Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ A Dragon's Heart ❯ Revival and Fall 1 ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Cascading down through the thick, overhanging canopy of leaves, the silvery threads of luminescent moonlight spilled over the midnight blue surface of the forest pool, causing the water to shimmer as it danced and rippled under the moon's gentle touch.

A light breeze flowed through the serene forest clearing, drifting out over the gently shimmering waters and trailing soft patterns across the gently rippling surface, before gliding up into the thick, overhanging foliage of the deep forest canopy.

Moist leaves flowed in the gentle breeze, the small beads of moisture collected on their velvety surfaces slowly trickling down over their soft pelt to collect at their edge to fall off mere moments later when the brink of the weight was too much for the leaf to handle. Dripping down from leaf to leaf, the beads made their way down through the thick foliage of the forest canopy, flowing from velvety pelt to velvety pelt, until they had finally reached the lowest layer of the leaves that decorated the canopy.

Seeing the gently swelling waters lapping up at them, the beads let gravity overcome them and they fell to the shimmering waters of the pool below, gentle ripples spreading in their wake as they contacted with the wet surface.

The faint ripples spread out to the far reaches of the pool where the midnight blue waters lapped quietly, a spray of moisture spurting tiny beads of water over the lush blades of grass that grew up in large tufts at the pool's edge.

A pair of ruby eyes, filled to the brink with determination, tried once again to peer through the eluding expanse of forest pool into waters that were alight with the glimmer of awakened forest magics and concealing the one thing he needed above all others.

It had been here the ancients brought their wounded and submitted them to the replenishing waters of the Sa'da-el. Here that the people of old had surrendered their rapidly cooling bodies to the miraculous healing touch of the pools depths, the brunt and seriousness of the raging battle's tribute being washed away as lacerated flesh beaten and bruised healed on contact.

But, the battle had ended along with the time it had been of. The pool's power was sealed away. The tiny shards of brilliance that littered the bottom of the forest pool in luminescent azure crystals came dependent on their successful retainment of the ancient power needed for healing purposes. A protective barrier was thrown across it, power of the ancients and ocean magics melding to protect the vast power that lay beneath.

That had been centuries ago, millennia if you wanted to be precise, but the protective spell that was cast all those years ago was just as powerful today as it was back then.

The prince knew that it had been cast for very good reasons, understood it greatly, but that didn't necessarily stop him from silently considering just lifting it so that he wouldn't have to go through all the trouble that he knew he would have to go through otherwise to save the beautiful girl.

Retrieving that stupid stone sure was going to be a pain in the ass.

Feeling his vision about to blur once again, the Draconian vigorously shook his head from side to side to wade off the fogginess that was clouding over his mind due to hours and hours of sleep deprivation.

`I must find it.'

With resolve flaring in mind and heart, narrowed ruby turned down to squint into gentle waters dancing with moon's breathtaking radiance.

`There is no other way to heal her and, due to the unfortunate barrier that's had its hold on this pool for the past few millennia, I'll have to do something that any other time would have been out of the question.'

Realizing his train of thought was straying in a direction that he didn't want let alone have time for, the prince gave his thoughts a violent shove in the right direction.

`However, before I do anything, that includes this irrelevant banter, I HAVE TO FIND THAT STONE!'

Crimson rubies already trained down hard on a surface of glimmering radiance as they stubbornly sought out the one thing they desired laced subtly with ties of frustrated exasperation.

He had already been here for the same god damn reason not long ago and the wretched pool was giving him the same trouble now as it was than. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the blatant truth of the matter irking him to no end, he had to caustically admit that some things never changed.

Feeling his vision about to blur once again, the Draconian cried out in frustration and violently shook his head from side to side. Hands raised and ran through silky, wild tresses in flagrant aggravation.

He just couldn't do it. No matter how hard he tried, the dark waters swelling deeply before him mysteriously were proving to be extremely tenacious. Every time he tried to see what was past their mysterious veil, a thousand shimmering droplets of water would pool at the centre of the place he was trying to see past and refuse him the only sight he wished to see.

