【40 - Conclusion to the Epic Saga of Darkness!】


Amira stood off the road in a bushland clearing, facing against the last lieutenant of coal province city. Magris sneered across as his ex blinked glowing, purple eyes. Shadows flowed at her edges, fitting her black hood into place.

"So who do I have the pleasure of facing?" he asked.

Amira closed her eyes and when she opened them they were back to normal "me."

"Good. To find you here with nobody else… I'm going to defeat you with a normal creature like you did me," he lifted up the cast over his non-dominant arm "but I won't be leaving you behind. And you won't get away… this time I'll make sure the final attack causes real damage even if you don't die."

Amira remembered the threats given to her by the other lieutenants, both Genjin and Kurushi: if you knew what Magris had planned you'd wish we killed you. Amira shook off the thought "and I'm going to face you as myself so I can conquer my fear and live normally, I won't have to run."

"Kettou da!" his left hand ignited with purple gloom.

"Yoshi," Amira stepped up once the tables were visible. Crystalline shields sprung out and twinkled baby-blue.

"I charge fire and generate Flame Sword – Pierce Accela!" The jagged blade emerged and ignited. "Turn end."

"I charge darkness and generate Demonic Protector." Amira countered, purple gloom illuminated her table as the spiked skeletal armour assembled.

Magris slapped down darkness mana "BloodRayne Start Dash! The first darkness creature I summon on my turns costs one less!" The cowboy trotted forth on his demonic hog-beast, he dipped his hat in greeting.

"I summon Sealed Devil, Ravaal the Reaper" Amira's card shone. As she put it down a bird-mutant in a jester hat touched down, radioactive slime leaking from its teary faces. "The darkness evolution creatures I summon cost one less!" She found it vaguely creepy that they were mimicking each other like this.

Magris charged then "I cross BloodRayne with Flame Sword! It's on 4000 while attacking, ike!"

"Huh?" Amira turned away as glass flew into the surrounding bushes. The shield card popped off the table and she caught it. "Well if that's how you're going to play… I'll get rid of BloodRayne before you can use his effect! I charge and cross Ravaal with Demonic Protector. Ike, suicide with BloodRayne and I draw an extra card!" The bone armour stretched across her devil's strange body before it lunged, clawing into the hog and its rider while he stabbed with his sword. Both creatures died and faded, the cross gears hovering back into place and waiting. Amira drew and stared across the field.

"Here's why I did it, Amira." Magris added his fourth mana "I graveyard-evolve Worm Gowarski, Masked Insect! I cross him with Flame Sword. Go for Amira's shield, ike!" The cowboy's ghost returned and transformed into a red devil with giant worms around his torso. The 4000 creature lunged forward and a purple worm slithered off his arm, its sharp teeth crunching into another panel of glass. Pieces bounced off Amira's table before reassembling.

"Death Hands, Misfortune Emperor destroys Worm Gowarski!" Her scythed dark lord lunged out before his creature could return. He was cleaved diagonally, red cape fluttering as Death Hands took a battle-stance.

"My evolution's effect means you randomly discard after he dies!" The redhead pointed. A card lit up purple and Amira dropped it into her graveyard pile.

"I summon Jenny, the Suicide Doll and sacrifice her so you randomly discard as well!" Her white-haired doll came and went, blowing into bouncing parts. A card in Magris's hand lit up purple and he dropped it. "I cross Death Hands with Demonic Protector! Ike!" Her dark lord gained additional bone armour before swinging that scythe through a far panel. Shards rained into grass and dirt.

Magris began with only two cards in his hand, he charged then cast "Drill Bowgun gets rid of Demonic Protector and then Death Hands too!" A huge metal crossbow lowered itself, firing an arrow-drill that broke apart first her gear and then its user.

"I summon Marquis Alexey, Demonic Eye Gunman. Your cross gear is sent to the bottom of your deck!" Another dark lord sprang forth, severing the weapon with its two laser-words. Magris's cross gear was pulled under his deck. "Turn end."

