Chapter 3 Fates champions

Saito’s tears dry with haste, as he wipes them with his shelve with a fanatic and quick motion to stop anymore from coming though. Yet the comforting hand from this stranger does not at once leave from its perch on his head. Slow rhythmic circles drift neatly on top of his hair, allowing his breaths and wheezes to siphon and fade into deep below to calm his own heart.

“It is okay to cry. I will not judge you here dear boy” The voice peacefully states.

Raising his head to thoroughly investigate the third mysterious being. Saito saw his claiming and matured face slightly fixed with a small smile. His expression mirrored a smoothing parent comforting a child, yet the brief sudden spikes of pain which lingered behind his marron eyes showed how tired this being himself was. His brows relaxed yet pointed and farrowed to concentrate his fully attention to Saito. His eyes strained and barely open to soften any dulled expression this figure could make to help comfort the boy.

“What of you two, how are your drinks?” He asks.

“Good” The beast at once responds, before pausing, he raised a hand to gently touch and feel his throat. Quick murmurs of grunts escape his lips before looking back to the stranger. Pointing directly to the cup the beast asks.

“Some sort of spell, correct? Some sort of something arcane in nature?” The beast wonders.

Saito meanwhile (after coming down from the shock of hearing the beast in a legible language) faltered after hearing magic. Such a blatant whimsical display of fallacy and fiction of make belief and illusions from street entertainers. Yet, the beast spoke which such disregard and commonality as these words simply dripped from his mouth unhindered but such rules of life.

Yet nothing else Saito could use to rationalize this; or anything he has borne witness too from the last couple of minutes? Day? Weeks! Saito does not know but the: Imagines, the golden rays from seemly endless night, some sort of teleportation from his being. Everything which he once would have declared a scientific miracle or simple the ability in some sort of game happened quite flippantly in a matter of moments.

He must be going insane.

“Why yes, crafted though specialized ritual and distortion magic. Quite ingenious to hide it within liquid though to hold the magic as an enchantment. I owe Bear that one.” The bartender replies, a cool resting sly smirk spills and lingers across his face, as if he remembers from lost memory.

“If I may…” A new feminine voice leaps from the conner of the table.

Three heads all turn to face the sudden voice. Looking towards the blackened cloaked figure. All eyes trained against them.

“Where are we?” The voice abruptly calls from within the cloak.

“Hitting straight into the roots of your problem. My dear you are simply nowhere, just where you need to be” He responds, the cool smirk and humorous glint within his eyes.

“Nowhere is still somewhere, your wits and poetry will not hide your lies from me. So, I will ask again. Where am I?” Unamused by the bartender haphazard response to her question.

“And my dear once again all I can say is that for now… You are all simply nowhere.”

“Huh” A fickle laugh from the beast erupts. Silencing any response from the shaded cloaked figure.

“Humans like you honestly think they are clever; mixing words in a vail to hide meaning and their true intent. I am down listening to this, and I want answers. So, I agree with the shadow over there, but I will not ask nicely the second time. Where are we?” The beast demands. His eyes glance over to meet the figure of incarnation of shade as a moment of support; before flaring a snarl to the bartender.

“People like me…” The bartender repeats. His eyes close for the briefest moment. As if his body has physical absorbed the words coming from the beast, closing the window to his soul to emotional sperate himself as if the words could hurt him.

Before slowly opening as his lips parted to say.

“And who am I like then?” He questions.

The beast pauses, a hand raised to stroke his chin and he ponders the question. Gears in his mind grinding and turning cogs to jumpstart his thought to pinpoint the similarities to the human he knew of.

Yet something truly became of these wondering thoughts; the rampant mind plagued wit thought tried to latch evidence to missing information. Clutching still images and loss strings to paint the familiar picture of those who are like this being in front of him.

Yet nothing stuck.

As the silence drags, the bartender places both of his arms to lean on top of the bar, resting his hand to lay over a makeshift perch form his backhands to hold his head, while a protruding sly smile shines from his eyes. Looking directly at the beast he replies.

