugi was captivated by the boy’s appearance, and it was Yami who finally kicked him mentally in the head to remind him where they were.

“Can I help you?” Even his voice seemed to hide a secret of some sort…something that Yugi will never unravel.

“Y-yeah. Do you sale Dual Monster cards?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. Follow me.”

The boy, not much older than Yugi himself, led them over to the farthest display case where stacks of cards were found---some even Yugi had never even seen before.

“Are you looking for anything specific?”

“Do you have the Dark Magician?”

“Yes, but I have a much more powerful card in my possession. I’ll sale it to you for $20. Wait here.”

Yugi watched as the teen slipped into the backroom to retrieve the card. When he came back and flipped the card over to Yugi, the small boy gasped in surprise. On the front was an angel in rags, drenched in blood. Her feather wings was bloody red as the substance dripped down the tips and streamed down her dress, spoiling the whiteness. In one hand she held a knife aimed for her heart, while her other hand was soaked with blood. Her black hair flowed behind her as she shed red tears and sorrow and anger burned in her auburn eyes. On the bottom was labeled THE ANGEL OF SACRFICE, power level: infinite.

“T-this card is even stronger than Exodia!” Yugi croaked out.

“It’s yours if you want it. But it will only work if you pass THE TRIAL.”

“W-what trial?”

“You’ll see soon enough, when the right time comes.”

Yugi hesitantly paid for the card and run out of the shop, clutching the bloody angel against his pounding heart.

***

/What do you think he meant by THE TRIAL, Yami?/ Yugi asked once they got home.

//I’m not sure, aibou. But I want you to be on your guard at all times. I’m sensing some bad vibes from this card.//

/OK/

Suddenly, a sharp rap commenced at Yugi’s bedroom window. Yugi rushed over but found no one in sight, only a note taped on the glass. It said:

Yugi Mouto, you are now the owner of The Angel of Sacrifice. This card will stalk your life. In order to use it, you must make this vow:

I know that this card is hazardous to my health and I will stake my life on it. I promise not to surrender until THE TRAIL is over or I shall die and forever live in the realm of darkness.



“Yugi, don’t say it!” Yami immediately manifested beside Yugi and pounced for the note.

“I have to, Yami! Besides, I refuse to be a coward!”

Yami looked at Yugi, and saw the determination and stubbornness in his violet eyes. So much like himself…

“Alright.” The game king gave in. “But if you risk your life, then so will I.”

“Thank you, Yami.” Yugi gave his other a warm embrace, then the two recited the vow in unison.

After dinner, Yugi headed upstairs to find another note pinned to his door. This one said:

Light is a gift, a power, a weapon

But sooner or later,

The electricity will go out in your room only.

“Yeah, right,” Yugi laughed. “Like I’m going to believe that.” But moments after entering his room, darkness claimed it. Yugi bolted out there into the safeness of the hall, panting for breath.

/I-I never thought that it’d come through…/ he thought.

Yami appeared beside him and rushed in.

“Yami! Wait! It could be dangerous!” Yugi screamed after him.

Yami came back just as fast, except he had a light bulb in his hand. “That’s strange; the fuse didn’t blow or anything…”

“Y-Yami?” Yami hid behind his other’s back. “I’m scared.”

“Don’t worry, little one. I’ll always be here to protect you.”

Getting out a flashlight form the cabinet, Yami switched it all and ventured out into the darkness. But just seconds after he replaced the light bulb, every electric apparatus in Yugi’s room was activated. Music and light flooded into the hall and brought Yugi over.

“What just happened, Yami?”

“I truly don’t know.” The King of Games observed the room for signs of danger, only to find another note on the desk. He read:

Did you have fun in the dark?

Cause I’ve got another surprise

Ten minutes from now

Knocks and moans will arise

Yugi gasped and Yami tensed. No one spoke a word as they waited for the predicament to come to life. The tension was unbearable. The only sound audible was the soft ticking of the clock. 8 minutes past by…9… finally 10. At first it was silence, then slowly, a sharp tap occurred and became stronger and faster. Somewhere, moans could be heard just audible for the human ear. It sounded like someone was being tortured, as if his/her soul is in great torment. Several other moans and groans joined in the ghastly gathering, and the tapping seemed to get closer.

“It’s coming from the attic!” Yami shouted, pointing upward.

“But we don’t have an attic!” Yugi cried, hiding under his blankets.

The dreadful notes continued to penetrate the air; its horror can rise even the hairs of a black cat. Suddenly, unexpected, everything stopped. Time seemed to pause, for nothing---no sound of taps, moaning, and sorrow----was alive. Everything just…froze.

“Yami, are they gone now?” Yugi asked, shaking in his blankets.

“I think so,” the game king answered. “But why?”

“Maybe THE TRA---“

Before Yugi could finish, another note floated through an open window with the message:

That was fun, don’t you agree?

And the house is sealed

So don’t try to flee

“Oh no!” Yugi huddled his pillow in trepidation. “Yami, what are we going to do?”

“Check every window and door in the house to see if they really are sealed.”

For the next 20 minutes, the two boys scurried throughout the shop, but to their horror found that none of the windows nor doors would open. As Yami tried pushing the last window open and failed, he snatched up a bat and swung at the glass. The window wasn’t even scratch, but instead the bat was now in half with bits of wood donning the carpet.

“In Ra’s name, what is the meaning of this?” Yami screamed in frustration.

Yugi stood by his dark as tears streamed down his face.

“You brought this on yourself,” a voice spoke out, one that was vaguely familiar.

“Who said that?” Yami commanded, wrapping his arms protectively around Yugi.

“The Angel of Sacrifice,” the voice continued, ignoring Yami’s question. “Remember? You brought it, and now we must play a game. You win, you and Yugi are released from my spell, but if you lose, than Yugi stays with me.”

“What?!” Yami was obviously enraged.

“Haven’t you figured it out yet, king of games? Yugi is the prize, and we are the players.”

“Just who are you? And I haven’t accepted your little game yet!”

“You’re assuming that I’m giving you a choice.” The owner of the voice descended from the shadows. Surprisingly, he was the same person who sold Yugi the card. “My name is Hirakoe, and you are forced to play this game.”

YK: So what do you think?

Kero: I think it’s boring.

YK: I wasn’t asking you! So before I was rudely interrupted (gives Kero evil glare) I kind of based this fic on the book THE FORBIDDEN GAME, except I didn’t put in a group of kids, a cardboard house, or ….just read the book and you’ll know what I mean. Anyway, what does Hirakoe want with Yugi and what is this game? Thanks for reading! R&R please!