I don't own Yugioh Zexal or any of the characters in it. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OC.

A/N I wrote this about a week ago but forgot to publish it! Reviews are welcome! Shoutout to De Hearts 26 and brkaufman20 for the review and favorite!

Chapter Thirty-six: Evil

Due and Cahira POV

Cahira held a card between her fingers. A brilliant light shined from them, and when it faded, a rapier coated in a red aura extended from her hand.

Due narrowed her eyes. "Who are you, really?"

Cahira laughed. "I don't believe that that's any of your concern."

She dodged a quick jab at her chest. "And why would that be? For that matter, who's this Don Thousand guy anyway?"

The pinkette demigoddess leapt into the cold air, allowing gravity to aid her attack. She darted this way and that, striking repeatedly at an inhuman speed. "Again, that's none of your concern!"

This phenomenon was created by Cahira bending time to her will, slowing Due and speeding herself up ever so slightly.

Again and again Due winced as the small cracks in her barrier grew and became more plentiful. "I would think I'd have a right to know at least the reason behind your motives! It'd explain why you try to kill me every time we meet."

She spun away from another slash, time seeming to slow as she did so. Thanks to Cahira's manipulation, it was.

Cahira growled. "I used to, but she died by my own hand years ago. Now my only mission is to create a timeline where every odd dips in my favor!"

And once I have, not even Don Thousand himself will stand in my way. But in order to get there, I have to eliminate all elements that could damage my plan in any way.

"Who's 'she?'" Due wondered aloud.

"Enough talking. You're wasting perfectly good energy on that," she responded in a teasing voice.

Due was well aware that in her current state she was far weaker than Cahira. She hadn't struck her once. She couldn't even use whatever magical armor Cahira used. She assumed that Cahira's power came from Barian, and hers from Astral, so it would only make sense that she could do the same things Cahira could.

But she wasn't that advanced yet, and it was costing her.

A familiar voice came from the left. The scream quelled their fighting.

Cahira rested her chin in her hands. "Well, this is interesting. To think that this child could house that being's soul while filled with that much darkness…"

Yuma grinned viciously at Vector. "So this is how it feels to have evil coursing through your veins." He pointed a black gloved finger at the silverette Barian. "And I have the perfect target to test it on!"

Due shook her head. Had Cahira baited her to fight so she would be unable to stop this from happening?

Yuma POV

He raced up the steps that seemed never-ending. He'd somehow created a delusion where Astral was at the top.

Three wolves greeted him halfway, teasing him with his fears and inner demons. "What if he's not even there? And if he is, what's to say he's not still corrupted there too. It's your fault for lying to him, you know. You can only blame yourself for what happened."

Every time they slashed at him with their claws or bit into his flesh, he fell deeper into his sorrow. Who was to say that they weren't wrong?

Yuma. I believe in you.

A voice sounded from the walls. He lifted his weary head to the sound, but the wolves of doubt forced him back down.

Your quest won't be in vain, I promise. But you have to keep hope.

That's right. He had to keep hope and continue fighting. Even when struck with hopelessness, he had to continue on.

"You're right." He forced himself off the unblemished stone. "I'm saving Astral, and I'm going to bring it to 'em! If I give up now, both of us would have an unhappy ending!"

That's the spirit. Go save your friend.

He no longer felt any pain as the beasts attempted to harm him. Finally standing again, he took a step forward. The wolves didn't follow. Another step, with no result on their part. His confidence solidified, and his slow walk sped to a frenzied sprint.

Astral, back to his original color scheme, glanced out the stained glass window. He gazed at the endless array of light and sand with a quizzical, almost scheming expression.

"You've no right to even show your face to me after what you did."

Yuma hung his head. "I know. I'm sorry I let my new friend force me to lie to you. It was wrong of me."

Astral turned to face Yuma, a maniacal grin inching over his blue lips. "No, Yuma. Thanks to your betrayal, I've acquired a new power!" His skin inverted to black and red-orange. The change came gradually, like spilled ink flowing over a piece of paper. His gentle pale blue aura turned an ugly scarlet. "The power of evil!"

Tears spilled over. "Astral…" He looked back at the corrupted alien and ran towards him, wrapping his arms around his bare chest. "Astral!"

He gasped and narrowed his eyes. Black inky tentacles shot from his fingertips.

Yuma sobbed, tightening his grip. He shut out the destruction of the room around him.

A pillar shattered. The impact threw both of them through what was once the stained glass window.

Maxwell POV

Maxwell bit into his lip. He bit it hard enough to draw blood, but there was none. He pulled his hood down, obscuring his face as well as he could.

How long was he supposed to stand here, silently observing the Barian reincarnation of Cahira's past husband? And furthermore, he had to wonder if the silver Barian Emperor had been sane all that time ago. Come to think of it, what was time, in actuality? Was there a selected "current time" or something like that? Being a servant of Don Thousand had messed with his perceptions on everything.

He squinted. Cahira had stopped her battle with Due, and she was just sitting there, watching Vector. What was she doing?

His conscience reminded him that because he was a demigod, he could figure that out.

Cahira smiled. "Vector. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Do I look familiar to you?"

She cursed under her breath. "Yeah. My master introduced me to you a while back."

He nodded and bowed in mock respect. "Pleased to make your acquaintance again, then."

She curtsied. "Be thankful I came when I did. If I hadn't arrived, Due would've been the one you faced. And I believe you know just what a threat she is. Her power is far greater than that of a Barian Emperor."

"I'll agree with you. And we may as well chat, because Yuma is bringing his own demise upon himself." He rested his head in one hand.

Maxwell raised an eyebrow. What Vector said was true.

Cahira laughed at something Vector had said.

He rolled his eyes, his dislike for him increasing by the minute.

He couldn't exactly place why, though. Maybe it was the comparison of their work ethics. Or maybe he didn't like his rather psycho personality. Perhaps he reminded him too much of Due's twin brother. His scars from his duel in the Carnival hadn't quite healed yet.

He pledged his return under his breath. "Prepare yourselves, for I will be back. And when I am, it will already be too late."