“Your mistaken Orc. I am not the monster in this tale of fate in which you now find yourself in. Or at least not the villain by choice.”

Saito could not help but shrink into himself, making his body as small as possible. Attempting to mask his own presence as three sets of eyes clash against each other. Growing dread of being suffocated between each bastion slowly builds; with the raging storm brewing overhead being to turn feral. Saito peers to the Orc beside him, a thunderous crackle erupts from his fist, as they tightly squeeze the bar counter. Not containing his aggression.

He could not help himself as he spoke.

“I am Saito… What is your name?” Saito innocently wonders. His body still stuck and shrunk as his arms close around his body, his face turned more to study the countertop then to continue looking to the strangers before him. Dragging the attention of each figure to gaze inquisitively at the boy. Breaking though his stiff state to gaze at him.

Saito shudders under the pressure. Still feeling the burns from the lingering stains of old tears; but now joining his misery the weight of everyone’s silence. Each judgemental gaze picking him apart.

It was the bartender who spoke first.

“I’m Yugoh, the pleasure is mine.” Lifting his head to free his hands as he puts one out to offer his hand to Saito; a sly tired smile plastered for a friendly greeting after the strained encounter.

Saito shyly accepts. The slow uneasy lifting of their unity faults in an awkward but completed handshake.

Yugoh makes no remark about such sudden social decorum if he even noticed. Saito silently appreciates within his own thoughts, showing a slightly raised half smile at recognising his own blunder for causing such a mess of the simple handshake.

“I do not suppose you can tell us why you brought us here then? Or at the very least where here is?” Saito ask awkwardly.

Yugoh small smirk and acute sly jolt to life his gaze just over the body of Saito, to wonder into the claws of the remaining shadows which lurk on the far walls.

“I never summoned you.” Yugoh responds.

“Then who did?” The feminine voice calls,

“They did”  

Immediately a sudden chill freezes the once directed hostility to merge into a turmoil of frost, running up the spine of the three lost figures. All instinctively rattling with furious fright and frozen furry. The chilling echo runs a ghastly hand to vigorously touch and linger across their spine.

The beast (who detected the slight shift in Yugoh focus) is the first to face the growing shadow. A fierce growl builds from his throat. The vocal threat doing little to dismay the figure from edging closer.

Saito and the cloaked figure (after hearing the faint clutter of feet tapping on the floor) tune their eyes to wonderless stare in a bewildered fashion.

The haunting phantom involved by the raging shadow soon phases into a humanoid figure. Dressed in rugged black leather coat, which completely covers his entire torso and arms apart from a fine black pair of gloves which grip the figures hand. Completely covering his body, with thick heavy trousers with a skirt buckle and kilt with studded metal clipped around his waist. Also tightly wrapped in studded leather a book woven to hide underneath the cloak of the coat. No sign of skin or any natural body underneath the heavy clothing. A long hanging overhead travels to loosely hang above where their face should be.

Saito flinches as two desolate voids stare at the group. Fixed gaze towards all the creatures which stand before the shadow. Yet plastered on where the creatures face to be, an old bulky mask (in which Saito could recall being commonly used in England during the black death) plague mask. An eldritch nose preludes from the night. Reaching out of the night to spear head into the world itself.

Saito could not help but wonder. What could a creature like this need from him?

“This being is what has summoned you, each one of you.” Yugoh clarifies. A sad smile resting over his face, as if the pain of admitting this brought a semblance of pain; before slipping away leaving a hollow grimace behind.

The beast dramatically turns to fully face the creature, before closing the distance with rapid pace.

Until he stood directly in front of it. The hulking mass dominates and towers over the blackened figure, physically twisting himself to cast his projected shadow to lay over the figures body. The artificial darkness doing little if the creature’s reaction (lack thereof) was a clear interaction.

At least not at once. Slowly its head menacingly rises from the ground. The pointed beak briefly bites and nibbles against the beast bare chest; before stopping as it points directly to the wild one’s face.