Running a hand slowly through his hair, this time detachedly, the Draconian gently shook his head from side to side, before his hand came to rest at the nape of his neck and his cerise eyes came to gaze out across the darkened, shadowy expanse of the pool sorrowfully.

`I must find it….There is no other way I can heal her.'

Gently rubbing the back of his neck, the Draconian sighed resignedly and let his gaze fall to the shimmering surface of the waters below, scarlet depths swirling slowly in slight sadness.

`But how can I find it if everything beneath the pool's surface is distorted either by the swell of the tides or the opaqueness of the water?'

Unconsciously rubbing the back of his neck further, the Draconian's eyes lost a bit of their brightness as they regarded the rippling surface of the waters swelling at his feet.

`Or how can I get one of the healing stones at the bottom of the pool if I can't see it clear enough to locate it?'

Delving deeper into thought, the prince's eyes adopted a faraway look as they stayed trained to the gently rippling surface of the waters shimmering slightly under the moon's light.

The wind breathed its soft sigh over the pool, the great expanse of shimmering waters opening up in willing, gentle ripples that faded at the water's edge. The distant calling of a bird disrupting the still silence for what seemed the first time in a century, the waxy moon laying suspended in a half-masked sky painting its ethereal beauty over the tender scenery of the forest clearing. But, nothing came to him. Nothing to save him from the one thing he would have rather waited to do.

Letting out a soft sigh, the Draconian let his eyes trail away from the shimmering waters and settle on the small jewel that rested against his chest, the small embers contained within its fiery depths dancing and emitting faint warmth, as silvery threads of moonlight played across its crystalline walls.

He had to admit, it was beautiful. Even after gazing at it for the countless hours since he had been chosen three years, five months, and two days ago to this very day, he still couldn't get over its unmatchable beauty.

Perhaps it was his frequent run-in with the shadows that caused him to label such a small jewel as an item of such supreme beauty that at times he had even doubted his worthiness to wield it? Or perhaps it was the fact that he had never met one person, Draconian or human alike, that could even stand a chance against this item of such unmatchable beauty?

Even now as he gazed down at the small jewel, he questioned the likeliness of there being anything or anyone that even possessed a smidgen of the beauty that was so brilliantly being radiated from this small shard of crystal. The small embers contained within its fiery depths dancing and emitting a faint warmth as silvery threads of moonlight played across its crystalline walls…How could he not?

But, even so, he couldn't in a thousand lifetimes convince himself not to do what he knew needed to be done. He couldn't lie to himself and say that it didn't matter whether she lived or died. He couldn't bring himself not to do what his mind and soul were screaming at him to do…

And, he couldn't ignore the fact that time was indeed running out.

If he wished to save the girl, he had to act.

If he wished to save the girl, he had to do what he had come here to do in the time that still remained.

If he wished to save the girl…he had to gracefully accept the risks and carry forward.

Because, if he didn't…it was already too late.

Ignoring everything else, the waters, the foliage swaying gently in the breeze, the moon's radiance, the Draconian focused all his concentration into the tiny little stone, intent on awakening its hidden magics.

Seeing the small embers liven marginally at his mental touch, the Draconian smiled softly as he brought up a hand to lightly grasping it and slide it two notches to the left.

The small embers burst into flame within the small confines of the stone, blazing with the fury of a thousand suns, as small streams of light circled slowly away from the blazing center, passing through the crystals walls, to harmlessly weave around the welcoming form of its master as if caught in an orbit.

Opening his crimson eyes to gaze at the streamlets of crimson light that were harmlessly orbiting around him as if awaiting him command, the Draconian smiled softly before nodding and allowing the magical lights to shoot toward him and consume him.

Opening his crimson eyes to gaze at the streamlets of crimson light that were harmlessly orbiting around him as if awaiting him command, the Draconian felt a bit of his unease wash away and smiled softly before nodding and allowing the magical lights to shoot toward him and consume him.

