Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Chain of Hearts ❯ 02. The Choice Is Made ( Chapter 2 )

CHAIN OF HEARTS

Emerald Princess of Vernea

NOTE FROM THE GREAT WILL OF THE AUTHORESS

CHIII-FUUU!!! Congratulations on reaching the second chapter of `Chain of Hearts'. This chapter and the next are mostly Nikhi-based, but those who complain that this is original fiction and should be on fictionpress, BE PATIENT!

Well, before I get too serious, let's move on to Chapter Two!

Part One: Straight Into The Heart

Chapter Two: The Choice Is Made

Nikhi opened his eyes once more, feeling a sudden breeze blow through his hair. As he opened them he blinked, surprised.

There was a gentle green glow surrounding him, filled with faint yellow sparkles that flickered in and out of view. Nikhi watched as the light began to spread out around him, lighting up what could have been a form of path, although it was really just a dark floor. The yellow sparkles gently floated down onto the path and sunk in, making the path shimmer faintly. Nikhi stared, slightly afraid.

Fear of the unknown… A fear that resides in all hearts. The chain is still intact yet. Do not be afraid. It will not harm you. Step forward.

Nikhi's ears pricked up as he heard the voiceless voice `speak' to him. He looked around at the darkness, but he could see nothing apart from the green light. There wasn't even a sound - but the voice had not been in his head.

Cautiously he took a step forward, just as the voice had told him to. He carefully pressed his foot down on the `path', ready to leap back if there was no path at all. He was relieved to find his foot press down on a solid path, and sighed. He took another step forward, and the path was still there. With each step he took the sparkles on the ground shimmered, and the sparkles were released from the path and fell away beneath him. Nikhi stopped to look down at them.

These sparkles represent the hearts of every world in existence. When just one of these sparkles of light is extinguished, a world dies.

Nikhi jumped and looked up again, turning his head round to find the source of the voice. As he looked up, the sparkles on the path began to glow even stronger than before. They began to condense and gather at three specific points around him. When they gathered they glowed a deep red, before pushing up out of the path, carrying three spheres with them.

The three spheres were perfect in shape and coloured a deep orange-red colour, although they were semi-transparent inside. When they rose out of the path they broke free of the sparkles holding onto them and were left to float free into the air. They floated across the air and towards Nikhi, who was staring in awe and clutching tightly onto the pendant he was still holding.

Each world has its own power sleeping inside. As does each person. Look inside the spheres and choose your own power. Be careful - whichever one you choose can affect the whole course of your life.

The first sphere moved forward and hovered in front of Nikhi. The catboy leaned over, unsure of how he was supposed to know what power lay inside it. As he looked inside the translucent sphere, he could see a faint image inside of it. It was the image of a long metal object with a golden handle, with two silver hooks on either side to join with the handle. Its long metal blade shimmered inside the sphere, reflecting Nikhi's image back at him.

The Warrior. A sphere containing the spirit and strength of a great warrior who died in battle. Only those with strength of heart and mind can wield this sword, else it will destroy them. Is this your power?

Nikhi stared into the sphere a few seconds more, looking at the long sword contained within it. While he stared, a faint flash in his mind made him pull away from the sphere. This power was not for him.

The first sphere moved away from Nikhi, and the next sphere moved up and hovered in front of him. Hesitantly Nikhi leaned over and peered inside, curious to know what was inside but also afraid at the same time, although he didn't know why.

Inside the second sphere was another image. It was a smaller object than the sword, slightly rectangular in shape. Nikhi recognised the item instantly. With its gold plating surrounding the barrel and trigger underneath, it could only be a gun. There was writing on the gold plate, but it was too small for Nikhi to make out, even with his keen eyesight.

The Gunner. A sphere containing the soul and skill of an excellent marksman, who never missed a single shot. Only those with steady nerves and sense of direction can wield this weapon successfully. Is this your power?

Again Nikhi moved away from the sphere, sensing again that this sphere was not his power. He didn't know how he knew that, but he did. And so he turned his attention to the last of the three spheres, which automatically headed towards him and floated in front of him. Nikhi leaned forward, and looked inside.

From the moment he looked inside the sphere he knew that it was for him. Something inside him just clicked as he looked in through the orange-red light, and saw the item that lay inside. A circular metal blade with a bar inside for a firm grip, and studded on the outside with a number of sharp, pointed blades like claws, with one extended claw at one end for maximum damage. Nikhi's eyes lit up excitedly, and a faint glow from the pendant confirmed it.

The Thief. A sphere containing the heart and cunning of a master thief, whose skill was renowned across many worlds. Only those with keen sight and skill can wield this weapon and master it. Is this your power?

