Hey everyone! Glad you liked the last chapter! Here's the next one!

\Disclaimer: YuGiOh GX is not mine, plain and simple.

Claimer: This story, plot, title, and all OCs ARE mine.

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"Ahh, after a day of doing nothing but walking, this feels nice," Hassleberry said as he leaned back against a log. The gang was surrounding a fire, relaxing. The kids were also relaxing, except Akaria and Jesse. They were tense staring at the fire. The village leader had tended to Akaria and everyone in the village was surprised when they found out that Akaria received her wounds from Scarr.

"Would you like some stew?" a polite village woman asked Jesse, holding out a bowl. Jesse smiled at her and took the bowl.

"Thank you," Jesse said. The woman smiled kindly at him and handed another bowl to Akaria, who took it mechanically with a quick thank you. More villagers were handing out bowls to the rest of the party.

"So, is there anything you kids want to know?" the village leader asked as he lowered himself slowly to the log next to Jesse. Jesse looked at him.

"What makes you think we want to know anything?" Jesse asked. The leader smiled at him. His hand curled around the top of his cane slightly before he set it down on the ground.

"The way you and the female over there are staring at the fire. You're both trying to come up with a plan to get into the castle and maybe some of my knowledge can help you. I don't feel comfortable sending a pack of kids as young as you on a suicide mission," the leader said with a frown. Justin looked at him.

"Relax gramps, we can totally handle whatever that chick Yubel can throw at us," Justin said, slurping his stew some. Emma and Keith both hit Justin.

"Ignore him," Akaria said, setting down her untouched bowl of stew. She turned her head and looked at the elder. "Tell us everything you know about the castle and we'll just go from there," Akaria said. The elder nodded and resituated himself on the log.

"Alright, to begin, that castle is on a completely separate portion of this land and the only way to reach it is by going over a rope bridge," the elder began. Justin snorted.

"A rickety old rope bridge, how original. Now you're going to be telling us we'll be running into the Scooby Gang while we're in the castle," Justin said.

"Someone duct tape his mouth, please," Jesse said. Keith tied Justin's mouth shut with a strip of leather on his uniform. Justin gagged and reached up to untie the leather but decided against it, knowing that he couldn't keep himself from saying comments like that.

"Please continue," Emma said, smiling politely at the elder. He smiled at her.

"Well, once across the bridge, I'm not entirely sure but those who have gone to the castle and survived, which mind you have been few and far between, say that it's like a labyrinth within those walls," the elder said.

"A labyrinth?" Aster questioned. The elder nodded and looked toward the dark sky.

"Yes, but that isn't all I've heard about that castle," the elder said.

"What else could you have possibly heard?" Alexis wanted to know.

"Many have said that Yubel isn't the one who is truly in control of that castle but that there is a dark force pulling her strings, ordering her around," the elder said. Everyone looked at the elder in shock.

"Someone is ordering Yubel around?" Bastion gasped. The elder nodded his face grim. Jesse and Akaria looked at each other over the elder's head.

"Who would be ordering Yubel around?" Syrus asked not really wanting to know the answer. The elder shook his head.

"A dark being of legend whose name is a taboo in this village. Just know even the darkness quakes in fear at his power," the man said. The fire crackled loudly, sending embers dancing on the ground.

"Darkness quakes…at the beings power?" Blair stammered slowly. The elder shook his head.

"Not at his power, at his name," the elder whispered. Now the fire sparked loudly, causing the gang to jump in shock.

"God," Hassleberry breathed as he pounded against his chest.

"Is there anything else?" Jesse asked, unfazed by everything. The elder nodded.

"Just one more thing, Yubel and the being who controls her have the power of position, so be careful when fighting them," the elder warned.

"Don't worry, we're always careful," Keith assured the elder. He removed the strip of leather hearing that the discussion was almost over. The elder pursed his lips and nodded.

"What's the plan, Jesse?" Akaria asked. Jesse looked around the fire at everyone and then down at the bowl in his hands. He rotated the bowl, stirring the stew until it teased the rim of the bowl. When the stew hit Jesse's fingers, now cold for being untouched for so long, Jesse set it on the ground and leaned both arms on his knees. Then he looked up at everyone and said:

"We go to the castle at dawn."

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Yay, another chapter done, though it's super short! Goman!

Please review!

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