Feeling the familiar sensation of his body leaving him, the Draconian, still smiling, calmly opened his eyes to be greeted by the sight of the soft magics nibbling at various points on his body, withdrawing the awakened magics of his wings and armor back into the dark confines of his crystal.

After his body felt considerably lighter and the brilliant, glowing beadlets of light had faded away, the Draconian opened his eyes to find that he had returned to the peaceful setting of the forest pool.

A light breeze ruffled his violet and ebony locks, his cerise pools glinting slightly as a branch flowed and disrupted the natural flow of moonlight within the serene forest clearing.

Looking out across the pool at the claw-like shadow that was harmlessly rising and falling to the rhythm of the wind's breath, the Draconian felt a bit of the sadness ebb back into his soul.

`Now for the next part.'

Tearing his eyes away from the branch that had now quieted down as the wind had ceased, the Draconian turned his eyes down to examine himself quietly to see if he had successfully transformed from the Draconian that he was now, what seemed twenty-four seven, to the human that he actually was, living in a place not far from here, the Origins of the Dragons, nowadays called Sault De'em.

Seeing that everything was as it should be, the Draconian let out a soft sigh before going back to the task at hand.

Sighing softly, he gazed down at the leather outfit he loved so much, before his eyes slipped shut and he let his hands wander to his waist to unclasp the higher of the two belts hanging half-hazardly off his hip waist junction.

Opening his eyes again to gaze down at the unclasped buckle, he slowly removed the leather strap from around his waist, and tossed it unceremoniously on the grass beside him.

Turning his eyes away from the belt presently sprawled across the ground, the Draconian returned his gaze to the lower of the two belts.

Shaking his head softly, the Draconian closed his eyes before unclasping the second of the belts, and letting it fall carelessly to his feet.

`I can't believe I'm doing this…'

Trying to keep his mind focused on the task at hand so that resolve wouldn't fail miserably, the Draconian attempted to keep even breaths as his hands wandered to his jacket front to remove it from his sweating torso that was trembling slightly from the realization of what he was about to do.

He hesitated slightly.

`Why am I trembling? Why am I so hesitant over what I'm about to do? It's not like I'm shy or anything'

Willing his body to stop shaking, he continued to try and remove his jacket.

After his body had stopped trembling enough for him to peel the jacket off his sweating torso, the Draconian went to remove his leather undershirt.

Looking down at his chest, to see the many buckles glinting in the luminescent moonlight, the Draconian relaxed a little.

`She's not going to see me, so I have nothing to worry about. It's not like the girl's going to wake up anytime soon…'

Just to reassure himself, not knowing how long it would actually take to return to what he had set there to do, he brought slightly-relieved crimson eyes to gaze over at the gnarled trunk of the nearby weeping willow where the girl was propped. He smiled softly.

The pillow he had made for her, of folded up fern leaves and twine, was holding together nicely. It still kept her injured head off the harsh bark of the gnarled weeping willow and served somewhat as a cushion of comfort.

Settling his gaze over the harsh gash above her right eye, his features darkened.

How anyone was capable of doing anything like this completely beat him, but, with the shadows and to his great disgust, anything was possible. Since their unfortunate arrival to the act of atrocity against this innocent girl, they continued to surprise him in new, considerably horrible ways.

“I don't know what you're playing at, false ruler, but I honestly can't comprehend or forgive you for what you and your shadows are doing to this poor, innocent city.”

Loosing a great deal of edge to his features, the Draconian slowly made his way over to the girl and knelt beside her. A bronzed-kissed hand came up and touched the cool skin of her forehead delicately.

“…Why would you do such an atrocious thing? Why, of all the things you can be doing, do you choose to dedicate your life to committing such felonies?”

Letting his gaze fall and retracting his hand slightly, beautiful hues of saddened ruby lingered on the ground at his feet.

“Why on Earth would you do such a thing...”

