Duke glared at the strange woman suspiciously. "Say something!" he ordered.
With one might shove, the woman threw Duke backwards into the snow.
"Oh my!" Bakura gasped, hurrying to help him up. "That was uncalled for!"
"Punks," the woman grumbled. "I could get you both in serious trouble for assaulting an officer!"
"Officer?!" the boys said in disbelief.
"You're a policewoman?" Duke cried incredulously, realizing what this meant. There was more than one officer on the force who was in this cult. What did it mean? How many people in the city were involved with this?
"That's right," the woman said, standing up.
"Might I ask why you're wearing that dark cloak?" Duke demanded.
"You can if you want, but I don't have to answer." The woman glared at him and Bakura. "I should be asking why you kids are wandering through the canyons at this time of night!"
"Well, we're not doing anything wrong, so we shouldn't have to answer that," Duke retorted. They couldn't trust this officer.
"Don't talk that way to me!" the woman growled, grabbing Duke by the front of his shirt. Bakura tried to apologize for his friend's comments, but the woman would have none of it. "I'm taking you both back to the station," she declared. "You can spend a night in jail!"
"What if we refuse to go?" Duke grabbed the woman's hands and wrenched them away.
"Then I'll add resisting arrest to your crimes," the woman replied sternly.
Bakura's heart sank. He knew the woman wouldn't really take them to the police station. More than likely, she would try abducting them both.
The Millennium Ring glowed and Yami Bakura came out, his slanted brown eyes full of annoyance and disgust. "You would be wise not to trifle with me," he growled. "Chain Energy!"
"What the . . ." The woman gasped as strong gold chains bound her tightly, making it impossible for her to even move. Duke stared at her and then at the ancient tomb raider, who was smirking nastily.
"Come, you fools," he ordered. "Now is the time to make our exit!"
"Wait," Duke said, turning back to the woman. "You're in no position to argue, so tell us where you were going!"
The woman struggled to get free in vain. "I don't have to tell you anything!"
"No, but I do have more tricks up my sleeve," Yami Bakura sneered, "and most of them are far worse than a bothersome restraining device." He shuffled through his deck, looking for the Man-Eater Bug card to prove his point.
"I know who you are!" the woman cried suddenly, causing the thief to pause and look at her suspiciously. "My master told me about you," she went on, fire glowing in her eyes. "You are after the same goal he is!"
"Would someone explain what's going on here?!" Duke cried in disbelief.
Bakura scratched his cheek. "Um, it's quite a long story, actually . . ."
Yami Bakura moved in closer. "And who is your master?" he demanded.
The woman smirked. "I will speak freely of him, for you have no hope of ever defeating him!" she said dramatically.
****
"That guy just parked his car and went into that cluster of trees!" Mokuba cried, pointing ahead. Mai had finally spotted their quarry again and they had chased him for what seemed like ages, and now he had seemed to have reached his destination.
"Alright. Then we're going to follow him," Mai said in determination, hitting the brakes.
The three young people climbed out, glancing around furtively. "I hope he hasn't been leading us into a trap," Marik remarked.
"We just havta take that chance," Mokuba replied, narrowing his eyes. "We've gotta find my brother—and Tea, too!"
Slowly they crept forward, making sure to keep Burton in sight through the swirling drifts of snow. Suddenly Marik tripped over something and he went down. "What in the name of Heaven . . ." he muttered. Both Mai and Mokuba turned to see if he was alright.
Marik pulled himself out of the white powder, shivering a bit, and stared at the strange object he had fallen across. It was bright golden and shaped like a short staff, and a strange symbol graced the top.
Mai gasped, recognizing it. "It can't be . . ." she whispered.
Marik reached for it, confusion written across his face. Suddenly a bright light illuminated from the rod, blinding them all!
****
Seto frantically steered the car away from the road's edge, narrowly missing hitting another car head-on. The driver honked angrily at him at he swerved out of the way, but Seto ignored them as the mysterious car side-swiped him yet again, sending him skidding across the road and over an embankment!
Seto tried to keep the car upright as it barreled wildly down the steep ravine, but it was proving to be very difficult. I can't die now, he said to himself, not while Seth is running loose and holding Tea and Mokuba hostage! He remembered Ishizu's words: "Because of your ties to this spirit, destiny has chosen you to defeat him." What if he was the only one who could?
