Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Engulfed in Brightness ❯ Chapter 8

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: Ravenx

Disclaimer: Unfortunately anything dealing with Yu-gi-oh does not belong to me but to a very rich and lucky person. So no suing!
Includes: Yaoi (male/male relationships), vampires (so minor blood scenes), MPEG, maybe more…
Pairings: Yami/Yugi, Marik/Malik, Seto/Joey, Bakura/Ryou, others?
Guide Website: http://www.freewebs.com/engulfedtrilogy/

Engulfed in Brightness
Chapter Eight
by Ravenx

The bright light fades from the once empty hallway. Three forms fall on each other as they land on the hard, cold concrete floor. A cool breeze ruffles all their hair as they struggle to dislodge themselves.

“Ouch! Seto, that's my hair.” Marik growls as he moves to his hands and knees, his head bent down to the ground.

“Tell Yami to get off me and I'll let go.” Seto rasps out as the tri-color haired vampire lays sprawled across him.

“Sorry.” Yami rolls off of Seto, allowing the tall brunette to move off the pale blonde hair.

“Well, that was fun.” Marik rubs his scalp as the three vampires stand up.

“Where are we?” The oldest of the three asks, his dark violet eyes looking all around.

“Looks like a dungeon.” Seto runs his long fingered hands across the rough stone walls of the long corridor they landed in.

“Uh, guys? Where's Bakura?” Marik looks up and down the long, slightly lit hall.

“I don't know. Maybe we'll find him on down the hall.” The tall brunette runs a hand through his thick mane.

“If this guy lied to us, I'll kill him.”

“You're starting to sound just like Bakura.” Marik chuckles as he follows Yami down the hall, Seto bringing up the rear.

“He has my son. I think I have a right to say things like that.”

“True.”

The trio travel down the hall for what seems like forever before they finally reach the end where a large stone door sits. The torches hanging high on the walls cast eerie shadows around the closed door. A gargoyle's head with piercing eyes and long fangs looks back at them from the middle of the stone door. The three look at each other before Yami steps up, reaching a hand out he feels all along the cold stone.

“There's no door knob.”

“Then how the hell are we suppose to get in there?” Marik steps up next to the tri-colored vampire, his slightly larger hands moving out to run around the stone as well.

“The answers to my riddles shall open me.”

Three pairs of eyes snap over to the gargoyle whose once lifeless, stone eyes glow a bright red. It's large mouth moves to reveal a forked tongue.

“Did that thing just come alive?” Marik leans over to whisper in Seto's ear.

“Yes.” The rough, raspy voice of the gargoyle fills the end of the hall.

“What are you?” Yami asks cautiously.

“I am the guardian of the dungeon. No one may enter here without answering my riddles.”

“What's in the dungeon?” Yami moves to stand by the other two vampires.

“The things most precious to you.”

“Mokuba?”

“Saiai?”

“Yes.”

“What about Bakura?” Marik looks at the glowing red eyes of the gargoyle.

“He is at another place in the palace.”

“Is my son hurt?

“Neither of the vampires are injured.”

“Then let us in.” Seto growls.

“You may not enter here without answering my riddles.”

“Then ask.” Yami crosses his arms over his chest and glares at the stone gargoyle.

“What is red and blue and purple and green? No one can reach it, not even the queen.”

“This is stupid.” Marik mumbles.

“Red, blue, purple, and green? Do you know what it is, Seto?” Yami glances over at the tall brunette.

“I have no idea.”

“What is your answer?”

“We don't know it.” Yami states.

“You must answer for me to go on.”

“A flower.” Marik shrugs.

“That answer is incorrect.”

From the right of the hall comes a large wooden pole, its sharp point flying across to the other wall and penetrating deep within the rough stone.

“Whoa.” Marik breaths as he crosses his pale violet eyes to stare at the wooden pole touching the end of his nose. “That was close.”

“Closer than you think.” Yami looks over at the stick that is pierced through the shoulder of his dark blue, short sleeved shirt.

“Are you okay?” Seto moves over to the older vampire.

