"To Love The Dark"
By JessieHeart
~(Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership... blah blah blah... At last! The battle climax! Be warned of scene jumping!)~
Chapter Ten-
'Showdown'
*
"My kami!"
"What ARE they?!"
"Where did they come from?!"
"RUN!"
The city surrounding the palace was a scatter of panicked people. From the dragon's perspective, they looked like ants waiting to be trampled.
One man stood up and called out to the others. "Fools! Can we not protect ourselves with our own 'Wizards and Monsters'? Celtic Guardian!"
An elvin swordsman at the man's side nodded, taking up his long blade. He rushed into battle.
This gave the others villagers hope, and they too began to resist the Blue Eyes White Dragons. They rushed into certain doom.
The white dragons entertained themselves by destroying homes and warriors, but soon everything would be gone, leaving nothing to attack but the palace...
*
"LOOK! There they are!" Yuugi shouted. His voice was a mixture of terror and awe.
He, Yami, and the magicians were on a lookout along the palace wall. From here they could seen the battle. Even at a distance the white dragons looked enormous.
Yuugi looked down at the people. "Pharaoh," he pleaded, "We must lead the dragons away from here. All those people are going to die!"
Yami nodded. He turned around and called to a servant. "Call the guards! Get every able-bodied man a sword! Have someone lead the women and children out of here. Go!"
The servant dashed off. Yami turned again and knelt down, eye-level Yuugi.
"Yuugi, I trust you the most. I need you to get Anzu as far away from this place as you can. Fly, run, swim, I don't care. Make SURE Anzu survives."
The boy nodded hastily. "Of course... my pharaoh..."
He began to run.
Matjutsushi bowed. "Pharaoh, we are ready to do battle at your command."
"All in good time, my friend, in good time," Yami nodded. "We must not draw the dragons here until everyone is safe."
*
The palace shook with a deep tremor. The walls were beginning to crack, and pieces of stone were coming lose.
Mai and Katsuya were running towards the dragon stables, ready to fight alongside the pharaoh's warriors. Others were also running, but screaming and crying too.
"Follow me!" someone shouted. "We must get to safe ground!"
Jounouchi felt his legs growing weaker. He was sick with fear, but not for himself. Images from Mai's vision plagued him.
"Mai..." he said, stopping. The girl turned around.
"We have little time," she reminded.
"Mai, I don't believe in magic and whatnot..."
"I know."
"But this..." he waved his hand, "This is real. I must find Shizuka."
Mai nodded. "I understand."
They turned around and headed for the servants' quarters.
*
"ANZU!"
Yuugi burst into the maiden's chambers. Anzu was sitting on a chair, looking lost in thought.
Yuugi ran up to her and grabbed her hand. "Anzu, quickly, follow me!"
"Yuugi... Huh? Why?"
The palace shook again. Yuugi pulled her towards the door. "Don't you feel that? The palace is under attack. You have to follow me!"
Anzu allowed herself to be lead out of the room, but her mind was lost to the world.
*
The guard's equipment room was a clash of weapons and armor. Everyone was given what the needed to defend themselves, little more. They were brave, but their faces were masks of hopelessness.
Hiroto Honda, being captain, gave out the orders. Once a man had a shield, spear, and sword, they were directed outside to form a barrier along the palace wall.
He gave everyone hopeful smiles, even though he, too, felt lost.
A crowd of servants trying to escape the palace passed by. They blessed the warriors, tears running down their cheeks.
Honda spotted Miho, and nodded for her to keep going. She stared back at him with pleading eyes, but kept walking.
Honda faced the guards once more, giving orders.
"HIRO!"
Honda turned and saw Miho running back. She threw her arms around his neck, crying.
"Hiro, I can't do this," she sobbed.
"Miho..."
"I can't leave you to die! I won't!"
Honda pulled her off of him and cupped her face in his hands. He used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.
"Now," he said quietly, "I need you to be brave," Miho nodded. "You have to go, that way my mind will be at rest."
"I could fight with you..."
"You've never even held a sword."
"Please..."
"You have to leave."
Miho swallowed. She took one of the hands that held her face and pressed her yellow ribbon into it.
"I want this back," she said. Then she quickly kissed his cheek and left.
*
The kingdom lay in rubble. The people had scattered, the ones left alive that is. Bodies of humans as well as their dual monsters lay among the ashes.
The Blue Eyes remembered their task. There was nothing left to do now except kill "the one named pharaoh."
One dragon let a warning shot out into the air.
Yami gave the command. "There is no more time to stall. We must fight now." He looked at the Dark Magicians. Keiko was trembling with fear.
"May Sahkmet protect you..."
*
Mai and Jounouchi found Shizuka in her room, curled into a ball on the floor.
"Shizuka," Jounouchi cried. "Are you alright?"
"Big brother!" said the little girl. Shizuka searched for the sounds of his voice. She began to ramble. "I don't know what's going on! Everyone was screaming and the walls keep shaking and I'm so scared..."
Jounouchi picked her up in his arms and faced Mai.
"Is there anywhere we can take her?"
Mai nodded. "There is a basement under my room where I sometimes perform rituals. She should be safe in there."
They got to Mai's and placed Shizuka in a protected corner. Jounouchi covered her with a blanket.
"Stay here," he ordered.
"Where are you going?" Shizuka asked, panicked. Jounouchi kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry. I will always come back for you."
Katsuya and Mai left, finally making it to the dragon's pin. Jounouchi unlocked the gate around his black dragon.
"Are you ready to fight, my friend?" he asked. It roared. Katsuya ran a hand down the dragon, and found that metal claws had been attached to the Red Eye's hands. "What's this?"
