Kinakao: Hello, Hello! Welcome back to Konnichiwa, Sayonara!

Daida: We have two people kidnapped, and all you can say is hello?

Kinakao: Well, one of them you torture on a daily basis…

Bree: Come on, I'll do the intro! Kinakao doesn't own YuGiOh or any of its characters or places. She does own all of the Guardians, the dark tower, Dardanos, Shara….is that everyone?

Cleo: I think so…

Bree: So, let's get this shindig going!

A/N: I had this chapter reviewed by my friend and wonderful beta Apherion. She is the reason you all are able to get this chapter one time.

Enjoy!

…

Chapter 20: The Battle Within

It was that lukewarm darkness again, something I had grown so familiar with in this world. I could feel my back against a solid surface, alerting me to my new place. Closed lids fluttering open, I found myself in the middle of my soul room. It seemed different than before, almost distorted. Darkened walls sucked the light and warmth from the area. I slowly rose to my feet, my eyes scanning for anyone else. "Hope?" I called. My only answer was the creaking of the door, making me nearly jump out of my skin as I twirled to face it. Tiptoeing my way to it, I stuck my head out into the hallway. There, the adjacent room that had once been covered in chains was now free from its bonds. It rested slightly ajar, almost inviting me in. I stepped towards it, reaching out to press my way further in. There, I was greeted by a blinding golden light, causing me to recoil back into a wall, my eyes shutting tightly.

As I felt the glow ebb away, my eyes opened to a new scene entirely. I was in a dark room, with only a little moonlight floating in from a high window. A groan escaped my lips; my head was heavy and body weak. I felt my back pressed up against cool wood, my muscles relaxed as I noticed my seated position. I rose a hand up towards my face, hearing the clinking of chains and the resistance against my wrist. My eyes darted down, seeing my forearm bound to the arms of a solid wooden chair. I tried to move my feet, but shackles cut into my ankles at my attempts. It was then I took a notice that I was also in different clothing than my uniform. I was now in a long golden dress that covered my feet in soft silk. Sleeves started part way down my arms, and ran all the way to my wrists, except for the extended part that covered the tops of my hands, held in place by a loop string around my middle fingers. When moving my head, I heard small tinkling of jewelry in my hair. I rolled my eyes upward, catching a small sliver of gold against my black bangs. My neck felt heavy with golden necklaces that made up for my bare shoulders and the low cut dip in the cloth. I also felt an odd breeze against my stomach, as if a diamond shape had been removed from the dress in front of my bellybutton. "What the…" My voice was coarse.

"Good. You're awake." A male voice spoke to me, sending a shiver up my spine. It was that voice of the man who had attacked me. The room allowed the sound to echo, and I was unable to know where it came from.

A small growl escaped my lips with my words. "Alright, enough of hiding in the shadows." I tried to remember how he had gotten a hold of me. The last thing I remembered was standing in Domino Square, and then… "Who are you? Where is Joan?" I called out, fighting against my restrains enough to make my seat rattle.

A chuckle emerged from the darkness. "Me?" He asked, toying with me. Suddenly, a spark of fire lit a candle on the far edge of the room, seeming to be several yards away. From that light, a whirlwind of fire traced the outside edges of the room, showing the actual size of my prison. It was a large rectangular room. There were pillars along the walls with candles on either side. There were several doors, each one inscribed with a language I could not identify. The room itself was a golden color, and I realized what I was sitting in: A throne room.

Across from me, where I had seen the first candle, stood my friend in her current state. My heart clenched as I saw her contorted features staring in my direction, white eyes hungry for blood. "I am surprised you don't remember me." My head twisted to my right, to see the source of the voice. There stood a man in a dark cloak with a hood covering his face. After receiving a sneer from me, he lowered the hood to reveal a youthful looking man with long dark hair that was pulled back into a loose ponytail. His dark eyes seemed to almost pierce my soul. "Ultamaiden." He purred the title.

I turned my face from him. "I don't know what you are talking about." I spoke stubbornly. "I've never heard of this 'Ultamaiden' ever before. You must have the wrong person." My eyes peered back through my dark locks, slicing him to sheds mentally. "So let me and Joan go." My tone was more threatening than I could back up.

He merely laughed at me as he stepped closer. "You forget so easily? It was only a few millennia ago…" His smirk turned from playful to evil, giving him an insane quality to his face. "What was your name again…Hope, isn't it? How could you forget your title so easily?" He seemed almost manic by the time he approached me.

