Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Ryou Bakura: Game Master! ❯ Oganization XIII ( Chapter 24 )

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, Death Note, Castlevania, Final Fantasy VI, or Kingdom Hearts. Everyone who does says that my crossover rate is bordering on extreme. Team Extreme.

 

The darkness did not cease even though there was no sound. Ryou wasn't sure which one terrified him more as he was led down a cold, narrow, winding passage. He also wasn't sure how many of his friends had fallen, but he remembered clearly that Matt had been attacked. And he was awake, something that made him quite curious. Normally, the Mystics associated him with Sith. Yet these three men, these strangers, had made no such assumptions. And while that was good for his well-being, it also confirmed some of the worry he'd carried for some time. For now, though, he forced those creeping worries away. There were other problems to attend to at the moment, and one of them was the fact that he had no idea where they were, or where they were heading. Another was that he was powerless to try and stop them. Zexion's magic was intense, and rivaled Sith's fairly well. He had no reason to cross the strange man just yet.

 

The only thing he was aware of was that they had gone down a different passage, one hidden within the black stone. He hadn't seen it on the way down, nor did he see it now, but he had a feeling that the three men, whoever they were, had known of it. Vexen had found it with relative ease, and with that book, Zexion opened it. Now they were walking down the passage, and Ryou felt the stone was slick with water. It hadn't descended much, but that meant nothing. They had to be heading toward the underground ocean. He didn't want to know what they'd do once they reached it.

 

“So, how will we get inside?” Vexen asked, and the sudden sound shattered the silence and disoriented Ryou a little bit, “Saix, you did not figure out a way through the door, did you?”

 

“The front doors do not open,” Saix replied, and Ryou shivered at the sound, “They are a simple ruse to fool the unwary. To enter, we go through the roof.” Ryou remembered Strago saying similar. He wondered silently if Sith could reach that high, and hoped she had succeeded. Vexen just snorted, a mocking sound.

 

“Well, this is a fine mess. We are on the bottom!” he exclaimed unhappily, and turned to Zexion, “How are we going to enter? Scale the building?” Ryou could almost see that, and part of him wanted to shove them right off the walls. But he wisely kept his vision to himself. If he was the only one awake, it was up to him to get some information and keep himself, and his friends, one step ahead and wait for a chance to run.

 

“You underestimate the Esper language,” Zexion said to him calmly, quietly, “Have you forgotten? I hold the Esper's power within me.”

 

“What have you done with Sith!?” Ryou demanded suddenly, and they all stopped. The abrupt movement shook Ryou; he was jerked forward roughly. If only he could see who he was facing!

 

“Sith? Absolutely nothing,” Zexion replied, “There are many Espers. When they die, their power remains for anyone to acquire. And I have done so.” Ryou didn't like the thought of that. If that were so, then anyone, any bum off the road, could learn magic and become a serious threat. It was no wonder why Bakura had become increasingly worried about Sith's safety. Her power was terrifyingly high, and should anyone else get to it… that world might possibly end in a matter of minutes.

 

“Why did you need the Espers' power? What are you all up to?” Ryou asked them, when they continued forward, “If it's to kill us…”

 

“Do not mistake our agenda with these affairs to be because of your kind,” Saix told him harshly, a snarl to his voice again, “We are beings born without hearts. We do not, and never will, hate one particular race. We want power. We want our hearts, and for that, we need power.” That made no sense to Ryou. He tried to think if there was any way an Esper connected to a person's heart. But Sith hadn't said much about magic, other than the fact that emotions could power it up… or hinder it terribly. Yet, if these men were heartless…

 

“So you're going to go and gather the power of both the Mystics and the Espers and try to gain your hearts that way,” Ryou concluded, but if he managed to guess it, Saix did not respond. He continued with, “Sith will never let that happen.”

 

“We do not intend to battle Sith Winchester,” Zexion said, and Ryou felt them taking him down a few steps, “Her power is great, but she is much like us herself. She does not know who she really is, yet her will is powerful. That is why we feel she would be a grand heartless, but we could never touch her. Not truly. But we can use her.” Ryou hummed quietly, thinking on that. He had never thought a person could lack a heart, and least of all, he never thought Sith was one of them. She had a hard life, but she did have feelings, and she did know how to love. Somewhat. But perhaps there was truth to Zexion's words; Sith's will alone is what allowed her to continue on. At the very least, their consideration of her made Ryou worry.

