The Battle of Magicians Concludes

I don't own Digimon or Yu-Gi-Oh

"Your Dark Magician is destroyed, and your life-points are almost at zero, one more attack like that and that dark energy disc will banish your mind to the Shadow Realm forever." Arkana told Yami who only glared back at him fiercely.

"Never, you've already lost by putting your faith in a scoundrel like Marik. Do you actually believe that if you defeat me, he'll reunite you with your long-lost love Catherine? If so, you're more a fool than I thought." He told Arkana who glanced back at the curtain that obscured his love from view.

"Don't listen to him my sweet, we'll be together soon." Arkana called out to the figure. "Marik will be so pleased when I send Yugi to the Shadow Realm, and since he helped construct my deck specifically to counteract the cards in Yugi's deck, I can't lose!" he thought.

"Arkana, why don't you save yourself and set both of you free!?" Daisuke called over to the illusionist who laughed.

"And miss out on all the fun?" he replied, drawing a card and he grinned. "I set one card face down and end my turn. Remember this is my show, and the grand finale is so close I can almost taste it, don't forget I'm the master of magic, the king of all Dark Magicians."

"You're not even close Arkana, what kind of king would extract the soul of his own Dark Magician? You disrespect your cards and rely on tricks to win, but I'll make sure you lose." Yami promised with a glare.

"What's that Yugi? I'm afraid I can't hear you over the sound of that dark energy disc inching closer and closer to you waiting to send you to the Shadow Realm, get ready to kiss your Dark Magician card and your mind goodbye. This duel is over, now watch while I pull a stunning victory out of my hat." Arkana said with a cackle as Yami glanced over at the dark energy disc close to him as it hummed loudly.

"Sorry, but your turn is already over. It's time for me to take back control of this duel." Yami said, drawing a card.

"Oh really?" Arkana replied.

"Yes, especially now that you have no monsters left to defend you." Yami said.

"But my life-points are still higher than yours."

"Not for long Arkana. I summon Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts!" Yami said summoning his ferocious monster which roared loudly when it appeared on the field.

"You feel right into my trap, reveal trap card. Shadow Balance!" Arkana shouted, activating his face down card and a giant demonic looking set of scales appeared in the centre of the field. "This trap card makes the number of monsters on your side of the field, equal to mine. And since I don't have any monsters right now, that means they'll be destroyed!"

"Oh no, that eliminates my only defence against an attack, which means…"

"Which means nothing will save you from me wiping out your life-points." Arkana said with a mad cackle as the demonic scale inhaled both of Yami's monsters which appeared on one of the scales which lowered slowly and the scale then slammed shut crushing both with ease as both monsters cried out in pain. "Now what will you do, your Dark Magician is destroyed, and you've got no monsters on the field. Nothing can save you now." Arkana continued to boast as he drew his next card and giggled. "I hold in my hand the winning card, the key to sending your mind to the Shadow Realm and getting my sweet Catherine back. I told you I was the true master of the Dark Magician, and what kind of master would have only one Dark Magician in his deck? One may be gone, but I have another waiting in the wings. And I can summon him without sacrificing other monsters. I hope you're ready for this, the Dark Magic Curtain!"

"Oh no!" Daisuke gasped as she and Yami watched as a large crimson red curtain appeared in front of Arkana with a skeleton at the top holding open the curtains.

"The Dark Magic Curtain allows me to summon a high-level monster like the Dark Magician without a sacrifice in exchange for one half of my total life-points." Arkana said as his life-points halved to 750 as he giggled. "You're on Dark Magician." He said and the curtains were opened and a second of his Dark Magicians appeared smirking at Yami.

"Marik will be most pleased once I hand him your Dark Magician card and tell him your mind is forever lost in the Shadow Realm, this is it, the final performance of Yugi Muto. Your life-points are almost gone, and you have no more monsters to hide behind, once my Dark Magician attacks it'll be over, and just to make sure you're not relying on your two face down cards to save you from the Shadow Realm, allow me to put an end to that false hope with my Anti-Magic Arrows." Arkana continued.