"I fortify my shield with Super Shachihoko Castle! Now as soon as you attack all creatures on 2000 or less get destroyed." The temple-tank rolled out, turrets pointing out and flame billowing from the monster-statue on its roof.

Amira drew and sighed at the card. We really are mimicking each other this duel… "I fortify my shield with Rose Castle! All your creatures lose 1000 power!" Petals opened while twisted spires rose up, facing against the castle opposite. Since attacking would accomplish nothing and only kill her creature, Amira ended.

"No charge and I pass."

"Geki!?" Amira realized and he only smirked. "I won't let you! I summon Emily, Injection Doll. Marquis Alexey, ike!" As her dark lord flew forward he was shot down by cannon-fire from Magris's castle. Her blue-haired puppet was killed as well, forcing Magris to discard what he was holding. He dropped one of his God links with an angry glare. "Your move."

"I charge and end."

"Same."

The turn went back to Magris. He drew and smirked "No charge, pass."

Both players no longer had hands, Amira drew and summoned "Sealed Devil Beelzebub!" The giant fly deity lowered itself to the zone with a buzz. "Turn end."

Magris added his seventh mana "I summon Dragon Ultimate God, Metsu!" The orange and blue divine beneath ornate gold design swept feathery wings. It had curved horns and a flaming sword, like an ancient Hindu deity. The 7000 double-breaker emitted an eagle-cry. Small vines from Rose Castle crept up to weaken it a bit.

"That's one part of his God link ready…" Amira murmured worriedly. She drew DarthRayne, Dream Knight and considered her options. "No charge. I attack Shachihoko Castle with Beelzebub! Soul Recall 3!" The fly whizzed over, the humanoid attached to it was visible as appendages unfurled and demolished the temple, breaking the glass within. "From my graveyard I send Demonic Protector, Ravaal and Jenny to the bottom of my deck and bring back to the field Emily, Injection Doll!" The blue-haired puppet waved her giant syringe and giggled. "Your move."

"I charge… and summon another Dragon Ultimate God Metsu!" Another fire half of the divine combo arose and they snapped at each other. Amira's eyes widened, well at least it wasn't Geki. Magris pointed "first Metsu double-break! When he isn't blocked I destroy a creature that's 3000 or less, so it's about time I get payback on that creature of yours!" It flapped orange wings, soaring up and cut through the devil and two of Amira's panels. She cried out and stumbled.

Amira stepped back and examined her options "No charge, I cast Venom Charger to give Emily slayer!" Her puppet shone purple and Amira gained extra mana "I summon Sealed Devil Ronovel and evolve it into DarthRayne Dream Knight! I send my next three cards to my graveyard… and return another Sealed Devil Ronovel to my hand. Emily attacks Metsu and DarthRayne double-breaks!" The attacking creatures thrashed and wailed. The knight charged and fired lasers through two of Magris's shields.

He looked at one of the cards and frowned "Demon Wolf, Howling Moonlight Castle…"

"You don't have five darkness cards in your mana zone this time, so it can't do anything!" Amira yelled.

"Then it's a good thing I also got this… Terror Pit!" He laughed as her final creature was dragged away. "My move! Charge! I summon Dragon Ultimate God Geki and God link!"

"…no."

The true pair of Metsu arose with a high screech. Orange and black beneath its gold design, they began their fusion as blue lightning rocketed out and struck trees. Leaves rustled chaotically under the thunderous roar. Small fires started burning. Amira took slow steps backward and then she was face-to-face with his 14,000 creature once more. Two heads stared. A flaming sword and twin ghostly sabers were barred threateningly.

Magris ordered "break her last shield!"

Glass shattered and Amira lowered her arms. Magris turned his head at the intrusion of another.

"Amira!"

"Heidi?" the two girls stared at each other from either side of the lieutenant.

Magris scoffed "…just in time to see her die."

"I won't let you!" Heidi yelled furiously, but her wrists were cuffed. It was going to be hard for her to do anything.

"What is with your dumb attachment to her!?" Magris yelled back. "Has it still not sunk into your thick skull? This planet has no chosens. You all split up. Amira only uses people! She's only using you!"