 

“Use her in what way?” Ryou dared to ask. Zexion didn't answer right away. Maybe he was scared. Or maybe he felt it wasn't worth answering. Ryou couldn't be sure.

 

“Once she defeats Falnika, she will simply leave the shoot of power alone. She has no use for it, and I doubt she'd know of it,” Zexion told him, but Ryou knew that was a lie. Sith knew where energy was, “We will take that shoot, when she leaves.”

 

“She will come back to fight you,” Ryou warned them threateningly, but Saix grabbed his neck and held him up. That was obviously a threat well placed. Ryou struggled, but knew the man's grasp was too much. He just prayed he wouldn't die.

 

“Then I will crush her,” Saix growled, “No one opposes Organization XIII, not even the likes of an Esper.” Ryou wished his link to Sith had worked. He could have told her about all of this. But for now, he had to keep from being killed. It was clear these men were quite dangerous. For all he knew, they really had killed the others.

 

Ryou kept quiet after that, figuring that if he was going to stop this, he'd do better to listen than to argue. But his questions had raised enough suspicion, and after Saix put him down, none of them spoke. This disappointed Ryou. He had been so sure he'd get something to present to Sith, if and when the chance presented itself. But he understood his fears and questions had cost him quickly, and that even if he did find something, some way to stop them, they'd kill him in an instant. As it was, they might be close to the base of the tower. Ryou had lost hope of figuring out the distance some time ago, and only wondered how much time they had left. Now they had two enemies to contend with, and while Sith was busy with the Mystics, he knew he'd have to keep the Organization from her as well. Without his weapon, however, that was a task so uneasily performed.

 

They stopped a short while later, and it was there that Ryou's blindfold was removed. He had barely noticed it was there, but the color shocked him, once he could see again. The chamber was not unlike the one where Zexion had been, except that it was larger and a boat waited for them, floating on top of a placid lake that expanded and then narrowed some good distance ahead. He guessed they were going to take him with them, though what for, he did not know. He didn't possess a strong gift for magic; he barely possessed it at all. Perhaps it was to mock him, or perhaps he was simply a bargaining chip against Sith. Saix had said they'd meet her at some point, or he at least implied it.

 

Looking beside him, Ryou saw that Matt, Yugi, and Malik all lived, but that they were bound tightly with thick rope, their eyes blindfolded as well. By the way they breathed, he guessed they were unconscious. That was far better than being dead. But what use was any of this? Why keep him up when the others were down? He hummed, glancing toward Saix and the others. They had their backs turned, looking toward the small boat instead. But he saw what he needed; his sword was on Saix's hip. The damned idiot must've grabbed it beforehand. Yet Ryou hadn't felt the theft. He turned back toward Yugi.

 

“Guys, hold on for a bit longer. I'm going to keep us safe,” he whispered to them, but knew that the actions needed would very easily end his short life. First, he'd have to get his sword back. That was a move he didn't look forward to - and with good reason! That'd mean fighting Saix, and that was a task Ryou wasn't up for. And even if he managed it, he doubted the other two would let his theft go unanswered. And while he wasn't sure how powerful Vexen was, he knew Zexion was very strong. One spell, and Ryou would be in heaven. Or hell, depending on said spell.

 

The best course, he knew, would be to let events unfold as they were. There was no use fighting now; the enclosed space would only be a disadvantage, even with his sword. But on sea, he knew the chance of escape was slimmer. There was only the sea to hide him, and he had a feeling there were things living beneath the calm surface.

 

When the three had finished their discussion, Saix advanced toward Ryou, who pretended to be hurt and exhausted from the abduction. But Saix was not moved, and had no feelings to respond to, and so he merely looked down at the pathetic boy before him, his eyes cold against the warm torchlight around the chamber. Ryou's façade nearly caved; that look sent shivers up his spine. But he had to remain passive. He had to keep himself, and his friends, safe.