Most of my bark was gone now, as I leaned away from him in my chair. "I'm not Hope!" I snapped at him. "How do you even know her? Who are you?" My questions seemed to remind him of some sanity.

He cleared his throat, leaning over me with a more calm expression. "Not Hope?" He murmured, almost gently in my ear. "Yes, you would be the new host…" He seemed to speak more to himself than me at this point. "My name is Dardanos." He finally spoke once his attention was back on me. His eyes darted to the figure that was approaching us, blank eyes only on the man. "You've met my lovely servant, Shara."

The female who had overtaken Joan twitched her lips slightly. "Your friend is gone." Shara spoke in her distorted voice. She slinked behind Dardanos, running her fingers over his shoulders. "Isn't that right Master?"

Rage fueled my actions as I struggled against my bonds. "You're lying!" I accused, the chains cutting into my wrists further.

Dardanos chuckled as he leaned back and away from me. "Don't struggle, girl. Those chains are infused with dark magic that even you cannot break." He moved in front of me, leaving behind his servant who perched herself behind my chair. "But, it is true." He sighed, the twisted grin plastered against his features. "You see, when I tried to infuse Shara's essence into you, your friend got in the way. So, now she has been consumed by her, body and soul." He waved his hand about as he explained the situation, as if it was almost frivolous to him.

I stared at him, thinking back to when he had attacked me. I had been knocked into the alley, away from my friends. Then, Joan had stepped in front when he tried to strike. I knew it had to be then. I widened my eyes. "How could I have been so blind…?" I murmured to myself. All this time she had been suffering, being devoured, and I never knew. My eyes narrowed at him. "Why would you do that? Why even try for me?" I spoke loudly, trying not to burst out yelling at him.

"Because I want your power." He spoke darkly. I felt fingernails brush against my cheek from a disembodied hand hanging on the back of the throne. I shut my eyes tightly. I wondered where Hope was. She was not responding to any of this. I wondered if it was because of my restraints. "Give me your power over time, and I will make you my Queen." He extended a hand to me, giving me a vicious smile.

"Never."

He was on me faster than I could have imagined. Fingers curled around my neck, pressing delicate skin to the wooden backing. Air became a very limited resource. "You will give me that power, or I will torture each and every one of your friends until their souls are reduced to nothing. " He threatened, his dark eyes narrowing. I could feel his hot breath on my cheek.

I struggled for words. "I…can't…use the powers…"I choked. I gasped for air to try and force out more. "Only Hope can…"

His grip became tighter, the darkness slowly setting in. "You lie. I know it is the host who holds the power of time once meeting with their Chosen." His eyes flicked up to Shara, knowing full well she had seen me with Yuugi. His free hand wandered down to the symbol on my chest, his fingernail cutting into it. "The proof is right there. Now give me that power…" His eyes seemed to suck the very soul out of me.

I gave a small nod against his hand, signaling my agreement. A wicked smile crossed his features as he released me from his iron grip. Air rushed back into my lungs. "I…can't." I breathed. Anger struck his face. "Not in these chains." I amended, looking down at my shackles. This was apparently the only thing I needed to say. He snapped his fingers and my bonds were broken. Suddenly, next to me, Hope appeared. Her ghostly form seemed to draw the interest away from me and towards her.

"What have you done…" Hope spoke shakily, her eyes wide on me.

My face withdrew all emotion as I stood up, shaking off the chains. "How do I give this power to you?" I asked, ignoring her pleas. Hope was saying something to the effect of that I did not know who I was dealing with and to let her be in control. But, if I could give him my power, then no one else would be hurt. I would be able to stay here with my friends without anyone ever chasing us again. I could not bear to lose another Guardian.

Dardanos seemed to ignore Hope as well, the surprise of even seeing her beyond me now. "Just give in to me." He chuckled and moved within an inch of my trembling body. For all my fear seemed to express itself in the small tremors racing across my skin. I knew what I wanted, but it was still frightening. He slinked an arm around my waist, pulling me to him. "Give me your heart, and your powers will be mine." His handsome features smoothed out at my compliance. The hunger in his black eyes beamed down at me as he began to move in, like a snake about to suffocate its prey.

…

"What do you mean we're stopping here?" Honda exclaimed as they arrived on the top of the tower.

