Episode #35- A Promise Kept, Part 4
The Shadow Realm has once again crossed the threshold of the real world. And with Yami Marik no longer supporting my 'sixth sense' as weak as it is, it was hard to keep myself conscious with two God monsters. The Beads of Sacred Sky were all scattered around the holodeck on the sidelines. My eyes gave to little view under the red quiffs in front of my face, I couldn't even get enough strength to shake them off.
From what little I saw, standing next to the Raikoukou was another Duelist, a spectator much like Ashley. Though I never caught his name, it didn't seem to matter now. Once Yami Marik attacks with Yin-Yang, Marik would be down and out. I saw Yami Marik begin his turn as the SR Duel Disc materialized on his left arm.
"Now then, I won't need the card I just drew anymore, nor will the Twin- Headed Behemoth help me this turn." Yami Marik spoke, "And with you only at 4100, wiping you out will be less than a simple task. Yin-Yang, attack The Winged Dragon of Ra with Shadow Zodiac!" He commanded. A spark of black lightning ignited into a small but violent star in between Yin-Yang's talons. The spark was shot and Ra recoiled on impact, as did Marik. His God Monster only had 7700 attack against Yin-Yang's 13000 attack, Marik was more than done for.
"I activate the magic card, Vahalla for the Chosen Ones." Marik managed to counter with his last trap card. "By playing this, I can select a class of monster and remove up to five monsters of that class from play. So I choose out of your Graveyard the three Troop Dragons, Tyrant Dragon, and Candela of Light!"
"Valhalla for the Chosen Ones?" Yami questioned.
"It's a good trap card to keep Marik in this game. He chose five monsters out of the Dragon category from Miranda's Graveyard and removed them from play." Miran made a slight smile, "And Yin-Yang's attack power is determined by the number of Dragons existing in Miranda's Graveyard."
"Ah, so Yin-Yang's attack power has decreased somewhat?" Tea tried to clue in.
"Down to 8000 to be precise, Marik is not out of this Duel just yet." Miran smiled for Marik's victory for the first time. The God Card shattered after an intense moment of holding on, though his Life Points only decreased by 300.
"What, that attack should have wiped you out of your Life Points!" Yami Marik roared, then withdrew back to stradegize his plays. "Fine then, to finish I'll place Twin-Headed Behemoth in defense mode." He finished with the weak dragon in defense.
Marik began his turn. 'I need to get back on the offensive or I'll lose this Duel. And I can't afford that, I can't afford to fail Kikaita.' Marik made his draw of the card. 'This 'ill help.'
"Don't give me that stupid smirk." Yami Marik said, "Without your Egyptian God Card, you can't possibly win against me. My Life Points are still at 7750, and you're only at a measily 3800."
"As far as I'm concerned, this is still Miranda's Duel." Marik answered back.
"Miranda is out of comission."
On the sidelines, everyone stood breathlessly, awaiting the final turns. Kevin especially, thrown into the fiasco of the supernatural and shadow magic made himself more uncomfortable. He took his eyes off the Duel and looked around the group and to floor, the beads from the necklace still scattered about. One of the ivory-tooth beads was next to his sneaker and picked it up. After that, one of the violet beads. He began collecting the beads of the necklace.
Raikoukou kept its gaze on him. For a moment, it was curious at Kevin's distraction from the fate-pending bout. 'Kevin, what are you doing?' Raikoukou spoke up.
Now a few feet from the fox, Kevin looked up after picking another violet bead. "I'm just getting the beads for Miranda, I'm sure she'll want them back." came his reply.
'Kevin, you're a genius!' Raikoukou upbeated from its solemn and calm tone.
"I am?"
'Yes! If we can reassemble the necklace and hand it to Miranda. She can probably recontain the demon.' Raikoukou turned towards the group of onlookers, 'Everyone, listen to me.' Raikoukou grabbed everyone's attention, 'Try and find all the beads to that necklace as you possibly can.' Without reaction, all but Kaiba and Mokuba began looking for the beads scattered on the platform.