 

“Get up,” Saix said to him, “And get on the boat. We're going for a ride.”

 

“But my friends…”

 

“Get on the boat!” Saix repeated, this time ferociously, his eyes growing almost feral. Ryou yelped, running toward the boat and jumping in. He saw Saix grab Yugi and Malik, tossing the younger man to Vexen. Then, he threw Malik into the boat, and climbed in himself. Zexion merely nodded, and then they were drifting off. Ryou's eyes widened. They had left Matt behind. He turned to the others, but they seemed unbothered by this.

 

“What about Matt?” Ryou asked them, not caring who would answer. To his dismay, it was Saix again, and the man seemed to decide quickly that he did not like Ryou. His tone was growing colder with every word.

 

“We leave the boy behind to die,” the man growled, and faced forward, toward the ocean, “He is of no use to us. He is nothing more than a phantom.” Ryou could not tear his eyes away. As much as he didn't like Matt, the man had helped them out invaluably. He had led them so far, and had done so only because of Sith. Now he would die without seeing her again, without so much as a goodbye. Ryou could not believe this was Matt's fate.

 

Yet he had no time to remark. He could feel Saix's anger and annoyance, and knew any word could get him tossed aside. His first thought was to ask Zexion. But he knew Zexion was more or less the leader of this thing; he wouldn't care if Ryou lived, and he wouldn't turn back for Matt. All he could do was keep his eyes on Matt's unconscious form, shrinking as they drew further and further from the shore. The torches soon faded in the distance, hidden both by the darkness and the stalactite mounds hanging from the ceiling of the caverns. And with them faded Matt's body. Now, Ryou was alone with three powerful opponents.

 

He did not know that Matt had been awake, or that Matt was now waiting, watching, moving. He did not know that Matt was going to follow them.

 

The water was quiet, and the boat even more so. Ryou had no reason to speak to the three members he was currently traveling with, and his worries were elsewhere either way. They had left Matt to die, and he could do nothing. He had a feeling a similar fate would soon claim both Yugi and Malik as well. Without any magic, they were of no use to anyone of this `Organization XIII.' And then, he would be alone. And he knew without his sword, he'd have no chance against any of these three. Perhaps, though, that was why he was alive. Sith had said Zerrkandr was an Esper blade, and that only he could wield it right now. But did these three men know this?

 

For a long while, Ryou remained quiet, watching the horizon for any sign of activity. From how Zexion had spoken, it sounded as if Sith had made good time, and Ryou expected to see some change in the landscape - perhaps half of the mountain crumbling, or a clearing within the dark shrouds outside. Yet, underground, he had seen nothing of interest, nothing to tell him if Zexion had been lying. And he gained nothing by watching the three. Zexion and Vexen were busy keeping the boat on course, and Saix was intentionally ignoring Ryou. It was hard to believe Nobodies, whatever they were, were incapable of feeling. Right then, it felt as if Saix hated him, for reasons Ryou could not possibly guess.

 

“You left Matt behind,” Ryou finally said, and Zexion glanced back at him, “What will you do with Malik and Yugi?” Zexion snorted a bit, turning back to the water.

 

“Do not fear for your friends. We will use them as well,” the young man replied, “Malik has a strong will. He would make a formidable heartless, though Yugi would most certainly not. Nonetheless, we can barter him with Sith later.” Put so bluntly, it sent shivers up Ryou's spine to hear. They were obviously not above taking human life. He had to look away for a moment. Their strength, right then, was being able to not show emotion. He'd have to do the same, or try to.

 

“And what of me?” he asked solemnly, “What use do I have?”

 

“The Zerrkandr, of course,” Vexen told him, and Ryou visibly flinched. He knew it. Vexen continued, “In the Esper tongue, it translates to the `Sword of the Heartfelt,' for it does not burn those with a pure heart. We believe this may help us find a way to find our own hearts.” Ryou had to hide a snort. If they killed him and claimed the sword, it would never work for them. Sith would cut them down long before Saix could even draw it. Not to mention it took a heart to wield it in the first place. Katsaiga Rhodes had said that much, years ago.