"That's enough, Magris!" Amira shouted.

"Did she tell you about what happened between us!?" Magris yelled back.

"Like I'd believe you anyway-!" Heidi retorted before the other girl cut her off.

"Heidi, that's enough…" Amira was hunched over when the other two looked back. "Fine… I didn't run away from Magris because he was crazy… I didn't find that out until afterwards… I ran away cause we were getting too serious… I ran because I didn't want to be tied down to anything. Happy?"

"And the promises you made-"

"Were just to make you happy in the moment, Magris. I didn't know what love was and I still don't. I've never been tied to people. Love was just something to play at. I didn't want it if it was going to be hard or take away from my freedom. And I also don't feel love like you do, or like most people probably. I don't think I'm the type of girl who can have real relationships. I'm the type of girl who always hurts the guys she's with."

Heidi was speechless at Amira's confession.

Magris's eyes narrowed "…and you could never say that from the start, cause it wouldn't have been easy right Amira? It would be easier just to run away without a trace and let me figure it out for myself. Well there's no more running. This time, I'm going to finish it."

"Let's…" she held up a glowing card with a neutral face. "When you turned to look at Heidi you missed my final shield trigger. Terror Pit to disrupt your God link."

"Urgh! Geki stays!" The fire half was pulled free and the darkness dragon steadied itself as it decreased to 7000.

"I summon Sealed Devil Ronovel and Sealed Devil Samijal," Amira emptied her hand, the two trusty blockers scuttling forth. "Turn end."

Magris drew his only card and summoned "Zorvaz, the Bonecrusher!" The bone-armoured quadruped stalked forth on 8000. It towered over the treetops but it was a blocker that couldn't attack and died after battling. "Geki todomeda!"

"Ronovel blocks!" She twisted the card and her crustacean demon was cut apart by those swords. The air-blast swept back Amira's hood and strands of her caramel hair. She drew her only card "Vorg, Ogre Puppet!" The purple toy swung its electric mace and giggled.

"A slayer… but Zorvaz can still block it." Magris drew and it was his Screw Rocket spell. Useless. Instead of using it for mana he held onto it to psyche his opponent out "Geki, again! Todomeda!"

"Samijal blocks!" Amira shouted, her purple blocker taking the hit. The darkness duelist winced but stayed upright. "I graveyard-evolve Death March, Reaper Puppeteer! He's also a blocker… turn end." The blue swordsman drew his sword and took a defensive posture.

Magris hoped for another attacker but was angered at his draw once again "I generate Quake Staff and cross it to Dragon God Geki! Now he's a slayer." The toothed spear grew in size, the dragon released one of its sabers to clutch it. "Todomedaaa!"

"Block!" Amira cried out and her death puppet broke apart, she stumbled backward.

"Let's see you draw a blocker this time!" Magris jeered.

Amira drew a spell "…Accident Eye to destroy all creatures crossed with gear. Go!" Twin whirlpools of blue energy glared upon the field.

"What!? No!" Magris grunted when beams disintegrated his mighty God. "You bitch!"

It was at that moment that another two intruders emerged from the bushland, drawn by the noise of their battle.

"Thought we'd find you here," Simon spoke. Lisa glared murderously at Magris.

His eyes bulged with his mania. After defeating Amira he may have been able to dispatch a Heidi in handcuffs, but with those other two present as well it was sure to be much harder. Heidi's eyes alighted at the blonde boy and dyed-haired girl.

"Magris… it's over…" Amira stated and he yelled with fury.

"I only need one attack! I summon Lone Tear, Shadow of Solitude!" The spiky-haired lieutenant summoned his howling grey ghost.

Amira drew. This time I got what I needed. She couldn't help the small smile "I graveyard-evolve Dorgedos, the Reaper Drake! Zorvaz can't block for the rest of the turn. Vorg, Ogre Puppet attacks your last shield! Ike!" That electric mace fired up, the doll jumping and smashing glass that cut his arms and face.

"No trigger…?" he lowered his arms in disbelief.