__________
While everyone was searching and collecting the beads, Raikoukou waited a moment. 'Kevin, may I speak to you?' Raikoukou got his attention, though his eyes still showed the residue of a shiver.
"Yeah, what?" Kevin answered.
'By any chance, are you a Dragon in the Chinese Zodiac?' Raikoukou stepped up as Kevin grabbed another bead.
"Yeah, why do YOU ask?" Kevin said, taking it defensively.
'So is Miranda. And I also sense you're of the Fire element?'
"Saggitarius, but what does this matter between Miranda and me?"
'As Yami Marik said before, those of Fire attribute would never give up a fight. I think there is a reason more than just an act of kindness.' Raikoukou pressed a paw on Kevin's supporting hand as he kneeled to grab an ivory bead.
"Al'right. Truthfully, I'm hoping I can get over this paranormal junk by pitching into it." Realizing what he'd just said, he shielded himself for a reaction from Raikoukou. The fox didn't react, but instead removed its paw from his hand and paced back to its spot without a thought.
Kevin continued to gather the beads he spotted.
Marik watched as they all attempted to regather the beads before continuing his turn. His draw was Heart of Clear Water. "I'll begin with Monster Reborn to summon back Revival Jam in defense mode." He paused as the plasma monster reappeared in its shapeless form. "And now a magic combo. First I play Ring of Magnetism on Revival Jam."
"What's the point? I'll still attack it anyway." Yami Marik cocked. Yet with little strength I had, my mind was convinced Marik had the way to pull through.
"I'm not done, now I'll activate Heart of Clear Water. Making my Revival Jam a limitless defense." Marik finished as an electric ring surrounded his monster. "I end my turn here."
'With Heart of Clear Water, attacking Revival Jam would be pointless.' Yami Marik thought. He shifted his eyes to his surroundings; no longer an audience, Yami and the others hunt down for the remaining beads that sealed him temperarily. "I'll draw and pass my turn."
'I can still set monsters down. With Jam Defender still in play, I can protect my weaker monsters with Revival Jam.' Marik's turn came in quickly.
It appeared all the beads were collected and brought to Raikoukou. The fox counted the beads by separating the purple from the white ones, then breaking the purple beads into groups of five with its paw and tails. 'Eight ivory beads, thirty violet beads...' Raikoukou counted to itself, 'The fuchsia one's missing.' It broke concentration.
"It can't, we looked everywhere." Joey sighed, "But wouldn't the necklace work without it."
'The main bead holds the essence of its creator, Tsunami. Within it, a powerful spirit such as the demon holding Master Miranda could be captured and contained.' Raikoukou informed, 'The necklace will not activate it without Tsunami's Bead.'
Everyone broke away to search for the final bead as the Duel came to its heart-stopping last turns. "I'll just place this monster in defense mode and end my turn." Marik stated quickly.
"You're a fool. I constructed this Dragon Deck myself. I'll find a way to bring down that Revival Jam." Yami Marik boasted.
I muttered to myself, "and this is a spirit psycho who didn't know why I Draft Dragoned Fault-Line."
"I heard that," Yami Marik turned around quickly and signaled the set another charge of electricity. The same voltage, but I grew weaker by the second, even with only one God monster out now.
Miran froze for a moment when the shock came. 'What? It felt like I was being pulled from Miranda's body... No, she can't.' Miran quitted her search for the last bead and stood her ground. "Demon! Leave Miranda out of this!"
Yami Marik turned his head with no sign of being threatened. "Quiet Swordsman, you'll get yours soon enough." He promised a threat of his own and returned to his game.
Serenity didn't have her nose to the ground as everyone else did. Her hazel eyes flashed from one corner to another, even searching in between the Duelists. Some gleamed a lavender color next to Yami Marik's right heel. "Is that it?" Serenity pointed out.