Another tense stare down begins. The hulking muscle mass against a blacken shadow.

Before the night effortlessly walks past. As if no longer entertaining the beast, ignoring, and passively dismissing it. The creature only stops it path when directly standing behind Yugoh. Drifting behind to encompass space between barrels, causing its bold to weave itself throughout the bar, where the rays of light never truly reach.

Yet the beast has not moved.

Breaking the silence, Yugoh speaks again.

“You know my name and our follow companion here as well.” Raising a hand to point towards Saito. “But may we hear yours my dear?” Yugoh asks.

“Petra” She flatly states

“Lovely name for a lovely lady, what about you good sir?” Yugoh ask the beast, who had yet to turn from his spot. Rooted the floor with a fixated obsession to remain still.

Petra idly gazes over, covering her blatant feeling by raising her half empty glass to loosely slip as she stares at the beast.

From her position and isolation from herself orchestration and regulation to the far Connors of the bar counter, her eyes meet a mellow and faded gloss of an earlier vibrant brown iris.

Until they suddenly flicker back.

A brief wondering second occurred of fragile peace, before the awaken furry erupts.

A loud thump echoes as the beast chases his leg to the floor. Sending a thunders uproar within the stone covered wall. The idle armour in proximity mildly shudder, as the building faintly shakes.

Stomping to the counter, the beast storms past a still Saito and tries to lift himself over; wildly thrashing his arms to try and grab the shadow with a psychotic glint of hatred burning within his lit iris.

“Friend…” Yugoh tries. Before the rage turns against him. Grappling him by the roof of his clover from his worn top and forcing Yugoh to stand face-to-face. A snarl and flared teeth with sickening drool flee the beast jaw.

“Make that thing take me back home.” He demands.

“It.” Yugoh tries but the beast anger flares. Slightly pushing him away while keeping his grip, to suddenly pull harder and slam Yugoh into himself.

“I need to get back quickly I have no time. Take me back now!” The beast again demands. A pleading hatred wrapped in the vail of desperation, his eyes flickering from shadow to man in which neither tried to move to aid in his request.

“I know… I know you do not want to be here. I truly know, for each of you have been dragged here in a sudden flicker from your own home. I am terribly sorry. The timekeepers have summoned you. All of you, for their bidding.” Yugoh states. The sad smile with gleaming eyes staring directly into the beast, no hint of anger or pain amusing itself to appear on him.

Slightly turning his head to the left, a silent signal sent between the shadow and himself.

“The timekeeper’s have summoned you to appear here now has fate has foretold them; you are here to protect life as we know it; rolling some dice for a chance of a better existence outside the realms of shadow.” Yugoh finishes. The immediate silence roared with boisterous laughter. The iron grip fades into a loose hold in which Yugoh easily slips through.

Saito minds flares. Confused and afraid in morbid den of a shallow fog. Confusion and fear overwhelming his senses. His voice barely breaks a whisper.

“What do you mean?” Saito questions.

A small sigh escape before Yugoh answers.

“A threat, one to grave to be ignored with an ever-growing presence; one in which if left unchecked will threatened the entire realm of man across differing worlds. Yet this shade hides within the outer bounds of the natural order and weakens those who falter, allowing it to stay hidden in a light vail to cover knowledge of its existence. An evil in which my followers have titled as the darkness.” Yugoh responds.

“What does this have to do with me being here? Some being calling me to fight and saying how fate decreed me to be here?” The beast flares.

Yugoh does not at once break his sight to fix his gaze to the beast, a sly idle turn with a prolonged blink to cover an annoyance before he speaks.

“May I ask for your name?”

“Jakhal”

“Well, Jakhal. It means everything for someone like you.” Yugoh continues. “Your very existence: your being, soul, memories. Everything you could ever hold, or love will be destroyed in the cover of night is this darkness is not stopped.” Turning back to look across the group to direct his speech to everyone. “Not just his either; everything from my own home to the widest reaches of the realm of man. Each place in which sentient beings lay under the founding sun and the long arcane trail which feeds us strength will fall. The shade will bring about the closing of the sun and smoother the light in a blanket of night.”

