Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

The Butterfly Effect

Chapter LXXXV

To say that the first few turns of the Thief were only set up was putting it lightly. To say that Yami had been led by the nose if only because he had no other choice was not doing to justice.

And to say that the lines were slowly being drawn in the sand as I rejoined Jonouchi but said nothing as his gaze went from me to the teenager — he had to be Malik, he had to be. That Millennium Item feel was too distinct for anything else — to me before he simply gave a heavier breath than usual would have been like saying that this entire tournament hadn't been an elaborate setup.

The lines were already drawn. We were just figuring out who was on what side.

Just like Yami was now figuring out the Thief's plan.

It felt like being bathed in ice. It felt like the little warmth that had been present in the wind was gone. And while I wanted to blame the fact that Malik was now onto us or the new monster that had just appeared onto the field, I knew, just knew it was something else.

Every card had an essence to it. Every monster had, in some way, shape, or form, a feel to them. Dark Necrofear was no exception. The only thing… she carried two.

In a similar fashion to how the Thief had been introduced to us, Dark Necrofear carried not one, but two essences. Two distinct essences that had different purposes, but were united in their desire.

Death.

Death would be sweet release. Death would mean torment and revenge on whoever had carried the sentence. Death meant purpose.

… Realizing that a deck had a theme four turns in and you were already playing into it was never good.

"… You okay?"

"No."

"T's up?"

"Yami is about to deal with hell, and he can't walk out."

"… How bad?"

"Killing that monster is a terrible plan."

"But it's-"

"Exactly."

And making my friends realize what the plan was didn't help.

He couldn't kill Dark Necrofear. He couldn't even touch Dark Necrofear if only just a little. It would unleash hell. It would free torment. It would cause a mess Yami couldn't even begin to imagine.

But he was being given no other choice.

Yami didn't have methods around it. He didn't have the Life Point deck I ran. He would be forced to go through to reach. He would have to attack to get to the Thief.

And he knew that.

I caught his furtive glance before he turned his attention right back to the Thief. I watched him look at his hand, however briefly before he called onto Black Magician Girl and tore Dark Necrofear to pieces. And I held my breath I heard both the sigh and the laugh the dying monster gave, feeling my eyes grow wide at the ghost that came out of the doll the monster had been holding and my throat squeeze as the trap lifted, revealing an Ouija board held by Dark Necrofear and the first letter of its message.

D. Death. Nothing quite like knowing you got it right. And nothing quite like knowing that this had been set free with the full knowledge of it.

Four turns. That's all Yami had left. And while he'd managed to kill an Exodia combo in the morning, he was going to need a miracle to pull off a victory with this one.

Because, if I recalled, his movement hadn't been quite as limited.

"Gamma, attack!"

"Spirit burn!"

"Agh!"

I flinched. Winced and looked away. Poltergeist. The worst sort, too. The type that held a grudge but then kept doing it because it was fun. Because it was hilarious. The type that you had to get rid of because they could make your life a living hell.

That was what that doll had been, and the thing that was now haunting the place.

"Yami!"

"Not… a word."

And, of course, giving advice was forbidden.

I tightened my hand into a fist as he drew in silence and scanned his cards. I felt a hand on my shoulder as he laid Kuribo in defense and tried to attack with Gamma, only to be forced to attack with Black Magician Girl. And I looked up to Jonouchi as the Thief summoned yet another letter, putting us two turns away from defeat. Jonouchi who dared to smile and nod, as if to say it was okay, that I had to trust.

Making me swallow and watch as Yami drew… and smiled.

Monster Recovery, Kuribo in attack, Chain Destruction, and a card face down. Resurrection of the Dead used as the equivalent of a trap to call back Necrofear and kill the Thief's new monster. Everything set for a win for Yami… Only for the entire thing to seemingly rewind, turn back to a previous turn, as if to hold Yami prisoner of the living nightmare. Only for the turn to reset, make Yami lose cards, and for the entire group to scream at the unfairness of it all.

Deja Vu. Back to Yami's turn.

And whatever terrifying card that laid atop his deck.

Cards had feels. Cards had something to them that went beyond them. And this one…

… How the fuck did I miss that?!

Yami drew and I cowered. I heard screams and thunder roar as I tried my hardest not to move, not flinch any further than I'd already had if only so when I did, I could see what the hell had happened.

And, when I did, I could only wonder how the hell we were still alive.

The Giant Divine Soldier of Obelisk had been terrifying. He'd been confined into a smaller space for us to… appreciate, for lack of a better term, but he'd been terrifying in every aspect despite that confinement.

This — This was a god in its true shape.

The… dragon wouldn't land. He didn't have to. His enormous wings were beautiful but unnecessary as he danced, loomed menacingly in the sky. His enormous jaw — the main jaw, he had two — opened as he roared before he settled behind Yami, nowhere near tamed, but seemingly waiting for permission to strike, to move. And it merely snorted at the effect, the poltergeist that flew itself in its direction before taking offense at it and roaring in the Thief's direction, sending him flying.

And I felt my heart stop.

The darkness… The Thief… It was…

"… Wha… AGH!"

My hands flew to my mouth to stifle a scream as I heard something fall. I lowered them to my racing heart as I watched him struggle to breathe, to figure out where he was as he got to his knees, holding onto his now bleeding left arm and looking around in surprise. And I stopped breathing, couldn't find it in me to say anything as his eyes found mine.

He blinked as I felt a smile creep onto my lips. He continued with his blinking before raising his head forward, to the mess around him, and to a just as surprised Yami and a now silent dragon that seemed to be awaiting the latter's command. He then frowned and tried to stand, finally managing before he spoke.

"Go."

And Yami's eyes widened to match mine.

Sacrifice. Last play.

"Last turn, right? Go. Do it."

"It'll-"

"No. It won't. Not if I keep going."

… No. Not last. Not with that smile.

I smiled, chuckled. Before I was forced to look away as Yami called his last attack and the god opened his main mouth to strike.

First win.