Kevin was near the railing when Serenity pointed towards the holodeck. He caught the same gleam of the jewel. "Found it!" He cried and shook everyone, including Yami Marik.
Yami Marik double-take on the young Duelist as Kevin began a dash towards the holodeck. He looked down and saw the last bead just next to his foot. "I will not be contained again!" Yami Marik stated. He was about to stomp on it when Kevin dove in and snatched the bead in his right hand, and got Kevin's wrist instead.
Kevin cringed as the shoe practically cut off circulation to his entire hand. 'Ergh. For being a ghost, this hurts.' He thought as the bead was still in his palm.
"Kevin," Serenity yelped and the others looked up. Raikoukou was first to take the plunge and took all its strength to willingly lunge at Yami Marik with a full line of teeth bearing like Sirius' armor. The Millennium Rod materialized quickly in Yami Marik's hand and knocked Raikoukou aside, hurling the fox-demon into Miran.
Kevin was in no position to fight-let alone, be under one. He took another look at the fist still holding the bead. 'Please let my school blacktop days pay off now.' Kevin thought as he tried to let the bead roll into his knuckles and finally over his thumb with his finger keeping it from sliding away. Despite his limited movement, he managed to make a spring-reaction in his knuckles. "Anyone, heads up!" He called, distracting Yami Marik again.
With all luck pressed against odds, he let the spring loose like a marble on asphalt. The fuchsia glass bead made small bounces after Kevin flicked it away. It hit the edge of the holodeck and shot up before Tristan snatched it in mid air.
__________
I couldn't exactly see everything, but I heard it all. This newcomer is practically risking his life to save me.
"I've had just about enough of you persistent mortals!" Yami Marik sounded fed up with Kevin still under his heel.
"Seto, can't you stop the Duel? We have to do something now before Miranda gets hurt." Mokuba raised concern.
"As one of those Mariks said before, Miranda is not human. So how can she get hurt if she's a ghost?" Kaiba declined any action, "This is all just one huge publicity stunt, but one I can enjoy like a good book by Stephen King."
Yami Marik was ready to chuck the Rod at Kevin, still lying on the metal surface. "And you'll be next to go."
'Yin-Yang, help him.' I prayed in thought. Yami Marik held the Rod over his head; no one was fast enough to make reflex but Miran was attempting it. Yami Marik stood ready with the Rod until a thick whip came at his right side and knocked him off balance and off of Kevin.
"What the?" Yami Marik questioned and looked at what his him, Yin-Yang's tail. Just a small section of its entire body was enough to force Yami Marik off. Kevin just as quickly moved off of the holodeck and rejoined Raikoukou.
"Marik, play your turn and stall him as long as possible!" Miran called to Marik. Marik nodded in return. Miran got back to the group with the set of beads and no string. "How will we get the necklace together?"
'Try a strand of my fur. It's quite durable and I haven't shedded in the past five millennia.' Raikoukouk held up the bunch of fur standing longer than the rest of its body on its shoulder blade.
"Whatdja know, Fox made a funny." Kevin made a quick smile. Miran picked a single strand, long enough to made a necklace that barely fitted around the head.
"No!" Yami Marik went into outrage. "That's it, you've all asked for it! Now the girl will die!" Miran looked up from the group and saw the Shadow Realm getting ready to come down on her counterpart.
"Not while I can still fight!" Miran gave the hair to Kevin undistracted and charged in, making a deadlock on Yami Marik's Duel Disc with the Millennium Sword.
Kevin looked to the white hair resting on his hand. He took it upon himself to make the ncklace; he bit down on one end with his teeth to keep the beads in place when he was ready. "Hey, Fox. Is there a certain pattern these need to be in?" He muttered with closed teeth.
'From tha angle, it a pattern of five violet beads and one ivory bead. Repeat three times.' Raikoukou instructed.