Saito could not help but imagine his own life. Memories of old which thrive within his mind of love and joy, before they morph into a midnight scare of fading faces and unrecognisable horrors of unknown space. He could not help but think of his sister; how scared she would be, how her tears already broke through her hollow and plastic smile, before slipping away to moron herself in a silence prison of night. Cold and alone, with the growing evil slowly consuming her as her cries do not break the siege against her.

Already Saito could still feel the noring sense of guilt from simply being here. The betrayal in which clings to his soul as he broke his promise. (Even unintentionally and no fault of his own) the thoughts linger to once puffy tear-stained face from this morning returning as she cannot find her brother. Saito hated it. He could not save her even from his own head.

Yet this darkness that he was chosen for by some mystical shadow to be destined to stop. Any sane person instincts would believe themselves to be dead at this point. Taken from the familiar sight of his classroom to now be standing between a giant and a lady dressed as if she was ready to vandalise, a bartender and a shadow.

Sounds like a beginning of a really shit joke.

Yet the fear in which Saito spots as he looks to Yugo’s eyes, one in plain view to the world as he shows his inner soul thoughts and worries, beckoning those which dare to set their eyes to linger, the clearly defined pain and fear this darkness is causing him. The ringing sound of desperation and intoxicating fear drills its way into Saito’s heart as if he could hear it himself.

Saito could not help but believe him.

“This doesn’t make any sense.” Petra calls out.

“The hand of time calls you three to answer my plea. Destiny is calling for you to act. Any other sense is meaningless when compared to the larger picture.” Yugoh informs.

“You are simply saying that due to that thing we are here. What do you want us to do? Fight the night?” Jakhal ask sarcastically. His agitated tone still slipping through to lash against Yugoh.

“To aid in fighting off the darkness here as it can be held. As I have said” Yugoh directs.

“You have not told us anything! Where even are we? This darkness such a big threat how have we never heard of it? This flow of what?” Petra lists off. Her earlier calm demeanour slowly fading into light frantic probing.

Taking a moment to collect his breath before responding.

“This place is between the planes. We exist only because being which control this space allows me to exist here. It holds a plasmatic connection to my home world of Irratell. This is where the plague is threatening. The foot of the realm of man holds the gateway to the greater regions where the flow of arcane could reach. Already decades of lingering haze have spouted within my home world; this small sickness if left alone will grow to cover the entire realm to be conjoined in the shade.” Yugoh informs. As Yugoh speaks, his hands drift to open the small treen box. Unlatching with slight scream as the metal flicks open; rusted hinges mount a cry of pain as Yugoh forces it open.

His bare hands reach in. lifting out what the three guest assume was some sort of ingot; a smooth royal purple with a blazing hew where the flaming flickers of embers rattle to light the ingot. Placing it on the hard counter, resting his hand on top of the metal. Before slipping his hand to glide over the counter, breaking the ingot apart into fine parts of slim metal plates.

Each slither was primary the same sovereign purple, but each piece was decorated with four indigo azure serpents in which their bodies clung within a core within the centre of the metal slip of an ornate gemstone. Each of the creatures caged within a golden ring which circles the very outer edges which loosely climbs to the corners. A quick murmur escapes Yugoh lips before life sprang from the metal, glass sparks glitter as hundreds of dimes twine with life. Pale glint of blue particles in which lights up the counter for the strangers. Clustered lights flicker to suddenly appear, most still are clumped together, only few spots scintillate and shine away from the groups.

“What you are seeing here is a map of the realm of man, each speck of light is a world where beings like yourselves inhabit.” Yugoh points to a lone flicker furthest to the head of the counter by Petra.

