Zypher: New story alert! New story alert! Anyways, I was just skimming over the Internet when I found this picture done by my favorite artist/authoress and like a hammer being smashed onto my head (which I'm glad doesn't hurt truly) this idea popped up. So without further ado, here my newest story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or anything that may resemble something in the story Aftermath. If part of my story does happen to resemble some part of it them I apologize for I did my best to keep it from sounding the same.

Prologue: Every person's fear is a fear of a legend coming to life. When a selfish man conducts a ritual of darkness to bring back two demonic creatures from the dead, they become more of a problem than he realized and couldn't control them. Now loose in the world and greedy for a kill, they start to slowly destroy the world. But when they came to the quaint little city of Domino, something else caught their attention. With people on full alert, this particular person is being protected.

Will they succeed in getting the small child that they happen to want or get killed by those that fruitlessly try to kill the hungry and lust-gaining demons.

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Ritual of Darkness

Chapter 1

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"Soon, the dark ritual shall be complete, all we need now is the sacrifice." The man spoke and looked as two people dragged in a girl. She was around her teenage years and was struggling in the other two men's grip. "Let go of me! Do you not know of the danger to conducting this ritual?" she screamed. "I do not care of such. I only care for the power I shall receive by releasing these two spirits." The man answered as the other two strapped her onto the ritual table so she wouldn't escape.

"Let go of me!" she yelled but choked when one of the men slit her throat. The first man started to chant silently, gradually getting louder until the temple they were in became shrouded in shadows. A snarl was heard and the three men watched as a large claw came and ripped the girl from the table and back into the shadows, feasting until it was full and threw the remains back in front of the men. "Who dares awaken us from our eternal sleep?" A cold voice spoke as gleaming cerise eyes shone through the thick layers of shadows. The first man stepped up and looked into the shadowed demon's eyes.

"I have. I have awakened you for mass power. I want to rule the world and I thought it was impossible until I found a legend that told me of two demonic spirits that were strong in power and can control the world with a simple command. Are you one of them?" he spoke with calmness that annoyed the demon before him.

"Yes, I am one but why do you summon us for such purposes? There was a reason why we weren't allowed to be awakened again as you shall soon find out." The demon hissed, narrowing his eyes as the other demon came up behind the other two men and with a yell, they were dragged into the darkness. "We were bound to this place because we almost destroyed the world once before but now that you have done so, you have brought the world's fate to its end once again." The first demon spoke and the man looked back to see the other demon.

He was larger than the man for sure. Cold crimson, catlike eyes staring him down with an insatiable hunger. He could hear the faint sound of blood dripping from his jaws that held one of his men, ripped to shreds by sharpened fangs and claws. Black spikes lined his spine, crusted blood still on them from when he killed many using them as his weapon of choice if it wasn't slashing into frail bodies with his claws. Said claws scratched at the ground, leaving deep abrasions in the limestone floor of the temple.

He threw away the remains and listened as it made a dull thud on the wall, blood trailing down from the spot where the mutilated body hit. "Now, what are we going to do with you?" The same demon questioned as he walked around the man before grabbing him in a crushing grip with his tail.

"Should we devour you or should we let you leave? Your answer will depend on you. What has happened in the world of mortals ever since our departure?" The man explained to them of all the changes that happened in the world. Or at least what he knew. That didn't satisfy them at all. After killing and devouring him, they took the form of a normal man and humanoid dragon and left the temple, glad to be out of the darkness they once lived.

"Now, time to explore the new world and kill anything that dares try to stop us from our fun."

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A few years later did the news of the two bloodthirsty demons spread around the world, striking fear into the hearts of all. People did their best to protect themselves from such a threat but everything they did was in vain. The two demons devoured when they were hungry and killed others for fun, leaving destruction in their wake. But what the people truly didn't know is that that they want more that to destroy the world.

For as long as they have stayed in the darkness, they wished for a person, not just any person, but someone that will give then what they want. They want someone that they could express their feelings to but ever since they were first released, they never found anyone along those lines. They were love-deprived demons with a wish and were willing to take anyone that looks enticing to them.

But no one dared to show themselves when they come. All women and children hide in their homes while fathers, husbands and other men leave to battle them. But they get the same results as others before them. Dead and mutilated bodies strewn, blood coating streets, plains, small streams and rivers becoming red with the life-giving fluid. No one knew what to do but one boy may change it all.

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"So, this is Domino." The first demon turned man spoke. "Yes, that what I last heard from a woman that gave us directions before I killed her. What should we do here, Yami?" The other questioned. "I believe there could be something surprising here. Let's take a short walk through town and if nothing resembles what we want, then we devour everything here and destroy the place, Aqua. Same routine." The first demon now known as Yami said and Aqua nodded as they headed into the city.

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Yugi sat inside the game shop, listening to the news that his grandfather was watching. Ever since the ritual of darkness was conducted and the two demons were released to wreak havoc upon the world, Sugoroku was more cautious and kept Yugi inside. His friends visit often but they could never stay long because of the new curfew that was placed so no one would be killed if the demons happen to show up in Domino.

He looked up when he heard the door open and smiled as his friends came in. Diamond looked to him. "Hey, Yugi, do you still happen to have that spare room left?" Diamond asked. He nodded. "Yeah, why?" he asked, seeing as their happy mood left just as quick as it appeared. "Our dad was killed by the demons. They're here and they are looking for someone. We don't know who but we need to stay somewhere safe or else we could be next since they saw us before we ran."