Nikhi slowly reached out to touch the Thief sphere, but the moment his fingers touched its smooth shape the sphere flashed and disappeared, leaving its sparkles behind as they floated down to the ground. Moments later the Gunner and Warrior spheres vanished also, leaving Nikhi alone on the shimmering path. Nikhi looked around.

He turned back to the front as another bright glow caught his eye. There was a bright wall of light in front of him, opening up like a door as he watched. A figure then emerged from the light and Nikhi opened his eyes wide as he stared. It was a woman with long white hair flowing all the way to the ground and incredibly pale skin, covered in a long white cloak. She looked at Nikhi through empty white eyes. As she opened her mouth Nikhi could hear the voice again, although no sounds were coming from her mouth.

You have chosen the power of the Thief to aid you. Its cunning and skill is now a part of you. You have chosen to release the power of the Warrior and the Gunner to those who will help you in your fight. Your course is now set.

Before Nikhi could say anything to her the strange being began to walk forward towards him. Nikhi found himself walking back away from her, his claws digging into the golden rim of the pendant.

He was forced to stop as his foot reached the edge of the shimmering path and where his support ending. One step further and he would plummet over the edge and into the endless blackness below. He turned his head and looked down, but he could see no bottom beneath him. He turned back to see the woman standing in front of him. She moved up close to him, so close that their cheeks brushed past each other lightly, as she whispered into his ear.

Don't be afraid.

She put one cold, icy palm on his chest and gave him a gentle push. Nikhi couldn't fight as his body fell back, his feet slipping off the edge of the bridge and onto the endless abyss that lay beneath them. A gentle wind caught him and pulled him down away from the bridge, and Nikhi could only stare wide-eyed as the bridge and the woman grew further and further away from him.

The woman looked down at Nikhi through her empty eyes as he fell away from her. She reached under her white cloak and pulled out one of the three spheres that had been shown to Nikhi, and looked inside at the clawed weapon contained inside it. She held it out in front of her so it was dangling over the pit, and then very gently released it. The sphere fell from her hands and down into the pit, following Nikhi down and down into the dark.

Nikhi continued to fall down until the bridge and the woman disappeared from view and all he could see was black. He noticed when his descent suddenly began to slow like before, and he slowly turned upright again. Looking down he could see another shimmering bridge beginning to form, just in time for him to land on solid ground again.

He looked around. There was no sign of the mysterious woman anywhere, and he couldn't hear the strange voiceless voice anymore. It seemed as though he was completely alone. Nikhi looked down at Makoto's pendant, which was still in his palm. The pendant had stopped glowing now, and the little jewel in the centre looked quiet and calm.

As he looked down at the pendant in his hand, another bright glow appeared in the air above him. The catboy looked up as the sphere from before floated down towards him. Nikhi held out his hand and let the sphere land in his palm. It was warm. The sphere glowed brightly for a second before vanishing, and Nikhi felt something heavier than the sphere appear in his palm, and he had to quickly close his fingers around it to stop it from falling. Nikhi looked down, and his eyes opened wide.

The sphere had magically changed into the weapon that he had seen in the sphere. The clawed, metal weapon had now become real, with its sharp metal claws and extended red claw. It was fairly light to hold and easy to use, as Nikhi discovered as he twisted his arm round to look at the whole weapon and it moved with him. It could cause serious damage. In another flash a second identical weapon appeared in his other hand.

A wave of light then spread out from around the weapon and over Nikhi's body, and Nikhi closed his eyes as it spread. The golden light swept over him, until Nikhi was entirely enveloped in it.

And now the spirit of the Thief awakens.

Nikhi opened his eyes again moments later as the last traces of the wave faded away, and looked down at himself. His entire outfit had changed during the time that the wave spread over his body, until he looked very different. A short, sleeveless red waistcoat that was undone, tied only at the ends by a red ball, had replaced his blue shirt. His pants had in turn by replaced by a pair of skin-tight blue shorts with a slit going all the way up the sides, tied only by strong thread. Three belts now hung from his waist, two going one way, and one going the other. Knee-high brown boots had replaced his trainers, tightened by dark brown belts riding all the way up. More belts were tied around his upper thighs and left arm, and a gold choker was around his neck. Nikhi also found out that Makoto's pendant was now hanging from his neck and against his bare chest.

Nikhi twisted and turned to look at his new look created by the power of the sphere. It was a very cool-looking outfit, and he liked it.

The spirit of the Thief now resides in you. His power is now your power. Use his power wisely in order to defend yourself and those closest to you. For now the spirits of the Gunner and the Warrior remain in rest until it is time for them to awaken. Be aware of danger at all times.