“I'm fine. It just got my shirt.” Yami rips the fabric of his shirt and steps back from the pole, the others doing the same. “What was that?”

“For each wrong answer a wooden stick will cut across the hallway. You must answer five riddles correctly in order to enter the dungeon.”

“Oh, this is terrific.” Marik rolls his eyes.

“Is there a time limit to each riddle?” Yami asks.

“No.”

“Okay, we'll just take our time and think about each one carefully. Give us the next one.” Yami's dark purple eyes look from one wall to the other.

“What do you use to hoe a row, slay a foe, and wring with woe?”

“You use a hoe to hoe a row.” Yami speaks softly to the others.

“And any weapon to slay a foe.” Seto's ice blue eyes watch the stone gargoyle closely.

“What about wring with woe?” Marik stands between the other two vampires.

“It has to be one thing. You can kill an enemy with a hoe but I don't know about the last one.” Seto runs his hands through the dark brown hair.

“Wait, that's it.” Yami speaks louder.

“What's it?” Marik asks.

“You use your hands to hoe a row and to kill a foe. You also wring them together when you're nervous or scared. The answer has to be hands.”

“Are you sure?” Seto looks around at the walls.

“Yes. The answer is your hands.” Yami turns his attention back to the gargoyle.

“That answer is correct.” All of the vampires sigh in relief. “Now for the next riddle. Only one color, but not one size; stuck to the ground, yet easily flies. Present in sun, but not in rain; doing no harm, and feeling no pain. What is it?”

“Oh, I know this.” Marik grins after a couple minutes of silence.

“You do?” Yami sounds unsure.

“Yes, I'm not an idiot.” Marik turns toward the stone head. “The answer is a shadow.”

“That answer is correct.”

“Amazing.” Seto whispers.

“Hey! I can know things like that.” Marik growls at the tall brunette.

“Enough fighting you two. My son and Mokuba are in there waiting for us to save them. I'd like to get them both back as soon as possible.”

“Sorry.” Both Seto and Marik mumbles.

“We're ready for the next one.” Yami looks back at the red eyes of the stone face.

“I make you weak at the worst of times. I keep you safe, I keep you fine. I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold, I visit the weak, but seldom the bold. What am I?”

“What can make you weak but safe at the same time?” Marik tilts his head to the side.

“Your fears.” Seto whispers.

“What?” Yami wrinkles up his nose.

“Your fears make you weak, scared, in the worst possible times. But sometimes that fear can keep you safe from embarrassment and danger.”

“Sounds good to me.” The pale blonde closes his eyes. “All I know is this is stupid. I want to get back to Malik.”

“The answer is your fears.” Seto speaks louder so the gargoyle hears him.

“That answer is correct. You have answered three of the riddles correctly. Here is your next riddle. What do the dead eat, that the living would die if they ate it?”

Silence engulfs the hallway as the three vampires think. A cool breeze blows down the small dark passage causing the trio to shiver slightly.

“This is stupid. What does a dead person eat?” Marik throws his hands up in the air.

“Well, we're dead and we drink blood.” Yami says.

“Stories of zombies say they eat people's brains.” Seto shrugs.

“But would either of those kill a living person?” Marik crosses his arms over his broad chest.

“Wait.” Seto holds up his hands, closing his eyes in thought. “Neither of them would. Nothing.”

“What?” Yami questions.

“Nothing. A dead person doesn't eat anything, presuming they stay in the coffin and don't become vampires. If a living person doesn't eat anything then they die.”

“Therefore the answer is nothing.” Yami speaks up.

“That answer is correct. The next riddle is different lights do make me strange, thus into different sizes I will change. What am I?”

“That sounds like a shadow.” Yami whispers after a couple minutes.

“Yep.” Marik nods his head.

“I don't know. I'd go for it.” Seto looks at the stone door.

“The answer is a shadow.” Yami answers.

“That answer is incorrect.”

Another long, sharp wooden stake zooms across the hall and into the opposite wall. The cold, stone wall cracking slightly from the force.

“Well, that wasn't too bad.” Marik says from a couple of feet away from the stake.

“Less closer this time.” Yami nods.