 

“And then you will kill me,” Ryou concluded, “But can you get the other two swords? Sith said there were three, each one connected to a part of the heart.” Saix grumbled and turned away, but Vexen did not seem bothered by the words, or by Ryou's tone. He nodded, a small, weak smile across his face.

 

“The Denschweiger, the `Sword of Vengeance,' is not so hard to find. It is in the old ruins of the Nesce Kingdom,” he replied, and Ryou started a bit. Nesce was where Sith had come from! Vexen laughed, however, and added, “But Zealacht… the `Sword of Bitter Mercy…' I doubt we can obtain such a sword.” Ryou couldn't help but smirk. That doubt was warranted, as Sith currently held that sword. And like its own name, her mercy was indeed a bitter kind.

 

“Because of Sith?” Ryou dared to ask, more mocking than anything. All three turned to him quickly, and he found his courage sapped. All three gazes were cold.

 

“Sith is of little import other than to experiment on,” Vexen finally said, after an uncomfortable few moments, “Though I will admit, she has held that sword for millennia now. No creature has ever been able to keep such a thing for so long. No doubt, she has bonded with it, perhaps even let her soul be consumed by it.” Ryou's eyes narrowed. Sith had a need for blood, but that didn't mean her soul was devoured by a simple sword. Then again, he knew nothing about these Esper blades, except that they could each deliver a deadly blow to the Mystics, even with a simple scratch. Vexen could be right.

 

“How much do you know about Sith?” he asked them, this time truly concerned. If they had been watching her for some time, they'd know of a way to destroy her. They might have even told Rath of it. But Zexion's answer dissipated that fear quickly enough.

 

“Little,” he answered truthfully, “Other than the fact that she was the ruler of Nesce nearly five thousand years ago. And that by her admission, the five forbidden spells of Kratz were released. Not once, but twice by her hand. And that, at the time of the first releasing, she was involved with the creation of the Mystic race. Quite frankly, the fact that she is alive is a mystery that boggles the mind.” Ryou's eyes widened. That was far more than he knew, and to them, it was nothing. It was no wonder Rath wanted her dead. The Mystics loathed their reputation and the hatred aimed at them, and they blamed Sith for all of it. Now he understood why.

 

“But… but how?” he asked Zexion, his voice barely above a whisper, “How could she do that? By herself, even?”

 

“We do not know, and any records of that war have been burned,” Zexion replied simply, and sighed, “It is a pity. I would have liked to understand how one woman could cause this much chaos.” Ryou's eyes narrowed again. That couldn't, shouldn't, have been possible. Sith was powerful, yes, and she was quite old, but how could she possibly wield such a dangerous tool? Her soul, as far as Yami was sure, was still intact, and her heart was still there, embittered and cold as it was. Such awful tumults of power often left the caster soulless. Soulless, and more often than not, dead.

 

“Then why are you against Sith?” Ryou asked him, and Zexion's brow arched, “Sith is trying to find these answers herself. If you kill her, no one will know.” Zexion's lips curled into a smile. Despite his pale complexion and his cold expression, it was oddly beautiful to see. But Ryou knew that, without a heart, that smile was a lie.

 

“Against Sith Winchester?” Zexion repeated softly, “Oh, no, we are certainly not. Though we do wish for her to join us, even as a heartless, we have no reason to cross her. But as Nobodies, we cannot interfere unless she poses a threat. In truth, we have nothing against her, so long as we can collect the power left by the dead Mystics.” Ryou felt his heart pounding. Sith would never allow that, if she understood why they needed that power. Her sword was meant to slay beasts like them, soulless beings without heart or compassion.

 

“You assume she'd let you,” Ryou said angrily, “It doesn't matter how powerful you are. She will kill you, all three of you.” That did not scare Zexion in the least. His icy calmness toward the threat terrified Ryou. He didn't think Sith would actually succeed, or perhaps he didn't understand her.

