Thanks for reviewing guys, I promise the next duel will be the most intense by far! I have an epic plan to make it uber dramatic. You'll see. Either way enjoy reading the developments of these characters and their criss-crossing motives unfold.

10 - The Stakes Are Raised

Kaiba stood quietly in shock like everyone else as the woman in white took another breath to calm herself. She stood in the centre of the elevated duel platform amidst black burn marks and warped railings with dying incandescence. When she opened her blue eyes they fixed on the badly injured man lying on his stomach, his face still and slack. Ishizu… did she do all of this? Was all her magical mumbo jumbo not a lie? Kaiba's eyes narrowed fiercely. There was no way in hell he was handing her back the blue Egyptian god in his deck.

"Woah…" Mokuba was the first to speak up from beside his brother. "That duel was intense. Her opponent got knocked out cold! Those lightning bolts could've killed any one of us! Come to think of it…" his eyes wavered and he turned to his brother. "You think that guy's dead, Seto?"

Kaiba opened his mouth to speak but everyone stopped at the sound of grunting and wheezing. Turning they all looked at Marik who was curling over on his knees. He clutched the Millennium Rod which was glowing with increasing brightness.

Ishizu took a tentative step towards her unconscious opponent but then her head turned to stare at her brother like everyone else. In a roar of pain and fury Marik threw his head back, the symbol on his forehead and item glowed so brightly that they covered his entire body. The spectators all cried out and shielded their eyes as a pulsating wave of light illuminated the top of the blimp for all of Domino City to see.

"Someone must have hacked control of my holographic projectors somehow!" Kaiba shouted out in pain. "This can't be real!"

"I'm afraid it is real Seto Kaiba, you fool." A demonic voice answered back.

The tall teen was temporarily blinded, he blinked until Marik was visible again. The guy seemed to be radiating power, his grey hair spiking up and a new kind of evil twisting his features. His lips pulled back to reveal teeth barred in a bloodthirsty grin.

"You!" Ishizu called out from above them. "You're the one who murdered our father! Let my brother go!"

"Foolish girl! You would've served Marik better by losing to his sworn protector, Odion. Now that he's on the brink of death there's nothing keeping me from controlling my host's body."

"What is this?" Yugi swallowed back his fear while his friends looked terrified. "Ishizu what is he talking about?"

"Marik… there's a darkness inside my brother that was lying dormant…"

"Until now." Crossing his arms the dark figure eyed Yugi. "I've been feeding on his soul for over a decade, infecting him with my evil and whispering into his mind."

"Could it be…" Yugi stepped back. "There is also an evil spirit dwelling within the Millennium Rod?"

"Call me what you like." The evil figure closed his eyes gently. "Now that I'm free I'll be able to win the legendary god cards and take the Pharaoh's power for myself."

"This…" Kaiba clenched his fists. "This is all just nonsense!"

"We've got more important things to worry about bro!" Mokuba spoke up with determination. "That man up there, Odion might need some serious help. We need to lower the stadium and get our on-board doctors to him quickly!"

"Rolund!" Kaiba faced away from the others and the suited man crawled around the stadium on his hands and knees.

"Sir?" He looked terrified and was holding a handkerchief to his bleeding broken nose.

"Call the match. Odion may have been ahead in life points, but if he's unable to continue the duel then it's his loss." Kaiba waved his arm to the woman above them. "Your freak magic show doesn't amuse me, all you've managed to do is piss me off! Hacking my systems and endangering my competitors? You clowns are lucky to even be here. You don't possess any god cards, you have nothing I want, so mark my words Ishizu." They both stared each other down. "If you're who I end up facing in the semi-finals my top-notch security is going to make sure you don't mess with our duel. I'll crush you before you ever touch Obelisk again."

"You always had a way with words, rich boy…" Joey mumbled.

"Can it, Wheeler! Mokuba, go radio in the medical team. Rolund, call the damn match already!"

"Y-yes Sir." He struggled to his feet and Marik simply chuckled at them evilly. With one hand still stopping the bleeding of his face he raised his other, back in officiator-mode. "Due to Battle City rules and regulations Ishizu Ishtar is the victor of the second match of the finals!"

The stadium groaned and shifted, the cogs started whirring and the stage made its jerky way to the ground.

"Listen up dweebs! My crew will be doing a full damage inspection of my equipment and assessing Odion's medical condition, so the third match won't be able to start for another hour!" Sweeping his coat he stalked past the snickering Marik without giving him so much as a glance. "After which I expect all remaining contenders to be in the main hall and not a minute later!" Strolling to the elevator he left the party of idiots behind him.

Joey was distracted. As soon as the stage lowered itself his friends ran up to join Ishizu who was crouching beside the unconscious duellist. The blonde teen remained still, staring at the elevator as it closed and Kaiba disappeared from view. He'd been secretly admiring the other guy's level-headedness. It was just like Kaiba to remain his usual cynical and sceptical self, take charge and boss everyone around even in the face of unquestionable magic.

He wasn't embarrassed to admit to himself that he was admiring Kaiba, because on some level he always had. Apart from the fact he was a wealthy snob and a jerk most of the time, he was an incredibly powerful duellist, second in the world only to Yugi. Yugi, who hadn't lost an official match except to Joey less than an hour before.