Mai smiled, hoping onto the pet dragon's back. "That is my gift to you. Those 'dragon nails' will give him the power to stand up to even the legendary beasts."
The dragons took flight, carrying their masters to battle.
*
The four magicians were well outside the palace, ready to fight the Blue Eyes when they got near. If they were to fail, the last line of defense would be the palace guards.
Keiko was trembling. She didn't try to hide it now. But she stood as firmly as possible, ready to fight along with her masters.
The white dragons flew overhead. The girl dragon blew a single blast of white lighting at the palace, taking out a wall. Dust, sand, and stone flew in all directions. They ignored the "ants" below them, but the Dark Sage would not be denied.
He stepped forward and raised his hand majestically. A pillar of sand arose from the ground and blocked the dragons from advancing to the castle. One dragon was crushed by a waved of sand.
'Kill the one named pharaoh and anyone who opposes you!' Seto's words rang clear in the dragon's minds. They cried towards the sky, glad to have a new challenge and a chance to draw blood.
The Dark Sage's eyes were glowing, and several more columns of sand came out of the ground. The sand took the form of giant snakes and began to chase the dragons, baring their earthy teeth.
The two Blue Eyes that remained standing fled from the sand beasts. The third dragon lay stunned from being hit before.
Oliver turned to Sei. "Are you ready, my friend?"
The white-haired magician nodded solemnly. Oliver placed a hand on Sei's shoulder, and the two began to levitate. Slowly, Sei lifted them higher and higher off the ground, until the towered above all.
Keiko remembered Oliver telling her that Sei was the only one of them that could fly. Oliver raised his own staff towards the clouds.
Thunder clapped and lightning struck down upon their enemies. Oliver controlled every thunderbolt.
The dragons were in a frenzy; trying to escape the sand demons and not be struck by the lightning.
Matjutsushi smiled victoriously. "We have them beat! I'll finish them off..." He struck a pose familiar to Keiko, one used by Japanese monks and shamans. Her master began to mutter a chant under his breath. Purple aura flared up around him.
Keiko's chest swelled with hope. Could it really be over?
Of course not. These were no less than the white dragons of legend. The forgotten third Blue Eyes lifted her head and took flight. With one swoop, she dived in and swallowed the Dark Sage whole.
The sand demon wavered, then died. They became harmless earth once again.
Matjutsushi lost his concentration, and the purple aura went away. Oliver's lightning ceased. They were stunned.
Matjutsushi fell to the ground. How could his master be destroyed so easily? He became determined to make sure the death had not been in vain.
Keiko felt a trembling sadness, even though she hadn't known the Dark Sage at all. Then a white light appeared and was silently absorbed into her. The Dark Magician Girl felt oddly... stronger.
Suddenly, a large fireball struck the Blue Eyes.
The magician's turned. Two dragons were heading towards them.
*
Honda could barely see the battle from where he was standing. He ran his hand down the sword hilt with a sweaty palm.
Although he could hardly see what was happening, there was no mistaking the Red Eyes Black Dragon to be Jounouchi's.
Honda looked over his men. Over a fourth of them hand been wounded (or worse) by the Blue Eyes blast. Hiroto glanced back at the battle.
Honda swallowed. Then he raised his fist to the air and gave the final command.
"Every man still in one piece will ride into battle! We attack NOW!"
*
Yuugi and Anzu were still running through the palace, trying to find a way out. Most of the exits had been demolished or blocked off.
"Yuugi..." Anzu said softly. The boy did not hear her and continued to pull her along. Anzu spoke louder. "Yuugi!" She tugged her hand out of his. "I have to find Yami."
Yuugi looked at her with those large, pleading eyes. "I promised the pharaoh I would get you out of here. He trusts me to make sure you live."
Anzu feet were firmly placed where they were. "I must find him," she said sternly.
Yuugi did not know what to do. There was no use in trying to make her leave until she saw the pharaoh... But to be honest...
He loved her and could deny her nothing.
Yuugi swallowed, then nodded. "I'll take you to him."
They changed directions and headed towards the lookout where Yuugi last departed Yami. He stopped dead in his tracks.
The lookout and the wall around it were gone. There was nothing left but rubble.
*
Oliver and Sei landed. The blonde's mouth was hanging open.
"The Red Eyes Black Dragon!" he said in awe. "H-how did THAT get here?!"
Then, rising up from behind the two, was what appeared to be an entire army. Each man had a different dragon, probably from the pharaoh's own reserve of 'Wizards and Monsters.'
Jounouchi ad Mai landed beside the Dark Magicians, followed shortly after by Honda. The men dismounted their dragons. The brown haired one smiled.
"I thought you could use our help," he said with a grim smile. Jounouchi punched his shoulder.
"You jerk," he said, "This is MY battle!"
Honda punched him back. "Yeah? Well how are you supposed to fight without a sword?"
Jounouchi looked away. It wasn't allowed for servants to carry weapons.
Honda held out a sword with a blue handle. "I won't tell, if you won't."
Jounouchi grinned and took the blade. Matjutsushi approached the captain.
"What is your plan of attack?" he asked.
Honda looked up at the sky, where he troops were anxiously waiting. He then turned back to the magician.
"Just give the white dragons a hell of a fight."
*
The sister Blue Eyes turned to her brothers.
"They command Mamono, the Red Eyes," she said.
"I know," another answered her. He was staring at the gathering army, not looking at his sister.
"But," she persisted, "He is our cousin. We cannot fight him by right. We cannot kill our own blood!"
