Author's Notes: This chapter is very fast paced do to the action, but I assure you no one from the show dies! Don't freak out. And the last chapter will be up tomorrow. (And maybe an epilogue after that). Enjoy!
Chapter 19:
The Beginning of the EndDuke searched the abandoned streets of Domino, hoping to find Tristan. He found him all right; he was with Serenity outside of a little café. He could feel his blood begin to boil. "Hey!" He shouted, startling the young couple.
Tristan looked up and laughed. "Oh, hey, Duke! What's up?" He laughed nervously.
Serenity looked on curiously.
"Noting good." He showed Tristan the piece of Yugi's puzzle.
Tristan jumped out of his seat. "Yugi's puzzle piece!" He ran over to Duke's side.
"You know where they are?"
Tristan nodded. "Last I saw them, they were on Kaiba's ship heading to Aziz tower. Kaiba had found it on his computer and gave the exact coordinates. We need to meet them there before it's too late! Serenity, I have to go. Stay here, alright?"
Serenity nodded as she watched the two boys leave. "Be careful…"
***
Yugi watched as the ship landed near the tower. "Ok, it's time! Let's stop this man once and for all!"
Everyone nodded.
Téa walked over to the window and placed her hand on the glass. "That card…it has to be destroyed…"
Ishizu took this moment to speak up. "Téa …I should have told you this earlier, but in order for the card to be destroyed, the items must be as well."
Téa gasped and turned to face the Egyptian woman. "You…you can't be serious!"
Ishizu bowed her head. "I'm sorry…"
Téa looked over at Yami Bakura. "And the spirits?"
"They will vanish forever…"
Yami Bakura walked over to Tea and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Téa …remember my promise."
Tea nodded and threw herself into his arms.
Yami Bakura hugged her tightly, placing his chin on her head.
Everyone watched on in silence. No one could think of anything to say to comfort the couple. Yugi was having a hard enough time comprehended the fact that Yami will be gone forever.
Kaiba sighed. "We should go now."
Téa broke away from Yami Bakura and nodded. "Let me say goodbye to Marik and Mai first."
Kaiba looked at her and then out toward the tower. "Very well…"
Téa walked off toward the hospital room. Mai was sound asleep but Marik was awake and looking right at her. "Marik…"
Marik forced a tiny smile. "Hey, Tea."
Téa sat by his side and placed her hand on his chest. "Are you going to be alright?"
Marik laughed. Of course I am. Téa …I'm sorry for everything. I love you so much but I would never stand in the way of you and him. He loves you more then you'll ever know and even though…" He reached up and brushed her cheek. "We had our chance, I'm glad you chose him. I'll expect to see you after this is all over. No getting killed, alright?"
Téa smiled. "Yes, and I love you too. You are a good friend, Marik." She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Take care." As Téa started to leave, another body caught her eye. "Is that…?"
Marik rolled his eyes. "Does he look like anyone else?"
"Don't make me hurt you!"
Marik laughed.
Téa walked over to the bed beside Marik's and saw Yami Marik. "Somehow…we'll have to return him to where he belongs after this is all over."
Marik sat up in his bed. "Why? Don't you think he deserves a chance? Maybe we should let him stay. You yourself said he was human."
Téa brushed some of Yami Marik's bangs away from his face. "Yeah…I just hope he'll give us a chance." Before leaving, Téa walked over to Mai's bed, tucked her in and kissed her forehead. "Please get well. Joey needs you." After one final wave to Marik, she left the room.
***
Aziz smirked as he watched the kids on his screen. "Now to end this all!" He pushed a button and an explosion occurred below the tower almost blasting Kaiba's ship away. The building started to crumble. Aziz took off in a helicopter laughing.
Joey pointed to the crumbling building. "Oh my god! He's nuts!"
Kaiba looked up as a helicopter flew over his head. "He doesn't want any evidence left behind." He watched as the copter descended and landed right in front of the group.
Aziz stepped out, holding a gun high above his head. "If anyone moves, I'll shoot!" He pointed to the engine of the copter. "I doubt that explosion will cause anyone to live!"
Yugi stepped forward, his eyes narrowed. He had a scary resemblance to Yami for a moment. "What do you want with us? We know this was just a game on your part. But to summon the gods to destroy this world? What kind of a madman are you?"
Aziz smirked and aimed his gun at Yugi. "A good one." He shot the gun and it just missed Yugi as he ducked out of the way. Yugi gulped and stood up. "Tell me something…tell me what do you desire most?"
"Yugi…" Téa warned. Then it hit her. They needed to get Yami no Yume attracted to Aziz.