"You wanted to kill me? Death is my civilization and I am its mistress. This is for Diego. Dorgedos, todomeda!" The 5000 drake ran on all-fours, its purple blades fanning out before it threw itself into the terrified Magris. His body crumpled when hit, several bones snapping before he tumbled across dirt into a pathetic heap. He wailed once before blacking out.

Amira dipped her head. The tables and creatures vanished.

Lisa hurried over to where Magris lay and stopped a few feet away "…is he dead?"

"No, but he will be." Amira answered before walking up beside her. "Without medical attention he'll die within hours. The closest city just suffered a nuclear attack so will be too busy helping the countless others injured." From either side of them Simon and Heidi walked up as well.

"If Urobach finds him he'll execute him, or just leave him here." Heidi agreed.

"Yes, well, sucks to be that guy." Simon turned away. "Heidi I'll get you out of those cuffs, I know I got a wire somewhere in my jacket here…"

She held out her arms, after a couple of minutes Simon got them off her and she rubbed the pink marks until they were no longer sore.

"When that bomb went off there was a mass panic at the civilian campsite," Lisa explained. "Everyone was rioting, demanding we get evacuated further to escape the fall-out. We snuck away in the chaos, then we saw Geki-Metsu during your duel."

"Are we in danger from the radiation?" Heidi asked.

"Ground zero was in the middle of the city, Diego said the dirt particles will still take some days to be carried by the wind. If we're lucky. If you'd been closer that would be a different story."

"Actually… I was there when the bomb went off…" Heidi scratched her head and the three stared at her.

"I wasn't like, in the disintegration zone or anything, but I was in the death zone… Mars protected me from the heat and radiation. Turns out subtle manipulation of fire can be useful after all, huh Amira?"

Even as she spoke lightly of the event, Heidi knew she would never be able to remove that nightmare experience from her brain. The vision of her walking through a superheated city unharmed while a thousand surrounding voices filled her mind with their pain. Leafless trees vanishing into cinders. Vehicles, people and even buildings melting. The four walked up the slope to the highway and vans, hoping one of the vehicles still worked. Heidi felt uneasy but wasn't sure why.

"So long as you didn't take anything back with you from the city we'll be okay. Cause everything would be irradiated. Even the tiniest specks of dirt, Heidi." Lisa explained when they climbed into the broken van. Simon tried starting up the engine but it only whined at him.

"No, Mars coated me in like this anti-energy field." Why do I feel uneasy? Heidi asked herself again. The van finally started and they drove off for the Port City.

"Mr Barrow and the kids stayed behind. Since they're young and the girl's sick, they'll probably be with the first evacuated." Simon explained while changing gears. "I know Mr Barrow would love for you to stay with us, Lisa. You could get your degree at a university and be a proper nurse in a hospital. You already know it all, anyway."

"Sounds good," she nodded in the back.

"You two would be welcome as well," Simon added while driving.

Heidi looked at Amira sitting across from her before facing back to the driver's seat "we need to keep moving. The water chosen is by far the most active, but still too difficult to track down. The light chosen went rogue. That just leaves… the nature chosen. Who lives up north by the islands. Our only choice is to take the pirate trade route. It'll be our only chance to do this." Heidi thought "do we have enough fuel to make it?"

"Yes, whoever had this van before Amira filled the tank," Simon answered. "We have the fuel to drop you both off then Lisa and I can find a public service centre. We'll tell them Mr Barrow's our family and get us all back together."

Heidi slinked back in the dingy van and tried to relax. It'd been one of those days.

Usually there was a toll booth to get through, but it'd all been opened to allow for police and ambulances to make their way out. Emergency vehicles raced past them on the dilapidated highway. They drove into a nicer, normal city. There were screens displaying the worldwide coverage in public squares: bumbling officials insisting they had nothing to do with the nuclear attack, newsmen explaining that Aurellia simply didn't have the support available for a catastrophe of this scale. Help was being sent from everywhere. With satisfaction Heidi noticed they were pinning the blame on the people responsible: the other-worldly invaders the chosen water duelist mentioned in their broadcast. A statement that stuck with all four of the teens was "this is the darkest day of Aurellia's history."

