The end is nigh. The Millennium Tournament has reached its final stage. I have a vague idea what this is going to be and this might be a longer chapter than most. One can only hope.
Yugi, for the first time in the tournament, broke out in a cold sweat. "I will show you God". There was only one possible meaning for that. Ra! Yugi couldn't afford to hesitate. If he was really going to face God again, he'd have to steal himself. "Before you show me God," Yugi announced, "it's my turn again!" Yugi set a Gate Card, having none on the field. "For my Bakugan, I chose Marshmellon." The jelly blob appeared on his own Card. Elizabeth cackled like she was possessed.
"I promise to show you God and all you can offer as his tribute is that little shield Bakugan?" she scoffed condescendingly. She revealed a yellow Bakugan with shining gold accents in the ball. There was something about it that seemed threatening. With a pulse like a massive heartbeat, the overflowing power of the Bakugan revealed itself. But in that moment, Yugi's eyes widened in realization.
"That's not…!" Yugi wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or more worried, but he alone could tell things were not as they seemed.
"I play The Sun Dragon Ra! Stand, master!" The gold Bakugan landed before Marshmellon. As the Bakugan game piece opened, a hellfire erupted. The angry flames burst out in every direction, threatening to consume the entire building. As the inferno raged, storm clouds gathered in the high ceiling. It was as if the gates of hell had been opened on the battlefield. "Behold the face of God! And despair at his power! For 'All Ra's foes shall return to the earth'!" The fire began to take the shape of a monster phoenix. The phoenix contorted and belted out a soul shattering screech. "Die now! Attack, God Phoenix!"
"I counter with Negate Attack!"
Elizabeth could hardly stand in all her maniacal laughter. "Do you really thing such a meek defense will stop God?"
Yugi's determined gaze set. He was sure the moment he saw the hellish form of the so-called god. "I don't have to stop Ra's attack! I just have to stall it until this forgery strikes you down!"
Elizabeth couldn't hide her stunned expression. "How did you know…?" She regained what composure she had left, "It doesn't matter! Ra would never strike me! I am his…" Before she could finish her declaration, lightning fell indiscriminately from the wicked storm above. Some of the lightning fell close to Yugi, but it was intercepted by an invisible barrier. "What's going on?!" Elizabeth shouted over the din.
"The gods don't like being called out with forgeries," Yugi said calmly despite the rain of lightning.
"But God would never strike me…!" Elizabeth told herself, "I'm God's-" The bolt came down so quickly that no one had time to act. The jagged bolt engulfed the young woman in light.
Elizabeth: Life Points – 0
The lightning storm raged. The barrier of Yugi's Negate Attack was relentlessly pummeled by the enraged god. Finally a bolt broke through the invisible wall and bathed Yugi in light. Just as panic was about to set in, his silhouette appeared in the fading light. As the storm died, Yugi's form could be seen gripping the chain of his Millennium Item.
Yugi: Life Points – 800
Elizabeth fell to her knees with a hurt and confused look on her face. "God… why?"
The battle dimension faded with the hellish phoenix. No one knew quite what to do. It was hard to tell what exactly had happened. After a few minutes, the announcer finally spoke. "Um… it would seem we have a winner… I think. The winner of the final match and champion of the Millennium Tournament is Yugi Mutou!"
Yugi rushed over to the still Elizabeth, who hadn't moved since she slumped to her knees. "Are you alright?" he asked caringly as he reached out for her shoulder. Elizabeth snapped back to life to slap his hand away.
"Get away from me!" she hissed venomously. "You didn't win, you just-" For the first time Elizabeth noticed the pendent hanging around his neck by a silver chain. "That's a…"
"Your game is over, little girl," Kane said as he started down his excessively long staircase. An invisible force seemed to grab Elizabeth and throw her into a nearby wall. Kane appeared from behind his veil holding the Millennium Rod. "Your services are no longer needed," he said as he turned the rod to point behind his back. The nicely dressed Night Ghoul who had been announcing the matches was thrown into another wall and pinned there as well. Kane glanced out of the corner of his eye at Hector, Edward, and Clouse who were all rushing to the nearest staircase to presumably help Elizabeth. "Stay in your seats, children!" Kane ordered with a flourish of his Rod. Like the others, they were trapped by an evil force. By now, Atem and the others were rushing to get to Yugi's side. Just as they got off the stairs, Kane turned his attention to them with a sadistic smile. "And as for all of you…" He pointed the Rod at the coming group, but nothing happened. Kane noticed right away that something had gone wrong. "What?" That's when he turned his attention to Yugi.
Yugi's expression was uncharacteristically angry. He was glowing and a third eye made of light appeared on his forehead. The Millennium Puzzle started to glow and shake, as if it was as angry as its wielder. With a sudden, invisible burst, the people who had been pinned by the Millennium Rod's magic were free. "Do not touch my friends!"
"I don't understand…!" Kane lamented to himself, "This has never happened before…"
"You don't know much about the Millennium Items, do you?" Yugi asked, though his tone made it sound more like a threat, "If you want to hurt any of them, you have to get past me first!"
"It doesn't matter. I'll just have to defeat you in a Bakugan Brawl. I'll beat you so badly you won't be able to interfere with me as I carve everyone in this room in to beautiful, tiny, bloody pieces!" Apparently Kane had found the knife hidden in the Millennium Rod. But there was something off about his voice. It sounded distorted somehow. And his mannerisms had changed. There was something… familiar about them. In the meantime, no one noticed Marik return from the arena infirmary. He froze when he got a good look at Kane.
"The Millennium Items were made to protect people," Atem growled at Kane, "It's wicked people like you that misused and corrupted them!"
"I corrupted the Millennium Rod?" Kane grinned evilly. He burst out laughing and now everyone noticed that something had changed. And as for Marik, the laugh made his blood turn to ice. "As I recall, it was the Millennium Rod that corrupted me!"
"You're supposed to be dead!" Marik announced in Kane's direction.
"Oh," the distorted voice noted, "speak of the devil, as they say. It's my weaker self. How's the family? Keh keh keh."
"That's enough!" Yugi declared, "I am your opponent! And this time, I will banish you forever! Marik's evil half!"
"Oh, very well. I suppose first thing's first…" the evil voice of Dark Marik decided. "I will give to you the pain I suffered a million fold, little vessel! KA HA HA HA HA HA!"
"Duel!"
It wasn't a long chapter like I expected, but I think I ended up nailing the buildup. The chapter that comes after this one will definitely be a long one though, so look out for that one. I also worked ahead and finished (a little) ahead, so I'll have the chance to proofread it for once. Hopefully Duel 48 will be out real soon since I'd like to give myself some time to wrap this thing up properly. We'll see.
I got a little artsy with Dark Marik's dialogue. Hopefully someone will give me an opinion on it…
Probably not.