Yami Marik watched over Miran's shoulder at the reassembling. "Marik, do your turn now!" Miran called in the locked of shield and sword, still pressing Yami Marik on the defensive.
"I'll place a monster in defense mode and one trap card, this ends my turn." Marik played with no other cards in his hand after he declared his end.
'Then the fuchsia bead, and repeat the pattern in reverse.' Raikoukou finished the instructions as Kevin followed, word for word. He finished it off by tying the ends in a double-knot and got to his feet.
"Miranda, catch!" Kevin chucked the full necklace underhanded and high over the heads.
My only shot. I thought the hovering necklace was over my head and it looked like it was going over the railing as well. It practically stopped in mid air and plopped down on Holding Arms, sliding down my right shackle. Simultanoisly, I began to count out the beads in one hand.
'...Thirteen, fourteen.' I thought and twisted the beads.
"No!" Yami Marik cried before evaporating into black smoke and withdrawn forcefully into the beads, now in a black color. The Shadow Realm seemed to withdraw as well and the Holding Set released me from dangling like the catch of the day.
One part of this never-ending nightmare was over. I breathed heavily after trying to recover. Yin-Yang was still out, but it's vibe changed back to normal. "Marik..." I whispered but enough for everyone to hear. "Let's finish this."
Ultimately, Marik smiled in dignity for the first time. "I'm not afraid to lose to you, Dragon. Though I doubt I'll be doing any favors for Kikaita."
"But you already did. The goodness my mother has given to you returned." I answered and drew Harpie's Feather Duster, "This is it."
"Do what you must." said Marik.
"I play Harpie's Feather Duster to destroy Fearful Earthbound and Jam Defender." I declared as a whirlwind destroyed them both. "Finally, I play Windstorm of Etaqua, forcing all of your face-up monsters into attack mode." I paused again as another gale kicked up and forced Revival Jam.
"Go on." Marik said calmly. Everyone else waited without a word and without blinking.
"Yin-Yang, attack Revival Jam with Zodiac Hidden Power!" I ended by declaring the attack. Though already I felt Yami Marik's spell wear off as did the black shackles cracking. The lightning fired on Marik and Revival Jam, throwing his Life Points to zero.
"And the winner is, Miranda Guinaldo!" Kathy cried as the darkness of the Shadow Realm returned to the afternoon sun.
Everyone below cheered like it was Independence Day. I looked back and saw Yin-Yang fade away. Then at my black shackles. They fell to the floor like chips of coal and disappeared as they came down.
"Miranda, you're free now, from that demon's control-huh?" Marik saw me as my form was turning invisible.
"I know," was my answer before disappearing completely. 'No one, Yami Marik; you did.' My vision flashed one last time to the Shadow Realm's usual abyss. I stood dauntlessly in front of him with not only the necklace hung in my fingers, but a thin oak tablet no bigger than a reverse-blade sword handle. Yami Marik faced me with an angered look.
"You disappoint me, Miranda." said Yami Marik, "And here I thought one of us surrendered to the superior over soul."
"We have; you've surrendered to me. And so we don't get into troubles like this again, it's time I send you to a different region of the dead. One of which is completely separated from the living." I held out the tablet in front of me with two fingers pressing the back of it, "Into this tablet, you'll be banished to Kyoto. To a holy land where you'll lay dormant until resummoned."
"There will be a time you'll look back to me for advice, Miranda." were his final words as he was absorbed into the tablet.
The necklace in my hand dropped back on the holodeck with the beads undone. The only reaction was a puff of black smoke disappearing after elevating a few inches. Time seemed to freeze again until Miran looked at the Millennium Sword's blade; two characters glowed near the hilt of the sword, the characters of Dragon and Pisces.
"She's back in the Sword!" Miran smiled after the struggle of the Shadow Realm and concentrated to bring about the switch.
To be continued...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
New Cards played
Valhalla for the Chosen Ones: Quickplay Magic. Select one monster type. Then remove up to five monsters from yours and your opponent's Graveyard from play of the selected type.