They didn't have any money for a hotel so slept in the van, by the curb of a park with public toilets. When Heidi awoke her lower legs were in a great deal of pain. She was used to them being sore and twinging the day after they did long walking journeys in the city. This time she'd clearly overdone it, it was no wonder after walking dazedly through all those city blocks post-nuclear attack. She wouldn't be able to do much, if any walking today. But that wasn't the most upsetting realization she woke up to.

Heidi swung her legs out, sitting on the sliding door-track of the van and massaging her aching muscles. Simon and Lisa were opposite on a wooden bench, their heads lowered. It was early and grey, a pattering of rain began to fall.

"What… what is it?" Heidi asked them.

"Amira's gone," Simon answered.

The unease she'd been feeling since yesterday went tight in her gut. Heidi's face went pale "…huh?"

Simon leaned over and passed her a slip of paper, torn from a piece of rubbish. On it was written the word 'sorry'. Heidi stared before clenching the paper in her fist "so… so he was right. Magris… and Timothy… Amira doesn't want to do anything that will put her in danger. As soon she took care of her stalker and didn't need us anymore… she ran. Because Amira always runs." For a strange second Heidi almost felt like Magris. The shock and betrayal of the sudden, unexplained departure. The rising heat as she wanted to find the flighty girl and hold her accountable. Was their friendship, their connection… simply something Amira used for her own ends? Then Heidi deflated, the hopelessness settling in once more "this entire journey here was a waste. I tried to reunite with a chosen but she just ran again. And I lost Timothy. I was such a brat that I drove him away. Now I have even less than what I started here with. This whole journey to the coal province… was a complete waste."

"Heidi…" Lisa had tears in her eyes.

"I just… wish… Amira could've defeated her fears" Heidi said.

Unexpectedly Lisa rushed over and wrapped her into a hug "I know Amira told you that you're like the sister she never had," Lisa sobbed. "Maybe she was lying. But I mean it. You're like a sister to me, Heidi. I'm so sorry…"

Heidi paused before returning the hug.

"I used to think I knew Amira better than anyone," Simon started from the bench, turning over his fingers. "She was afraid. She wasn't above using people if she thought it was for her survival. But… you two are both chosens… I think somewhere you probably did understand each other."

"I think so too…" Heidi murmured as the rain started falling into a constant drizzle. "I just didn't want to acknowledge what I already knew."

"Come with us," Simon looked up to say "Fighting Urobach alone is too dangerous. You won't ever be able to unite the chosens if one of you doesn't want to fight."

"Can't do that," Heidi sniffled and wiped the beginning of tears. "I'm continuing on to the pirate trade route alone. I'm leaving Augus and sailing across the ocean to the islands, alone. Then I'm tracking down the chosen nature duelist and trying this again."

"You're so stubborn, Heidi." Lisa commented.

"It's still the best hope for Aurellia."

Simon sighed and stood, he climbed past them into the van to avoid the increasing rain "I'll drive you there. But for the record I still think this is a big mistake."

The two girls wiped their tears and climbed in after him, Lisa pulled the sliding door shut. They'd finished the last of the dry rations Simon had swiped from the military campsite. All three were still hungry as they drove across the city, hoping not to get pulled over. One of their headlights was smashed, a front corner of the van seriously dented, but thankfully the pelting rain kept them from being spotted. A lot of the city's police force had probably been ordered to help in the slums. With so little cars on the road there were probably a lot of volunteers too. They drove through a suburban area and then a dirt track. The rain had calmed back to that constant drizzle and they passed tree foliage before arriving at a series of warehouses by docks.

"…there's usually more people here?" Simon started. "Is it the weather?"

"It's to do with the nuclear attack, probably." Lisa answered, standing up to stretch.

Heidi stretched as well but was still sore. They got out and stood under an overhanging tree. Piratey-looking men were loading sacks and crates. They had no colourful stripes or peg-legs, just brown tattered coats and black boots. One fellow did have an eyepatch though.