The third Blue Eyes also stared at the army. "There's a lot of people to kill. Maybe too many, I'll admit."
"The Red Eyes-!"
The first brother looked at his sister sharply. "We also cannot disobey the dragon master! Lord Kaiba has commanded it, and anyone who gets in our way must be destroyed." There was a moment of silence. "However, do not take more lives than necessary. The pharaoh is our target."
*
"CHARGE!"
There was a loud outcry as the whole army took off. Sei levitated himself and Oliver off the ground.
To Jounouchi's surprise, many people seemed to be following his lead. The power of leadership was... wonderful. It would be really hard to go back to the life of a servant.
A Blackland Fire Dragon let out a flame at a white dragon, but missed horribly. Apparently, its owner wasn't aware of the dragon's poor eyesight.
Matjutsushi raised his staff and fired a purple shot. Keiko followed his lead with her blue scepter.
The dragons were unusually dormant, only attacking when someone got too close. They were taking long-ranged damage.
Jounouchi raised his sword and ordered a barrage of blasts from everyone who followed him. The Blue Eyes were heavily damaged.
However, Mai got careless. In the white dragon's weakened stage, she swooped in on her pet dragon.
"Fire breath!" Mai commanded. The pink dragon let out a powerful flame. The dragon she struck let out a roar of agony and knocked Mai away with a powerful claw. The blow sent her flying. Mai and her dragon fell to the ground, the girl covered in cuts. Mai tried to stand, but was stopped by a sharp pain through her right leg.
"Broken," Mai cursed. Jounouchi's Red Eyes circled above.
"MAI!" he called. "Are you al-"
Katsuya was cut off as the Blue Eyes Mai hit stumbled over. He was crawling on all four legs, growling. He was intent on getting his revenge.
All Mai could do was lie there, paralyzed. The dragon loomed over her, jaws open wide...
*
"Pharaoh!" Yuugi cried.
"Yami!" added Anzu.
The two were turning over boulders and rubble, attempting to find their pharaoh. Anzu had refused to leave, despite Yuugi's warnings.
They continued to search, calling out Yami's name occasionally.
"Anzu!" Yuugi shouted from a pile of stone. "Anzu, I found him! Over here!" The girl came running. "Help me lift these!"
Together they unearthed the pharaoh. His body was a horrible wreck; a useless mass of tattered flesh and broken bone. A huge bleeding gnash ran across his forehead.
Anzu knelt down. Ignoring his condition, she propped him up and held him to her chest.
"Yami..." she whispered. "Open your eyes."
Yuugi slowly vanished from her thoughts, Yami became the moment's whole focus.
The pharaoh's eyes fluttered open. "Anzu, I-" he stuttered. "I'm dying."
"No!" Anzu cried. She pressed her face into his chest. "No! I need you... be here..." She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. "Be here for our son."
Yami blinked, but gave no sign of comprehension. He touched his mistress's face with bleeding fingers. "I love you."
That was the first and last time Anzu would hear him say it. The pharaoh's eyes closed.
*
The Blue Eyes White Dragon towered over Mai. A hiss bubbled out of its mouth, like a snake ready to strike.
"NO!" Jounouchi shouted. He let out a loud battle cry and jumped off his Red Eyes. He soared clumsily, arms and legs waving about.
Katsuya landed with a roll on the white dragon's head. He propped himself on his knees, then raised the blue-handled sword high.
With one thrust he ran the blade through the white dragon's left eye. The dragon roared and swung his head. Jounouchi unclasped the sword handle and fell to the earth, alongside Mai.
The dragon retreated to its siblings, sword still in its eye. Blood spilled into the desert sand.
Jounouchi sat up and shook his head. His cloths had been torn, and were now covered in dirt. His sword, however, was gone.
"You okay?" he asked Mai.
"Let's see..." The girl looked down, and touched her right leg with gingerly. She let out a cry of pain.
Jounouchi nodded. "Broken leg. I need to get you to safer ground..." He looked around for his black dragon. It was still battling the Blue Eyes with the pharaoh's army. Mai's dragon was too wounded to carry her...
Katsuya bent down and scooped Mai in his arms, intent on carrying her to safety.
Upon skin contact, Mai gasped. A vision flooded her mind.
Shizuka would live. The placing of her inside Mai's basement had altered that much. Instead, Jounouchi would carry her to the nearest, "safest" place. He would brace her leg and rush back into battle; and dead within the next ten minutes...
"Put me down!" Mai shouted as the vision cleared. She saw the Jounouchi was taking her to an small covering not destroyed by the white dragons. She pounded on his chest. "Put me DOWN!"
She continued to hit him, but Jounouchi kept walking. "OW! Mai- Mai! Stop! Don't hit me! OW! STOP!"
"Put me down!" Mai demanded. "You're going to die! Stop!"
"You sound like a child," Jounouchi teased.
"This isn't funny! I saw the altered future. You aren't even listening to me! I told you to stop and put me down!"
Once under the covering, Jounouchi obliged. He placed her on the sand.
"I have to brace this leg..." he said, trying to fasten one out of his shirt and some long pieces of wood.
"You're going to die. I saw a vision, and don't deny that you believe me. I can read your mind," Mai said harshly.
"You really have to stop doing that," Jounouchi answered in a joking tone. Mai grabbed his arm, stopping what he was doing.
"Leave, and I'll break your arm," she threatened. Jounouchi smiled.
Damn, he thought, I love this woman.
*
Sei could hear nothing and everything at the same time. His ability to read chi and emotions was TOO good.
