I told you I would be back, lol. Thank you to all who have been following. I know the last update had been a surprise to see this is active again, but like I said, I hope to continue on from here so we can bring everything to a conclusion soon enough.

Now, Yu-Gi-Oh! and it's characters are not mine, I do not claim them. I DO, however, have all rights to Aurora and her friends.

The tears seemed to fall endlessly from his eyes as Yami continued to grieve for Yugi. No matter what had just transpired, he still struggled with the emotions raging inside of him. He still struggled to forgive himself. He saw it in his Other Half's eyes, but he still could not truly feel it. After everything Yugi had ever done for him, taught him, and still he betrayed his partner.

"It's not fair," he murmured as a breeze circled around him. "It's not fair! If it weren't for me, you would still be here! It's not fair! Yugi!" He shook his head angrily and struck a fist on the ground. "You have always been the true duelist, Yugi. You were the one with the true courage. I should be the one locked away, not you! I played that evil card. Everyone tried to warn me and I wouldn't listen. Even YOU knew, Yugi, and I still didn't listen... I broke a promise I made to you so long ago at Duelist Kingdom. I belong in that prison of Death, not you!"

Yami paused a moment and looked up at the sky. "I promise you, Yugi, I will defeat our enemies. I will find a way to release you. I will bring you home!"

"So it would seem the Pharaoh did survive the crash," Dartz murmured thoughtfully as he stared at his viewing screen. A satellite above the sacred valley gave him the perfect view of everything that could be seen, including Rafael standing on a clifftop silently staring down at the Pharaoh.

"I did tell you that my own enemy would not dare to see him harmed." Lord Theron's voice held the smug tone he barely kept out of his cold silver eyes as he lounged against the wall behind Dartz.

Dartz frowned and his eyes slid sideways in a deathly glare. "She and her friends are trouble-some just as you said they would be. But that will not stop me from my plan. We will succeed." He turned back to the screen and uttered a command for Rafael to stop moving when he noticed his lackey about to jump down from the cliff. "Have you forgotten where you are, Rafael? The spirits of that land will capture you if you continue below."

"Then how shall I proceed, Master Dartz?"

Before Dartz could speak, Lord Theron's smooth tone broke through. "Cast your crystal into the ruins. Watch what happens." A cruel smile curved Theron's lips as Dartz spun in his chair again to face him.

Rafael hesitated a moment before nodding and doing as he was told. Theron began a murmured chant the moment the crystal struck the land. Dartz watched him until he realized Theron was calling up an ancient Soldier to do their bidding in the land of the Souls. An Orichalcos Soldier. He grins as he picks up the chant himself. Together, they would bring about what they felt would bring them the victory they needed most.

Aurora's eyes snapped open as lightning flashed all around them. Téa let out a cry as the ground began to shake. Trying to pass it off as an Earthquake, Aurora knew better. Her suspicions only strengthened when Ironheart confided that what was going on was far more sinister. She heard a deafening crack and watched as the ground in front of Yami split open. Tendrils of black vaporous smoke rose from the ground, almost forcing the land to split more as the creature began to appear. A creature covered in gray armor, it's eyes red and the Seal visible upon it's forehead.

"Be careful Pharaoh!" Ironheart shouted down to him. This creature is far more dangerous than anything you have faced yet!"

The creature let out a roar and readied itself for a Duel Match against Yami. The air around them was thick with pressure. Lightning continued to flash around them as the swirling souls began to whisper. Yami spun around, trying to catch a single phrase from all that was being said. It was Ironheart, who once again, captured Yami's attention.

"Close your eyes Pharaoh! Close your eyes and see the truth!"

"What am I meant to see?" Yami shouted back, taking a step back away from the creature.

"The past-"

Yami frowned thoughtfully over Ironheart's answer before closing his eyes. He is startled when a vision appears on the black side of his eyelids. Hundreds of soldiers similar to the one facing him currently stood in a line against a defense of ancients. He found himself sliding his amazed look from the Soldiers to the mass of duel monsters that stood against the soldiers. The Pure of Heart verses those ruled by darkness, just as Rafael had once spoken of. He took a breath, meaning to open his eyes when he caught sight of familiar faces in the Duel Monster crowd. He found himself staring at the images of Chris and Ironheart.