Cleo landed the stone on the surface just next to the large pantheon structure in front of them. The whole place seemed to be made of granite, and had large pillars to hold up the roof. There were intricate designs along the walls, some too fine to even make out from a short distance. "We're here at the top, so of course we're stopping." She said coolly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

Otogi jumped down from the block, landing smoothly on the black tower. He turned and offered his hand to Cleo. "Come on, man. It's just a tower." He did shoot Cleo a sweet smile. The Earth Guardian could not refuse any long. She rolled her eyes before taking his hand and jumping down to the surface. Once she planted her feet, she quickly pulled her hand away.

Honda began to panic more intensely. "Dude, you are freaking floating. In the sky." He seemed to try and grow louder with each word, but his fear was stifling his voice. "There is nothing under your feet!" He finally blurted out.

By now, the other two groups had made their way onto the platform. Bree gently set her two passengers down, while Daida popped the bubble she and Joey were in when they touched down. Anzu batted her cerulean eyes, placing her forefinger and thumb on her chin. "You really can't see anything, Honda?" She asked aloud. The mentioned boy nodded furiously.

Joey looked down at Daida. "So, yer telling me that you all are Guardians between worlds and you're here to save this one?" Daida agreed silently. A chuckle emerged from the blonde boy's lips. "Hey, Yuugi, I thought that was our job and all." He teased the younger boy.

However, Yuugi was not amused at the moment. "It still might be if we don't get to Rhea soon." He said, turning towards the tower.

Honda was shakily getting off the earth that Cleo had carried them all on. "Anyone care to explain why I can't see this thing?" He yelled, trying to get their attention back to him.

Cleo helped him down, making sure he got his footing correctly. "Honda…Your aura is different than ours." She said gently, trying to calm him. "Maybe only certain people are allowed to see it." She nodded, offering him a small smile. "Here." She gave her hand to him, allowing her to lead, so Honda would not worry about missteps. He took it with gratitude. Cleo only noticed out of the corner of her eye the sudden anger in Otogi's aura.

Bree had already run to the building and had found a door that she barely managed to forced in. "Come on, guys! Over here!" She grunted as she pushed the heavy stone away. She wished so dearly that she was a guy at the moment, wanting to be stronger than the frail female form. However, her voice had been loud enough to garner everyone's concentration, to which they darted inside.

They found themselves in a large throne room like area. There, across the room, they saw in front of the lavish royal setting was Rhea and an unknown man. He was leaning in to her, her face showing neither joy nor fight. "Rhea!" They cried out, trying to stop the train wreck they were about to witness.

…

The word bounced against the walls, barely reaching my ears as Dardanos' lips brushed against mine. My eyes clamped themselves shut, my mind racing, lamenting. I'm so sorry Yuugi…I'm sorry Hope…everyone… I apologized. My name seemed so far away, I could have sworn I was imagining it. Dardanos' touch was like fire, setting me ablaze in pain. His hand dug into my side and I heard Shara growl. My eyes snapped open in time to see Shara bound over Dardanos and me to get in front of my friends. My hands flew up to press against his chest, pushing him away while his grip on me strengthened.

Shara hissed at the group, causing the non-Guardians to flinch. However, Bree stepped in front. "Joan, I swear…" She muttered, conjuring two miniature whirlwinds in the palms of her hands. Her grey eyes darted to Yuugi. "You guys go get her away from that guy." She commanded. Yuugi and Anzu nodded, taking with them Ryou, Joey, Honda, and Otogi.

The six ran up the side wall, trying to pass by Shara. Her white eyes turned to the group, flames erupting in a blast towards them. From Shara's blindside, the side of her face burst into pain, blood pooling along the line that Daida had caused with the crack of a whip made of water. The blonde actually stared wide eyed at her creation, holding one end in her hand. "Wow…I can't believe that worked." She spoke to the weapon. A cry from Shara brought her to focus on the fight.

I could feel myself weakening, finding myself in a predicament that I knew I might not come out of. Hope was screaming at me, telling me to change into her. But, I did not want her to be in this situation as well. My eyes were closing, a cool darkness so very inviting. I was still fighting it, trying to remember how I felt when seeing my friends suffer during the trial. I wondered what power I had awoken just so recently. I feared I might never know.

The sound of a breaking glass cluttered my ears. Then, I was sent hurdling to the ground, landing painfully on my back as I was released. A cry of pain escaped my captor's lips as he whipped around to find Joey, Otogi, and Honda standing behind him, fists at the ready. Anzu was at my side, lifting me up. "Let's go." She whispered, almost dragging me behind her.

I scrambled to my feet, looking at the scene as I left it. There was a vase missing from the side of the throne room, and its remains were scattered around Dardanos. I knew Joey had used it to get him to drop me. My eyes blinked for a moment, the sudden realization that these friends were here. "What are you doing here? How did you…" My voice trailed off. The reassuring smile on her face made my heart drop.