"What?" Daisuke gasped glancing at Demi-Veemon who looked at the Digivice in worry, seeing the signal getting closer. "Hold on Yami, helps on the way." She thought, looking to her friend.

"Seek and destroy my arrows." Arkana said as he played the magic card and a volley of magical arrows fell from the sky piercing Yami's two face down cards. "Dark Magician attack his life-points directly!" he commanded, and his Dark Magician grinned manically as it flew towards Yami with purple magical energy swirling around him.

However, before the Dark Magician could attack, a plume of smoke appeared, halting the monster's attack and Arkana gasped in shock. "Not so fast Arkana!" Yami told him as Arkana saw the Dark Magic Curtain appearing in front of Yami this time.

"What's going on? It's working for you!?" he demanded.

"Yes, you should read the rules more closely. The magic summoning power of your curtain is available to both sides of the dueling field. So, I too can tribute half my life-points to summon a monster too." Yami explained with a smirk as his life-points halved to 350. "And just like you, I will play another Dark Magician."

"But wait, I was told you only had one Dark Magician in your deck!" Arkana said, his hands shaking in terror.

"And you would be right." Daisuke said with a smirk aimed at Arkana. "That is until one of your fellow Rare Hunters took my own Dark Magician card from me and he won it back from them, care to show him?" She asked Yami with a grin and he nodded.

"Stop speaking in riddles, you lie I would know of another Dark Magician card if one existed, this can't be!" Arkana wailed in fright.

"Oh, it is, allow me to show you. Behold, Dark Magician Girl!" Yami replied as the Dark Magic Curtain was opened and Arkana was blinded by a bright flash of light before Dark Magician Girl flew out and smiled softly before she looked to Daisuke and nodded her head at her former master.

"It's true, a female Dark Magician. But still it is weaker than my Dark Magician. She'll be wiped out, Dark Magician attack now!" Arkana demanded and his magician flew towards Dark Magician Girl with a cruel smirk aiming its sceptre at her only for the female magician to sigh softly before she fired her own magical blast from her sceptre overpowering Arkana's Dark Magician destroying it in a brilliant flash of magical power.

"Think again Arkana!" Yami told him as Arkana watched on seeing his Dark Magician turning to ash and he gasped.

"Impossible. But how, this was supposed to be my grand finale! He had 500 more attack points then she did." He said.

"Wrong again." Daisuke called out with a grin. "Dark Magician Girl gains 300 extra Attack points for every Dark Magician that's inside the card graveyard."

"But that still doesn't make sense, Yugi only has one Dark Magician card in his graveyard, meaning my monster was still stronger by 200 points." Arkana feebly replied.

"Open your eyes, were you truly a master of the Dark Magicians you would have seen the truth in front of you from the beginning." Yami pointed at and Arkana blinked before he rubbed his eyes and saw Yami's Dark Magician's spirit standing beside Dark Magician Girl, along with his first Dark Magician who glared at him with anger.

"But why is he helping you!?" Arkana questioned.

"Dark Magician Girl inherits the powers from every single Dark Magician card no matter whose side of the field it was on. Since you betrayed your first one and sacrificed it so carelessly you helped her gain the power, she needed to destroy your second one." Daisuke answered glaring at the illusionist.

"And now Arkana, prepare for my grand finale as Dark Magician Girl wipes out the rest of your life-points!" Yami said and his opponent began frantically struggling to free himself from the shackles on his ankles.

"Finish this duel Dark Magician Girl!" Daisuke cheered on as the magician flew towards Arkana and struck down the illusionist with her magic and he screamed in agony, his life-points dropping to 0.

"When you mistreat your cards, you pay a high price. You lose!" Yami told Arkana.

"You call yourself a Dark Magician master, it was your disrespect and misuse of your own Dark Magicians that caused you to lose this duel Arkana." Daisuke spoke softly.

"No way, there is no way I was beaten by Yugi. I am the greatest magician this world has ever known. You're nothing!" Arkana screamed at Yami.