“Irratell is here, placed at the very outer region here.” Yugoh points to a lone spark. The three strangers stare at the lone flicker, standing off where the lights fade to an outer shadow. Yugoh ignores every other fateful spark which lingers across the counter; his eyes fixate to a single point.

“Here is Irratell, my home world” Pointing to a lone glimmer at the very corner, isolated from the mass gathering. “We are a point in which we function as a gate to everything from the outer regions. This outer shell in which each spark here draws strength from must be filtered through here. Meaning everything for the realm of man in terms of life, magic even to the very gods themselves across other worlds. All draw their strength from the greater boundaries of the unexplored.” Yugoh explains.

“How does this strength spread? If it all goes through here would not that mean, it is all collected here? How does it spread to other worlds?” Petra questions.

“Though the flow of Arcane, a mysterious and unexplainable process in which this energy passes though, its effects linger on worlds. Even though it passes through this world does have an abnormal amount of this energy. But that simply allows for more powerful beings to exist. The mass energy gives raise to naturally more powerful beings such as the gods. Some worlds only have a minuscule amount, meaning extraordinarily little in terms of power or magic. Yet enough so that existence of humanoids can still exist in some role. Without this flow life itself of us humanoids. Not matter how powerful will cease to exist.”

Taking a quick moment to catch his breath before continuing.

“This is one of the many reasons as to why this growing darkness needs to be stopped. If my world falls then it controls the gate to the flow of Arcane, we have no idea what this sickness could do with that power. It could destroy life as we know it.”

“And fate as brought us here to stop this” Jakhal mocks. His sneering tone biting against the ears of Yugoh.

“Fate, the flow of Arcane or to hell a higher being in which time itself responds too. They choose you; time has chosen you. You three are here standing before me to answer a cry for help. So please follow destiny and help me.”

A drifting silence falls over the three strangers, a haunting song gleams from the wondering souls of hollow eyes. An ever-lasting stare mingling with a fasting relevance as it twines and falls as each one longingly stares at each blue spark.

Satio could not help his aimless staring, his vacuous thoughts wonder in a fixated obsession, his eyes glance over each spark to ponder a single question. Which one of them was his? His own world, his everything. He could not help but imagine a vale blackened sot which had previously grown around them envelope these pale blue sparks to flicker embers of night instead. How this darkness would bring about what Yugoh described as the true end of life. Selfishly, horrible ignorance swelled within Saito heart; in a single moment of learning life outside of his own boarders of time he could hardly seem to care. Billions of hominids like him, but he could only really wonder about his family. His sister, his mother, his farther. The only beings in which Saito very soul would give a semblance of care overwhelmed any sort of sympathy he could have to countless other lives.

He only had three to truly protect.

“So, everything we love will just die…” Saito breathlessly wonders.

“Yes.” Yugoh flatly states. The factual emotional tone breaks any sort of doubt within the wider knowledge of truths.

“This doom… This evil, its bad but I cannot just be here. I just cannot” Jakhal tries to finish his sentence. A thick grimace and brief single droplets of tears fall from his eyes. Lifting his hand to quickly wipe them away and taking a loud sniff to compose himself.

Yugoh small, tired smile shines to the once angered beast.

“For your presence here and cooperation in aiding my plea, the timekeepers will allow time within your home world. Anything that was once happening for you has completely stop as a favour to you for our partnership in this. They do not want any lingering threads which can be pulled to distract you from your true and only goal. Everything you loved and could hold will be the same when you return.”

A fluttering silence splits the room, sudden thoughts splinter and halt in a frozen blanket; their precious life is safe. Saito guilt quick relinquished under a smooth haze of relief. He left during class, a moment from the start of the school day; he could keep his promise. The relief on being able to fulfil his promise to his sister, to see her during lunch. Frail tears threatened to smite his eyes to allow them to fall.

“So, where we were? Who we were with? Everything has just stopped?” Petra questions. “Surely consequences spawn from such actions? You speak of a greater cause and realms how does this affect everything?”

