A Duelist Journey

Chapter 3

Last time on Yugioh.

A card "Trial of the First Guardian" it shows an icy mountain. When she hugs me and calls me brother I feel my puzzle's magic swell. She steps away and spins

"Yugioh," I call out and I feel the spirit rise.

I reach out and manage to grab Mikki's hand.

"Pegasus, he said I had to get through the trials to free their spirits and claim their cards. Then I could find my family," MIkki says

"Mikki who are you really,"

"Pegasus found me a few years back. He's been kind of like a dad but his antics are more like a weird uncle. He payed for school and would even watch cartoons with me when I was sick. He would ask me about how I thought I survived," she takes a breath.

"I kept seeing 3 different spirits, a white griffin, an eagle with lightning in its wings and a crimson dragon. I called them Chatori of the Freezing Ice, Shakirion of the Striking Storm and Barackniph of the Raging Inferno. Pegasus seemed fascinated by the idea of them. Like maybe they could be of use somehow. Instead of just drawing them and giving me the cards he said that for cards like these the right spirit was needed,"

Mikki's monster floats in front of us.

"Come forth, Obnoxious Celtic Guardian,"

What walks around the corner causes us both to start. A purple penguin in armor comes out. When it sees us it starts to panic. It turns back and yells "I found them."

I am about to send my monster forward when Mikki calls out "Wait! Penguin Soldier?"

It waddles over and puts its sword in the ground, "I bow to the Free Seeker and her brother."

"Wait, Seeker?!," Mikki asks.

"Yes do you not Seek to Free the Wise Griffon Chatori, the Agile Storm Eagle Shakirion, the Fierce Dragon Barackniph, the Gentle Weaver Taranta and the Stalwart Turle Theracian," the little armored penguin asks.

"Y.yes I am but you aren't you the Penguin Soldier from my deck, are you," Mikki asks.

"Yes, I am," the monster beams, "I am happy to be one of the monsters in your deck."

Mikki frowns and lurches forward to hug the monster. She cries gently into its feathers. It hits me that she really does love her monsters. The ancient voice inside me urges me to be careful so I keep Celtic Guardian out.

"I'm so sorry for putting you all through that," Mikki says through the tears.

"I.it.it's nothing. You are the Free Seeker and you will free the Guardians. It is the least we can do. Come I must get you to the kings," Penguin Soldier stutters.

I smile and put a hand on her shoulder.  She smiles up at me and wipes the tears away. I help her stand and she nods at the penguin.

"Ok, lead the way Penguin Soldier," Mikki says.

"So Mikki, who do you think these kings are," I ask.

"Well if they are the ones from my deck it is at least Fairy King Truesdale, Vampire King and maybe Pump King the King of ghosts. I think Nightmare Penguin might qualify as the king of penguins," Mikki says pulling her deck as she walks.

The wind blows hard and cuts through the clothes we were wearing. Mikki's Fire Witch hovers closer by providing a bit of warmth with balls of flame.  Penguin soldier leads us into a crack in an ice wall. We travel deeper with both of us on guard. Penguin Soldier keeps going happily. Suddenly we come to a space that is filled with bright light.