Chapter Fifty-Seven
57
They managed to make it back just in time as Zane stood before the looming castle on the lake. Chazz had shoved Crowler's soul Doll in his pocket and kept a tight hold to Connar's hand as they followed him inside. Even Jaden insisted on coming, at the cost of a ride on Chumley's back.
They made their way deep inside the palace which was decorated like an old styled mansion.
"Ahhh~ Right on time." Camula's voice could be heard echoing all around them,soon making her presence known in an overhead balcony,"Looking for me~?" she smirked.
"You bet we are!" said Jaden,"We want Crowler back!"
"Got that right!" said Chazz,"So hand him over!"
"I have no interest in little school boys!" she scoffed.
"Little- Oh yeah!? Well what YOU know, Lady!?" Chazz huffed blushing in frustration when he noticed Connar covering up her snickering as Camula shifted her attention to the ready and waiting Zane Truesdale.
"Are you ready, darling?"
"Let's duel." was all Zane had to say as he took his stance on the field and activated his duel disk.
"Now then...let us review." said Camula,"If you win, You'll have Crowler's soul back and I'll be on my way...but if I win I'll get yoru soul and your key!"
"Good luck, bro..."Syrus whispered softly. Connar, feeling her friend's nerves wrecking, placed her hand gently in his and locked their fingers tightly together in a reassuring squeeze. Startled by this, he glanced back and exchanged a knowing gaze with her, nodding as he returned the gesture and they stood closer together, just like they did as kids in the school yard once upon a childhood memory...
"DUEL!"
"I~ like to lead!" Camula stated seductively as she took the first move once again. It sent chills through Connar in the most discomforting way possible. And even more so when the turn shifted to Zane and he played the most risky and uncharacteristic move expected from him.
"Zane summoned his best monster on his very first turn!" Alexis stated.
"Power bond? Already?" Connar gasped.
Something feels very off about this...
She thought to herself and glanced over at Syrus.
"SyRy? What's going on with Zane?" she asked him.
"I don't know...that's not like Zane at all." he said back,"He usually likes to feel out an opponent first..."
It's almost as though he's just using Power Bond...not playing it...
Connar blinked nervously and let out an unsteady sigh.
Zane couldn't be letting his emotions blind his judgement...?
Though he did look pretty unphased and fearless.
If he's not careful though...he'll take damage equal to Cyber Ends original attack at the end of the duel...
She sighed.
And taking a whopping 4000 points of damage will wipe him out effective immediately...Zane...what are you doing!?
Had his attack succeeded he would have won the duel instantly. But Camula's face down countered it. Connar winced as she thought the game was over before it began until Syrus shook her back into the reality. revealing Zane's own defusion counter.
"Oh thank goodness!" Connar sighed with relief as she clinged tightly to Syrus who was trembling a bit himself.
Syrus...you must be more afraid than anyone else here...
She thought to herself, and held his shaking hand a little tighter.
"I see now, why you are ranked the top duelist at the Academy." Camula chuckled while Zane remained cool in her presence.
"Actually, you haven't seen anything yet." he stated.
"I hope not~" she grinned,"For I plan to have a lot mire fun with you~"
"Question is... what kind of fun..." Connar muttered.
"I don't think I'll like her kind of fun..." Syrus whispered.
"I might." Chazz muttered. Though he meant it to be a joke, Connar didn't take it as one, and gave him a nice sharp heel kick in the shin, bringing him down to his knees.
"OW! What gives!?" he grunted as he rubbed at his fresh bruise.
"Oh sorry..."Connar stated,"I didn't peg you as a sub is all." she mumbled. If he could make jokes, so could she.
"HA!" laughed Jaden,"That joke works on multiple levels!"
"Wha-I'm not-" Chazz blinked for a moment before blushing at the realization of this play on words,"Why are we even having this conversation!?"
"Because you started it..." Syrus muttered.
"Can we just not have sexual conversations about Vampires!?" Connar stated,"How about that!"
"What do you have against Vampires!?" Chazz laughed.
"Nothing." she said,"Vampire guys are sexy!" she stated, "Vampire girls are scary!"
"That just sounds sexist to me." said Alexis.
"I'm not meaning it in a sexist way!" Said Connar as she waved her hands to try and defend herself, "The whole dominatrix thing just disturbs me personally, is all." she said,"I mean more power to anyone who may be in to that..."
Jaden snickered against Chumley's back as he and the keyholders were left to stand in their own disturbed silence.
"Man Connie is on a roll tonight." Jaden laughed,"Something must be seriously eating her!"
"Not yet." Chazz muttered which made the pink haired girl blush.
"W-Wait,what!?" she blushed.
"U-Uhh but that guy might!" Chazz stated as Camula summoned out her Vampire Genesis,"Uuugly." he scoffed,"So Connar, still find vampires sexy now~? Maybe he'll take you home~"
"Gross!"