 

“But she will not kill the Superior,” was all Zexion said to him before that disorienting smile returned. But somewhere, something in the young man's eyes changed. Ryou backed away only a step. Whoever this `Superior' was, even through the words of another, his presence was fully there. Ryou felt an evil force, one beyond even the Mystics, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

 

From then on, Ryou had no more questions. He had enough to think about as it was, and that presence was enough to send him on edge. It was so frighteningly potent, it might have even scared Sith if she felt it. Such a thought was no comfort, for Ryou had always seen Sith as a pillar of strength and courage, a tree that could not be felled, even from the strongest axe. Yet he understood that these Nobodies would test her strength to its end. He did not forget the power of just one of Zexion's spells, or the force with which Saix wished to kill him. And they weren't likely to hold back on her, either, even if they had nothing against her. Her only hope would be if he somehow killed all three in one blow. Any more, and they'd have enough time to retaliate. He had to get his sword.

 

Feeling that now was about as good a time as any, Ryou attempted what he knew was the stupidest bout of action he could ever consider. Saix was near the edge of the boat, his eyes closed in what Ryou knew was feigned sleep. And the sword was still on his hip. The only advantage that Ryou had was that he was actively ignoring anything Ryou did. He surely would not notice if Ryou walked up, silently, to him, so long as Ryou said nothing. But he would definitely feel if the sword went missing. If only Bakura had taught Ryou to steal. If only Sith had let him.

 

Ryou had to take the risk. Every second without his sword was another second Saix could use to kill him with it. He ran over, silently as Sith had taught him to be, and was at Saix's side in about three seconds. He glanced over just once; neither Zexion nor Vexen had noticed the movement. He doubted they would. He returned to the sword. It was glowing blue now, warm with the energy coming from him, and for a moment, he feared that warmth would alert Saix to his movements. But it hadn't. Saix merely snorted and turned a bit, eyes still closed. Perhaps he truly was asleep, after all.

 

Ryou reached for the sword, his heart pounding. Perhaps he could get his sword back, after all. His hand was halfway to the blade. He could see it now, he would slay Saix first, and then turn and take Zexion and Vexen down with a single swipe. He was nearly touching the steel now. From there, he would find Sith and warn her, and if the other members came, she would kill them shortly. He felt the cold steel in his hands. It felt familiar and refreshing, and without thinking, he tugged the sword away. Without warning, a hand reached up and grabbed his wrist a second later. Ryou screamed, and found himself turned forcefully away toward the ocean and pulled back until he was held against Saix's chest.

 

“And what were you about to do with that, you stupid, little boy?” Saix growled, as Zexion turned and Vexen rushed over. Ryou felt the man's breath in his ear, and he shivered. He could feel the anger in Saix rising, like some torrent that could not be slowed. He stammered for anything, any lie that might save him.

 

“That… is my sword,” he choked, feeling Saix apply pressure to his neck, “…my sword…”

 

“Your sword, is it? From what I can tell, it is on my hip,” Saix reminded him, throwing him to the ground. Ryou coughed, and then stood slowly, looking up at the man in fear. Saix was right, after all. But damn it, he stole the sword!

 

“You took it from me when your little friend knocked us all out!” Ryou yelled, despite the terror within him, “Give it back!” Disregarding his fear, Ryou lunged, knowing that he'd rather die knowing he did something than living with the fact that he hadn't. But Saix laughed and simply sidestepped out of the way, and Ryou crashed into the side of the boat. Then he felt Saix pick him up again.

 

“That is true, stupid boy,” Saix whispered, “And that is because we need this sword.”

 

“So do I,” Ryou argued, though he knew that very sword could skewer him as easily as it could a Mystic, “If you want the Mystic dead, give me the sword!” Saix dropped him and laughed. He laughed so hard, Ryou half expected him to fall over the side. He laughed so hard, that Vexen stopped and stared, and Zexion began to look quite terrified of the spectacle himself. And then, abruptly, that laughter stopped. Saix's eyes had changed; no longer were they golden, but pure yellow, with no iris or pupil. They were the eyes of a hellhound, Ryou knew, from the legends and myths he heard from Sith and Katt.

 

“Take it from me,” Saix growled, his voice now a low howl. Ryou understood that his entire body wanted to collapse in horror. Saix was no longer human. He rushed, faster than Ryou expected, and grabbed Ryou's neck. But Zexion was quick to intervene again, and this time, Ryou was glad he did so.