The Shadow Realm has once again crossed the threshold of the real world. And with Yami Marik no longer supporting my 'sixth sense' as weak as it is, it was hard to keep myself conscious with two God monsters. The Beads of Sacred Sky were all scattered around the holodeck on the sidelines. My eyes gave to little view under the red quiffs in front of my face, I couldn't even get enough strength to shake them off.
From what little I saw, standing next to the Raikoukou was another Duelist, a spectator much like Ashley. Though I never caught his name, it didn't seem to matter now. Once Yami Marik attacks with Yin-Yang, Marik would be down and out. I saw Yami Marik begin his turn as the SR Duel Disc materialized on his left arm.
"Now then, I won't need the card I just drew anymore, nor will the Twin- Headed Behemoth help me this turn." Yami Marik spoke, "And with you only at 4100, wiping you out will be less than a simple task. Yin-Yang, attack The Winged Dragon of Ra with Shadow Zodiac!" He commanded. A spark of black lightning ignited into a small but violent star in between Yin-Yang's talons. The spark was shot and Ra recoiled on impact, as did Marik. His God Monster only had 7700 attack against Yin-Yang's 13000 attack, Marik was more than done for.
"I activate the magic card, Vahalla for the Chosen Ones." Marik managed to counter with his last trap card. "By playing this, I can select a class of monster and remove up to five monsters of that class from play. So I choose out of your Graveyard the three Troop Dragons, Tyrant Dragon, and Candela of Light!"
"Valhalla for the Chosen Ones?" Yami questioned.
"It's a good trap card to keep Marik in this game. He chose five monsters out of the Dragon category from Miranda's Graveyard and removed them from play." Miran made a slight smile, "And Yin-Yang's attack power is determined by the number of Dragons existing in Miranda's Graveyard."
"Ah, so Yin-Yang's attack power has decreased somewhat?" Tea tried to clue in.
"Down to 8000 to be precise, Marik is not out of this Duel just yet." Miran smiled for Marik's victory for the first time. The God Card shattered after an intense moment of holding on, though his Life Points only decreased by 300.
"What, that attack should have wiped you out of your Life Points!" Yami Marik roared, then withdrew back to stradegize his plays. "Fine then, to finish I'll place Twin-Headed Behemoth in defense mode." He finished with the weak dragon in defense.
Marik began his turn. 'I need to get back on the offensive or I'll lose this Duel. And I can't afford that, I can't afford to fail Kikaita.' Marik made his draw of the card. 'This 'ill help.'
"Don't give me that stupid smirk." Yami Marik said, "Without your Egyptian God Card, you can't possibly win against me. My Life Points are still at 7750, and you're only at a measily 3800."
"As far as I'm concerned, this is still Miranda's Duel." Marik answered back.
"Miranda is out of comission."
On the sidelines, everyone stood breathlessly, awaiting the final turns. Kevin especially, thrown into the fiasco of the supernatural and shadow magic made himself more uncomfortable. He took his eyes off the Duel and looked around the group and to floor, the beads from the necklace still scattered about. One of the ivory-tooth beads was next to his sneaker and picked it up. After that, one of the violet beads. He began collecting the beads of the necklace.
Raikoukou kept its gaze on him. For a moment, it was curious at Kevin's distraction from the fate-pending bout. 'Kevin, what are you doing?' Raikoukou spoke up.
Now a few feet from the fox, Kevin looked up after picking another violet bead. "I'm just getting the beads for Miranda, I'm sure she'll want them back." came his reply.
'Kevin, you're a genius!' Raikoukou upbeated from its solemn and calm tone.
"I am?"
'Yes! If we can reassemble the necklace and hand it to Miranda. She can probably recontain the demon.' Raikoukou turned towards the group of onlookers, 'Everyone, listen to me.' Raikoukou grabbed everyone's attention, 'Try and find all the beads to that necklace as you possibly can.' Without reaction, all but Kaiba and Mokuba began looking for the beads scattered on the platform.