"Teenagers..." Dr. Crowler huffed from within Chazz's pocket, no doubtedly suffering at their choice of humor in such a time of crisis.
The duel went on and Zane really showed his game which Connar could feel gave a little more confidence to Syrus, and filled him with pride too as Zane took a huge lead with his life points untouched and hers brought down to her final 800.
"Darling...you realize you are forcing me to bring out my ugly side..." Camula hissed.
"Wait it gets uglier?" Connar stated,"Guess that's her permanant defect."
"Laugh it up while you can, Spirit Caller!" Camula hissed,"For Your Dooms Day is Coming!"
Connar gasped as she activated a card called Illusion Gate. One that no one had ever heard of before.
"First, this card destroys all monsters on your field!" Camula stated,"But that's not all...it also allows me to use any monster you've used in this duel." she stated,"Eventhough Cyber End Dragon was only around for a short time, you still used it during this duel!"
"Please...no card is powerful enough to use a move like that." Zane stated,"There has to be a catch..."
Connar could feel her body shaking as her insides seemed to freeze over like ice.
I have a bad feeling...
She gulped.
a VERY bad feeling...
"Well...a tiny one." Camula chuckled,"After using Illusion Gate should I happen to still lose, I must sacrifice a soul to the Sacred Beasts."
"Good!" snapped Chazz,"Serves you right for taking Crowler's."
"You weren't listening dear..." Camula chuckled," I said a soul...not my soul."
"What does that mean?" Chazz blinked and Connar took a few trembling steps back.
"Connie?" Syrus blinked and glanced back. She looked fear stricken and pale.
"I-In the shadows..." Connar stammered,"A soul is a soul..." she said as her eyes darkened over,"It's all the same to the darkness...no matter whose it is..." she whispered,"The Shadow realm doesn't play favorites..."
"Bingo." Camula smirked and shot a glare toward them, "Syrus..."
"Huh?" Syrus blinked.
"Yes...I'm sure your soul will suffice."
"No...Syrus!" Connar gasped as she tugged his arm back with him blinking in confusion.
Zane's eyes widened.
"Syrus..." He blinked when he realized Camula's victim was his own little brother,"RUN!" he cried out but it was too late. For Despite Connar's effort to protect him, and Chazz's attempt to save him, they just weren't fast enough and he got swept away.
"Now I summon the almighty Cyber End Dragon!" Camula cried out.
"SY!" Zane screamed as his almighty monster stood before him, seeming to be powered by Syrus himself.
"Now what will you do?" Camula chuckled,"You could do in your best monster. Win the Duel." she said,"But in doing so, you will also be doing in little Syrus too. So...What will you do?" She chuckled.
Zane's thoughts were conflicted.
My face down card is Call of the Haunted...
he thought to himself. With that...he could rebirth the Cyber Barrier Dragon that was earlier destroyed by Camula's spell...and win the duel.
In exchange...we just lose one soul...
He thought to himself.
The choice is clear...
He sighed.
"SYRUS!" Connar's screaming cry could be heard echoing around them. Her cries flashed images of their childhood. She was small and wild and taught Syrus how to be more daring. They were a wild pair...and they formed a close bond... which in turn only reminded Zane of the current predicament.
"Do it, Zane." Syrus said softly.
Zane gasped.
"My soul is a small price to pay..." he sighed,"After all Zane, if you lose this duel to Camula she'll get your spirit key too...then The Shadow Riders will have two." he said,"They'll be that much closer to releasing The Sacred Beasts." he stated,"It's okay Zane..." he said as tears fell,"Doing it this way, I can be remembered as something more than just Zane's little brother."
"Syrus..." Connar whispered softly and trembled back her tears. Chazz, being forced in silence with no words to say, simply wrapped his arms around his pink haired friend and pulled her face into his chest so that she didn't have to watch.
"Besides...just as you said, Zane..." Syrus whimpered softly,"I never belonged here."
Zane held his silence for a while before gifting out a tender broken smile.
"I did say that." he said softly,"But you proved me wrong, since then. You do belong here."
"Zane..." Syrus sniffed.
"I love you, Syrus. Never forget it." he said,"I'll miss you." Zane closed his eyes and sighed, dropping his duel disk to his side.
"I stand down!" he said firmly much to the shock of all.
"NO,ZANE!" Connar and Syrus called out at the same time.
"So be it." Camula smirked,"Farewell~!" as she unleashed her final attack Zane looked back at Connar.
"Connar..." he called to her, to which she gasped,"Take care of my little brother." he then shifted his gaze to Syrus and smiled,"In fact, Syrus, you two be sure to take care of each other."
"Stop! Please take me!" Syrus cried. But it was the end. The final blast hit and Zane's life point meter dropped to zero. He fell lifelessly to his knees, his eyes faded into emptiness...and he was gone. Sucked into a doll in her hands.
To Be Continued