"Here is where we have to leave you, Heidi." Simon explained.

"Yes… if you hadn't found Timothy and me that day I don't know what would've happened to us. Thank you," Heidi stepped over to hug him.

"You could always stay with us another month, rest up a bit and eat proper food before you go," Lisa pushed.

Heidi went to hug her "Urobach isn't resting. Neither can I. Thank you, Lisa… you helped us take out one of their lieutenants. Now there's just seven more to go."

She stepped back and straightened "Bye, Simon. Bye, Lisa."

"Take care," the nurse locked her fingers over her lap.

"Go find that other chosen," the blonde gave a thumbs-up.

Heidi nodded and turned away from her friends. She walked and then quickly limped through the rain, puddles splashed into the holes that'd formed at the bottom of her sneakers. She limped across cement then went undercover, looking between the big men all busying themselves with their labor. Heidi saw that instead of multiple ships there was only one. A creaky wooden vessel that was bobbing under the waves.

"Captain," a crew member spotted Heidi and prodded a big man in a coat. He turned and peered at her, bearded and with long hairs growing out from his nose.

Heidi swallowed a hit of nerves before raising her voice to be heard over the rain "going to the islands?"

"Aye… and you got money for it?"

Heidi hesitated before handing over the crumpled note Simon gave her, it was all he could spare.

The man reached over with a gloved hand and peered at it "this couldn't even get me a rum from Tortuga. But maybe a coaster for one!" At his joke the surrounding men erupted with laughter.

Heidi's shoulders bunched "look, I'm prepared to work for you! I'll mop the deck, scrub the bow, I'll scrape barnacles off the railings! Just get me to the islands!"

"Oh I'll put you to work, lassy. That's for sure. But are you sure you want to do this?" he crouched down to her level.

"…what's that supposed to mean?"

"There's a hurricane out there" he watched her blink in surprise. Heidi looked out to sea, it was darker grey and the source of all their rain. The captain continued "if we're unlucky, none of us may make it back to the islands."

Heidi's nose crinkled at the man's rancid breath. She observed the nearby scallywags, stopping with their boxes and supplies in hand to stare at her. These were the only pirates crazy enough to be out sailing during a hurricane.

Heidi sighed before determination filled her "I'm in."

"Welcome aboard, little miss!" the boom of his voice startled her, along with the hands dropping onto her shoulders. "Keep moving you motley crew!" he yelled and they hurried along with their packing. "What's yerr name, lassy?"

"Heidi. Heidi Hira-"

"Get to packing, little Heidi! We're getting off-land and out to sea! She awaits me, yoho!" he cried before cackling.

Heidi scampered off while a muscled brute grunted at her and pointed at the nest of supplies. Heidi got to work, straining with what she could manage. She travelled the wharf and handed stuff over to other pirates who stood ready at planks, passing everything along. Most of the barrels looked like they were full of alcohol. After everything was loaded they all went below deck and Heidi wrapped herself in itchy blankets. She hunkered by a round window while scrubbing her black hair.

"Yoho indeed…"

When the anchor raised their sails caught wind and they were swept away from land. Last time Heidi had crossed the ocean she'd been flown from Duextra to Augus. Now she was heading north for the scattered islands.

Nature chosen, I'm coming for you.


AN: This may be a bad time to explain that Amira's surname "hashi・ru" literally means "to run" in Japanese. So yep, this was always going to happen. Back to the ol' drawing board, I guess. But anyway... Yatta! I did it! I actually managed to complete the second arc of this. I'm so glad. I'd hate for this story to just die off before its completion one day, sitting eternally on some random number. Not to put anyone off though! I mean, did I not write 100,000 words in the space of like a month? We have Uni holidays to thank for that. And so Darkness Arc is 100% done and AUrellia is now 40% done. What arc will be next I wonder... hehe.. heh. Next time we will be introduced to hyperspatiality! I'm going to really try to get as up-to-speed with the OCG as I can before jumping into a new arc! Thankfully the other authors are helping me! Thanks to Acuma, Azure and Shuriken! See you all next time!