"Ironheart?"

"Yes, I was there, Pharaoh," Ironheart admitted. "I once faced this soldier and his army in the great battle to save Atlantis. In fact," Ironheart continued idly. "This is the same spot in which we made our last stand against him and Lord Dartz."

There was another flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder as the clouds took on an ominous shade of green. As everyone looked, the Seal appeared from the clouds and began to descend upon the Sacred Valley once again. Yami spun to face the soldier as he found himself trapped once more within the rules of the Seal.

"So this is how it is to play out," Yami growled at the Soldier. "So be it!"

A monster burst from the ground in front of the soldier, gaining more strength from the Seal as it begins the attack on Yami. The Pharaoh dodged it and rolled across the ground, looking up just as the Monster began another attack. He closed his eyes a moment waiting for the blow to land. When he never felt the force of the attack, he opened his eyes again to see the spirits of the valley had formed a protective barrier in front of him to fend off the attack.

"Pharaoh! The spirits of Atlantis are here to protect you. But they cannot act alone! You must summon your own monsters against the soldier and the spirits will be able to help you more!"

Yami was not sure how they could help him but stared in awe as the spirits seemed to infiltrate his duel disk and into his deck. He activates the Disk and draws his cards. He shows Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts and Berfomet before using Polymerization to form his Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast. He shouts his attack and Chimera strikes, destroying the Soldier's Monster. To the horror of all watching, the Soldier's Gigas returns and with greater Power. The Pharaoh orders Chimera to attack again taking the Soldier's life points down to 2100. Once again, the Gigas rises, and once more Chimera attacks, but unfortunately no matter what was done, the Gigas always returned with a stronger rise of Power. Yami tries to useFissure in an attempt to stop it, but finds it to return with such an attack force that it destroys Chimera and brings the Pharoah's life points to 3700.

Determined to find a way around the soldier's tactic, Yami uses Chimera's effect and returns Gazelle to the field. Without hesitation, Gigas attacks Gazelle only to be met with Yami's Mirror Force trap. With the monster's rise this time, Yami shook his head.

"It's unreal," he muttered, trying to get his thoughts about him. "Magic and trap cards are useless against it." He cried out as he was blown back by the force of Gigas attack on Gazelle, destroying it as he struck the ground and his life points dropped to 2300.

Yami saw Gigas raise to make another attack on his person and drew another card, summoning Obnoxious Celtic Guardian to protect him. He lost all but 800 life points, but his Guardian was spared in that attack. There was another rumble of thunder and another attack in which Celtic Guardian managed to evade.

"I can't keep this up," Yami gasped as he climbed to his feet again. "One more attack and I am done!"

"No!" Téa shouted as she watched the battle continue. "He can't lose, he just can't!"

"There is but one thing that can save him now," Ironheart said to her as he continued to watch the scene play out below them. He looked down as he drew a card out of his robes. "He gave this to me back at the camp."

Aurora peered closer at the card he held in his and; the Eye of Timaeus. She looked up at him questioningly.

Sensing her question, Ironheart answered before she spoke. "This creature is the one that fought by my side so long ago. It is time for him to fight again."

Before Aurora could react, Ironheart lept from the cliff and raced toward Yami. His lips made a plea that she could not hear as he continued to run. Yami seemed frozen in the moment, his eyes open wide. He is snapped back to the present as Gigas smashes a fist into the ground in front of him and Celtic Guardian and he returns his mind to the fight. Ironheart continues to run, fighting off the evil spirits as he does so.

Aurora became entranced by the scene taking place and she almost missed the flurry of clothes and fur as Chris hopped on top ofSky and raced down after her Grandfather. As she watches, Sky seems to transform into a fiercer looking wolf, taking out evil spirits as it ran by, gaining speed in an attempt to reach Ironheart.

"Pharaoh!"

Yami spun around to face Ironheart as he called out.

"Pharaoh, you must take the card! It will help you, it's your only chance! Take the card!" Ironheart's plea is cut short and changed into a shriek of pain as a strike of lightning stretches from the sky, striking him down.

"Ironheart!" Yami shouted trying to race toward the older man. He found himself stuck at the Seal's barrier. He struck the barrier with his fists. "Ironheart!"

