The chapter begins in normal point of view.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 25: Guardian Angel – Part 2
Yusei had reached the control unit of the Giant where Kalin waited for him with his dark Duel Runner. They had a slight talk and flashback about the past during the whole Shadow Duel; when Kalin went so far that he killed a Sector Security officer in order to "conquer" the Satellite when Yusei stopped him and "handed" over the now lunatic to the Security. Kalin thought Yusei had made a "deal" with the Security when he saw the raven-haired boy receive a pat on his shoulder by one of the head Sector Securities. That was the night when Kalin marked his word and promised he would make Yusei pay for betraying him.
In the end, with some help by the power of the Crimson Dragon, Yusei managed to Synchro summon Majestic Star Dragon and Sun Dragon Inti, and defeated the dark Kalin and Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu. The real Kalin told Yusei he was sorry and asked the Signer to defeat the Dark Signers.
When Kalin's body had turned into dust and disappeared, Yusei cried out loud with tears running down his cheeks. He was so angry at the Dark Signers and made a promise that he would make them pay for taking his precious friends.
Yusei wiped away his tears when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and a soft body pressing against his back. He glanced down to see a pair of transparent bare arms, which made him realize it was Estelle. Her spirit had come back to comfort him.
Estelle rested her head against Yusei's shoulder blades before she pressed a small kiss on his right cheek. "Kalin's spirit is in peace, Yusei. But he will return when you defeat all the Dark Signers." Yusei gasped when he heard the information.
Estelle placed another kiss on his cheek. "Be aware and never lose hope. You are the team's guiding star, the one who connects everyone to the group."
"What-", Yusei was about to ask what Estelle meant when he felt her body move back. He turned around to see Estelle's spirit smile at him before disappearing.
Yusei felt a bit better and went inside the control unit. He did what he came to do and rushed out of the unit before it sunk into the earth.
"Yusei!" Leo called from a bridge not too far where he, Luna, Crow and Trudge were standing. "That was awesome!"
"I'm so proud of you!" Luna waved to the older Signer.
"Now, come on up here!" Leo shouted.
Yusei returned to his Duel Runner and drove up to the bridge to join the group.
"Nice job, man!" Crow smirked proudly. "So… Heya… Is that your doing?" He pointed at a white light coming from a place at the Satellite that was half-covered by grey mist, the sun showing signs it was slowly heading down to the horizon. "That light appeared as soon as you won the Duel."
"Could it be Estelle?" Leo wondered.
"Maybe…", Yusei mumbled.
When the group took a closer look, they found out it was the people of the Satellite that had been sacrificed to the Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu.
"Check it out, guys!" Leo said.
"Who are they? Where'd they come from?" Trudge wondered.
"Maybe it's…", Crow mumbled before he figured it out. "Of course! By defeating Kalin's Earthbound Immortal, you freed all the people that were prison inside of it!"
"So then… There's hope for the others, right?" Leo asked Luna.
"Yeah!" the little girl nodded.
XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV
"The Signer has finished the first part of his duty", Crimson Dragon said.
"But now comes the difficult part for him, my Lord", Star Eater added. "This young man might get extremely emotional by the upcoming events."
I glanced up at the two dragons. "The realization and truth about Yusei's father and when he meets his father's spirit?"
"Yes… If everything goes right", Star Eater nodded.
That made me raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Something else will happen?"
"All we can do now is to observe, Estelle", Crimson Dragon told me.
I sank down on my knees, slightly exhausted from all the training I had and from watching the Shadow Duel between Yusei and Kalin. I knew Yusei would be fine, but this world was so real that the characters could look like professional cosplayers on photos you saw on the Internet.
XXXXXXXXXX – Normal POV
Roman had sent a message through Trudge and told Yusei to go meet him by the original Ener-D Reactor. There was a slight hesitation, but Yusei and the others drove to the giant crater of the old reactor.
"No way! It's too scary!" Leo shrieked when the group saw how deep the crater was.
"Well, this is it", Crow commented.
"Yeah", Yusei nodded. "You're with me?"
"Set the wheels off, buddy!" Crow replied determinedly.
The group found a stable stairway and walked down into the crater. Yusei went first with the twins following him, Trudge walking behind them, and Crow being the last one in the lead. But when Crow was about to follow the group, he heard weak noises coming from a cliff. So he abandoned his friends and left to check out the source of the noise.
Yusei's group didn't even notice that Crow wasn't with them until they suddenly heard a dark feminine giggle echoing around them.
