Yami Yugi

He came into the camp atop a giant armored black warhorse. The chaffron on its head had a golden horn to make it look like a unicorn, giving the steed both a beautiful and rather menacing look. When the Black Luster Soldiers and Buster Bladers saw him, they stopped and knelt down in respect. Regular soldiers held up their arms and cheered for the return of the great hero. He held up his hand modestly, for he did not wish to bask in their admiration. Nevertheless, Yami Yugi kept a bold smile on his face to show he was thankful for their support. His warhorse's hooves stamped loudly against the mud along with the clanging and jingling of the ebony armor it wore.

"What's there to celebrate?" Yugi Muto said, hovering over his alter ego's shoulder in spectral form.

"What's there to be sad about?" Yami asked. "Bakura is gone but Anubis is vanquished. Bakura has no leader anymore."

"That doesn't make him any less dangerous," said Yugi. "Bakura has great power, too. He could be the next Dark Lord if we just let him get away."

"Yugi, look around you. Everyone is tired. Many have lost friends tonight. Despite this, they have hope lighting their hearts. Please, spare us any talk of Dark Lords. Let them enjoy this moment of peace. When the time comes, we'll find Bakura. He still must answer for what he did to Luthia and Gabriel."

Yugi bit his lip. Every muscle on his face twitched, trying to keep him from crying.

"I am sorry for your loss, Yugi. Gabriel was beginning to realize who I really was. Luthia as well. I swear on their graves that when we settle things with the child, we will seek our revenge."

"Right!" Yugi said with a nod. "Uh oh. What's he doing here?"

Yami approached the baby's tent but halted once he saw Antilles walk out of it. He removed his hood and glared at the king from atop his horse. He dismounted and gave a nearby stable boy the reins so he could take the horse. Both rider and mount were exhausted, for they had been traversing the forests for hours looking for Bakura, who was nowhere to be seen. Yugi and Yami's friends came running out of the tent.

Joey 'accidentally' bumped shoulders with Antilles on his way out, but the King did not move. He just stood there and watched as Serenity gave Yami a drink from her flask, magically enchanted with a clever spell to keep it from warming up.

Yami shivered at the graceful briskness that went down his throat. The taste of the water was sweet and it seemed to give him the strength to fight a grizzly bear. He thanked her for the elixir and asked for any news regarding the baby.

There was thankfully nothing to report, other than the fact that he was sleeping in his crib and was on constant watch. But then there was Antilles. What was he doing here? And why were his forces so late to the battle?

Yami had known Antilles long enough to know he purposely arrived late on the battlefield, a bad habit born as a result of his showmanship. Antilles oftentimes waited for his allies to be brought to the brink of defeat so that he and the dragonknights would ride out at the last moment and steal all the glory.

Yami had hoped the arrogant king would have known better on a night such as this, but Yami had no one to blame for himself for expecting so much from a man like King Antilles. He wanted nothing more than to bring Antilles to a tent and interrogate him for this outrage. Upon hearing about what the Silver Paladins and the Black Luster Soldiers had to deal with earlier, he supposed it made little difference if he had shown up or not.

"So good of you to join us, Antilles," Yami said. His voice was deep and regal.

Antilles disapproved of his tone and merely stood tall. "Forgive me, but the road here was most unfavorable. One of the volcanoes in the Red Aegis erupted, forcing us to march another direction — for miles and miles. And then this blasted rain."

He looked up at the sky. "Thankfully it has let up. But from what I gather, my services were not needed here. Not if what I heard about the boy is true. He summoned a God Card?"

"Yes, that is true," said Yami. "The boy summoned a God Card. The one you claimed to have summoned years ago. It seems they have had a change of heart, don't you think?"

Antilles agreed to that reluctantly. "I suppose they have. What is the meaning of all this? Karad-Antha. Who did you have to occupy it? The Celtra?"

Yugi and his friends stayed quiet.

"I thought so. Just what did you lot hope to accomplish by hiding her here?"

Yami shook his head and said: "I will not discuss something like that in this place."

"Perhaps my tent will be more suitable?"

"Yugi," Serenity said, slowly stepping by his hide. "No. Don't tell him anything. I don't trust him."

"Serenity, enough. I must tell him about the Celtra. He's one of the Kings of Termnnia after all; he has every right to know. Where is your tent, Antilles?"

"This way," Antilles said, jerking his head to the western side of the field. "Don't spare me any details, Yugi. Tell me everything."