“Because he can…”

Greatly startled at the ethereal voice that was whispered across the winds, speaking with a majesty that only spoke with unsettling, untold truth, the prince whirled around and unconsciously took a step back. His eyes widened.

There, situated in front of him, was a dragon. But not just any dragon…it was the dragon whose portrait hung in every hall, decorated every chamber, lit every portion of the salvaged palace of the ancients with untold majesty…it was Guerialdo, the leader of the seven that had disappeared into the corridors of time all those years ago, giving there souls to the acclaimed seven that would in turn save humanity as well as the rest of the world from the threat of the merciless shadows.

“Guerialdo…”

It was a soft, subtle whisper, ones whose chords you would have figured too soft to reach the ancient's ears, but he heard it, along with the shock that resonated in every syllable.

“Prince, this is no time to be shocked. I am here, yes, but only on accord of your crystal. Without my soul's tie to that little object, I would cease to be connected to this world. But that's not important; what is important right now is what is to come in the near future as well as your roll in it.”

Shocked even more by this statement, the prince stared blankly at the dragon that was staring at him levelly for a few more seconds before shaking his head from side to side in an effort to clear his mind of the vast number of questions that were flitting madly through it as well as the fogginess.

Once the last of the fog had subsided and normal thoughts were able to roam the corridors of his mind again, the prince brought a tired, questioning gaze upon the dragon.

“What you're trying to tell me is that you came here to talk to me of the events predetermined that I, according to the ancient prophecy, hold a direct part in? Is this not the reason you have awakened yourself from your primordial slumber and come here to me?”

Deeply impressed by the level of maturity that the prince had already amounted to, Guerialdo offered the prince a rare smile, a smile that seemed to lighten his features considerably.

“Almost prince, there is just one fact we need clarify.”

Seeing the prince's confused expression, Guerialdo inwardly chuckled before raising a great, taloned hand and swiping it out in front of him.

A great deal of magic exploded from a once-dormant crystal, strands of fuchsia violet brilliance unraveling and swirling around a deadly hide of ebony and scarlet. Solidity faded and the oncoming illusion of solidity settled. Guerialdo knew not a solid form, but a transparent mirage alight with only the magic of fiery embers, set in clear orbs that glinted in the ethereal wash of moonlight radiance.

Crimson widened and fiery scarlet softened momentarily.

“Guerialdo?”

“Yes, your presumptions are correct…I am not really here.”

Unadulterated shock seemed to barrel into him at that precise moment, a bewildering and overpowering feeling stealing its way across his consciousness as hazy disbelief clashed with stiff, stalwart denial.

It couldn't possibly be true. The other was in front of him, clear as day. There was no way he could be situated in another world, peacefully slumbering on, only marginally aware of his conversation here while his exact replica was here, talking to him, the now-more-than-slightly unnerved prince. It just wasn't possible. Unless…by some unlikely fact the elders had actually withheld something from him and not told him everything about his crystal and the jewel actually possessed more magics than he had first presumed…

A soft chuckle accented the cool night air.

“Prince, by no way am I a replica. I may be slightly transparent, but that doesn't, in anyway, mean that I am a replica. I am manifested out of the magics drifting so alluringly from your awakened crystal.”

He motioned toward the small jewel that was resting on the prince's chest that was glinting ever so slightly with awakened magics in the brilliant wash of iridescent starlight.

“It was your little jewel that provided the magic I so desperately needed to reach you tonight…”

The prince snapped out of his reverie altogether when a sad sigh drifted across his senses. Forgetting his slight bafflement at how the other had so readily known what he had been thinking for a moment, the prince immediately stopped upon seeing the distant, sad, knowing look that had crossed the dragon's face in the last moments.

It was as if the ancient dragon knew something…something he didn't really want to share but, out of importance and urgency, knew he had to…It was the secret of all secrets and it drew the prince in like a moth to a flame.

A pair of soft scarlet eyes, alight with the slight dance of azure blue flames, turned down to gaze with a serious despondency into the orbs of liquid malt that were flickering with alighted interest and intrigue.