“The very hands in which turns time has chosen this action. This decision, I had no part in making, even if I am pleased that it has been made. I am no expert on the effects of time across worlds greater then my own; even barriers of different planes of existence operate on similar laws which surround the realms. This action my world dire consequences for all we know. All I am, is a simple man playing the cards I have been delt, on the board in which is constantly evolving. All I can say in board sense is that time between realms do act differently.” Yugoh explains.

“How differently?” Petra quickly follows.

“Enough that if someone would travel between the inner realms to Irratell with no assistance to distort time. Around three to four months would vanish before their eyes. Simply leaving their world to travel such distance across space in as quick as a moment of instant travel, time continues its pursuit, without waiting for them.”

“So right now, our home worlds are frozen? Stuck in time?” Petra questions.

“In the most basic of terms yes. The timekeepers reversed the natural flow of Arcane to disconnect life from the living forces of the greater cosmos. This manipulation hide life from the internal clocks and motions of time. Thus, keeping them frozen in time.” Yugoh clarifies.

“Why cannot they simply freeze this darkness. If they are so powerful and this threat is so real, why can’t they simply keep this thing out? Why can’t they freeze it?” Jakhal queries.

“It is not living. That is the simplest answer to that question. It is from the outer edges of the shadows from beyond the realm of humanoids. This is turn removes them from the Arcane flow in which all our life forms must obey. Thus, the timekeepers cannot directly approach to freeze the problem. They cannot direct their energy or existence. It simply would not affect it.”  Yugoh finishes.

“Another thing, if these timekeepers could control everything living, then why did they go through so much trouble is stopping time on our worlds? Couldn’t if they forced us to obey?” Jakhal ponders.

Slightly turning his head so his gaze can briefly face the timekeeper within the shadows behind the bar; the sweet silence and sly stare of thoughtful communication between the two beings echo within the stillness, before Yugoh answers.

“I do not know. Perhaps they have empathy somewhere inside of them. Even if fate has dedicated and planned your arrival, to aspect you all to simply comply to everything we are asking. Maybe they believe you all deserve some sort of kindness; allowing you all to return to comfort when this is over.” Yugoh believes. His uneasiness and wondering tone obviously displaying the lack of knowledge in the inner working of the timekeepers.

“If we agree to all of this. What happens to us? Like are you just going to drop us somewhere with the cloths on our backs? I am just a person! I do not know what to do here!” Saito panics. The thought of just suddenly appearing in a new world with nothing dawns on him.

“That is true, none of has anything in terms of weaponry or armour. This boy has not even become an adult yet how could we aspect him to fight some darkness?” Jakhal cold gaze lingers over Saito. His slight muscular build deters little appreciation from the Orc.

“To each of you I bestow a gift. Please take one of my treasures.” AS Yugoh finishes, he turns over a card (in which some sort of primitive crossbow but much smaller appears) before all the royal purple cards flip over, the running line of each card lifting itself into the air before quickly dropping to the counter, displaying some sort of weapon in a pale blue light over the card.

The once small flickers which once showed the entire universe, disappears and morphs into a symphony of dazzling wonders of metal. Saito could identify the medieval style of chivalrous weaponry. Others Saito could assume came from barbaric savage tribe members, each one needing some monstrous being to dictate and control the power. Others appeared more refined in appearance, images of knights with bristling great swords lingers briefly. Other more common items such as the primitive bow and arrow also appears to try and sway Saito gaze; but it still is stationary and isolated to the wall of metal.

Jakhal at once grabs a large titian of a Warhammer. The long hilt and over stretched handle become tightly woven in his palms, lifting the rough steel melded hammer with little effort. Using only one hand to carry the weapon, his idly brushing his hand to dance over the hammer itself. His inquisitive gaze inspects the weapon, lingering over every fine detail of the hammer; scrutinising every fine wonder in which the weapon must bestow.

“It’s lighter than it should be” Jakhal states. His tone riddled with absolute confidence in his assessment. Turning his gaze from the weapon to return a mordant glance to Yugoh.