So maybe Joey was still suffering from a bloated head, still rolling on high spirits, but that wasn't completely to blame for this feeling. Something felt different about Kaiba now. The guy had always voiced his unwavering belief that Joey was a 'deadbeat duellist', he went on and on about it unceasingly ever since Joey lost to him in Duellist Kingdom. Now something about Kaiba felt different because after battling with his own intense shock the acceptance was finally beginning to settle in for the guy. Joey felt like Kaiba was actually seeing him now, like instead of his gaze floating over him during announcements those cold blue eyes were actually resting on him, if only for a moment.

It was acknowledgement. Reaching up absent-mindedly Joey's thumb traced over his busted lip.

Kaiba got on his nerves more than anyone else. Joey absolutely hated him and it was because no one else made him feel like a failure constantly, incessantly, almost as if he was determined to embarrass him at any opportunity. Kaiba was always cool and collected, neatly pressing the right buttons to get Joey pissed off and lose it in front of everyone. Now it had all changed because the one guy Kaiba couldn't beat was defeated by the one guy he always mocked. Now that a duellist with as much admirable skill as Kaiba was admitting to himself that he was wrong, that Joey was a good duellist, all that loathing inside of the blonde teen was beginning to fade. Now he actually felt light when he thought about Kaiba, excited.

For the first time he hoped rich-boy would win a duel because Joey wanted to go against him in the next round, even more than Marik. He'd just evened his score with Yugi, so maybe he could do it with Kaiba as well.

"Joey… I've never seen your eyes sparkle like that." Serenity spoke up from beside him, startling the guy.

"Oh, ah…" He scratched the back of his shaggy hair. "I was just thinking about how pumped I am for the next round of the finals, Serenity." A wide stupid grin covered his face.

"I like it." Her eyes swelled with emotion. "You're so expressive, big brother. It feels like I can know what you're thinking just by looking at your face. I love this, being able to see you now."

Joey's eyes then connected with Mai's purple ones. She was standing half-way up the steps, pausing to look back at them. They connected for what seemed like an intimate moment before the blonde woman stepped aside so the men bearing the stretcher could get Odeon down and hurry off with him to the elevator. His skin looked badly burned along his limbs and the side of his face.

That's when Joey felt Marik step up beside him, his eyes on the heavy bald man as he was carried away. Serenity immediately stifled a gasp and cringed into her brother. Joey felt his muscles tense as he clenched his fists.

"What do you want, Marik?"

"Just to give you a warning, little Joey." Those eyes flickered up to his face. The blonde teen couldn't deny he was spooked. Something was completely different about Marik now. After they found out he'd only been pretending to be kind-hearted Namu he'd still seemed relatively normal. Freakishly disturbed yes, but that seemed so much different to how he was now. His voice was inhumanly deep and that glowing magical eye on his forehead was permanently fixed there, as if staring into Joey's soul. He tried standing his ground but felt his knees shiver. "You now possess Slifer the Sky Dragon, which the Pharaoh won from me. After I win my duel and we enter the next stage of the tournament I'll be winning it back. Better hope someone else takes that card from you, a card which you don't even know how to play. You can't fathom the power of Slifer, and if I'm the one who wins it off you your soul will suffer eternal torture within the shadow realm."

His torso started shaking with his insane laughter. Serenity trembled in fear and it felt like she was about to cry. Joey's throat was clenching up.

"Be gone, you fiend." Ishizu spoke up and they looked to see Yugi and the others at the top of the steps behind the shawled woman. "As long as the Pharaoh and I are around you won't be able to cast any soul into the darkness."

"Not until I unleash a shadow game you mean?" He snickered. "You may have no Egyptian god card sister, but going against you in the semi-finals and finally casting your soul into eternal suffering will be just as satisfying as winning one." With that his head reared back again in laughter and he whipped around, the Millennium Rod clenched close to his body as he stalked to the opposite elevator.

"That guy… is nuts." Mai finally managed to relax. "I get a feeling this tournament has become even more dangerous."

Everyone else silently agreed.

Yami Marik stalked the halls of the blimp moments later, a big venomous grin stretched across his face and eyes wide with eager bloodlust. He was finally free! Magic coursed through his body, dark energy that clawed just beneath his skin, making his whole self tingle. He craved even more energy. Yes, let my battle be next. Let me send an innocent into eternal darkness so my soul will grow blacker and my powers intensify. His tongue slipped out from between his lips and slid across his face hungrily.

From within he could feel his host's frightened soul, shaking the bars of his cage with desperation. The fool was finally contained meaning that true evil could inherit the limitless power of the Pharaoh. Odion should have been killed by the wrath of Ra. Just in case Marik was making his way to the room where he sensed various souls gathered, probably the medical wing. If Odion did wake up – which he shouldn't – the host may have enough power to fight back for control of Marik's body. He needed to devour souls and quickly, the more duellists he feeds to the darkness the stronger his powers would become.

After winning this tournament Marik should have three god cards and have sent three souls to the shadow realm, making him feel confident he'd have the strength to overpower the Pharaoh.