The car abruptly came to a halt at the bottom and the door flew open, sending Seto flying. Luckily, since he was wearing his seatbelt, he didn't go very far.
He sat in the car for several minutes afterward, trying to get himself under control. He had very nearly been killed that time, and he had to admit, he hoped that those who attempted it didn't know they had failed. It would be easier to take them by surprise if they thought he was among the deceased.
****
Yugi and Weevil tensed as the footsteps grew closer. "Quick!" Yugi whispered, pulling Weevil under the boxcar. "We can't let them see us!"
"I'm not some idiot. I know that!" Weevil grumbled.
Two strange people came into view. "He won't be able to run forever," one of them muttered.
"Of course he won't." The second one leaned up against the boxcar. "Ah . . . revenge is sweet. Poor 'Master'. . . ." He laughed wickedly. "We'll finally be rid of him after all this time!"
Yugi's eyes widened. These must be a couple of Marik's old Rare Hunters! He longed to come out and tell these people that it didn't matter what Marik had done—there was no excuse for killing. And Marik's not the same anymore! he screamed in his mind. He's changed!
The only thing keeping him from actually coming out and talking to the Rare Hunters was that he didn't want to put Weevil in danger. There was no telling what these guys would do if they found the boys under the boxcar. And what was more, why were they here in the railroad yard where Seto and Tea had disappeared hours earlier? It all seemed strange. He tried to listen some more to see if he could get any clues to anyone's whereabouts.
"I don't think he'd be very happy if he knew we joined Seth's cult," the first remarked.
"Probably not, but there's not much he can do about it," the second replied with a laugh. "We have the advantage now. Seth wants Marik out of the way as much as we do!"
Yugi couldn't figure out who this Seth person was. He had never known anyone with that name, but he knew now that he had to find out who he was. ~Yami?~ he said through the mental connection. ~Yami, are you there?~
**Yes, Yugi.** The reply came swiftly. **Where are you?**
~Yami, I'm hiding under a boxcar with Weevil Underwood,~ Yugi told him, ~and we're listening to a couple of Marik's Rare Hunters! They're talking about someone named Seth!~
**Seth?!** The name sent a jolt through the ancient pharaoh's body. Most of the memories of his life as ruler of Egypt were still scattered and unclear, but he remembered the name Seth. He knew that there was much evil connected with the person who held that name, though he could not entirely remember everything about him. **Oh no—not him!**
Before Yugi could reply, the sneering face of one of the Rare Hunters was looking in at him and Weevil. "Well, well," he growled sinisterly, "what have we here?"
****
"What is that light?!" Mai cried, shielding her eyes.
Marik stared at the rod, wide-eyed. Something strange was happening to him—his memories were being restored. He remembered his name. His sister Ishizu. His brother Rishid.
He remembered his father. He had been an abomination, but he had still been the father and some part of Marik had loved him. Then someone had killed the man. . . . Marik saw that he had once believed it was a spirit that looked like Yugi. But then he had found out that it was someone very different. Someone dark and deadly.
Suddenly he was bombarded with horrid images, remembrances of his past treachery. He saw himself mind-controlling the Rare Hunters. He saw him tormenting them with the Shadow Realm. And he saw how badly he had wanted revenge on the spirit Yugi knew. "No!" he cried. "No, it is not possible!" He collapsed to the ground, sobbing. No wonder that Brooklyn boy didn't trust him. No wonder that his old followers wanted him dead. "I do not deserve to live!" he said shakily. "I don't. . . ."
Mai and Mokuba just stared at him helplessly, not knowing what was happening or how to comfort him.
"What's wrong?" Mokuba asked finally, feeling concern starting to come over him. Marik seemed so alarmed. . . . Slowly Mokuba started to guess the truth.
Marik was completely devastated, and his tears fell into the snow as he berated his wretched existence. Everything was clear now—he saw how terrible he'd been. Why had he survived that car crash? How could Yugi have ever shown him the least bit of kindness and mercy after everything Marik had done to him and to all his friends? Perhaps he had repented, but still . . . still. . . .
Suddenly an evil voice echoed through the boy's mind. "You stupid cur! How could you have misplaced the Millennium Rod?!"
Marik gasped. No . . . no, it couldn't be! Not him!