“But no less effect in combat, maybe even more so then usual” Yugoh quick response. The few words back by an edging smirk.

Saito looks over to the far side of the bar counter to see Petra calmly retrieve two dual daggers with little effort. Lazily pulling the weapons from the pale blue light to pull the meta; blades free; before quickly tucking them inside her coat. He did however catch a quick glance to small vails of glass stashed away, some slightly peeping out to greet the new unfamiliar world.

Peering over the choice which floats before him; Saito could not help but think about everything that is happening to him, the blades which stand before him will be used to kill. Saito cannot help but eye how easily the two strangers have taken arms to kill something. Someone.

Yet Saito cannot help but feel the compulsive need to take something, even with no training, no knowledge, the self-preservation, and desire to have something. His instincts flare a desperate warning to grab something useful.

So, he did.

A basic sword. Light in design with a hard metal handle with woven straps to act as grip, these strap handle covered with bright velvet leathers in dashing colours. The sleek blade refined into a neat slim point with a sharp slashing edge.

Holding the blade was surreal for Saito. His hand tightly forced his finger to cling to the metal. Saito reflexively holds the blade horizontal across his body, a few swings of lifting his arm to slash across the body and trying an upward thrust. This foreign feeling of this medieval instrument felt horribly right for him. Someone who has never tried to kill anyone, now holding a blade, and knowing the reason behind it.

They are probably going somewhere dangerous. Why else would this gift be a weapon?

“You haven’t held a blade before have you Saito.” Yugoh pinpoints as he looks over, seeing his amateurish display of sword work.

“Never had too, the worst possible threat to me was my parents if I forgot my schoolwork.” Saito joked; an awkward smile plastered on his face at his admission of his own life. Now suddenly feeling quite lucky at his own world he was birthed in.

“Humph” Jakhal and Petra scoffs, turning away from then, the dismissal and clear undertone of vexation at his admission of never needing a weapon. A clear disconnect between the strangers.

“you’ll have time to learn, but to make sure you can keep up and to cause problems, ill lend you a helping hand.” Yugoh smiles, a shimmering royal purple glows from his hand as he walks over to Saito. Gripping the handle in which Saito’s hands are still holding, the purple mist floating over the blade and Saito hand; before sinking and fading into the blade and Saito.

The sudden rush flexed his mind and muscles; an extraordinary rush of something floods his body. Suddenly the blade did not feel so foreign anymore, the anxiety he once felt was overwhelmed by an excited bastion of intent drips from his emotions. Saito does not know what has happened, why his mind now drips with maliciousness; this twisted ardour was completed artificial to Saito, yet almost felt so natural to him as well.

“This blessing gave the blade the will to aid you in combat, allow for it to guide you to strike your foe. Unluck your new companions, you lack any proper experience in true combat, whilst combined they have years of insight to the art of fighting. You cannot afford to slow them down; this weapon will guide you, so follow it. Master the abilities it will grant you as you grow stronger. Do all you must to stop the darkness.” Yugoh directs.

The earlier flood of adrenalin and feverish desire started to disperse, the swelling of the drug induced state, quickly submitted to Saito body, falling into a whimper within a psychedelic haze within the far corners of his own mind. Saito inequities glanced to his weapon, a feral predatory mistrust towards the foreign blade and subsequence reaction; this blade masterfully toyed with his soul to consume him, manipulated his actions to be briefly the blades own. Saito mind ran rampant with voiceless doubt, questions quickly fluttered and rang within the confines of his own mind: For what was he going to use a sword? Before this moment, he had not really thought about it, the use of a weapon at all. He was expected to kill.

They all were.

Why did no one else seem bothered by this? Both Jakhal and Petra calm and inquisitive demeanour shows their unhindered interest and desire for this very moment; he even saw Petra twirl the two blades elegantly around her backhand. The clear familiarity she had with the weapon, her clear experience arrogantly on display.