"What was that?" Trudge looked around in alert.
"Did you just giggle, Luna?" Leo asked his sister.
"Of course I didn't, Leo!" Luna glared at her twin-brother. "Why would I want to giggle in a situation like this?"
"Well…", Leo didn't find any words to counter back with.
Yusei turned around to see if the twins, Trudge and Crow were still with him. Only then he noticed Crow was missing.
"Where's Crow?" the Signer asked.
Trudge looked over his shoulder, surprised to not see the Blackwing Duelist behind him. "I've no idea!"
The dark giggle echoed around the group again. "Oh, don't mind him, darlings. That is not your biggest concern right now."
Yusei looked around to find the girl or woman who was speaking. "Who are you?! Stop hiding and show yourself!"
"How about this, Mister Fudo Jr?" a dark shadow appeared in front of the group, surprising them.
Yusei couldn't see the whole appearance of the figure in front of him, but he could tell it was a young woman dressed in a strange outfit and had some kind of bone wings attached on her back. But what really surprised him was how that woman's voice sounded similar to Estelle's.
"Let's play tag!" the woman said before running off ahead.
"Wait! Come back here!" Yusei rushed after the woman.
"Yusei, wait!" Leo called, running after the older Signer with Luna.
"What's going on?" Trudge wondered as he followed the group.
The woman reached to a bridge that was made of boards and rope and rushed to the middle of it. Yusei stayed at the edge of the bridge, surveying the shadowed woman.
"Who are you? Why do you sound so similar to Estelle?" the Signer asked.
The woman chuckled darkly. "How oblivious you are, Fudo. Have you already forgotten about the prophecy?"
"Prophecy?" Yusei mumbled as the twins and Trudge joined him. "Wait! I remember now!"
"So you do have a higher memory capacity than any other human being, aside my counterpart", the woman spoke with a deep voice as her eyes glowed purple. "Then I let you figure it out on your own who I really am."
"Enough", Roman's voice spoke up from the other side of the bridge.
Yusei and his friends gaped when they saw the Dark Signer step up to the other side of the bridge.
"You've done your part with the taunting, Purple Light. Now, go and await your moment to spread the darkness", Roman ordered.
"As you wish, Roman", Purple Light replied before disappearing in a purple light.
Yusei and the other shielded their eyes from the sudden bright light until it died down. The raven-haired man growled at Roman as soon as his eyes stopped stinging by the light. "You…!"
XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV
I watched the whole Shadow Duel with a fast-pounding heart, and my organ almost burst out of my chest when I saw Yusei falling down into that endless darkness after he had defeated Roman. But I was surprised that the window didn't show me Yusei's encounter with his father.
"Why can't I see more?" I asked worriedly.
"My power cannot reach the Signer's Mark for an unknown reason", Crimson Dragon replied.
I frowned, "Och han ska vara en gud med oändlig makt. (And he's supposed to be a God with boundless power.)"
"Watch out, Mistress", Star Eater warned me. "You do not wish to witness the wrath of Lord Crimson Dragon."
I grimaced, but held myself back. Maybe it was wiser not to argue with the Crimson Dragon.
The window showing the twins, Trudge and Crow closed and a new one opened next to me. That window showed me the Shadow Turbo Duel between Jack and Carly.
I could tell there was some kind of connection between those two, but I didn't know if it was going to end like in the English or Japanese version.
XXXXXXXXXX – Normal POV
Jack had won the Shadow Turbo Duel against Carly with Majestic Red Dragon and Orient Dragon and brought back the real girl, but she was soon going to disappear.
The Signer was holding Carly close to him, trying to wake her up to share a few last words. Jack could feel his heart arch painfully. It hurt even more than the day when he had betrayed Yusei, Rally and the others to go to New Domino City to accept Goodwin's offer to become the King of Games two years ago.
"Carly! Just hang in there, you hear me?!" Jack said worriedly.
Carly stirred before opening her weak eyes. "Yes, Jack… I hear you…"
"You're gonna make it through this", the Signer assured the girl.
"I know, Jack… I will… But not here…"
"Now, don't say that! Look, I saved these for you."
Jack brought out Carly's broken glasses from the inner pocket of his riding suit and placed them on the young woman's face.
"Thanks, Jack…", Carly smiled weakly. "But I don't want you to worry about me… Even though the Netherworld is calling for me, I'll be all right… I'm not scared… And you shouldn't be either… We'll be together again someday…"
"You're right…", Jack nodded. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to bring you back. I'll never give up hope and I'll never stop fighting for you, Carly!" He remembered the last words he had heard Estelle shout out to him and the others before her spirit got taken by the shadows.