A dark force took hold of Marik and he found himself fighting for control of his body. "Stop!" he screamed. It had seemed so long since he had had to deal with this nightmare. It was his Yami. The evil presence he had once created by accident from his confusion and rage. Marik now remembered that the Yami had been defeated once. But now, somehow, he had gotten back.
"What's happening to him?" Mokuba cried, feeling frightened as Marik writhed in torment. Mai held him protectively, her violet eyes narrowed.
Then the boy looked up, a nasty gleam in his once-innocent eyes. "At last I am free again!" he declared, raising himself up to his full height. "And now nothing will send me away! Especially not my ridiculous other side."
Mai's eyes went wide. She could never forget that evil voice. "Mokuba, run!" she ordered, letting him go.
"What?!" Mokuba cried as Marik grabbed Mai fiercely. "Hey!! Let go of her!!" he yelled.
"Foolish child." Marik shoved Mokuba back into a snow drift.
The younger boy looked up, brushing the snow out of his hair. "What happened to you?!" he demanded. "Have you been faking your amnesia all this time while you were waiting to get your Rod back?" It wouldn't surprise him, not after everything Marik had done in the past.
Marik only laughed, dragging Mai with him while she struggled in vain to get free.
The real Marik found himself imprisoned in a strange place. He was in his soul room, a place where he'd been locked before—and there was no way out. His Yami forced him in there whenever he felt the urge to carry out one of his wicked schemes. The last time he had been locked in was during the Battle City finals. Then Yami Marik had completely banished him from his own body!
Marik sat down on the floor, his lavender eyes sad and full of defeat. His life was a nightmare. Anytime Marik had managed to make a friend, his Yami always seemed to scare them away. Marik had been alone for most of his life, with only his sister and brother to stand by him—and even then his Yami was always threatening to do things to them as well. He wanted Marik to be alone forever more, and he was doing a good job of making that happen.
As Marik heard Mai's screams from somewhere outside, a determination began to grow inside him. He was tired of his Yami always controlling him, always doing his despicable deeds. Marik had been despicable himself before, but now he had changed.
"Your days of using my body as a puppet for your evil schemes are over!" Marik cried aloud. "I will defeat you—permenantly!" Two things dawned on him then—Rishid must be hurt. Otherwise how could the Yami have gotten control? Always Rishid had held him at bay. Marik clenched his fists angrily, thinking of his poor brother laying somewhere, injured. And at the ex-Rare Hunters hands, no doubt!
The second thing he realized was that he must have been so distraught over what he had been remembering that that was how Yami Marik had emerged from whatever realm he had been held in to take control again. That combined with Rishid's current state must have done it.
Yami Marik laughed wickedly. "Idiot. You will never defeat me! You are too weak!!"
Marik clenched his fists. "I shall defeat you," he vowed. "This time I shall." He knew that his Yami was no longer part of him. He was complete without this fiend. And he would not let this abomination rule his life anymore!
****
Mokuba watched Marik dragging Mai away, his gray eyes full of outrage—and of confusion. Something strange had happened to Marik when he'd found the Millennium Rod only moments before—that much was obvious—and now Mokuba needed the answer to a question: Was it Marik taking Mai away or was it his Yami? It did look like the blonde hair was starting to stick up strangely. Now Mokuba knew he had three people to rescue—Seto, Tea, and Mai.
"Oh, big brother, I wish you were here!" Mokuba wailed sadly.
A cold hand grabbed the little boy and jerked him against his bare chest. Mokuba let out a yelp, recognizing the evil touch. "Let me go!" he cried, kicking and flailing frantically.
"Oh, poor little Mokuba," Seth's voice said smoothly. "This time your brother isn't here to save you. And you will have no choice but to come with me now!" His grip tightened.
"I won't go with you!!" Mokuba screamed.
"You have no choice," Seth repeated, squeezing Mokuba's throat in his fingers.
Mokuba's eyes began to water. "Stop," he gasped, struggling for breath. Help, he prayed fervently. Please bring my brother. . . . He trailed off, blacking out.
Seth let go of the boy's neck and carted him off through the trees, an evil smirk on his face. He may not have his Millennium Rod yet, but he would soon—and in the meantime, he did have his other scepter, and that was good enough for now. And once all of those kids were out of his way, nothing would stop him from conquering the world.