__________
While everyone was searching and collecting the beads, Raikoukou waited a moment. 'Kevin, may I speak to you?' Raikoukou got his attention, though his eyes still showed the residue of a shiver.
"Yeah, what?" Kevin answered.
'By any chance, are you a Dragon in the Chinese Zodiac?' Raikoukou stepped up as Kevin grabbed another bead.
"Yeah, why do YOU ask?" Kevin said, taking it defensively.
'So is Miranda. And I also sense you're of the Fire element?'
"Saggitarius, but what does this matter between Miranda and me?"
'As Yami Marik said before, those of Fire attribute would never give up a fight. I think there is a reason more than just an act of kindness.' Raikoukou pressed a paw on Kevin's supporting hand as he kneeled to grab an ivory bead.
"Al'right. Truthfully, I'm hoping I can get over this paranormal junk by pitching into it." Realizing what he'd just said, he shielded himself for a reaction from Raikoukou. The fox didn't react, but instead removed its paw from his hand and paced back to its spot without a thought.
Kevin continued to gather the beads he spotted.
Marik watched as they all attempted to regather the beads before continuing his turn. His draw was Heart of Clear Water. "I'll begin with Monster Reborn to summon back Revival Jam in defense mode." He paused as the plasma monster reappeared in its shapeless form. "And now a magic combo. First I play Ring of Magnetism on Revival Jam."
"What's the point? I'll still attack it anyway." Yami Marik cocked. Yet with little strength I had, my mind was convinced Marik had the way to pull through.
"I'm not done, now I'll activate Heart of Clear Water. Making my Revival Jam a limitless defense." Marik finished as an electric ring surrounded his monster. "I end my turn here."
'With Heart of Clear Water, attacking Revival Jam would be pointless.' Yami Marik thought. He shifted his eyes to his surroundings; no longer an audience, Yami and the others hunt down for the remaining beads that sealed him temperarily. "I'll draw and pass my turn."
'I can still set monsters down. With Jam Defender still in play, I can protect my weaker monsters with Revival Jam.' Marik's turn came in quickly.
It appeared all the beads were collected and brought to Raikoukou. The fox counted the beads by separating the purple from the white ones, then breaking the purple beads into groups of five with its paw and tails. 'Eight ivory beads, thirty violet beads...' Raikoukou counted to itself, 'The fuchsia one's missing.' It broke concentration.
"It can't, we looked everywhere." Joey sighed, "But wouldn't the necklace work without it."
'The main bead holds the essence of its creator, Tsunami. Within it, a powerful spirit such as the demon holding Master Miranda could be captured and contained.' Raikoukou informed, 'The necklace will not activate it without Tsunami's Bead.'
Everyone broke away to search for the final bead as the Duel came to its heart-stopping last turns. "I'll just place this monster in defense mode and end my turn." Marik stated quickly.
"You're a fool. I constructed this Dragon Deck myself. I'll find a way to bring down that Revival Jam." Yami Marik boasted.
I muttered to myself, "and this is a spirit psycho who didn't know why I Draft Dragoned Fault-Line."
"I heard that," Yami Marik turned around quickly and signaled the set another charge of electricity. The same voltage, but I grew weaker by the second, even with only one God monster out now.
Miran froze for a moment when the shock came. 'What? It felt like I was being pulled from Miranda's body... No, she can't.' Miran quitted her search for the last bead and stood her ground. "Demon! Leave Miranda out of this!"
Yami Marik turned his head with no sign of being threatened. "Quiet Swordsman, you'll get yours soon enough." He promised a threat of his own and returned to his game.
Serenity didn't have her nose to the ground as everyone else did. Her hazel eyes flashed from one corner to another, even searching in between the Duelists. Some gleamed a lavender color next to Yami Marik's right heel. "Is that it?" Serenity pointed out.