The dozens of people all had their own escalation amounts of fear and courage. The white dragon were emitting waves of rage. Somewhere, various people were radiating love, and there was even some rays of hope.
The "voices" pounded inside his skull, bounced off his brain and felt like it was splitting apart. This ability to hear, but not hear, was his gift, as well as curse.
Oliver's lightning continued to pierce the sky. The blonde spoke over his friend's shoulder.
"Are you alright?" he called.
Sei nodded, barely able to distinguish Oliver's chi from all the others. He flew in and out of dragons, careful not to fly too close the white dragons the slew his master.
Suddenly, the Blue Eyes took flight. They were tired of being attacked, and the temptation of blood was too great. They began the slaughter immediately. The army continued to fight back. Jounouchi's Red Eyes was knocked to the ground. This was not enough to kill him, however, if his master had been riding him, Katsuya would not have been able to survive the fall.
Oliver and Sei continued to weave throughout the warriors, still trying to strike with the lightning.
Keiko was watching from the ground. Matjutsushi had ordered her to stay low. He stood above her, protecting her. Keiko was touched, but she watched Oliver out of concern.
A Blue Eyes flew behind Sei and Oliver. Keiko could see it before it even happened.
"LOOK OUT!" she cried in vein. Her heart screamed out to them. It's force cut through everything and reached Sei, but it was too late. The white dragon's jaws clamped down on them. Drops of their blood sprinkled the ground.
Keiko threw her whole body down on the sand. She buried her face in her arms. The death of them struck her more than anything she'd even experienced. "No..." she sobbed. "No, no..."
Suddenly, Matjutsushi's arms were around her.
"They're gone..." he whispered. He, himself, was unbelieving. "Just like that... Just like THAT... they're gone..."
They both looked up, seeing the battle of dragons. One by one the soldiers were falling.
"There is no hope..." whispered the Dark Magician.
A strong white light surrounded Keiko, just like before. Matjutsushi gasped and stopped holding her.
"I... I forgot..." he stuttered. "The Rite of Strength Release..." Keiko looked confused. Matjutsushi hastily explained. "As my apprentice, we magician's gave you the power to become stronger when we died..." He calculated in his head. "You gained the power of three souls... With one more, you will be string enough to destroy anything!"
Matjutsushi turned away, crawling on his knees, looking for something in the sand.
Keiko did not understand. "Another soul?" she said. "What are you-"
Matjutsushi stopped and held something up. It was Jounouchi's blue-handled sword. He raised it to his chest.
Keiko realized he was going to kill himself. She scrambled up and grabbed his raised hand.
"NO!" she shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU THINGING?!"
"Everyone's dead! Everyone's dying!" Matjutsushi replied irrationally. "You have to stop them! This is the only way! I have no choice."
Tears streamed down Keiko's face. She shook her head wildly. "You ALWAYS have a choice!"
She threw herself onto him, their lips met harshly. The kiss was bittersweet, a sad pleading good bye. The sword slipped from Matjutsushi's fingers.
Keiko broke away from him. She dropped her scepter and remembered the summoning spell.
"Book of Secret Arts!" she cried. The mystical green book appeared in her hands.
Matjutsushi watched as Keiko used Sei's magic to lift herself high above the ground. Her aura kept anyone from coming closer, it was just her against the legendary Blue Eyes White Dragons.
She was no longer the Keiko that had showed up on Matjutsushi's doorstep. She was the Dark Magician Girl; her face was set sternly, ready to face anyone who opposed her.
Keiko opened the book to the middle page. Instead of a strange language, she understood the words clearly.
"Leave this place!" Keiko shouted. "You will shed no more blood on the sands of Egypt. I banish you from this land!"
Keiko shouted the spell. The white dragons were covered in a pale blue light.
Everyone covered their eyes. The light was blinding. It touched every corner of Egypt, up to the Nile.
Jounouchi and Mai embraced each other tighter. They held their breaths and waited for the end.
Anzu pressed Yami's forehead to hers. Yuugi trembled in fear.
Matjutsushi stood up and watched his love, awed.
Suddenly, the Blue Eyes vanished in the light, leaving nothing where they once were. Everyone gasped.
Keiko felt everything drain out of her. The power was too great. She fell from the sky, landing in the arms of Matjutsushi.
"Keiko, you did it," Matjutsushi said, cradling her. Her face pressed itself into her chest. Around and above them, survivors cheered.
Keiko was slipping into darkness. She was going into a well-awaited (well DESERVED) sleep. The last thing she heard was Matjutsushi's voice.
"I love you, Dark Magician Girl..."
*
End of Chapter Ten
*
Author's Long, Some-What Ranting Note:
Yaaaay! Battle climax DONE! It won't take me as long to get out the epilogue (hopefully.)
I'm really sorry this chapter too so long... I just had to put a lot of stuff in that I just couldn't leave out. Don't you hate it when you have so many ideas, but you can only use ONE? At least I had a lot of romance angles to go with.
Oh yes, I am well aware that Keiko would only gain power from Dark Magicians and the Magician of Black Chaos. However, I decided to change it to the Dark Sage, for various reasons. The Dark Sage IS pretty cool. :) Oh, and did anyone like the mentioning of other cards? 'Blackland Fire Dragon' and such? I hope so…
I also apologize if the story was too incoherent and jumped around from place to place. I guess that's what happens when you have a lot of characters, ne?
Please stay tuned for the epilogue!
*
Dictionary:
Kami = God (Japanese)
Sahkmet = Egyption god of war (Protects the pharaoh and punishes the pharaoh's enemies.)