With one might shove, the woman threw Duke backwards into the snow.
"Oh my!" Bakura gasped, hurrying to help him up. "That was uncalled for!"
"Punks," the woman grumbled. "I could get you both in serious trouble for assaulting an officer!"
"Officer?!" the boys said in disbelief.
"You're a policewoman?" Duke cried incredulously, realizing what this meant. There was more than one officer on the force who was in this cult. What did it mean? How many people in the city were involved with this?
"That's right," the woman said, standing up.
"Might I ask why you're wearing that dark cloak?" Duke demanded.
"You can if you want, but I don't have to answer." The woman glared at him and Bakura. "I should be asking why you kids are wandering through the canyons at this time of night!"
"Well, we're not doing anything wrong, so we shouldn't have to answer that," Duke retorted. They couldn't trust this officer.
"Don't talk that way to me!" the woman growled, grabbing Duke by the front of his shirt. Bakura tried to apologize for his friend's comments, but the woman would have none of it. "I'm taking you both back to the station," she declared. "You can spend a night in jail!"
"What if we refuse to go?" Duke grabbed the woman's hands and wrenched them away.
"Then I'll add resisting arrest to your crimes," the woman replied sternly.
Bakura's heart sank. He knew the woman wouldn't really take them to the police station. More than likely, she would try abducting them both.
The Millennium Ring glowed and Yami Bakura came out, his slanted brown eyes full of annoyance and disgust. "You would be wise not to trifle with me," he growled. "Chain Energy!"
"What the . . ." The woman gasped as strong gold chains bound her tightly, making it impossible for her to even move. Duke stared at her and then at the ancient tomb raider, who was smirking nastily.
"Come, you fools," he ordered. "Now is the time to make our exit!"
"Wait," Duke said, turning back to the woman. "You're in no position to argue, so tell us where you were going!"
The woman struggled to get free in vain. "I don't have to tell you anything!"
"No, but I do have more tricks up my sleeve," Yami Bakura sneered, "and most of them are far worse than a bothersome restraining device." He shuffled through his deck, looking for the Man-Eater Bug card to prove his point.
"I know who you are!" the woman cried suddenly, causing the thief to pause and look at her suspiciously. "My master told me about you," she went on, fire glowing in her eyes. "You are after the same goal he is!"
"Would someone explain what's going on here?!" Duke cried in disbelief.
Bakura scratched his cheek. "Um, it's quite a long story, actually . . ."
Yami Bakura moved in closer. "And who is your master?" he demanded.
The woman smirked. "I will speak freely of him, for you have no hope of ever defeating him!" she said dramatically.
****
"That guy just parked his car and went into that cluster of trees!" Mokuba cried, pointing ahead. Mai had finally spotted their quarry again and they had chased him for what seemed like ages, and now he had seemed to have reached his destination.
"Alright. Then we're going to follow him," Mai said in determination, hitting the brakes.
The three young people climbed out, glancing around furtively. "I hope he hasn't been leading us into a trap," Marik remarked.
"We just havta take that chance," Mokuba replied, narrowing his eyes. "We've gotta find my brother—and Tea, too!"
Slowly they crept forward, making sure to keep Burton in sight through the swirling drifts of snow. Suddenly Marik tripped over something and he went down. "What in the name of Heaven . . ." he muttered. Both Mai and Mokuba turned to see if he was alright.
Marik pulled himself out of the white powder, shivering a bit, and stared at the strange object he had fallen across. It was bright golden and shaped like a short staff, and a strange symbol graced the top.
Mai gasped, recognizing it. "It can't be . . ." she whispered.
Marik reached for it, confusion written across his face. Suddenly a bright light illuminated from the rod, blinding them all!
****
Seto frantically steered the car away from the road's edge, narrowly missing hitting another car head-on. The driver honked angrily at him at he swerved out of the way, but Seto ignored them as the mysterious car side-swiped him yet again, sending him skidding across the road and over an embankment!
Seto tried to keep the car upright as it barreled wildly down the steep ravine, but it was proving to be very difficult. I can't die now, he said to himself, not while Seth is running loose and holding Tea and Mokuba hostage! He remembered Ishizu's words: "Because of your ties to this spirit, destiny has chosen you to defeat him." What if he was the only one who could?