"I know, Jack…", Carly replied. "That's why you're my number one. Now then, I'm afraid it's time I get going…"
With the last strength in her body, Carly sat up and embraced Jack, placing her chin on his shoulder. The blonde man didn't hesitate to hug the young woman he had grown to like more than a friend.
"Goodbye, Jack…", Carly whispered as her body turned dark grey before becoming dust.
Carly's glasses fell down to the ground, not following with its owner. Jack tried to grab onto Carly, even though she was gone. He felt an anger burn inside him, but that anger soon turned into determination.
"Carly…", the Signer said in a low voice as he stood up, looking at the sky. "I'll never forget everything you've done for me."
"And I won't forget you, Jack…", Carly's happy voice whispered as the remaining dust of her flew up to the sky. "You see? I told you I'll be fine."
Jack picked up Carly's glasses and looked at them for a minute before closing his eyes and nodded to himself. "I promise I'll bring you back once it's over, Carly!"
"That's good to hear, but it will cost a slight price", a familiar voice spoke up behind the man.
Jack nearly jumped, but collected himself and turned around to see Estelle's transparent form.
"E-Estelle…?" the Signer asked with widen eyes.
"All the Dark Signers will return alive, but they will have no memories of the time when they were Dark Signers", Estelle explained without moving her lips.
Jack gasped, "No memories? Then that means Carly-"
"...Will not remember this moment you just had with her", Estelle said with a sad expression. "She really holds you close, Jack. Not because of whom you used to be, but who you are today. If you will feel the same for her after this adventure as you do now…" Her transparent spirit started slowly fading away. "…Never let go of her."
"Wait! What do you mean?!" Jack asked.
"You should find it out on your own, Jack…", Estelle replied before she vanished completely.
Jack stood there, completely stunned by Estelle's words. Once he recovered, he looked down on Carly's glasses in his hand, taking one last glance before he placed them back in his riding suit and headed into the control unit.
XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV
"I hope my words reached Jack's heart…", I mumbled. "I could clearly see the connection between him and Carly when I saw then together for the first time."
"When the woman made him dress in a disguise for a day? That was kind of hilarious", Star Eater chuckled.
I turned to my dragon with a surprised look. "I didn't know you had a sense of humor, Star Eater."
"There is a lot you do not know about me, Mistress", Star Eater retorted.
I chuckled nervously, thinking it was better if I held myself back for a little while.
"There is no time left", Crimson Dragon warned. "I am afraid I cannot send you to the last Shadow Duel, little one."
"What?!" I exclaimed. "But Akiza is going to need my help! Sayer will show up and take control of her!"
"Calm down!" Crimson Dragon's voice thundered, making me flinch in fear. "Since the final battle will soon take place, you must save your energy, so you cannot engage." I grew silent. "However… You can try contacting Akiza through telepathy when she gets under control by Sayer. If you can break through the wall, it will show that man how powerful the connections between the Signers are."
"Then I'll try that!" I said determinedly. "I won't let Sayer take over Akiza and use her as a puppet again!"
"Good", Crimson Dragon nodded. "Close your eyes and focus to send your words through your Mark."
I closed my eyes and intertwined my hands in praying. I concentrated my words to my Star Mark and tried contacting Akiza.
"Akiza… Akiza… Aki…"
XXXXXXXXXX
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a dark universe. I was still in the white dress as in the other realm before. Neither Star Eater nor Crimson Dragon were with me, but I could sense two to three presences.
"Hello!" I called as I walked forward, surveying the universe. "Is anyone here?"
I heard a deep male chuckle echoing around me before I looked up to see a sight that made my heart skip a beat in pure fear.
Akiza was locked inside a cage of glass, sitting in the middle while curled into a ball. Her face was hidden by her front bangs that were released from the hairpin.
The glass cage mirrored the figure of Sayer who now had a huge scar on the right side of his face. He had a maniac expression as he looked proud of himself.
"Soon, little Akiza, soon", Sayer smirked. "We'll rebuild the Arcadia Movement and we'll take over the world…together!"
"Akiza!" I shouted as I rushed over to the cage.
Akiza didn't even hear me as I banged on the glass cage. No matter how hard I banged the cage, the glass wouldn't break.