Mamono = Demon (Japanese)
*
By JessieHeart
~(Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership... blah blah blah... At last! The battle climax! Be warned of scene jumping!)~
Chapter Ten-
'Showdown'
*
"My kami!"
"What ARE they?!"
"Where did they come from?!"
"RUN!"
The city surrounding the palace was a scatter of panicked people. From the dragon's perspective, they looked like ants waiting to be trampled.
One man stood up and called out to the others. "Fools! Can we not protect ourselves with our own 'Wizards and Monsters'? Celtic Guardian!"
An elvin swordsman at the man's side nodded, taking up his long blade. He rushed into battle.
This gave the others villagers hope, and they too began to resist the Blue Eyes White Dragons. They rushed into certain doom.
The white dragons entertained themselves by destroying homes and warriors, but soon everything would be gone, leaving nothing to attack but the palace...
*
"LOOK! There they are!" Yuugi shouted. His voice was a mixture of terror and awe.
He, Yami, and the magicians were on a lookout along the palace wall. From here they could seen the battle. Even at a distance the white dragons looked enormous.
Yuugi looked down at the people. "Pharaoh," he pleaded, "We must lead the dragons away from here. All those people are going to die!"
Yami nodded. He turned around and called to a servant. "Call the guards! Get every able-bodied man a sword! Have someone lead the women and children out of here. Go!"
The servant dashed off. Yami turned again and knelt down, eye-level Yuugi.
"Yuugi, I trust you the most. I need you to get Anzu as far away from this place as you can. Fly, run, swim, I don't care. Make SURE Anzu survives."
The boy nodded hastily. "Of course... my pharaoh..."
He began to run.
Matjutsushi bowed. "Pharaoh, we are ready to do battle at your command."
"All in good time, my friend, in good time," Yami nodded. "We must not draw the dragons here until everyone is safe."
*
The palace shook with a deep tremor. The walls were beginning to crack, and pieces of stone were coming lose.
Mai and Katsuya were running towards the dragon stables, ready to fight alongside the pharaoh's warriors. Others were also running, but screaming and crying too.
"Follow me!" someone shouted. "We must get to safe ground!"
Jounouchi felt his legs growing weaker. He was sick with fear, but not for himself. Images from Mai's vision plagued him.
"Mai..." he said, stopping. The girl turned around.
"We have little time," she reminded.
"Mai, I don't believe in magic and whatnot..."
"I know."
"But this..." he waved his hand, "This is real. I must find Shizuka."
Mai nodded. "I understand."
They turned around and headed for the servants' quarters.
*
"ANZU!"
Yuugi burst into the maiden's chambers. Anzu was sitting on a chair, looking lost in thought.
Yuugi ran up to her and grabbed her hand. "Anzu, quickly, follow me!"
"Yuugi... Huh? Why?"
The palace shook again. Yuugi pulled her towards the door. "Don't you feel that? The palace is under attack. You have to follow me!"
Anzu allowed herself to be lead out of the room, but her mind was lost to the world.
*
The guard's equipment room was a clash of weapons and armor. Everyone was given what the needed to defend themselves, little more. They were brave, but their faces were masks of hopelessness.
Hiroto Honda, being captain, gave out the orders. Once a man had a shield, spear, and sword, they were directed outside to form a barrier along the palace wall.
He gave everyone hopeful smiles, even though he, too, felt lost.
A crowd of servants trying to escape the palace passed by. They blessed the warriors, tears running down their cheeks.
Honda spotted Miho, and nodded for her to keep going. She stared back at him with pleading eyes, but kept walking.
Honda faced the guards once more, giving orders.
"HIRO!"
Honda turned and saw Miho running back. She threw her arms around his neck, crying.
"Hiro, I can't do this," she sobbed.
"Miho..."
"I can't leave you to die! I won't!"
Honda pulled her off of him and cupped her face in his hands. He used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.
"Now," he said quietly, "I need you to be brave," Miho nodded. "You have to go, that way my mind will be at rest."
"I could fight with you..."
"You've never even held a sword."
"Please..."
"You have to leave."
Miho swallowed. She took one of the hands that held her face and pressed her yellow ribbon into it.
"I want this back," she said. Then she quickly kissed his cheek and left.
*
The kingdom lay in rubble. The people had scattered, the ones left alive that is. Bodies of humans as well as their dual monsters lay among the ashes.
The Blue Eyes remembered their task. There was nothing left to do now except kill "the one named pharaoh."
One dragon let a warning shot out into the air.
Yami gave the command. "There is no more time to stall. We must fight now." He looked at the Dark Magicians. Keiko was trembling with fear.
"May Sahkmet protect you..."
*
Mai and Jounouchi found Shizuka in her room, curled into a ball on the floor.
"Shizuka," Jounouchi cried. "Are you alright?"
"Big brother!" said the little girl. Shizuka searched for the sounds of his voice. She began to ramble. "I don't know what's going on! Everyone was screaming and the walls keep shaking and I'm so scared..."
Jounouchi picked her up in his arms and faced Mai.
"Is there anywhere we can take her?"
Mai nodded. "There is a basement under my room where I sometimes perform rituals. She should be safe in there."
They got to Mai's and placed Shizuka in a protected corner. Jounouchi covered her with a blanket.
"Stay here," he ordered.
"Where are you going?" Shizuka asked, panicked. Jounouchi kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry. I will always come back for you."
Katsuya and Mai left, finally making it to the dragon's pin. Jounouchi unlocked the gate around his black dragon.
"Are you ready to fight, my friend?" he asked. It roared. Katsuya ran a hand down the dragon, and found that metal claws had been attached to the Red Eye's hands. "What's this?"