 

“Saix!” Zexion screamed, grabbing the man's arm, “Do not dare! Our orders were to bring both the boy and Sith Winchester back - alive!” Saix turned sharply to growl, but Zexion's tone was firm, and his eyes were iced enough for Saix to understand that he would be punished solely if Ryou was murdered. He roared in frustration and tossed Ryou to the ground again. Ryou felt his shoulder pop from the blow. And quickly, he crawled away, knowing that if he were any closer, Saix would tear him apart. With or without Zexion's approval.

 

The hour passed slowly, painfully silently, and soon stretched to two, and then to three hours. Still, neither Yugi nor Malik stirred, and Ryou could not see any land or buildings rising in the distance. Now he was beginning to worry. He had trusted that Zexion knew where to go and what to do, and that they'd get him to the tower. But Tzen wasn't far from the center of the continent, and going by boat was far faster than walking. They should have seen something by then. But the only formations were the rocks jetting from the ocean floor, and the stalactites that clung to the ceiling, which grew higher and higher with every yard gained. Ryou couldn't even see the top when he glanced up.

 

For most of that time, Zexion and the others were silent still. The only words exchanged was when Vexen complained about having to paddle. And that earned him a very sharp crack on the head by Saix, who grew more and more restless as time passed. Ryou watched them with a mixture of interest and fear. He had never seen Nobodies before, and had never even heard of heartless, either. And, as far as he knew, Sith had never known of them, either. If she had, she never spoke of them.

 

Yet, for creatures who apparently lacked hearts, Ryou noticed that they still acted very much like a normal person. For one, Saix knew how to pointedly be rude to someone, and Vexen remembered how to be annoyed, nervous, flustered, and an idiot at the same time. And Zexion, who was the most difficult to observe of all, was definitely good at being the voice of reason. It was he who stopped Saix from killing Vexen, or Ryou, for that matter. Then again, it was also Zexion who caused most of this. Ryou simply watched, and listened.

 

He was rewarded, eventually, when Saix could no longer take the frustratingly long wait.

 

“ZEXION!” Saix roared, eyes still blazing from long before as he glared at the young man, who turned slowly to regard him, “Enough of this, you cloaked idiot! How long until we reach the damned castle!?” Zexion blinked for a long, long moment. Either he wasn't even afraid, or he was waiting for Saix to throw himself into a frenzy and murder him.

 

“You need to practice patience, Number Seven,” Zexion told him, and even Ryou had to admit that was a stupid idea. Saix was undoubtedly very strong, and very good at killing things. But oddly enough, Saix didn't dare to strike at him. He simply continued glaring at the calm youth before him.

 

“I need my heart back!” Saix snapped furiously, eyes blazing further, “Where is this castle, and when will we fight!?” Zexion's stare turned flat as he regarded his berserk comrade. He looked up just momentarily, and Ryou followed his gaze. They were exiting the tunnels underneath the city, and the open sky was about to greet them. But whatever Zexion was looking for, he did not find it.

 

“We will fight only if anyone attacks us,” the man replied seriously, and Ryou noticed there was also a blaze within Zexion's eyes that wasn't there before, “Until then, you will sit down and calm yourself. Do not forget your place just because the moon is nearly full, Saix.” Saix snarled, but he understood that killing Zexion would reap far worse repercussions than good. He sat, his glare never fading.

 

Zexion was right, however. Ryou soon realized that what he mistook for an ocean was actually a large lake, surrounded on all sides by tall, craggy mountain ranges that poked far into the sky, casting strong shadows that danced on the uneven walls. The wind wasn't strong here, yet as the lake stretched before them, Ryou felt himself shiver. It wasn't from the cold. As they neared, he could feel the tumult of dark energy, evil energy, trying to sweep across them and over the ranges that protected the rest of the continent. It grew with every second, and Ryou expected the peaks to crumble any second. Yet they remained, and only the cold reminded Ryou that the darkness was about. The air was too thin; the dark shrouds were barely seen in the sky here.