He watched as Chris reached her grandfather. She nodded to him and accepted the card he was trying to get to Yami. Tears flowed down her face as her Grandfather faded from sight and she turned to honor his last request.

"No, Chris! Stay back!" Yami shouted to her, desperate to keep her from getting hurt. His plea once more cut sort as Gigas attacks again. Knowing that Celtic Guardian could not take another strike, Yami called forth Kuriboh and Multiply in order to absorb the attack.

Yami heard a cry from behind him and he turned in time to see Sky fading from another strike of lightning. Chris struggled to stand and began to run again. Lightning struck all around her as she tried to honor her grandfather's will. Her eyes shot wide open as another strike managed to find her just as she reached the Seal.

"Chris!"

"Take the card Pharaoh!" Chris cried out, her hand falling forward through the Seal with a card clenched in her fist. "You're our last hope. This saved our people once. With your help, it can save us all again."

"Chris, no!" Yami's fingers barely grasped the card before Chris's figure faded from sight. His eyes squeezed shut, tears slid from under his eyelashes. He drew a breath and spun around to face the Soldier and his Gigas. Looking down at the card Chris had given him, he realized what he needed to do.

"Timaeus, I am truly sorry for betraying you as I had done. I only hope that for this you can deem me worthy of your Power once again. This is not just my fight anymore. Yugi, Chris, Ironheart, everyone you can see and not see, those who support us... there are so many who need us. I won't get lost anymore. The Power you allow me will be only used to protect everyone." He looked up at the Soldier, hoping his prayer was heard.

"I sacrifice Celtic Guardian to summon Dark Magician Girl! I also summon Eye of Timaeus and fuse them to create Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight! Now, along with my Excalibur magic Card which increases my Dragon Knight's attack to 5200, I will attack your Gigas and end this duel!"

Aurora and Téa ducked and shielded their eyes from the massive explosion that filled the entire Valley as Gigas and the Soldier were destroyed in the attack and the Seal broken. The smoke began to clear and Yami dropped his arm, seeing the images of Timaeus and Dark Magician Girl in front of him.

"Thank you, for helping me. This is just the beginning of the end now. I ask that you please continue to work with me to see this evil does not win on this world." The two monsters looked at each other before looking to Yami and giving him a nod. Then in a flash of bright light, they disappeared into his deck once more. A small, grateful smile curved Yami's lips before he turned back to look up at Aurora and Téa and waved.

Dartz snarled at the destruction of his Soldier and spun on Theron. "It failed."

"It isn't over," Theron returned coolly. "The battle just got interesting."

"I don't want interesting, I want victory!"

"And you shall have it. But in the meantime, the Great Beast is continuing to collect souls it needs to rise. It will not be long now and you will see."

"You had better be right, Theron."

Lord Theron's eyes flashed. "You forget who had this Beast before you came into possession of it. He did wonders for my victory and he will do the same for yours."

"Your victory, bah!" Dartz shook his head. "Your enemies landed here on this world and are now a thorn in my side."

"But their own world was conquered. It is still a victory."

Dartz narrowed his eyes. "An answer for everything."

"Yes, sir, I do have one. Now if you excuse me, I must ready for the next step in our plan." Theron lifted himself away from the wall he had been lounged against and turned to leave as Dartz's cold eyes stared after him. Dartz never saw the cruel smile that remained on Theron's lips as he walked away.

Yami, rejoined Aurora and Téa back on the path and they stopped at a small stone carving. Téa held a small handful of flowers and she knelt down, her fingers playing over the carving that looked like Chris, Sky, and Ironheart.

"Do you really think this carving is from ten thousand years ago?"

"Yes, I do," Yami answered.

"So what were they? Where they ghosts?"

"No," Aurora responded quietly. "They were spirits who once fought a great war against a great being. Now they are prisoners of the Evil."

"Now I have three more reasons to hunt down Dartz and his minions. I have to bring peace back to the world once again." He stared down at the carving, watching as Téa placed her flowers near it. "I won't forget them or what they taught me. Their will is now mine. I won't stop until they are free to be at peace."

And suddenly I am left with a vision of Dartz and a bunch of little yellow minions, lol.

Off to get the next update ^_^