Mai smiled, hoping onto the pet dragon's back. "That is my gift to you. Those 'dragon nails' will give him the power to stand up to even the legendary beasts."
The dragons took flight, carrying their masters to battle.
*
The four magicians were well outside the palace, ready to fight the Blue Eyes when they got near. If they were to fail, the last line of defense would be the palace guards.
Keiko was trembling. She didn't try to hide it now. But she stood as firmly as possible, ready to fight along with her masters.
The white dragons flew overhead. The girl dragon blew a single blast of white lighting at the palace, taking out a wall. Dust, sand, and stone flew in all directions. They ignored the "ants" below them, but the Dark Sage would not be denied.
He stepped forward and raised his hand majestically. A pillar of sand arose from the ground and blocked the dragons from advancing to the castle. One dragon was crushed by a waved of sand.
'Kill the one named pharaoh and anyone who opposes you!' Seto's words rang clear in the dragon's minds. They cried towards the sky, glad to have a new challenge and a chance to draw blood.
The Dark Sage's eyes were glowing, and several more columns of sand came out of the ground. The sand took the form of giant snakes and began to chase the dragons, baring their earthy teeth.
The two Blue Eyes that remained standing fled from the sand beasts. The third dragon lay stunned from being hit before.
Oliver turned to Sei. "Are you ready, my friend?"
The white-haired magician nodded solemnly. Oliver placed a hand on Sei's shoulder, and the two began to levitate. Slowly, Sei lifted them higher and higher off the ground, until the towered above all.
Keiko remembered Oliver telling her that Sei was the only one of them that could fly. Oliver raised his own staff towards the clouds.
Thunder clapped and lightning struck down upon their enemies. Oliver controlled every thunderbolt.
The dragons were in a frenzy; trying to escape the sand demons and not be struck by the lightning.
Matjutsushi smiled victoriously. "We have them beat! I'll finish them off..." He struck a pose familiar to Keiko, one used by Japanese monks and shamans. Her master began to mutter a chant under his breath. Purple aura flared up around him.
Keiko's chest swelled with hope. Could it really be over?
Of course not. These were no less than the white dragons of legend. The forgotten third Blue Eyes lifted her head and took flight. With one swoop, she dived in and swallowed the Dark Sage whole.
The sand demon wavered, then died. They became harmless earth once again.
Matjutsushi lost his concentration, and the purple aura went away. Oliver's lightning ceased. They were stunned.
Matjutsushi fell to the ground. How could his master be destroyed so easily? He became determined to make sure the death had not been in vain.
Keiko felt a trembling sadness, even though she hadn't known the Dark Sage at all. Then a white light appeared and was silently absorbed into her. The Dark Magician Girl felt oddly... stronger.
Suddenly, a large fireball struck the Blue Eyes.
The magician's turned. Two dragons were heading towards them.
*
Honda could barely see the battle from where he was standing. He ran his hand down the sword hilt with a sweaty palm.
Although he could hardly see what was happening, there was no mistaking the Red Eyes Black Dragon to be Jounouchi's.
Honda looked over his men. Over a fourth of them hand been wounded (or worse) by the Blue Eyes blast. Hiroto glanced back at the battle.
Honda swallowed. Then he raised his fist to the air and gave the final command.
"Every man still in one piece will ride into battle! We attack NOW!"
*
Yuugi and Anzu were still running through the palace, trying to find a way out. Most of the exits had been demolished or blocked off.
"Yuugi..." Anzu said softly. The boy did not hear her and continued to pull her along. Anzu spoke louder. "Yuugi!" She tugged her hand out of his. "I have to find Yami."
Yuugi looked at her with those large, pleading eyes. "I promised the pharaoh I would get you out of here. He trusts me to make sure you live."
Anzu feet were firmly placed where they were. "I must find him," she said sternly.
Yuugi did not know what to do. There was no use in trying to make her leave until she saw the pharaoh... But to be honest...
He loved her and could deny her nothing.
Yuugi swallowed, then nodded. "I'll take you to him."
They changed directions and headed towards the lookout where Yuugi last departed Yami. He stopped dead in his tracks.
The lookout and the wall around it were gone. There was nothing left but rubble.
*
Oliver and Sei landed. The blonde's mouth was hanging open.
"The Red Eyes Black Dragon!" he said in awe. "H-how did THAT get here?!"
Then, rising up from behind the two, was what appeared to be an entire army. Each man had a different dragon, probably from the pharaoh's own reserve of 'Wizards and Monsters.'
Jounouchi ad Mai landed beside the Dark Magicians, followed shortly after by Honda. The men dismounted their dragons. The brown haired one smiled.
"I thought you could use our help," he said with a grim smile. Jounouchi punched his shoulder.
"You jerk," he said, "This is MY battle!"
Honda punched him back. "Yeah? Well how are you supposed to fight without a sword?"
Jounouchi looked away. It wasn't allowed for servants to carry weapons.
Honda held out a sword with a blue handle. "I won't tell, if you won't."
Jounouchi grinned and took the blade. Matjutsushi approached the captain.
"What is your plan of attack?" he asked.
Honda looked up at the sky, where he troops were anxiously waiting. He then turned back to the magician.
"Just give the white dragons a hell of a fight."
*
The sister Blue Eyes turned to her brothers.
"They command Mamono, the Red Eyes," she said.
"I know," another answered her. He was staring at the gathering army, not looking at his sister.
"But," she persisted, "He is our cousin. We cannot fight him by right. We cannot kill our own blood!"