“I think it was a little closer this time.” Seto grunts, causing the other two vampires to turn and look at him.

“Seto!” Yami quickly jumps over to the tall brunette, looking down he finds the stake piercing through Seto's thin side. “Are you alright?”

“At least it didn't get my heart.” Seto groans.

“How are we going to get that out?” Marik steps closer to the tallest vampire, his hand reaching out to grab the stake.

“Let go!” Seto snaps.

“Sorry.”

“The stakes will be removed when you answer five riddles correctly.” The gargoyles forked tongue escapes his large lips.

“Then hurry and asks the next riddle.” Yami growls.

“Some try to hide, some try to cheat, but time will show, we always will meet. Try as you might, to guess my name, I promise you'll know when you I do claim. Who am I?”

Yami stands with his eyes closed, his thoughts focused on the new riddle. Marik walks from one wall to the other, his large hand ghosting over the stick embedded in Seto's side. He watches the dark red blood stain the white tank top the brunette wears as it runs down the tight blue jeans. Seto tries to remain perfectly still, one hand fisted at his side while the other lays on his chest just above the wound.

“Know the answer yet?” Marik looks over to Yami.

“Still thinking about it.”

“Think faster.” Seto groans.

“Just try to take your mind off it.” The pale blonde tries to reassure Seto.

“You try taking your mind off of a stake piercing your side.” Seto hisses through clenched teeth.

“Be quiet you two.” Yami taps his finger against his chin as he looks at the glowing red eyes on the stone door. “The answer is death.”

“That answer is correct.”

A squeaking noise bounces off the walls of the hallway as the spikes move quickly back into the wall they came from. Seto groans loudly as he collapses to the floor on his knees, his hands wrapping around the hole in his side. Marik and Yami kneel beside him.

“You okay?” Yami asks.

“Oh, just perfect.”

“You have correctly answered five riddles. You may now enter the first dungeon room, which holds your loved ones. After you have received them come back through this door.”

“How do we get home?” Marik helps Seto to stand.

“When you come back through this door you will go back the way you came.” The gargoyles red eyes turn back to stone, its long forked tongue disappears into the now still mouth. Slowly the door creaks open.

The three vampires enter the room quietly, all eyes looking around the rather small stone room. Another stone door is on the opposite wall they enter from. Yami looks around to find two figures hanging from the ceiling by chains hooked to their wrist, their feet dangle several inches off the ground.

“Saiai?” Yami runs to the taller of the two figures.

The torches hanging on either side of the hanging vampires cast an eerie glow over broken and bleeding pale skin. The tri-colored boy hanging lifts his head slowly, a dark purple eye searches the room before it lands on his father, his other eye swollen closed.

“Father?” His voice is raspy and weak.

“Oh, Saiai, are you alright?” Yami looks at his son with worry.

Saiai's pale skin is covered in dark bruises. His bare chest holds many long cuts, his blood runs down his thin, slightly muscled stomach. The tight black jeans he wears are tore in many places, his bare feet dangling several inches away from the cold stone floor.

“I'm fine. Just wanting to get home.” Saiai grunts as his father yanks the chain from around his right wrist down from the high ceilings. He leans on Yami's shoulder as the other chain is yanked down before he finally falls into his father's arms.

“Its alright son. You'll be home in no time for Yugi to worry over you.” Yami chuckles.

“Big brother?” Beside the two tri-colored teens Marik gets Mokuba down. The smaller vampire is in the same shape as Saiai, his dark violet eyes look over to Seto. “What happened to you?”

“Riddles.” Seto whispers as he looks over his little brother, his hands moving over the exposed skin. “Any broken bones?”

“No, just cuts. But I am starving. They haven't allowed us to drink in over a week.”

“Come on guys. You can talk back home, I'm sure Mokuba wants to meet the new member of his family.” Marik smirks as he carries the small vampire toward the door.

“New member? What are you talking ab…Brayden? Brayden is born?” Mokuba pokes his head around Marik's large shoulder to look at his brother behind them.

“Yes.”

“How is he? How is Joey?”