 

Within ten minutes, Ryou saw something shift, and then all at once, he saw the magnificence and terror of the tower before them all. It was a massive, dark shape - indiscernible at first, but soon he saw the spires and domed roofs that adorned the top, their windows and balconies concealed in shadow, either from the mountains or from the magic surrounding the structure. Facing them was a small dock, barely wide enough for a small boat to stop at, but only one hundred feet ahead, he saw the massive, oak doors that admitted passersby to the front hall. Or had, at one time. Now he began to understand why flight was the only way to the tower. Though the tower was no doubt constructed from the ruins of the capital, without the shift in the world, the route from Tzen would have remained inaccessible. Without the shift, Falnika would be dead, and the tower would not exist.

 

Ryou could only stare as he realized he was finally at Falnika's doorstep. But the only question he had was this: Was Sith there as well?

 

---

 

Kaiba had kept his word. Despite the terror, despite the confusion and the doubt, the man kept his word and had worked furiously to build the machines that would allow communication between himself and Sith. Mokuba had given him a copy of the mocked game in question, and it took only a few minutes, and some slight modification to a television, before a roughly patched portal replica was established. Bakura had to say, he was pretty damned impressed. The television was the best quality Kaiba could get, and his laptop had better performance than any other system would. Kaiba was actually going to help them. That meant on some level, he believed the absurdity that magic truly existed. Even more than his machine, his belief impressed the thief further.

 

Kaiba soon sat at his desk, typing commands into the laptop. Bakura, who was curious and slightly concerned over the thing's success, looked over his shoulder. But he couldn't make heads or tails of the scripts; he knew how to translate hieroglyphs, but never had he worked with anything computer-oriented. It was like learning to read Japanese - long, tiring, and it hurt his eyes to see.

 

“I have some theories about how this Mystic managed to override the gaming scripts and mainframe in the disks to create the actual portal,” Kaiba said to them, never once taking his attention from his machines, “You said that Sith said this game was based on a world, some good distance from us, right? My guess is, the memory was overcharged when the Mystics started exerting their power. Since this game is old, few people have it.”

 

“So when Ryou turned it on…” Bakura added, and Kaiba nodded, a sardonic smirk on his face as he glanced toward the thief.

 

“That's right. Their portal activated and dragged him in,” Kaiba finished, and then frowned, “But I highly doubt Ryou was the target. If he was, they'd have killed him. Besides, you said this was Sith's game, right?” Yami nodded, already knowing that Sith had been the target all along. Ryou just happened to be at the wrong place, at the perfect moment.

 

“That's why she was sent in that world after him,” the old spirit reminded Kaiba, “Someone knew Falnika had trapped the wrong person.” Bakura, however, wasn't as concerned. He had seen Sith in enough fights to know she could tear most of her opponents apart. Those that lived only did so because Sith was exhausted. He snorted.

 

“Like it matters. Sith will kill them as soon as she catches up to them!” Bakura exclaimed, and then laughed, “She's not feared for nothing. She will kill with any means.”

 

“Then let's hope we can at least watch it,” Ishtar grumbled, as Tea walked in quietly, whispered to Kaiba, and then admitted Joey and Tristan. All three sat down, but only Yami seemed to notice their entrance. Kaiba and Bakura continued their conversation.

 

“It will work, right?” Bakura asked him pointedly, and at this, Kaiba hesitated. As far as he knew, theoretically, it should have. But this was an element he wasn't used to, and he did understand that magic was pretty unpredictable. He shrugged.

 

“Theoretically, it should,” he said simply, and turned to Tea, “Dear, turn lever three on, and input the code `ESPER,' into the command prompt.” Tea nodded, and Bakura was surprised that she managed to execute the commands perfectly. The lights around them dimmed, but the machine lit up, and the television turned on. At first, all they saw was static. Then, slowly, the image cleared. And there was Sith, accompanied by Aeon and Mello. All three looked exhausted, but Sith was mildly surprised when she saw a sphere in front of her, showing Kaiba's face, and a few feet of his surroundings within. He grinned and said, “Hello, Winchester.”

 

“Kaiba?” Sith inquired, tilting her head, “Well, I'm impressed. Normally, you leave me well enough alone. What happened out there? Get tossed on your ass?” She heard Bakura snort behind Kaiba, but did not see him. Kaiba's eyes narrowed as he regarded her.