“Prince…there is something you must know…”

Put off slightly when the other let out another sad sigh, the Draconian momentarily wondered if he really wanted to know. From the way Guerialdo was acting, this was something very important, and, consequently, shouldn't be taken lightly.

He already had enough problems and he certainly didn't want anymore. With the threat of the shadow invasion, the considerable amount of pressure on him to fulfill the five millennia old prophecy, a slew of emotional problems brought about by a deep emotional scar that had yet to heal, he didn't have a lot of time for himself. He certainly didn't want anything that would tear him away from his alone time; gods, he barely got enough to keep him sane. The brunt of everything that was on his plate right now made sure of that.

He didn't regret his decision of making the sacred vows all those years ago after his crystal had chosen him above all others to wield its power; he was actually glad. The act had rewarded him with many rewarding memories, won him friends he wouldn't even think of replacing for the world, and gave him the will to carry on after his mother and father, the respectful king and queen, had died so horrifically in a surprise raid on the winter palace while off on their anniversary three winters before when the young prince had only been fourteen summers old.

He was truly and thoroughly devastated, but, with the new-found revelation that his younger sister, two summers younger than himself, still needed him, the prince had forced himself to step up to his legacy and accept his birthright. He had chosen to go through with the ancient judgment for her sake, willingly put up with the excruciating and, some, painful tests that were located deep within the bowels of the ancient trails with the thought of his sister spurring him on, until he had, at last, reached the sacred chamber of the crystals and the judging had commenced, no interest in honor or fidelity present, just a love and loyalty to his sister that none could match.

He had emerged from the primordial stone temple looking thoroughly exhausted but pleased with himself as he clutched a small but beautiful crystal close to himself, rays of scarlet dancing serenely under walls of crystal caked with layers of stigma and dust.

He hadn't known it for a few moments, but, when he came out and finally looked up, his gaze was greeted by at least a hundred of his fellow Draconians, set in their human forms, as they grinned hugely at him, already knowing exactly what he had succeeded in doing. He had tried to be discreet, sneaking off in the early hours of the morning, leaving a note that contained a small white lie on his bedside table that he had gone out for a long walk…but, like he should have realized before he had ventured out into the crisp night air, it was to no avail. Draconians had the uncanny ability to know when someone was lying or when they weren't doing as told.

His sister had been ridiculously good at it.

At the thought of his sister, something in the prince's continence drastically changed.

A mass of crisp, eloquent, golden bangs proceeded to fall and the pained features of a once-thoroughly-interested face proceeded to be shadowed.

Guerialdo sensed it and was immediately on his feet.

It had happened two months before: the event that had drastically changed the prince's once perfect lifestyle and cascaded him into a world where regret and denial were his only companions, the brunt of pain and devastation nonfathomable.

The loss of his sister at the hands of a shadow had truly changed the prince…

“Prince! Prince! Atemu can you hear me! Prince, look at me! Prince!”

Shadowy denial and deep dark pain that swirled and encroached and layered in thick, overpowering, smoldering capacities. The ringing of agonized screams deep and confining and so so painful, lacerated and dying. The fleeting glance of scarlet beauty draining, crystalline diamonds dying, life dulling, end coming.

“Prince!”

A whimper, a call , an admonishment of death. All lost, all consuming. Haunting beacons of suppressed inner memoir coming back to complete what they had so viciously started.

“Prince!”

A deafening thud, a lurid, almost cadaverous cry, nearly mute chords emancipated as a brusque whir of rushing sound rose and painstakingly fell speaking of the silence of death.

Overbearing darkness slithering and thick, wrapping around his vulnerable form.

The devastatingly faint cry of a desperate voice numbed by the folds of pungent darkness.

A further fall from grace.

A distant light one of eremitical beauty, characterized by transcendental nature.

An inhale of heavens breath.

“Prince, hold on. We'll get you through this…”

And the prince knew no more…