Kevin was near the railing when Serenity pointed towards the holodeck. He caught the same gleam of the jewel. "Found it!" He cried and shook everyone, including Yami Marik.
Yami Marik double-take on the young Duelist as Kevin began a dash towards the holodeck. He looked down and saw the last bead just next to his foot. "I will not be contained again!" Yami Marik stated. He was about to stomp on it when Kevin dove in and snatched the bead in his right hand, and got Kevin's wrist instead.
Kevin cringed as the shoe practically cut off circulation to his entire hand. 'Ergh. For being a ghost, this hurts.' He thought as the bead was still in his palm.
"Kevin," Serenity yelped and the others looked up. Raikoukou was first to take the plunge and took all its strength to willingly lunge at Yami Marik with a full line of teeth bearing like Sirius' armor. The Millennium Rod materialized quickly in Yami Marik's hand and knocked Raikoukou aside, hurling the fox-demon into Miran.
Kevin was in no position to fight-let alone, be under one. He took another look at the fist still holding the bead. 'Please let my school blacktop days pay off now.' Kevin thought as he tried to let the bead roll into his knuckles and finally over his thumb with his finger keeping it from sliding away. Despite his limited movement, he managed to make a spring-reaction in his knuckles. "Anyone, heads up!" He called, distracting Yami Marik again.
With all luck pressed against odds, he let the spring loose like a marble on asphalt. The fuchsia glass bead made small bounces after Kevin flicked it away. It hit the edge of the holodeck and shot up before Tristan snatched it in mid air.
__________
I couldn't exactly see everything, but I heard it all. This newcomer is practically risking his life to save me.
"I've had just about enough of you persistent mortals!" Yami Marik sounded fed up with Kevin still under his heel.
"Seto, can't you stop the Duel? We have to do something now before Miranda gets hurt." Mokuba raised concern.
"As one of those Mariks said before, Miranda is not human. So how can she get hurt if she's a ghost?" Kaiba declined any action, "This is all just one huge publicity stunt, but one I can enjoy like a good book by Stephen King."
Yami Marik was ready to chuck the Rod at Kevin, still lying on the metal surface. "And you'll be next to go."
'Yin-Yang, help him.' I prayed in thought. Yami Marik held the Rod over his head; no one was fast enough to make reflex but Miran was attempting it. Yami Marik stood ready with the Rod until a thick whip came at his right side and knocked him off balance and off of Kevin.
"What the?" Yami Marik questioned and looked at what his him, Yin-Yang's tail. Just a small section of its entire body was enough to force Yami Marik off. Kevin just as quickly moved off of the holodeck and rejoined Raikoukou.
"Marik, play your turn and stall him as long as possible!" Miran called to Marik. Marik nodded in return. Miran got back to the group with the set of beads and no string. "How will we get the necklace together?"
'Try a strand of my fur. It's quite durable and I haven't shedded in the past five millennia.' Raikoukouk held up the bunch of fur standing longer than the rest of its body on its shoulder blade.
"Whatdja know, Fox made a funny." Kevin made a quick smile. Miran picked a single strand, long enough to made a necklace that barely fitted around the head.
"No!" Yami Marik went into outrage. "That's it, you've all asked for it! Now the girl will die!" Miran looked up from the group and saw the Shadow Realm getting ready to come down on her counterpart.
"Not while I can still fight!" Miran gave the hair to Kevin undistracted and charged in, making a deadlock on Yami Marik's Duel Disc with the Millennium Sword.
Kevin looked to the white hair resting on his hand. He took it upon himself to make the ncklace; he bit down on one end with his teeth to keep the beads in place when he was ready. "Hey, Fox. Is there a certain pattern these need to be in?" He muttered with closed teeth.
'From tha angle, it a pattern of five violet beads and one ivory bead. Repeat three times.' Raikoukou instructed.
Yami Marik watched over Miran's shoulder at the reassembling. "Marik, do your turn now!" Miran called in the locked of shield and sword, still pressing Yami Marik on the defensive.