Turning the corner he focussed his attention on the lone soul he'd sensed waiting for him in the corridor. Bakura stood leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, a dark look in his eyes. Marik stopped and aimed his gleefully murderous stare at the thin boy with the long white hair.

"Ah Bakura, you missed quite a match."

"I gathered as much. I ended up missing quite a lot." His brown eyes gave Marik an up-down stare, taking in the changes. "You seem especially… altered, Marik."

"I'm afraid the Marik you made an agreement with is no longer here." He answered in mock-apology.

"So this wasn't a part of your plan all along?"

"His plan." The evil man corrected. "And no, I've been the one using him this whole time for my purposes. I poisoned his mind with hate and greed, expanding the negative emotions of his soul and moulding him into a man of darkness."

"I see. And how does this affect our bargain?"

"Tell you what, if you win an Egyptian god card you can challenge me to a duel and if you beat me my Millennium Rod is yours. Loser goes to the shadow realm. If you lose your first match of the finals come duel me anyway, that way I can still increase my power by sacrificing both your soul and the boy you control to darkness." Lifting his chin Marik started laughing again.

Bakura smirked.

"You know, after seeing the power of those gods I planned to double-cross Marik anyway. Doing an exchange is too docile for my tastes. A winner takes all contest is much better."

"Then I wish you the best of luck in your next duel, Bakura." Marik's eyes gleamed and he continued his way down the hall. But if you go up against me you're as good as doomed.

He turned another corner and felt his skin itching with anticipation. After taking the back-seat for so long he wanted to rampage. Seto Kaiba, you fool. I sense your god card's presence in the room ahead. Begin the next round so I can devour whoever is unlucky enough to face me! His Millennium Rod glowed with power and the entry ahead of him slid open.

Seto Kaiba, the Pharaoh and Ishizu stood in a wide room by the first hospital bed where a doctor fiddled over her patient. The three turned to him and he snickered.

"Marik…" Kaiba stated distastefully, earning only another chuckle from the evil man.

"Is this the glum stillness of a group in mourning?"

"Odion isn't dead." Ishizu informed him. "And we won't let you near him. I plan to not leave his side until he's well again."

Marik surveyed the motionless man and observed his weak life force. It was only a flicker of its former self but it continued burning stubbornly nonetheless. He was not dying but he seemed very far from conscious indeed. Was his will powerful enough to withstand the fury of an Egyptian god? Obstinate fool.

"It's a good thing your lackey lost his first duel, Marik." Kaiba stated. "Otherwise he would've been disqualified for using a fake card, which is a clear violation of my rules!"

"Kaiba that's ridiculous!" The Pharaoh spoke up. "Using fake cards aren't allowed but killing people and using dark magic is?"

"Spare me your hocus pocus nonsense! And that goes for you too, Marik. This new evil magic get-up just makes you look like a ridiculous poser playing dress-up to me. This is a card game tournament, not an acting show!"

"I'm not interested in trying to convince you of anything." Marik dipped his head. Yes, Seto Kaiba has an ancient connection to my Millennium Item so the more he denies his past the less likely he is to use its power through me.

"I'm glad to hear that. And Yugi," Kaiba turned his attention back to the smaller teen beside him. "If you losing to Joey isn't just another one of these sick jokes then I'm wiping out that blonde idiot in the next round of duels. His fluke was a disgusting freak of an occurrence, someone has to burst that new-found swelling ego of his. And then when the tournament's over I'm still going to duel you, versing you was one of the reasons I made Battle City in the first place. I refuse to accept Wheeler as the new King of Games."

Yugi's eyes wavered as Kaiba stared him down fiercely. Marik chuckled.

"I'll be the one to duel the Pharaoh and take his puzzle after winning all three god cards. That is, if I'm not strong enough to simply overpower him with my magic by then." He crossed his arms and his chest shook with laughter. "I'm quite impatient to figure out who I'll be duelling. I didn't finally break free of my mental prison just for further waiting. So who do I verse? Let's see…" His eyes narrowed. "It's either the spirit of the Millennium Ring, that other woman… or you, Seto Kaiba."

"You'll have to learn to be patient, Marik!" Kaiba snapped, losing control of his temper again. "I have a lot on my plate at the moment and I refuse to waste more time speaking to the likes of you three. The patient is stable, for the moment. Now I need to work on upping my security so no more freak accidents can interfere with these duels. Excuse me." Kaiba went to shove past Marik and he stepped aside, still grinning wickedly.

When he returned his stare to the other two they were both glaring at him.

"I've explained everything to the Pharaoh." Ishizu declared. "I'm joining forces with him and his friends to take you down and rescue my brother."

"Good luck with that." He spoke with a sarcastic wink. Turning away from them he left down the corridor in the opposite direction of Kaiba, leaving them in the wake of his manic laughter.

Who will verse who? I know! But you guys probably don't :P I've received some pretty nice compliments. Supposedly everyone's in character and the duels are entertaining enough to be featured on the anime. I'm glad! Please keep up the feedback. I love reading and re-reading what you say, who you think will verse who and what will happen etc.