A sliding sound made Nikhi jump and turn around in time to see a dark shadow crawling across the path towards him, and Nikhi raised his two weapons.

The creature looked like a spider, although it was much larger than any ordinary spider, about the size of a football. It had a black body but was dotted with yellow markings. A yellow helmet covered its face, but its eight eyes were still visible, looking around him. Also, strangely enough, it had a head of orange hair.

This is the spawn of Dokugumon. They are not as strong, but you should be wary. Try out your new power.

The spider spawn finally found Nikhi, and all eight of its eyes locked onto him and glowed a fierce red. It suddenly scrambled forward, moving at an intensely fast speed, and Nikhi barely had time to dodge. He jumped aside just in time and landed at the edge of the path. He waved his arms madly, trying not to fall off the edge. He just about managed to keep his balance, and turned back to face the spider standing just a metre away from him.

Raising his weapons again, Nikhi dashed forward towards the spider. As he ran he could feel a surging energy beginning to well in him and he ran even faster. He zipped past the spider, his body just a blur to its eight eyes. As he ran past Nikhi quickly moved the two sharp blades in his hands. He came to a stop behind the spider, the energy in his body dying down.

Behind him, the spider remained motionless, stunned. Then its body suddenly began to disintegrate and dissolve, until nothing remained. Nikhi turned in amazement to see the last remnants of the spider disappear into the air, and he gasped. The power… it was unimaginable.

Well done. The Thief is accurate, quick and stealthy. Use his power wisely.

Nikhi looked up, trying to find the woman again, but she was nowhere to be found. The bridge he was standing on suddenly shook a little, and Nikhi looked back down towards the ground. The bridge shook again, this time much more strongly than before, and didn't stop.

Ahead of him, Nikhi could see the bridge beginning to fall away. It started just a few metres ahead of him, as the sparkling bridge solidified and crumbled away towards him. Nikhi turned sharply to try and escape the shattering bridge, but he skidded to a stop as he saw the bridge behind him also crumbling away. Nikhi was trapped in the middle of the two sides as they broke rapidly towards him. As the last of the bridge crumbled away Nikhi fell, reaching up for nothing as he fell away from the bridge and even deeper into the darkness.

Nikhi finally began to breathe again as he felt a solid ground smoothly appear beneath him, and he opened his eyes. This time he wasn't on a bridge of sparkles. Instead he was standing on an invisible dark floor, hovering above the pit of darkness that continued to delve away beneath him.

As Nikhi looked around, the air around him began to waver and change slightly, and two silhouetted figures appeared near to him, half-floating in the air. The two silhouettes were very different from one another, and outlined slightly in a shimmering gold aura. One silhouette was a lot taller than the other, but he couldn't make out many features about them, apart from that the shorter one had a kind of spiky hairstyle.

In battle, it is important to know yourself as well as your opponent, and to recognise your own strengths and weaknesses. Tell me… a little about yourself.

Still, there was no sign of the mysterious woman who had pushed him off the bridge. Nikhi gave up looking around and turned to the two glowing silhouettes standing a few metres in front of him. He then walked cautiously to the smaller silhouette, who was standing closest to him.

Nearing the silhouette he could see a few more features, although most of the figure was blotted out by blackness. He could make out more of the hair, with two long spikes down the side of his/her face and two more on the other side across the side of his face. He was shorter than Nikhi, and also seemed to be wearing gloves, as Nikhi could tell from a strange extension from the hands. What he noticed the most though was what looked like a weapon - a long, thin shadow protruding from the side of the shadow, with a stylish handle on the other side - it was a sword. As Nikhi approached the silhouette lifted its head and turned to him, looking at him through dark eyes.

"Where does a person's strength come from?" he asked Nikhi, speaking with the same voiceless sound. Nikhi couldn't see his mouth move.

Folding his arms, he thought for a moment. It was such an unusual question; he didn't know what to make of it. He had never thought about something like that before, and he didn't know what to make of it now. He closed his eyes, trying to make up his mind. Eventually he opened his eyes and looked at the silhouette.

"The people who stand by him," he replied.

The silhouette tilted his head to the side, as though considering Nikhi's answer. Nikhi felt his heart skip a beat in the wait as the silhouette thought about it, gently running his hands over the side of the blade at his side. Finally the silhouette looked back at Nikhi, and Nikhi's heart skipped another beat.

"From those who stand by him? But isn't inner strength also important?" he asked in reply.

Nikhi sighed heavily as the gold aura around the silhouette began to fade, leaving it in pure darkness. The catboy then turned to the second, taller silhouette, and took a closer look at him. He was probably twice the size of the first silhouette, and seemed to be wearing a trench coat of sorts, with flares at the shoulders. In his hands he was holding another weapon, different from the first. He recognised its shape - it was a gun. He also looked up as Nikhi approached.

