Note: Alright, this is basically the dream all over again, only this time it's not a dream and there will be some changes ^_^
Chapter Fourteen – Midnight Strikes
"What do you mean?" Kaiba asked coolly, his hand gripping Serena's tighter.
"The time has come Kaiba," Serena said quietly, managing to free her hand and place it on the doorknob.
"What are you doing?" he hissed angrily, his arm pushing on the door.
"You can't stop destiny Seto Kaiba," Yami said, pulling Kaiba's arm away from the door and opening it for Serena. He followed her outside, telling the others to stay inside; knowing all but one would listen.
"Come with us and we won't hurt you," one of the men said, his voice eerie and monotone all the same.
"No." It was simple, yet it was forceful.
"Then we must force you to come," the other man said, reaching out his arm.
Serena felt two pairs of arms holding her down. But how? "Let me go!" she yelled, still unsure of how she had managed to transport from the doorstep to their arms.
"Serena!" Kaiba yelled to her, sensing an unusual darkness surrounding them. Anger took over him and he was ready to give those men a piece of his mind. No one messes with my girl and gets away with it! My girl… A tiny smile placed itself on his lips, but he quickly shook his head and focused. He tried to run forward, ready to attack, but he couldn't move. It was as if he was chained to his spot. The dream…
"Let the girl go." Yami spoke calmly, his deep voice holding authority. It's alright Serena.
Yami, this is the dream…its coming true! She was indeed tapping their minds together. She had discovered she was able to do this not too long ago and she was glad; it would come in handy.
"Let her go," Yami repeated, his eyes narrowing at the perpetrator.
The two men looked at each other and back to Yami. Instead of letting her go, their grip tightened on her, causing her to cry out in pain.
"I listen only to my master," one of the men said emotionlessly, his eyes blank.
My only chance of understanding what is going on is to tap into their minds. I have to be strong. I have to, Serena told herself as she looked at Yami and then to Kaiba.
Time seemed to stand still as she broke into the stillness of their minds. She searched for their thoughts, but found none. It was as if their minds were controlled, as if they were thinking nothing. "It can't be…If they can speak, then they should be able to have thoughts…they can't be the clan," she whispered to herself, horror filling her eyes. "It's impossible!" she cried out.
"Serena? What is it?" Kaiba yelled out to her, his eyes growing cold as he looked at the men who just stood there, holding on to her dumbly. Why aren't they going anywhere?
Serena suddenly understood. I had forgotten... She blinked and took a deep breath. They cannot do a thing until their master tells them what to do Seto.
"Everything is possible," a dark voice said as a man appeared before them; the same man Serena had seen the day she first saw Joey duel.
He was dressed in a black cloak, a hood covering his hair and most of his face. His crimson eyes were narrowed and he held a sadistic grin on his face. He had an aura of pure evil and darkness around him as he approached the scene.
Knowing the answer, but unable to stop the words from flowing from his mouth, Kaiba spoke. "What do you want with her?" he yelled out, the restrains tightening their grip on him.
He was angry; he had a right to be. His eyes were icier than they had ever been; he had never felt the way Serena had caused him to feel and now someone was trying to take her away from him!
"I am here to take what is mine; what should have been mine from the beginning. I have longed to have it for many, many years," he stated simply, turning his gaze towards Serena; but more importantly, her necklace. Hopefully she has not learned of all the power it possesses, or of its value.
"Your mother was foolish and naïve. To think that she believed I actually loved her. Oh no, I knew what she had and I used all her weaknesses to take it from her. But she was stronger than she had once been when I came back from finishing my induction as master. I knew it was too late and according to ancient law, I cannot hurt a child. But you are no longer a child; oh no. You, my dear, were never a child were you?" he laughed cruelly.
"You cannot take it," Yami said confidently, raising his hand. A bright light emerged from it and the two men fell down, releasing Serena. She gladly ran over to Yami and shot Kaiba a worried glace as she felt an arm tighten around her protectively.
"Impressive, Pharaoh," the man said emotionlessly, his voice containing the dark atmosphere.
"You know who I am," Yami stated, a smirk evident on his face. I won't allow him to hurt you Serena.
"Of course, Pharaoh. You are an enemy to us, all of us, not just the Blood of Darkness. I know all about how you created the millennium items and 'saved the world.' I also know you have not gained every memory of your past and therefore, you are unaware of how to harness the great power within you. I will use that to my advantage."
"I expect nothing less from a man of darkness." His eyes were narrowed into tiny slits, and they never left the man as he took a few steps towards them. Be strong and trust in yourself Serena. This is a test of your strength and endurance; you have to complete it. Trust yourself, and all of us who care for you, Yami's mind calmly repeated what he had told her earlier.
Serena looked at the man. She was not going to allow the dream to come true. Glaring at him and pushing back the memories of her past, she released herself from Yami's arm. She closed her eyes tight and focused her mind on one thing: freeing Kaiba from the invisible bonds that held him down.
She can't possibly know of all the power her item possesses…unless he showed her! Shadi will surely pay for this! But…I do know her weakness.
Slowly, Serena felt herself being lifted off the ground as a bright light emerged itself from her body. A small mark appeared on her forehead, much like the insignia of the millennium items, as she faced Kaiba and removed the bondages without so much as lifting a finger.
Serena…wow. Kaiba had no idea what to think or what to do, so he aimlessly walked over to Yami, his eyes holding wonderment.
