All four took their places at the virtual display. Each shuffled their decks and placed them in the respected zone where life points immediately showed as 4000.

Merik: Now let's make this a little more interesting.

Yami: What do you want now!

Merik: So harsh. Well, anyway. Consider this. Each of your partner's life points will also affect you as well as their decisions and what is on their field. So, if one of your life points goes to zero the duel is over and the losers will spend an eternity in the Shadow Realm.

Kaiba: We've played by those rules before. I am surprised you don't remember Merik.

Bakura snickered in the background and Kaiba glared a look of 'Keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you.' Merik then stared blankly. He began to snicker and then laugh an evil laugh.

Merik: Oh yes. I am surprised I forgot. Lumis and Umbra were just weak. I will surely win.

Yami: We'll just see.

The arena was covered in a thick black mass (Shadow Realm) making it unable for the others to see what was going on or to even hear what was being said. All they could do was wait and hope Yami and Kaiba would be victorious.

LET'S DUEL!

Each drew five cards and reviewed their hands. Silence took the room.

Yami: Who goes first?

He stared blankly at the others.

Bakura: Well, if you're in such a hurry why don't you take the honor?

Kaiba: Just go Yami. We don't have all day!

He said this with considerable boredom mixing in with his words since he was definitely confident of the outcome favoring him. Yami drew his card.

Yami: I set this one card face down and set a monster in defense position. And that will end my turn.

Both cards then appeared on to the field.

Merik: Is that all! I expected more from you pharaoh.

Yami: Just go and leave me to my strategy.

Bakura: Oh! He's got a strategy. Were in trouble now…he snickered. Anyway I am next.

He drew his card and smiled a sinister grin.

Bakura: Too bad this duel will already be on the final stretch.

Kaiba: What are you talking about?

Bakura held up a magic card with an "F" in the middle. He set it on the field and a light engulfed the card as the letter emerged from the card.

Yami: No way! How did you get that?

Bakura: My secret.

Kaiba: What's so special about that card.

Merik. God you are dense. Luckily, I'll be nice enough to explain it to you. This card is the beginning of the Destiny Board. There are four more letters I-N-A-L. Now what does that spell?

Yami: FINAL.

Kaiba looked over at Yami. What's the big deal of spelling a word?

Bakura: A very big deal Kaiba.

Kaiba caught a glimpse of the millennium eye in Bakura's possession.

Kaiba: Keep out of my mind you jerk. What's in there is my business.

Bakura: Believe me not everything that's in there is worth keeping.

Kaiba raised his fist 'Why you!'

Yami: Quit arguing. Kaiba, I am surprised you don't know about FINAL but when that word is spelled out in the magic/trap card zones the duel is automatically over. It's like Exodia. A puzzle that has to be put together.

Merik: And since we are combined players I can help spell FINAL on his side of the field too.

Yami: I forgot about that.

Bakura: To finish my turn I put Souls of the Forgotten in attack position (900 atk) and end my turn. Kaiba your next.

Kaiba drew his card and showed a gleam in his blue eyes.

Kaiba: A card like that is easily destroyed. I summon Battle Ox (1700 atk)

He appeared from the card with the same fury as described.

Kaiba: Battle Ox attack his Souls of the Forgotten and send his life points down.

Bakura's life points dropped to 3200. The monster burst into pieces and went to the graveyard. Yami looked at Bakura who had no regret at all for placing such a weak monster in attack position. Something's up. I just don't know what he is planning to do.

Kaiba: Playing like that will surely make you loose even faster than FINAL being spelled.

Merik: Don't be so sure. It is my turn now.

He drew his card.

Merik: I set this card and summon Grand Tiki Elder (1500 atk) onto the field…. Oh there's more. I will activate "I" to our spelling game here as well. And I think that will end it for me.

Bakura: Now it's your turn pharaoh.

He said crossing his arms waiting to see the pharaoh's defensive maneuvers against FINAL.

Yami drew once again. I have to get rid of those two cards before the spell FINAL all out and we lose…