 

“You can say that,” the man grumbled, and then said, “In any case, I figured speaking with you will get this mess put in perspective. Tell me you're close to killing whatever the hell caused this.” Sith's own smirk reflected his, and Bakura had to admit that the similarity between the two was rather terrifying. If Kaiba had been born an Esper, he may very well have been her brother. Or perhaps a cousin.

 

“We're close, but we haven't struck,” Sith told him grimly, and then frowned, “This place is a maze in and of itself. It shifts continuously, and the monsters are not truly there. They are simply shadows, and dispatching them is difficult at best.” Yami hummed, remembering that what he had fought in the city was similar in nature. Then it struck him. The city! It was being devoured, over in the residential district. But when he asked her about it, Sith's look turned to terror. Her face blanched.

 

“D…devoured!?” she repeated, eyes wide as she studied Yami in the sphere, “Good lord, she isn't aiming to take over! She's trying to absorb you to destroy us!”

 

“You're worried she'll succeed,” Yami stated, and Sith nodded accordingly. She was very worried, and with good reason. What Falnika planted was a creature heard of only in legends, only from worlds so far off, Sith had never even seen them. Sim-Seru, they were called. And their entire purpose was to feed off and kill worlds. Especially weakened ones with little magic left. Ryou's world was in serious danger.

 

“With good reason,” Aeon answered for her, when Sith hesitated too long, “What Falnika has planted is called a Sim-Seru, a type of monster born from the mists and traces formed when magic becomes too condensed too quickly. The Mystics have temporarily raised the condensation of magic in your world, and no doubt that Sith, Mello, Katt, and I have only added to it.”

 

“You think they planned to bring it here?” Bakura asked the time-keeper, and Aeon had to stop to think about that. There was only so much he could tell, and as of late, seeing the future was difficult, even for him. He couldn't be sure, not with Rath's mental barriers as powerful as they were.

 

“Sooner or later, it's possible they would have,” Aeon finally admitted, “They'd have waited for when Sith was absent, of course, but I believe they would have eventually introduced one of those terrible things. Even if it wasn't in your world.” Mello's eyes narrowed as he looked down at the ground. Bakura didn't know what a Sim-Seru was, but he guessed Mello certainly did. And that he didn't like them, either.

 

“And how utterly convenient that Sith was thrown right in this place,” the blonde growled, his good eye gleaming in anger as he spoke. Sith hummed gently and placed a hand on Mello's shoulder to calm him. Then she looked up at Kaiba. There was a lot to discuss with him, she understood, and that the primary reason for even contacting her was to prepare on their side for Falnika's next move. Kaiba was being smart, for once.

 

The discussion took more than an hour, but finally, Sith had been satisfied, and so was Kaiba. Eventually, Sith and her comrades had to move on, but the sphere remained and followed alongside her; though they were worried about Ryou and the others, Bakura was content to keep his eye on Sith right then. If Ryou was smart, he was on his way home, with Matt, like Sith ordered him to be. And as far as Sith was concerned, he was. Little did she know that he was not, and that he was far closer than she thought.

 

Little did she also know who had traveled with Ryou, and who had been following her as well. Whereas only three members of Organization XIII were sent to scout the secret passages, eight others already found their way toward the castle, and looked upon it from the ledge of the nearby range. They had seen, and heard, everything between Sith and Kaiba. Now they knew what to expect, and which world would become the newest haven for them. Another world of Nothing, once Falnika and Sith were through. One of them, indiscernible with his hood drawn, looked back at the others.

 

“So then… this Sim-Seru is going to devour their world,” he said, and only his smile was visible in the moonlight, “Wonderful. Tonight, we will have two worlds to take. Now go, and kill Sith Winchester. She is no longer of use to us.” And just like that, seven of the eight members disappeared in a flash. One more enemy was added to Sith's list. And it was right underneath Falnika.

 

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

 

After weeks of being stranded inside of the new world, Ryou, Sith, and many others finally unite outside of the tower's gates. As Ryou travels with Zexion to the front doors, Sith has already made her way inside, with Aeon and Mello behind her. But what of Organization XIII? Why have they joined the fray, and to what purpose? Is it to turn Sith into a heartless, or to gain absolute power from Falnika? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button.