Yami, however, held no such look. For years he knew this would happen, it was in the prophecies of his ancestors, but it had died down when it was understood the Blood of Darkness would be involved. That is when it became unmentionable; but Yami often thought of it in wonderment, never forgetting the details of the many versions of stories he had heard when he was a boy.
Serena turned upon the man, ready to use her power to stop him. She was prepared for everything. You have to open your eyes sometime, she yelled at herself.
Instantaneously, her eyes flashed open as she gazed at the man before her. He had moved his hood back some, revealing a mark on his face. It's him…my…f-f-father…You're losing focus Serena! Concentrate!
Why isn't it working? Jared yelled out inside of his mind, furious at her strength. Then I shall have to try another tactic. The one she calls "Kaiba."
"Leave them alone," she said. Her voice was stronger and her stormy sapphire eyes had narrowed and hardened. "It is useless Jared. It is over for you. The prophecy will come true tonight." She lifted her hand, a small staff appearing in its grasp.
"Can you really destroy me, dear daughter? Even with the help of your necklace, you are no match for my powers!" he spat out angrily, raising his rod towards her.
"I will do what I can to save the world; even if it means destroying my own blood. You are pure darkness and I will not allow you to roam this world, bringing pain and suffering wherever you go."
"What would your mother think of you? She never wanted you to end up like me, but look at yourself. You are like me." He knew it was working. The only thing that would weaken her resolve was the mention of her mother. He smirked crudely as he noticed the light beginning to dim.
Don't listen to him Serena! You can do this!
Yami…I-I…I ca—
You can Serena! We believe in you!
What!? Jared watched her light begin to grow once again, brighter than before.
"You cannot change fate Jared. Prepare to face your destiny." She held up her staff and focused all her energy, unprepared for what was about to happen. As she put forth her staff, ready to strike Jared down, the unthinkable happened. Your past is too dark to face, a sinister voice inside her head spoke. No! I can do this, she yelled at it, forcing it from her thoughts. You're a fair person Serena, are you being fair right now? it taunted her. She was weakening from the raging war inside.
She can't do it until she faces her past. Yami closed his eyes, knowing it was over; for now at least. A battle would be declared, but he would not allow this Jared to take Serena from them.
I can't do this, she cried out to herself in utter frustration and fell down from the sky into Kaiba's arms. She was exhausted and was near to passing out. She looked over at Jared and spoke coolly. "You will never have what is not meant to be yours."
Jared ignored this comment and looked directly at Yami. "Pharaoh, I have a proposition to make."
"What is it murderer, I have more important things to tend to." Yami was getting agitated and it showed. But he was also worried about Serena. She had accessed too much of her power at one time instead of slowly learning how to use it. She was in no condition to protect herself and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep the leader of Blood of Darkness at bay much longer.
"I propose a duel, for the girl." His look was sinister and Yami knew there was more to his plan.
"A duel? Very well then; we will have a duel."
"In my Shadow Realm."
Yami's face froze, but he hid it well. "And what do you propose the stakes as? Just the girl, or is there more to your plan?"
"When I win, I take the girl as well as her precious necklace and banish you, oh Pharaoh, to the Shadow Realm," he said, a glimmer of delight at doing this passing through his dark, crimson irises.
"And when I win?" Yami asked, his eyebrows rising in suspicion, motioning for a deathly still Kaiba to take Serena into the apartment.
"You may keep the girl and take away my power, oh great Pharaoh," he said mockingly.
"Very well. I agree to these terms." Yami nodded his head and waited for the man to leave.
"Wait!" Kaiba yelled at them, stopping at the door and turning around. "Instead of you dueling," he nodded his head towards Yami, "I will duel."
The others listening through the slightly open door all gasped at this, even Jared seemed a bit surprised, but Yami looked unfazed, as if he had expected it.
"Will you duel Seto Kaiba instead murderer?" he asked, astonishing the others greatly.
"Only if the stakes are raised." He had been waiting for this. It would be great to destroy two souls instead of one.
"To what?" Joey asked, falling out the door. "Heh heh, oops." Everyone rolled their eyes and waited expectantly.
"When I win, Seto Kaiba, not only will the girl belong to me, but you will lose your life; and everything you hold dear to you."
"I agree," Kaiba said coolly, sending most everyone to utter astonishment yet again.
Although she had passed out, Serena could hear everything going on and her mind was screaming out in protest. For this time, please be selfish Kaiba. Mokuba needs you more than I…
"Two days from now, we will duel. Do not try to run, I will always find you." With that, Jared was gone, as was the eerie darkness that had engulfed the apartment. The stars had begun to peek out from their velvet blanket and the moon was shining brightly.
Kaiba rushed in the apartment with Serena in his arms and a now transformed Yugi close behind him. He would have a lot of preparing to do, and maybe this once, he would ask Yami or Yugi for advice. When you wake up Serena, I'm going to need your help.
"We all believe in you Kaiba," Yugi said quietly, greeting Kaiba's small, forced half-smile with his own gentle one.
The clock struck its twelve peals of midnight to the tired group of friends who were taking refuge in Téa's apartment for the night. The first hour of darkness had passed and in two days, another would begin. As sleep began to take over their tired bodies, they wondered what the outcome of the battle occurring in two days would be and how it would affect the future of the world.