"We know everything, Rhea. We want to help." She nodded, finally leading me to a door that had taken both Ryou and Yuugi to push open. I could see the clouds outside, freedom awaiting us.

However, I was more aware of the presence of the two boys. "Yuugi!" I exclaimed, my voice catching his notice. His amethyst eyes were determined and strong, but seemed softer as he glanced at me. He nodded, knowing there was not much time for our escape.

"Come on, you freaky hood guy!" Joey taunted, smirking. He seemed to almost enjoy the idea of a fight about to commence, as if he was at the school yard again as a bully. Honda seemed to be relishing in that same pleasure, even as he did his best not to look down.

Dardanos wanted to take the bait, but realized that I was now gone from sight. He turned, seeing Anzu and I's attempt to flee. "Enough, mortals!" He roared. The door that Yuugi and Ryou worked so hard to open shut instantly, and the floor beneath the two boys disappeared. In that moment, they fell into a dark hole, which sealed the instant they passed through. My eyes widened, my feet stumbling to the spot they had been standing. I turned in time to see the same happen to the three beside Dardanos. "No!" I cried out.

By now, the fight between the Guardians and Shara had grown more intense. She had managed to burn part of Bree's arm with a fireball that had only barely missed. Daida continued to fight off the intense heat by whipping away fire, but her supply of power was quickly evaporating. With hardly any Earth around, Cleo had been forced to use the transportation as a shield from fiery attacks. As Shara charged at Cleo, the Earth Guardian shoved the piece of land forward to use as a bind around the girl. It wrapped up Shara quickly, forming a block that exposed nothing but her neck and head. A scream of rage filled the Guardian's ears along with the sound of their own hearts beating in their chest.

In the center of the room, tall black bars rose up to the ceiling, creating a cage. A portal opened in the top, producing the five guys, who fell to the floor in a pile. They groaned, but to me, the sight was a relief. But, anger was my first priority. "Let them go, Dardanos!" I yelled, pulling my arm from Anzu's grip as I walked back towards him.

The boys scrambled up to the bars, gripping them tightly, as if trying to break them. Most of them faced the Guardians who were battered and bruised, but Yuugi had tried to pry open the side that faced me. My eyes flickered to him for a moment, his hues begging me to not move any closer to the villain. I ripped my sight from him, locking them back on the black haired man in front of me.

Dardanos sneered at me, his teeth bared menacingly. "They will be burned alive. You and your friends can watch." He finally took a look to the scene with the Guardians. He gave a low snarl as he saw his servant trapped. The edges of his lips twitched, producing a smug look as the earth that bounded Shara shattered to pieces. Cleo had become too weak to sustain it, and the creature proved too powerful. Her translucent wings spread wide, blank eyes staring as she summoned a line of blue flames to bar the weakened Guardians from the rest of the room. Even a twisted chuckle came from her. "So weak." She commented before turning from them and towards her next prey.

I had finally approached Dardanos, my eyes as stern as his. "Leave them alone!" I commanded with my fists clenched tightly. "You can have me. All of my powers." I offered. My eyes darted to the Guardians, who were injured, yet still protesting my decision. "Just let my friends go." My eyes met back with his black ones.

Dardanos stood there, almost contemplating my proposition calmly. Then, a wicked smile overtook his features. "Burn them." He chuckled, snapping his fingers to cue Shara. Her grin turned insane, hands moving up in front of her chest, as if she was holding a ball. Between her hands, a large spark of fire began to form, growing larger as she aimed it at the imprisoned boys.

My head snapped to look back at Yuugi, his arm stretched out from between the bars towards me. I jerked forward, reaching my hand out, when Dardanos grabbed me by the wrist. Tears welled in my eyes as I knew I was going to be too late. Joey and Otogi were outstretching their arms to Daida and Cleo, one last goodbye from them. Honda sat with his head in his hands, never thinking he would go out this way. Ryou looked up at Shara, his chocolate eyes welling with tears. "Joan…Don't do this." He begged, but his words were meaningless. She raised the large ball of fire above her head, taking a moment before her arms swung down, fiery death imminent.

"No!"

…

Bree: You seriously left them with a cliffhanger?

Kinakao: Yes…Well…21 will be coming up shortly!

Cleo: Is that the end I see in sight?

Daida: Does that mean I get to be with Joey?

Find out next time! Please review!