“It's a long story. I'll tell you when we get home.” Seto shields his ice blue eyes as a bright light comes through the doorway they entered from. Taking an unnecessary breath, his hand presses against his wound before following the others into the brightness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

̶ 0;Saiai!” Yugi calls as his mate and oldest son fall through Bakura's bright closet.

Yami quickly rolls them to the side as Marik, Mokuba, and Seto come crashing down on the black carpet. Yugi rushes to his family's side, his large violet eyes filled with tears. Malik moves to his mate's side.

“Where's Bakura?” The small pale blonde asks.

“I don't know. The gargoyle said he was in another part of the palace. He should be fine.” Marik lifts Mokuba up.

“Gargoyle?”

“I'll explain later, kitten.”

“I had Mikado set up some medical equipment in our room.” Yugi tells the others.

“Good idea, little one. Where's Akira?” Yami helps his son up on his feet, an arm wrapped around the bare, bloody back.

“All the boys are in with Joey.”

“You left them alone?” Seto whimpers as he leans against the now dark closet frame.

“Well, not exactly.” Malik bouncing up and down as he watches the others move toward the door.

“What does that mean, kitten?”

“Drake and Joey are looking after them.”

“What?” Seto's unbelieving eyes stare at the small pale blonde.

“Joey woke up a little while ago.”

“Is he okay?”

“Yep. A little weak but you should go see him after you get bandaged up.”

“I'm going now.” Seto quickly moves out the door after the others disappear out of it and rushes over to the door on the other side of the hall and pushes it open. “Puppy?”

“Oh, Seto!” Joey sits at the head of the bed, the swirled comforter covering his legs. A little bundle of blue rest on his slightly bent knees as Drake smiles over to his father from the other side of the bed.

“Puppy, you alright? Are you hurt? Do you feel bad?” Questions poured out of Seto's lips without giving Joey time to answer as he made his way over to the bed beside his mate.

“I'm fine. I can't believe it but I'm actually tired.”

“I love you so much. You had me so scared.” Seto bends down to kiss his mates perfect pink lips.

“Sor…oh, Seto…your bleeding.”

“Ran into a wooden stake.”

“Are you okay, father?” Drake sits up.

“I'm going to get Mikado to patch me up but I had to see my puppy first.” He smiles down at his sandy blonde mate.

“Drake says the others have been helping a lot with Brayden.”

“Yes, I owe them a lot. What do you think of our new pup?”

“He is absolutely beautiful. A load of brown hair just like his father.” Joey giggles as he plays with his son's little hands as the boy lays in his lap. “I'm so happy he is okay.”

“Father, maybe you should get wrapped up. You're bleeding pretty bad.”

“I'm going but I'll be back as soon as I can.” Seto moves toward the door.

“Seto, did you get Mokuba back?”

“Yeah, him and Saiai were beat up a bit. When he feels better will have to show him his new nephew.”

“I'm so happy he got back in one piece.” Joey watches his mate go out the door, leaning over he rest his head on his oldest son's shoulder.

“Me too.”

“Sweetheart, go see Saiai. I know you're dying to.”

“You sure you'll be okay by yourself?” Drake moves off the bed, stopping at the end to look at his dad.

“I'm not alone. I have Brayden. And Akira and Raia are asleep on the sofa.”

“And Malik is here.” The pale blonde smiles as he enters the room.

“Okay, I'll be back later.” Drake leaves the room in a half-run

“How is everyone?” Joey asks as Malik stands beside his bed.

“Some cuts and bruises but other than that fine. Both Saiai and Mokuba are starving so they're feeding them some blood.”

“What happened to the other vampires that went with them?”

“They were killed. Mikado is upset because Duke didn't come back. But Saiai said that he didn't get caught, the last time he saw him, Duke was fighting them off pretty good. Saiai didn't see him get killed or captured.”

“I hope he is okay for Mikado's sake. What about Ryou and Bakura?”

“No one knows.” Malik whispers. “I'm worried about Ryou and the twins. What if something happened to them?”

“Don't think like that. I'm sure they are fine. I bet they'll be back before we know it.”

TBC
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