The third Blue Eyes also stared at the army. "There's a lot of people to kill. Maybe too many, I'll admit."
"The Red Eyes-!"
The first brother looked at his sister sharply. "We also cannot disobey the dragon master! Lord Kaiba has commanded it, and anyone who gets in our way must be destroyed." There was a moment of silence. "However, do not take more lives than necessary. The pharaoh is our target."
*
"CHARGE!"
There was a loud outcry as the whole army took off. Sei levitated himself and Oliver off the ground.
To Jounouchi's surprise, many people seemed to be following his lead. The power of leadership was... wonderful. It would be really hard to go back to the life of a servant.
A Blackland Fire Dragon let out a flame at a white dragon, but missed horribly. Apparently, its owner wasn't aware of the dragon's poor eyesight.
Matjutsushi raised his staff and fired a purple shot. Keiko followed his lead with her blue scepter.
The dragons were unusually dormant, only attacking when someone got too close. They were taking long-ranged damage.
Jounouchi raised his sword and ordered a barrage of blasts from everyone who followed him. The Blue Eyes were heavily damaged.
However, Mai got careless. In the white dragon's weakened stage, she swooped in on her pet dragon.
"Fire breath!" Mai commanded. The pink dragon let out a powerful flame. The dragon she struck let out a roar of agony and knocked Mai away with a powerful claw. The blow sent her flying. Mai and her dragon fell to the ground, the girl covered in cuts. Mai tried to stand, but was stopped by a sharp pain through her right leg.
"Broken," Mai cursed. Jounouchi's Red Eyes circled above.
"MAI!" he called. "Are you al-"
Katsuya was cut off as the Blue Eyes Mai hit stumbled over. He was crawling on all four legs, growling. He was intent on getting his revenge.
All Mai could do was lie there, paralyzed. The dragon loomed over her, jaws open wide...
*
"Pharaoh!" Yuugi cried.
"Yami!" added Anzu.
The two were turning over boulders and rubble, attempting to find their pharaoh. Anzu had refused to leave, despite Yuugi's warnings.
They continued to search, calling out Yami's name occasionally.
"Anzu!" Yuugi shouted from a pile of stone. "Anzu, I found him! Over here!" The girl came running. "Help me lift these!"
Together they unearthed the pharaoh. His body was a horrible wreck; a useless mass of tattered flesh and broken bone. A huge bleeding gnash ran across his forehead.
Anzu knelt down. Ignoring his condition, she propped him up and held him to her chest.
"Yami..." she whispered. "Open your eyes."
Yuugi slowly vanished from her thoughts, Yami became the moment's whole focus.
The pharaoh's eyes fluttered open. "Anzu, I-" he stuttered. "I'm dying."
"No!" Anzu cried. She pressed her face into his chest. "No! I need you... be here..." She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. "Be here for our son."
Yami blinked, but gave no sign of comprehension. He touched his mistress's face with bleeding fingers. "I love you."
That was the first and last time Anzu would hear him say it. The pharaoh's eyes closed.
*
The Blue Eyes White Dragon towered over Mai. A hiss bubbled out of its mouth, like a snake ready to strike.
"NO!" Jounouchi shouted. He let out a loud battle cry and jumped off his Red Eyes. He soared clumsily, arms and legs waving about.
Katsuya landed with a roll on the white dragon's head. He propped himself on his knees, then raised the blue-handled sword high.
With one thrust he ran the blade through the white dragon's left eye. The dragon roared and swung his head. Jounouchi unclasped the sword handle and fell to the earth, alongside Mai.
The dragon retreated to its siblings, sword still in its eye. Blood spilled into the desert sand.
Jounouchi sat up and shook his head. His cloths had been torn, and were now covered in dirt. His sword, however, was gone.
"You okay?" he asked Mai.
"Let's see..." The girl looked down, and touched her right leg with gingerly. She let out a cry of pain.
Jounouchi nodded. "Broken leg. I need to get you to safer ground..." He looked around for his black dragon. It was still battling the Blue Eyes with the pharaoh's army. Mai's dragon was too wounded to carry her...
Katsuya bent down and scooped Mai in his arms, intent on carrying her to safety.
Upon skin contact, Mai gasped. A vision flooded her mind.
Shizuka would live. The placing of her inside Mai's basement had altered that much. Instead, Jounouchi would carry her to the nearest, "safest" place. He would brace her leg and rush back into battle; and dead within the next ten minutes...
"Put me down!" Mai shouted as the vision cleared. She saw the Jounouchi was taking her to an small covering not destroyed by the white dragons. She pounded on his chest. "Put me DOWN!"
She continued to hit him, but Jounouchi kept walking. "OW! Mai- Mai! Stop! Don't hit me! OW! STOP!"
"Put me down!" Mai demanded. "You're going to die! Stop!"
"You sound like a child," Jounouchi teased.
"This isn't funny! I saw the altered future. You aren't even listening to me! I told you to stop and put me down!"
Once under the covering, Jounouchi obliged. He placed her on the sand.
"I have to brace this leg..." he said, trying to fasten one out of his shirt and some long pieces of wood.
"You're going to die. I saw a vision, and don't deny that you believe me. I can read your mind," Mai said harshly.
"You really have to stop doing that," Jounouchi answered in a joking tone. Mai grabbed his arm, stopping what he was doing.
"Leave, and I'll break your arm," she threatened. Jounouchi smiled.
Damn, he thought, I love this woman.
*
Sei could hear nothing and everything at the same time. His ability to read chi and emotions was TOO good.