The car abruptly came to a halt at the bottom and the door flew open, sending Seto flying. Luckily, since he was wearing his seatbelt, he didn't go very far.
He sat in the car for several minutes afterward, trying to get himself under control. He had very nearly been killed that time, and he had to admit, he hoped that those who attempted it didn't know they had failed. It would be easier to take them by surprise if they thought he was among the deceased.
****
Yugi and Weevil tensed as the footsteps grew closer. "Quick!" Yugi whispered, pulling Weevil under the boxcar. "We can't let them see us!"
"I'm not some idiot. I know that!" Weevil grumbled.
Two strange people came into view. "He won't be able to run forever," one of them muttered.
"Of course he won't." The second one leaned up against the boxcar. "Ah . . . revenge is sweet. Poor 'Master'. . . ." He laughed wickedly. "We'll finally be rid of him after all this time!"
Yugi's eyes widened. These must be a couple of Marik's old Rare Hunters! He longed to come out and tell these people that it didn't matter what Marik had done—there was no excuse for killing. And Marik's not the same anymore! he screamed in his mind. He's changed!
The only thing keeping him from actually coming out and talking to the Rare Hunters was that he didn't want to put Weevil in danger. There was no telling what these guys would do if they found the boys under the boxcar. And what was more, why were they here in the railroad yard where Seto and Tea had disappeared hours earlier? It all seemed strange. He tried to listen some more to see if he could get any clues to anyone's whereabouts.
"I don't think he'd be very happy if he knew we joined Seth's cult," the first remarked.
"Probably not, but there's not much he can do about it," the second replied with a laugh. "We have the advantage now. Seth wants Marik out of the way as much as we do!"
Yugi couldn't figure out who this Seth person was. He had never known anyone with that name, but he knew now that he had to find out who he was. ~Yami?~ he said through the mental connection. ~Yami, are you there?~
**Yes, Yugi.** The reply came swiftly. **Where are you?**
~Yami, I'm hiding under a boxcar with Weevil Underwood,~ Yugi told him, ~and we're listening to a couple of Marik's Rare Hunters! They're talking about someone named Seth!~
**Seth?!** The name sent a jolt through the ancient pharaoh's body. Most of the memories of his life as ruler of Egypt were still scattered and unclear, but he remembered the name Seth. He knew that there was much evil connected with the person who held that name, though he could not entirely remember everything about him. **Oh no—not him!**
Before Yugi could reply, the sneering face of one of the Rare Hunters was looking in at him and Weevil. "Well, well," he growled sinisterly, "what have we here?"
****
"What is that light?!" Mai cried, shielding her eyes.
Marik stared at the rod, wide-eyed. Something strange was happening to him—his memories were being restored. He remembered his name. His sister Ishizu. His brother Rishid.
He remembered his father. He had been an abomination, but he had still been the father and some part of Marik had loved him. Then someone had killed the man. . . . Marik saw that he had once believed it was a spirit that looked like Yugi. But then he had found out that it was someone very different. Someone dark and deadly.
Suddenly he was bombarded with horrid images, remembrances of his past treachery. He saw himself mind-controlling the Rare Hunters. He saw him tormenting them with the Shadow Realm. And he saw how badly he had wanted revenge on the spirit Yugi knew. "No!" he cried. "No, it is not possible!" He collapsed to the ground, sobbing. No wonder that Brooklyn boy didn't trust him. No wonder that his old followers wanted him dead. "I do not deserve to live!" he said shakily. "I don't. . . ."
Mai and Mokuba just stared at him helplessly, not knowing what was happening or how to comfort him.
"What's wrong?" Mokuba asked finally, feeling concern starting to come over him. Marik seemed so alarmed. . . . Slowly Mokuba started to guess the truth.
Marik was completely devastated, and his tears fell into the snow as he berated his wretched existence. Everything was clear now—he saw how terrible he'd been. Why had he survived that car crash? How could Yugi have ever shown him the least bit of kindness and mercy after everything Marik had done to him and to all his friends? Perhaps he had repented, but still . . . still. . . .
Suddenly an evil voice echoed through the boy's mind. "You stupid cur! How could you have misplaced the Millennium Rod?!"
Marik gasped. No . . . no, it couldn't be! Not him!