"What I am is very sorry for you. It seems you led me all the way down here, for the sole purpose of losing at your own demented game Arkana. You relied on trickery to win, instead of trusting and respecting the Heart of the Cards." Yami replied softly before noticing the key box under his feet opening. "Two keys, and a Locator Card." He muttered, quickly grabbing the items.

Meanwhile above ground, Mokuba, Tea, Solomon and White-Veemon were running down the street following the signal on the digivice Mokuba held in his hand.

"It's coming from here!" Mokuba told them as he stopped in front of a closer building as Tristan noticed them pushing his motorcycle over.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Tristan asked.

"Tristan, Daisuke and Yugi have been missing for hours. We saw Yugi walk into a big tent and he vanished." Tea explained to him.

"I'm getting a signal from Daisuke below this building." Mokuba explained. "But the door's locked."

"Not for much longer." White-Veemon said quickly before running at the door. "Vee-Headbutt!" he shouted slamming his head into the door, smashing it down with ease. "Come on this way!" he shouted, and the group ran down the stairs to the basement, they reached the metal door leading to the duel arena and heard the dark energy discs.

"I don't like that sound." Tristan said worried trying to force open the door.

Inside the room, Arkana continued to frantically try to escape before he smirked. "A true magician always has one more trick up his sleeve, like a spare key." He thought reaching into his sleeve and pulling out the spare key with a laugh only to gasp and tense up.

"Arkana!" Marik's voice rang angrily in his mind. "You haven't held up your end of the bargain." He said with a cruel tone.

"No master, please give me another chance. Spare me from the Shadow Realm!" Arkana begged.

"Where is your magic now fool?" Marik questioned as Arkana looked at his hand to see the key flickering in and out of view.

"The key? Where'd it go, I just had the key but now it's gone, I'm losing my mind!" he shouted not knowing the key was still in his hand and Marik chuckled at his plight.

"Is your mind playing tricks on you? Or have you just lost control of your feeble little brain?" he mockingly asked. Yami undid his shackles with the key before hearing the others outside banging on the door, glancing to Daisuke she nodded and the Millennium Puzzle glowed and he let Yugi regain control before the boy ran over to Arkana and grabbed the key at his feet.

"Hold on!" he told the quivering illusionist, undoing the shackles and pulling Arkana to the ground just as the dark energy disc almost cut into both of them. "Not even a cheat like you deserves to go to the Shadow Realm." He said before rushing over to Daisuke and unlocking her shackles and helping her down.

"Thanks." She whispered with a thankful smile before both saw Arkana stand up and run back to the curtain. "No Arkana don't!" She called out. "It's not really Catherine!"

Arkana refused to listen as he tore down the curtains and pulled the figure into his arms, both Daisuke and Yugi watched as the torn curtain fell away revealing nothing but a mannequin.

"So, it was a fake the whole time." Demi-Veemon whispered as Daisuke picked up her backpack and held her partner in her arms gently.

"No, my master must be hiding the real Catherine from me to surprise me with later." Arkana said to himself before he shed a tear in grief.

"Arkana…are you okay? Can we help?" Daisuke asked gently, walking closer to the illusionist only for him to laugh.

"Arkana is no longer here!" he growled turning to face them both with a glowing Millennium symbol on his forehead. "So, we meet again, I believe I need no introduction."

"Marik, you coward." Yugi growled. "So, your face to me you coward."

"I will do so only when the time is right, and no sooner. Once I obtain what's mine and you know exactly what I want, the unlimited power of the ancient Pharaoh which dwells within your Millennium Puzzle." Marik spoke through Arkana.

"No way Marik." Yugi replied.

"You can't stop me, remember when I took control of Bandit Keith? I almost succeeded in separating you from the Millennium Puzzle forever. Unfortunately, you were able to put it back together before you and your spirit friend Yami were destroyed." Marik continued.

"Tell us why you want Yami's power." Daisuke demanded glaring at the man.

"Because that power is rightfully mine, and once I have it, I will be unstoppable. The world will belong to me and no one will stand in the way of my destiny. Especially not you." Marik said.

"Just watch us Marik." Yugi told him.