The dozens of people all had their own escalation amounts of fear and courage. The white dragon were emitting waves of rage. Somewhere, various people were radiating love, and there was even some rays of hope.
The "voices" pounded inside his skull, bounced off his brain and felt like it was splitting apart. This ability to hear, but not hear, was his gift, as well as curse.
Oliver's lightning continued to pierce the sky. The blonde spoke over his friend's shoulder.
"Are you alright?" he called.
Sei nodded, barely able to distinguish Oliver's chi from all the others. He flew in and out of dragons, careful not to fly too close the white dragons the slew his master.
Suddenly, the Blue Eyes took flight. They were tired of being attacked, and the temptation of blood was too great. They began the slaughter immediately. The army continued to fight back. Jounouchi's Red Eyes was knocked to the ground. This was not enough to kill him, however, if his master had been riding him, Katsuya would not have been able to survive the fall.
Oliver and Sei continued to weave throughout the warriors, still trying to strike with the lightning.
Keiko was watching from the ground. Matjutsushi had ordered her to stay low. He stood above her, protecting her. Keiko was touched, but she watched Oliver out of concern.
A Blue Eyes flew behind Sei and Oliver. Keiko could see it before it even happened.
"LOOK OUT!" she cried in vein. Her heart screamed out to them. It's force cut through everything and reached Sei, but it was too late. The white dragon's jaws clamped down on them. Drops of their blood sprinkled the ground.
Keiko threw her whole body down on the sand. She buried her face in her arms. The death of them struck her more than anything she'd even experienced. "No..." she sobbed. "No, no..."
Suddenly, Matjutsushi's arms were around her.
"They're gone..." he whispered. He, himself, was unbelieving. "Just like that... Just like THAT... they're gone..."
They both looked up, seeing the battle of dragons. One by one the soldiers were falling.
"There is no hope..." whispered the Dark Magician.
A strong white light surrounded Keiko, just like before. Matjutsushi gasped and stopped holding her.
"I... I forgot..." he stuttered. "The Rite of Strength Release..." Keiko looked confused. Matjutsushi hastily explained. "As my apprentice, we magician's gave you the power to become stronger when we died..." He calculated in his head. "You gained the power of three souls... With one more, you will be string enough to destroy anything!"
Matjutsushi turned away, crawling on his knees, looking for something in the sand.
Keiko did not understand. "Another soul?" she said. "What are you-"
Matjutsushi stopped and held something up. It was Jounouchi's blue-handled sword. He raised it to his chest.
Keiko realized he was going to kill himself. She scrambled up and grabbed his raised hand.
"NO!" she shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU THINGING?!"
"Everyone's dead! Everyone's dying!" Matjutsushi replied irrationally. "You have to stop them! This is the only way! I have no choice."
Tears streamed down Keiko's face. She shook her head wildly. "You ALWAYS have a choice!"
She threw herself onto him, their lips met harshly. The kiss was bittersweet, a sad pleading good bye. The sword slipped from Matjutsushi's fingers.
Keiko broke away from him. She dropped her scepter and remembered the summoning spell.
"Book of Secret Arts!" she cried. The mystical green book appeared in her hands.
Matjutsushi watched as Keiko used Sei's magic to lift herself high above the ground. Her aura kept anyone from coming closer, it was just her against the legendary Blue Eyes White Dragons.
She was no longer the Keiko that had showed up on Matjutsushi's doorstep. She was the Dark Magician Girl; her face was set sternly, ready to face anyone who opposed her.
Keiko opened the book to the middle page. Instead of a strange language, she understood the words clearly.
"Leave this place!" Keiko shouted. "You will shed no more blood on the sands of Egypt. I banish you from this land!"
Keiko shouted the spell. The white dragons were covered in a pale blue light.
Everyone covered their eyes. The light was blinding. It touched every corner of Egypt, up to the Nile.
Jounouchi and Mai embraced each other tighter. They held their breaths and waited for the end.
Anzu pressed Yami's forehead to hers. Yuugi trembled in fear.
Matjutsushi stood up and watched his love, awed.
Suddenly, the Blue Eyes vanished in the light, leaving nothing where they once were. Everyone gasped.
Keiko felt everything drain out of her. The power was too great. She fell from the sky, landing in the arms of Matjutsushi.
"Keiko, you did it," Matjutsushi said, cradling her. Her face pressed itself into her chest. Around and above them, survivors cheered.
Keiko was slipping into darkness. She was going into a well-awaited (well DESERVED) sleep. The last thing she heard was Matjutsushi's voice.
"I love you, Dark Magician Girl..."
*
End of Chapter Ten
*
Author's Long, Some-What Ranting Note:
Yaaaay! Battle climax DONE! It won't take me as long to get out the epilogue (hopefully.)
I'm really sorry this chapter too so long... I just had to put a lot of stuff in that I just couldn't leave out. Don't you hate it when you have so many ideas, but you can only use ONE? At least I had a lot of romance angles to go with.
Oh yes, I am well aware that Keiko would only gain power from Dark Magicians and the Magician of Black Chaos. However, I decided to change it to the Dark Sage, for various reasons. The Dark Sage IS pretty cool. :) Oh, and did anyone like the mentioning of other cards? 'Blackland Fire Dragon' and such? I hope so…
I also apologize if the story was too incoherent and jumped around from place to place. I guess that's what happens when you have a lot of characters, ne?
Please stay tuned for the epilogue!
*
Dictionary:
Kami = God (Japanese)
Sahkmet = Egyption god of war (Protects the pharaoh and punishes the pharaoh's enemies.)
Mamono = Demon (Japanese)
*