"I'll place a monster in defense mode and one trap card, this ends my turn." Marik played with no other cards in his hand after he declared his end.
'Then the fuchsia bead, and repeat the pattern in reverse.' Raikoukou finished the instructions as Kevin followed, word for word. He finished it off by tying the ends in a double-knot and got to his feet.
"Miranda, catch!" Kevin chucked the full necklace underhanded and high over the heads.
My only shot. I thought the hovering necklace was over my head and it looked like it was going over the railing as well. It practically stopped in mid air and plopped down on Holding Arms, sliding down my right shackle. Simultanoisly, I began to count out the beads in one hand.
'...Thirteen, fourteen.' I thought and twisted the beads.
"No!" Yami Marik cried before evaporating into black smoke and withdrawn forcefully into the beads, now in a black color. The Shadow Realm seemed to withdraw as well and the Holding Set released me from dangling like the catch of the day.
One part of this never-ending nightmare was over. I breathed heavily after trying to recover. Yin-Yang was still out, but it's vibe changed back to normal. "Marik..." I whispered but enough for everyone to hear. "Let's finish this."
Ultimately, Marik smiled in dignity for the first time. "I'm not afraid to lose to you, Dragon. Though I doubt I'll be doing any favors for Kikaita."
"But you already did. The goodness my mother has given to you returned." I answered and drew Harpie's Feather Duster, "This is it."
"Do what you must." said Marik.
"I play Harpie's Feather Duster to destroy Fearful Earthbound and Jam Defender." I declared as a whirlwind destroyed them both. "Finally, I play Windstorm of Etaqua, forcing all of your face-up monsters into attack mode." I paused again as another gale kicked up and forced Revival Jam.
"Go on." Marik said calmly. Everyone else waited without a word and without blinking.
"Yin-Yang, attack Revival Jam with Zodiac Hidden Power!" I ended by declaring the attack. Though already I felt Yami Marik's spell wear off as did the black shackles cracking. The lightning fired on Marik and Revival Jam, throwing his Life Points to zero.
"And the winner is, Miranda Guinaldo!" Kathy cried as the darkness of the Shadow Realm returned to the afternoon sun.
Everyone below cheered like it was Independence Day. I looked back and saw Yin-Yang fade away. Then at my black shackles. They fell to the floor like chips of coal and disappeared as they came down.
"Miranda, you're free now, from that demon's control-huh?" Marik saw me as my form was turning invisible.
"I know," was my answer before disappearing completely. 'No one, Yami Marik; you did.' My vision flashed one last time to the Shadow Realm's usual abyss. I stood dauntlessly in front of him with not only the necklace hung in my fingers, but a thin oak tablet no bigger than a reverse-blade sword handle. Yami Marik faced me with an angered look.
"You disappoint me, Miranda." said Yami Marik, "And here I thought one of us surrendered to the superior over soul."
"We have; you've surrendered to me. And so we don't get into troubles like this again, it's time I send you to a different region of the dead. One of which is completely separated from the living." I held out the tablet in front of me with two fingers pressing the back of it, "Into this tablet, you'll be banished to Kyoto. To a holy land where you'll lay dormant until resummoned."
"There will be a time you'll look back to me for advice, Miranda." were his final words as he was absorbed into the tablet.
The necklace in my hand dropped back on the holodeck with the beads undone. The only reaction was a puff of black smoke disappearing after elevating a few inches. Time seemed to freeze again until Miran looked at the Millennium Sword's blade; two characters glowed near the hilt of the sword, the characters of Dragon and Pisces.
"She's back in the Sword!" Miran smiled after the struggle of the Shadow Realm and concentrated to bring about the switch.
To be continued...
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New Cards played
Valhalla for the Chosen Ones: Quickplay Magic. Select one monster type. Then remove up to five monsters from yours and your opponent's Graveyard from play of the selected type.