"Listen you fools, my family has slaved away for centuries protecting the tomb of the Pharaoh until his return, and for what!? I should be the Pharaoh." Marik said angrily.

"Never. You won't get the power of the Pharaoh and I'll make sure of it, that power belongs to Yami and not you." Yugi said.

"We'll just see about that little Yugi. You're nothing but a vessel for the Pharaoh's spirit, you could never comprehend his strength, nor could you stand in my way of getting it. I've given up too much to let someone else claim the throne, I was raised on the ancient scriptures learning all there is to know about King Yami the Pharaoh and the Shadow Games. The key to its power is your puzzle and the three Egyptian God Cards, but I can't just take the Millennium Puzzle from you." Marik explained.

"And why's that?" Daisuke questioned him.

"According to the ancient scriptures I have to defeat Yugi in a duel first, then I will banish him to the Shadow Realm." Marik answered.

"And why would you do that?" Yugi asked.

"To make sure you stay out of my way! Once I have control over the Millennium Puzzle and hold all three of the Egyptian God Cards, I'll be king and a much more worthy king then your counterpart Yami. He doesn't even know how to harness the great powers that lie dormant within him. I on the other hand know full well how to take them from him, and Millennium Rod will ensure I get everything I need." Marik answered.

"Who has the cards?" Yugi asked.

"Kaiba has one of those cards." Daisuke said. "It's one of the reasons he started Battle City in the first place." She spoke up softly. "Ishizu knew that this would be the perfect way to lure all the Rare Hunters including Marik out of hiding."

"And I possess the final two." Marik said with a smirk. "It's only a matter of time until I take what is rightfully mine and banish you and the former Pharaoh to the Shadow Realm where you will spend all of eternity while the rest of the world is kneeling before King Marik the new Pharaoh!"

"That'll never happen. You'll not lay a finger on my Millennium Puzzle; I will stop you no matter what!" Yugi replied with a determined fire in his eyes.

"We shall see. I swear on the sands of Egypt, the powers of the Pharaoh will be mine, another of my mind slaves is already in Battle City waiting to defeat you and claim your puzzle. And he holds an Egyptian God Card, beware the Quiet One." Marik warned with a laugh before Arkana slumped and Daisuke and Yugi caught him in their arms.

"We're not afraid of you Marik," Daisuke called out with a glare, both then turned as they heard the metal door get forced open as Tristan, Mokuba, Solomon, Tea and White Veemon ran into the room.

"We're here, are you guys okay?" Tea asked in worry.

"What happened?" Solomon asked.

"Long story, we'll fill you in later. Right now, we need to get this guy some help." Daisuke answered as she gestured to Arkana before spotting something on the ground as Tristan walked over to help with Arkana, she walked over and picked up the Duel Monsters card and saw it was one of Arkana's Dark Magicians, specifically the one Arkana had sacrificed to use his Ectoplasmer magic card in the duel. and she saw the spirit appearing before her and she blinked as the magician looked down at her. "You want to come along with me?" She whispered and the magician nodded slightly, and she smiled. "Well alright then." She put the card in her deck box and the spirit nodded before vanishing silently.

"Daisuke come on we're getting out of here." Tristan called over to his friend and she nodded.

"Right. I'm coming." She said walking over.

Meanwhile back with Marik he looked up as one of his Rare Hunters stood before him. "Keep an eye on little Yugi's friends, I could always do with more mind slaves and they might come in handy if the Quiet One somehow loses to Yugi."

"And what of Obelisk the Tormentor in Seto Kaiba's possession, will you deal with him personally?"

"If it comes to that I shall. Once little Yugi is out of the way, Kaiba will not be a challenge to me at all." Marik answered standing up and walking to a glass table which held under the surface one of the three Egyptian God Cards.

"I am so close Odion. Soon, the Millennium Puzzle will be mine along with all three Egyptian God Cards. The hour of my ascension is at hand." He said shedding his robes to show intricate tattoos on his back that had images of all three Egyptian God Cards along with an image of the Millennium Puzzle.

The end of the chapter

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