“Unlike your new friend here, I do not have anything else to offer you. Your weapons do hold similar traits to grow. But not the inheriting guidance to aid you. I did not know his lack of experience.” Yugoh said, turning away from the silent child.

“It is apricated in any case, having a child running around with no experience is idiotic. At least he can learn what to do.” Jakhal responds, sending a glance to the boy. A sigh escaping his lips as he does so.

Yet Petra glance from the timekeeper within the lingering shadow to Yugoh crept over; stopping the blades from dancing over her hand she speaks.

“You would think that the arrival of the chosen ones you would know these sorts of things, especially when you already have spoken to us with such familiarity.” Petra calls out. Her voice edging the line of suspicion with laced cruelty wrapped within a vale of neutrality.

“Much like how I said before, the timekeepers have chosen you. If I had any prior knowledge or the slightest expectation that a child would stand before me…” Taking a breath before continuing “If I expected a child I would have probably still called if the timekeepers brought them, but the least I can do is give them the edge they need to survive.” Yugoh states, His hand now running along the bar counter, collecting each card as he went; the fine pale lights vanishing one by one as the cards re-joined the deck.

“Wait, if you did not have any prior knowledge about us, then why trust us? What have we done to gain this sort of trust from you to complete your goal?” Jakhal asks.

A sly drag of Yugoh right eye to look towards the shadow lingering behind him, facing the timekeeper with a keen glint within his hazel eyes. Jakhal follows his vision, his focused eyes stalk Yugoh vision like pray. The haunting talons closing around the unaware mouse, Jakhal sees the brief connection between timekeeper and Yugoh.

“I know only what the timekeepers tell me, only what they deem useful.” Yugoh coolly responds.

“And what does count as useful?” Petra quickly jabs; her voice leaping across the counter to drag herself into the conversation.

A drifting silence tears apart the little peace built on the loose connection between strangers, soon flickers into a haze as the silence mounts as Yugoh stays still; his eyes evenly gloss over the awaiting crowd. Yugoh ever so slightly turns away from the group to make eye contact once more with the shadow lingering behind him.

“Truthfully, the information I am given is nothing in which anyone could get from just seeing any of you. The minscule information is more a summary of the being who would stand before me.” Yugoh slowly drags out. His face stays glued to the shade behind him. Refusing to entertain the idea of facing the group in front of him when he spoke.

“Anyway, you have been with me long enough that you all most likely wish to get this all over with so you can go home. But I think its time for you all to leave, go onwards and march to your destiny!” Yugoh yells. The earlier drain on the atmosphere suddenly bounces with an artificial excitement. The cards in Yugoh hands slowly begin to float in the air, gently hovering around the three strangers. Each one suddenly realising the weight on the sentence, the frightful realisation of being truly transported into another world, the comfort of the walls and being beside them, suddenly being stripped away before they could understand anything.

“Wah.”

“Wait! No! Not yet!”

“Damn it we need more time Yugoh!”

The panic cries of the strangers subconsciously escape the lips of all three strangers. Begging and pleading. Yet the growing embers of light from the cards dispel any idea of being heard.

“I have a friend, an old one, but one you can trust. He will help you find a good starting point. Find a town called Gilley. He is waiting there for you.” Yugoh stops, reaching out a hand, three new cards, each one the same royal purple with golden fibres drift over to the group. Placing themselves on each one’s right hand, before merging with little displeasure or uneasiness from anyone. Their mind to preoccupied with their oncoming fate.

“The sign on your hand will let anyone know that you with us. Anyone who can be trusted will have this sign on them. They are now family to you; they will protect you. But do not let anyone else discover this…” A foreboding tone and warning spills over the group. A clear intent dripping from Yugoh mouth.

“Will we see you again!” Saito yells.

The light grew tremendously, filling the room with blinding haze of angelic white. The overwhelming luminescence lights litter and impair any eyes who try to remain open.

Yet Yugoh voice cuts though it all. His shift to a soft, warm voice being Saito’s soul a slighter of comfort.

“You will see me so much… You will probably start hating me…”