A dark force took hold of Marik and he found himself fighting for control of his body. "Stop!" he screamed. It had seemed so long since he had had to deal with this nightmare. It was his Yami. The evil presence he had once created by accident from his confusion and rage. Marik now remembered that the Yami had been defeated once. But now, somehow, he had gotten back.
"What's happening to him?" Mokuba cried, feeling frightened as Marik writhed in torment. Mai held him protectively, her violet eyes narrowed.
Then the boy looked up, a nasty gleam in his once-innocent eyes. "At last I am free again!" he declared, raising himself up to his full height. "And now nothing will send me away! Especially not my ridiculous other side."
Mai's eyes went wide. She could never forget that evil voice. "Mokuba, run!" she ordered, letting him go.
"What?!" Mokuba cried as Marik grabbed Mai fiercely. "Hey!! Let go of her!!" he yelled.
"Foolish child." Marik shoved Mokuba back into a snow drift.
The younger boy looked up, brushing the snow out of his hair. "What happened to you?!" he demanded. "Have you been faking your amnesia all this time while you were waiting to get your Rod back?" It wouldn't surprise him, not after everything Marik had done in the past.
Marik only laughed, dragging Mai with him while she struggled in vain to get free.
The real Marik found himself imprisoned in a strange place. He was in his soul room, a place where he'd been locked before—and there was no way out. His Yami forced him in there whenever he felt the urge to carry out one of his wicked schemes. The last time he had been locked in was during the Battle City finals. Then Yami Marik had completely banished him from his own body!
Marik sat down on the floor, his lavender eyes sad and full of defeat. His life was a nightmare. Anytime Marik had managed to make a friend, his Yami always seemed to scare them away. Marik had been alone for most of his life, with only his sister and brother to stand by him—and even then his Yami was always threatening to do things to them as well. He wanted Marik to be alone forever more, and he was doing a good job of making that happen.
As Marik heard Mai's screams from somewhere outside, a determination began to grow inside him. He was tired of his Yami always controlling him, always doing his despicable deeds. Marik had been despicable himself before, but now he had changed.
"Your days of using my body as a puppet for your evil schemes are over!" Marik cried aloud. "I will defeat you—permenantly!" Two things dawned on him then—Rishid must be hurt. Otherwise how could the Yami have gotten control? Always Rishid had held him at bay. Marik clenched his fists angrily, thinking of his poor brother laying somewhere, injured. And at the ex-Rare Hunters hands, no doubt!
The second thing he realized was that he must have been so distraught over what he had been remembering that that was how Yami Marik had emerged from whatever realm he had been held in to take control again. That combined with Rishid's current state must have done it.
Yami Marik laughed wickedly. "Idiot. You will never defeat me! You are too weak!!"
Marik clenched his fists. "I shall defeat you," he vowed. "This time I shall." He knew that his Yami was no longer part of him. He was complete without this fiend. And he would not let this abomination rule his life anymore!
****
Mokuba watched Marik dragging Mai away, his gray eyes full of outrage—and of confusion. Something strange had happened to Marik when he'd found the Millennium Rod only moments before—that much was obvious—and now Mokuba needed the answer to a question: Was it Marik taking Mai away or was it his Yami? It did look like the blonde hair was starting to stick up strangely. Now Mokuba knew he had three people to rescue—Seto, Tea, and Mai.
"Oh, big brother, I wish you were here!" Mokuba wailed sadly.
A cold hand grabbed the little boy and jerked him against his bare chest. Mokuba let out a yelp, recognizing the evil touch. "Let me go!" he cried, kicking and flailing frantically.
"Oh, poor little Mokuba," Seth's voice said smoothly. "This time your brother isn't here to save you. And you will have no choice but to come with me now!" His grip tightened.
"I won't go with you!!" Mokuba screamed.
"You have no choice," Seth repeated, squeezing Mokuba's throat in his fingers.
Mokuba's eyes began to water. "Stop," he gasped, struggling for breath. Help, he prayed fervently. Please bring my brother. . . . He trailed off, blacking out.
Seth let go of the boy's neck and carted him off through the trees, an evil smirk on his face. He may not have his Millennium Rod yet, but he would soon—and in the meantime, he did have his other scepter, and that was good enough for now. And once all of those kids were out of his way, nothing would stop him from conquering the world.