"It's useless, Estelle", Sayer's voice echoed around me. "Akiza's under my control. No one can break through my hold on her. She's Black Rose once again!" His creepy laugh made me feel shivers go down my spine.
"Aki! Can you hear me?!" I shouted. "Listen to my voice!"
The Signer didn't even show any signs of movement. She just remained sitting on the floor, hiding like a little child.
I was starting to panic. What could I do to save her? I knew I had to get her attention by hearing my voice, but how? Should I sing that song? But… Was it okay? It should be saved to the finale…
"Priestess!"
Black Rose Dragon appeared behind me, looking very close to cry. She also looked like she was in deep pain.
"Black Rose Dragon…?" I mumbled.
"Save Akiza! She's been in pain for a long time and it's affecting me as well! When you entered her life, she became her real self… She could finally be happy! Please, do whatever it takes to save her!"
"Shut up, dragon!" Sayer's reflection appeared on every side of the glass cage. "Akiza's under my control! No one can break through the seal I have put around her! You can't save her!" His reflection disappeared, but his laugh remained in the shadows.
I made up my mind about the way I was going to save Akiza. I placed a hand on the glass cage, focusing my eyes on Akiza.
"Aki… If you can hear me… Then listen very closely to this song…", I told her. "It will save you from this wretched cage and you'll get free from the control Sayer has on you."
I removed my hand from the glass cage and cleared my throat, imagining the music playing around me.
"Towagatari~Hikari no Uta~" by Nana Mizuki
"Terase yo el ragna
Urei zenbu"
Akiza was slowly looking up, her eyes being slight dullen due to Sayer's control.
"Kururi kururi to
Lulala lila"
"Estelle…?" the Signer mumbled.
"Kanashimi yorokobi doukoku sae mo
Gin no kawa kara mireba"
"What's this?!" Sayer's reflection appeared on the glass cage. "Stop this nonsense!"
"Subete wa ittoki no yume hanabi"
I was slowly reaching out my hand to the glass cage. As soon as my fingertips touched the smooth surface, the glass shattered into million pieces. Sayer's reflection was still onto the pieces of glass as they flew around. He cried out in anger, but I ignored him as I advanced to Akiza.
"Tada kami no me no mabataki ni
Kiete kaeran"
"Y-You came…", Akiza's voice shook in slight fear as her eyes slowly returned into normal.
I nodded as I kept singing, never missing a single note as I reached out my hand to her.
"Hibike… Hibike Ima arubeki sugata e"
"Return to me, Akiza…", Black Rose Dragon told her mistress. "Come back and be the girl you have always been deep inside."
"Awaku… Awaku Kako no denshou aru ga mama"
"Y-Yes…", Akiza nodded as she reached out her hand to me. "Please… Save me, Estelle…"
"Towa no inoran"
When our hands touched each other, our Marks began glowing and the dark universe was lightened up by a gentle crimson ray. I smiled at Akiza who returned the smile as I picked up the hairpin and curled back her long front bangs.
The Signer smiled thankfully before she jumped into my arms, embracing me while sobbing. I returned the hug, but I had to let go because I could feel the Crimson Dragon calling for me.
"I'm sorry, Akiza, but I must go", I told her.
"But…", Akiza said in slight sadness.
I smiled gently. "But soon… I'll come back…to the finale."
"Finale?"
"Aki… You must defeat Misty before sundown or the King of the Netherworld will rise to the surface. And ignore Sayer. He'll be soon taken care of."
Akiza looked confused, but nodded. I smiled again and patted her shoulder before feeling the Crimson Dragon pulling me back to the realm where he and Star Eater were waiting for me.
XXXXXXXXXX – Normal POV
The real Akiza let out a huge gasp when she snapped out of Sayer's control, her Mark glowing in a comfortable light. She actually woke up from the trance just as she heard Sayer's voice from Misty's Duel Disk, revealing that it was the former leader of the Arcadia Movement who had killed Misty's little brother Toby.
The female Signer let out a small sigh of relief, happy to hear she didn't kill someone as Misty first thought. But it wasn't the same relief for the model.
Misty felt a huge anger boil inside her, so she sent her Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua to attack Sayer. The giant lizard grabbed Sayer by its long tongue and literally devoured him.
Akiza was slight in shock when she had seen the man who had looked after her for a long time being eaten. "He… He got eaten…" The Signer blinked before getting an angry expression. "Serves him right! After everything he's done to all the innocent people!" She knelt down and picked up the hairpin and curled back her front bangs before brushing her hair back into place.