Yugi gasped and got up quickly, running into the living room to tell his grandfather. Sugoroku told everyone to head up to Yugi's room while he blocked the door so the demons would believe the place was run down and abandoned. After he was done with his task, it was already night and he was about to leave to head upstairs as well when he heard something at the door. He listened quietly but was too late as a large dragon head burst though the blocked doorway, roaring as grabbed him by the upper body, dragging him back outside before he could react.

From upstairs, they heard the crash since it disturbed the peace of the little group and they were worried. "Do you think something happened?" Yugi asked. "I don't know but I'm gonna find out." Jounouchi answered as he stood. "Not without us you're not. We need to stick together or else we're going to go down one by one by those hungry demons." Diamond said and he nodded. They left the room silently and snuck down the stairs just in case the demons were somewhere in the game shop. When they reached the bottom step, Yugi had to cover his mouth from screaming. His grandfather lied on the ground, or at least what was left of him. The upper half of his body was missing, completely chewed off and blood soaked the floor.

"Gods, what happened?" Kaiser asked. "It's obvious. The demons are here somewhere and if we don't get outta here, we either gonna become an after-dinner snack or a bed mate and I'm not takin' either of those options."

"I agree with Jounouchi on this. Yugi, go pack up some things and hurry. Those demons could find us soon if we don't get out of here." Diamond whispered. He nodded and ran back up to his room.

Unfortunately, the demons were watching from the shadows and one had their eye on Yugi. 'Ah, such a perfect little child. But with those friends around knowing about us, it will become a problem with capturing him. But we can lose him, not after so long of waiting and searching for someone like him.' Yami thought as he slipped away from Aqua's side and headed up to the room through the shadows.

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Yugi was almost done with packing his things and was about to leave the room when he saw something unusual. 'Is it me or does the shadows by my door look bigger?' Yugi wondered. He didn't worry about it anymore and was about to leave out but he jumped back when that strange shadow opened piercing cerise eyes and looked to him. He continued to back away as the shadow became one of the demons that everyone feared. Yami looked down to him with soft, caring eyes which was a dramatic changed to the blood lust filled ones. "Do not be afraid, I won't hurt you." Yami whispered but Yugi continued to stay away. "Keep away from me! I don't want to be your next meal!" he cried out and that caught his friends' attention.

"Yugi!" Diamond cried and they all ran upstairs. They gotten to the door but Yami's huge body blocked the way in. "I bet you a demon's in there. How are we gonna save Yugi?" Jounouchi asked. "I don't know but I really hope Yugi can think of a better plan." Diamond whispered as they tried to get the door open.

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Yugi stayed in his place, hoping to not invoke the demon into attacking him but Yami tried everything to keep the boy from being so terrified of him. He and Aqua heard of every report the people have made about them and they weren't pleasant to hear about but they were true. 'I bet he heard every one of them, that's why he fears me.' Yami thought sadly. 'But it was for a reason. These people make me angry. They think we enjoy being trapped in a dark tomb with no one there to love or hold close. We lost our feeling of love that day and now, this boy. This young child of purity has brought it back...but I need him to trust me and know that I will not hurt him.' Yami thought as he walked closer to him, unaware of Yugi's friends trying to open the door.

Yugi whimpered in fear but looked up when the demon touched his shoulder. "Please, I don't want you to fear me. Yes, everything you hear on TV and the radio is true because Aqua and I always thought we will never find the person that will bring the feeling of love back into our dark hearts. But you have done so for me at first glance, little one. Please, I'm begging you not to fear me." Yami pleaded quietly and Yugi looked to him.

Before he could respond though, Diamond ran inside and grabbed him. "Keep away, demon. He is not your next target." she growled as she unfurled her wings and flew out the room before Yami had time to react and catch them. Jounouchi and the others followed behind her and out the door. Aqua was about to make a move before they could escape but Yami told him to stay telepathically. He walked downstairs and looked to Aqua. "Why did you stop me, Yami? They would have made a good meal."

"I know they would've but didn't you see the boy in the girl's arms?" Yami asked and he nodded. "He's the one we have been waiting for but he fears us because of what we are. We need his trust in order to get what we want." he continued as he looked down to his deformed body and sighed.

Ribs were showing through his black and scaly yet strong skin; his black heart beating slowly but surely. Claws as sharp as the sharpest knife while a tail that could break someone spine in an instant rested behind him. Black demonic wings as large as sixteen feet and strong to let him carry heavy objects from one place to another; sharp and strong fangs that can break through the strongest diamond and slice through solid rock; a very large digestive system that no one will know of unless eaten alive or can capture him to be examine which was not possible; sensitive ears to hear the slightest noise and last but not least, cold crimson eyes that could see a worthy meal miles away and will those to his every whim.

With these makes him a powerful enemy and a nightmare to all but he didn't want those that were worthy of his time to fear him, especially Yugi. 'But how can we gain his trust to get the love we so much deserve?' Yami thought as he unfurled his wings and told Aqua they were leaving for the night. 'But we will find you again little one and hopefully, you will not be afraid of us so much as to run away again.' He thought once more as they left the now abandoned game shop, Sugoroku's decapitated body lying on the ground still, the blood cold and spirit gone from the world and to never return.

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Zypher: That's all for chapter 1, hope you will like this new story and review.