"What scares you the most?" he asked.

Again Nikhi had to think about his answer. He was inclined to say `dogs', but he felt that that wasn't the answer the shadowed person was looking for. So he took a moment or two to think deep inside what truly scared him, and as he looked around at the darkness around him, enclosing him, he knew his answer immediately. He looked back up into the silhouette's face.

"To be alone," he answered.

He almost heard a sneer from the taller silhouette. "To be alone?" he asked. "People need to stand on their own in life."

Then, like before, the second silhouette dimmed and gradually merged into the darkness with his smaller companion, leaving Nikhi almost alone in the darkness. Nikhi stepped back towards the centre between the two figures and looked up into the black above him. There wasn't even an ounce of light to show where he had come from - everything was dark.

Nikhi's ears pricked up as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him, and the catboy turned once again to find the mysterious white-haired woman walking slowly towards him after appearing from nowhere. Nikhi swallowed hard, wondering what she was planning to do this time.

So, you believe that a person's strength comes from those that support him, and you are afraid to be alone? She closed her eyes and continued to `speak'. Midnight is when the two hearts of fortune will intertwine as one. When the time comes, you will be called upon.

She opened her eyes again and looked back at Nikhi. She walked up to Nikhi and stopped by him again, although this time instead of pushing him away, she caressed his cheek with her hand.

Do not fear. Fortify your strengths, and embrace your weaknesses in order to keep the chain strong. Rely on others, but also rely on yourself.

She stepped back away from Nikhi then, and let her arms fall to her sides. The air wavered around the two of them, and Nikhi looked around fearfully. The two silhouettes completely disappeared, and the area around them began to change slightly. From nothing a number of large stone pillars rose up out of the ground, rising to at least ten metres above Nikhi and the woman. At least eight of these pillars rose up, towering over them, and as Nikhi looked down, he could see the ground finally solidify and turn into stone, with an intricate pentacle pattern. It now looked as though they were standing in the middle of an ancient summoning ground.

Do not think that you are ready just yet. There is a long time between now and then, and that is when your true test begins. Soon the chain shall break, and you are the only one who can restore it. Can you defeat your own fears, or will you let them consume you?

An intense white light began to glow around the mysterious woman, and quickly grew in intensity as it shrouded the field. Nikhi quickly raised his arms as the light hit his grey eyes. Even so he could feel the light burning at his eyes underneath his eyelids, and they watered.

Do not be afraid… Nikhi.

Nikhi opened his eyes wide, ignoring the brightness of the light and looked out at the woman. She was standing in the middle of the summoning field, her arms pointing straight down, her hair being blown up by a mysterious wind, and her cloak flowing around her.

While he was staring at her, Nikhi saw something beginning to emerge from the light. It looked like a tentacle - a black tentacle that was spewing a dark gas from every inch of its dark form. The tentacle emerged from the light and began to slowly slide across the woman's chest, disappearing into the light on her opposite side. Another tentacle emerged and rose up towards her shoulder. Soon more and more tentacles emerged, and they were quickly tying themselves around the mysterious woman's body. With each tentacle came darkness that was quickly spreading across the light, rapidly changing it to dark. And the woman was in the middle of it all, almost completely encased by the tentacles.

The last tentacle then slowly slithered out of the light and rose up in front of the woman. It hovered in front of her for a few seconds, before slamming forward with a sudden speed towards her chest. It penetrated her chest easily, and the woman's body stiffened as she recoiled. The tentacle sunk deep inside her, and the darkness that was quickly consuming the light now began to spread across her body.

Nikhi made to run forward, but a twinge of fear in his heart made him stop and take a step back. It could have been his fear, or it could have been the fear of the thief that made him stop. Either way, he could do nothing but watch as the darkness completely consumed the woman and left her stranded in darkness.

The tentacles compressed together and began to swarm around her like snakes writhing. Nikhi felt something dark beginning to occur in that swarm, and quickly raised his blades. Something was going wrong - he could feel it in his heart.

At last the tentacles began to slowly pull away, releasing themselves from the strong hold they had had on the woman. The final tentacle pulled itself out, but what remained after the tentacles had absorbed the light made Nikhi's blood run cold.

There was now no trace of the woman - a new figure had taken her place. It slowly dropped down from the nest of tentacles and stepped out onto the summoning ground. It stretched, uncoiling the muscles that had slept for so long. Nikhi stared, his heart pounding so loud he thought it would just pop inside of him. The figure… with its head of dark hair and dark-furred ears, a tail, and even the clawed blades at its side…

It was him.