XXXXXXXXXX
The real Misty had begged Akiza to defeat her before the Earthbound Immortal took over her. With Akiza back to normal, she won against Misty with her splendid combos.
When Misty turned into dust, she apologized to the Signer and hoped they could be friends someday. Akiza was close to tears, but nodded before the model disappeared. Misty left behind her locket with the photo of her and Toby, a memory for Akiza to keep.
But just then, everyone realized the sun had gone down for the day!
"We're too late!" Trudge growled. "The sun's setting and the last tower hasn't been sealed!"
"At least all the people that were absorbed by that Earthbound Immortal have been returned, right?" Mina wondered.
All of the sudden, the earth started shaking in an earthquake.
"What's happening?! Why's the earth shaking?!" Yusei asked.
Only a few seconds later, a pillar of light rose up to the sky.
"Look over there!" Trudge pointed at the light pillar.
"It's coming from New Domino City!" Mina gasped.
Once the light pillar died down, it revealed a new Nazca Line. Or in correction; the Condor Nazca Line.
"Another Dark Signer?!" Yusei exclaimed in shock. "But who could it be?"
"I don't know, Yusei", Akiza replied. "But I have a feeling we're about to find out…in the finale."
"The finale?" Leo questioned.
Akiza nodded, "When Sayer took control of me, Estelle appeared in my mind and saved me from Sayer's hold by singing a song…"
"A song?" Luna blinked.
"It sounded like Japanese, but…", Akiza blushed lightly, placing a hand on her heart. "Estelle's voice was like an angel's…"
Yusei raised an eyebrow at Akiza's reaction. Why did she suddenly act like she had feeling for the brunette? Or was it just his imagination?
"Yusei!" a voice called.
The group turned around to see Jack and Crow approach them on their Duel Runners.
"It's Jack and Crow", Yusei mumbled.
"Yeah, and from the looks of it, we're right on time", Jack said.
Crow eyed the oldest female Signer. "So you're Akiza, huh? Guessing that you won your Duel." He turned his head to the direction of New Domino City. "So what's up with the lightshow?"
The earth started rumbling again. Trudge assumed it was an earthquake, but Yusei rejected the idea when he saw light coming from the crater of the old Ener-D Reactor.
"Now what?" Jack wondered.
"Hey, I know that area!" Crow exclaimed.
"Yeah, I'm afraid I know that too", Yusei cold sweated. "That spot… It's where the first Ener-D Reactor was. And I have a hunch the portal to the Netherworld is now open for business."
The group gasped in shock when they saw a fountain of sludge spurt up from the B.A.D. Area and created a gigantic monster in the shape of a dragon with wings on its back and red glowing eyes. It was the King of the Netherworld.
The King of the Netherworld was crawling to the direction of New Domino City.
"Whatever that thing is… It looks like it's heading towards the city!" Luna's voice shook as she held hands with Leo, sharing the fear she had with her brother.
Crow turned to Yusei. "Yusei, Roman said if we failed to seal the four towers in time, then the King of the Netherworld would appear!"
"I know", Yusei replied. "And I'm guessing that's him!"
"As an officer of the law, it is my duty to arrest that thing!" Trudge butted in. "But, unfortunately, at this present moment, I am off to it."
"Hold on! Nothing bad has happened just yet!" Mina retorted. "Maybe if we don't bug it, it won't bug us!"
"Yeah, maybe so…", Leo said unsurely.
Luna suddenly felt pain coming from her Mark, which made her grab her arm. In the next second, the spirit of Kuribon appeared next to her, looking scared while telling Luna what it knew about the King of the Netherworld.
"Uh-oh… Kuribon's saying that if that creature makes it to that Condor Mark, a lot of bad things are gonna happen!" Luna informed the group.
"What kind of bad things?" Yusei demanded.
The King of the Netherworld had now reached the docks of the Satellite and crawled into the water.
"All the very bad kind…", Luna replied with a shaking voice.
"Okay… Uh… So we gotta stop it! The only question is; how?!" Leo panicked.
For once, Yusei had hoped he had the answer, but no. He wished Estelle was with them and could tell them what to do. Yusei felt his right arm with the Mark of the Dragon getting warm and looked down to see it glowing with Akiza, Luna and Jack's Marks.
The dark clouds above them started scattering to reveal a crimson light with the familiar presence of the mighty beast.
"It's the Crimson Dragon!" Jack exclaimed.
The Crimson Dragon turned to the group and sent a white light at them, teleporting the group to the final battleground.