"You must desire something, something so great you even see it in your dreams!" Yugi shouted.
Aziz growled. "I have only one desire and that is to destroy this world!" He shot another bullet at Yugi as he edged closer. "I want you out of the way…I want those items and I want POWER!!!"
Yugi noticed a card starting to glow. He glanced over and saw Téa's eyes go blank. She started to float in the air. "Téa!"
Yami Bakura reached out to her, but she was too far away. "What's happening?"
Yugi shook his head. "I don't know…I…"
Aziz jumped back and shot at Tea. The bullet bounced off of her and fell harmlessly to the ground.
Téa began to glow bright silver. A voice spoke through her mouth, hardly sounding at all like Téa. "Power? Is that your greatest desire, Aziz Ishtar? I can grant anyone power. But I see deep into your soul and I know power isn't your desire, nor is destroying the world. You have only one desire and that is to bring your family back to you."
Aziz's finger flinched as he cocked the gun. "SHUT UP!" He shot at Téa again.
"Téa!" Both Yami Bakura and Yugi cried.
"She is unharmed as long as I choose that." The card floated closer to Aziz. "You want your nephew and niece back, don't you? After your parents died and your siblings abandoned you, you only understood loneliness. You thought by reviving the evil Marik, you could have a nephew or maybe even a son that would understand you. For the real Marik was to kind to think as darkly as you did." The card was just above Aziz now. "If I merged with you, you would never be able to run away from what you desire most. And you know that you don't want to be alone anymore." The card turned to face Yugi. "Yugi, you must do me a favour. If you want this girl to live, when I merge with him, you must shoot me. Téa will be unharmed." She reached out to Aziz. "Do you understand?"
Yugi nodded, wondering how he would get the gun from Aziz.
Yami no Yume grabbed Aziz wrist. "Yugi! Now!"
Yugi started running forward, unaware that he was in danger. A light began to consume Aziz and Yugi took this chance to grab his gun. Aziz regained his sense at the last minute and shot at Yugi. Yugi winced and fell to the floor.
"YUGI!!!" Joey cried as he tried to run toward him. He stopped when he saw someone standing in front of you and gasping. The figure fell to his knees and clutched his chest, gasping for air.
Ishizu felt her eyes welling up with tears. "NO!"
Seto Kaiba was kneeling on the ground in front of a stunned Yugi. His side was bleeding badly. "Y…Yugi…you…must…you…" He started to shake as he fell over. "Destroy…him…"
Ishizu ran over and propped Kaiba up on her lap. "Oh god…he's losing blood fast!"
As Aziz stared on in shock, Yugi took this opportunity to rip the gun from his hand. He aimed it at him. Aziz looked over at Ishizu. "My niece…forgive me…"
Ishizu looked away, disgust on her face. "How could you…?"
Aziz bowed his head. "I don't know. I don't know why I did any of this. Please give me a chance!"
Ishizu shook her head. "No…you must be stopped. I'm sorry. But it's what…what mother would have wanted."
"Siena…" She was an amazing woman. I see a lot of her in you. I hoped one day to become the father you deserved to have. But I was too into my research to care." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Here, take this." He slid it over to Ishizu. "It's Pegasus's documents. Keep them safe." A tear rolled down his cheek. "And Ishizu…"
Ishizu looked up from the envelope now in her hands.
"Tell Marik I'm sorry…"
Unknown to everyone, Yami no Yume was grinning evilly. It merged with Aziz and started to laugh. "You fools! Now I have all I want! I knew your hearts would be too soft. You should have destroyed me when you had the chance. But if you did, you would have killed Tea! I wouldn't have protected her! You are smarter then I thought, or maybe it was just luck? Now it's time to summon the gods!" Aziz who was now Yami no Yume threw his head back, raised his arms up and began to chant in Egyptian.
Yugi gripped his puzzle tightly. "Yami…help me…"
"Hey, Yugi!"
Yugi looked up and saw Tristan and Duke running toward him. Duke threw something at him and Yugi caught it. He gasped. "It's the missing piece!" He quickly placed the piece in the slot and felt a warm glow around him.
Yami was soon in his place.
"Pharaoh…I knew one day I would meet you again! "This is it! I will get my revenge!"
"Yami no Yume…you have caused my friends great pain and destruction, for that you will receive no mercy. This time I will destroy you for good!" A shadowed figure appeared behind him.
"Not without me, Yami."
Yami turned around and grinned as he saw Yami Bakura standing by his side. He saw Joey had removed Tea from danger and was holding her tightly in his arms. "Very well, let's end this NIGHTMARE for good!"
To be continued…