THE PARTING OF LOST SOULS
Chapter Fourteen: Three Stands for Completion
As Kaiba and Yoshiko dueled in the Shadow Realm, Emrys slept. Her subconscious ran random slivers of incoherent memory. She did not know whether each one was from the past or her imagination.
The pentagram medallion glowed as each emerald and ruby radiated from within. After all its gems lit, the gold portion of Yoshiko's pendant lit the room.
In her mind's eye, Emrys saw someone writhing on the ground. Once she recognized the tormented, she gasped as tears ran down her cheeks. With her emotions running high from the sight, she frantically thought, "Get up, Kaiba! You have to get up!"
Kaiba stirred as he lifted his face and scanned his surroundings. Swearing that he just heard an encouraging voice echo within his head, he stood up and faced his opponent. Although sapped out, his sapphire eyes burned with renewed determination.
Seeing the duelist's drive to continue dueling, Emrys mused, "That's it, Kaiba! Keep fighting!"
A familiar and rich voice then said from behind Emrys, "He will. He can hear and feel you, Emrys. We're both glad that you're here..."
Elated from recognizing the owner of that voice, Emrys' eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Yugi!"
Radiating a gracious smile, the other Yugi slowly approached Emrys' non-corporeal form and psychically said, "I don't know how it happened, but you were brought here for a reason."
"I'm dreaming all of this, am I not?" Emrys whispered as she probingly looked into the other Yugi's eyes.
The other Yugi shook his head. "Everything's real, but we're in a different realm of existence. Being in this realm drains a normal person. To duel in here can be unbearable and fatal. If Kaiba loses, his soul will be imprisoned here forever. He needs all the help he could get from us."
Horror veiled Emrys' face. "Why would someone want to imprison another's soul?"
"Each soul imprisoned in this realm gives the captor additional mystical energies."
Seeing that the duel was about to resume, Emrys gazed at Kaiba while asking her lover, "How did I get here, Yugi? What help could I possibly give anyone?"
"You also have the power and fortitude to last in this realm just as I do. I'm the only one who knows about it. However, it's still too dangerous for you to be here especially since you're recovering from your injuries. If you overtax yourself, your soul will be trapped in this realm, too."
"If I don't help, you'll both get hurt. I don't want either one, moreover both, of you to get hurt. If I'm sent here for a reason, then so be it."
Tight-lipped, the amethyst-eyed duelist replied, "All right. If at anytime you feel too weak to go on, let me know."
"I will..."
"I know you're here, crest-wielder, so show yourself!" said Yoshiko as her eyes malevolently glinted while frantically scanning her surroundings.
As a stunned Kaiba glanced behind him and saw the other Yugi standing alone, the latter remarking, "Emrys is here, Kaiba. We're both here for you."
The CEO's sapphire eyes kept scanning the Shadow Realm from where he stood.
The amethyst-eyed duelist said, "You won't be able to see her, Kaiba. What's important is that two of your friends are here to give you strength. You're here to win this duel."
Realization then hit Kaiba like a brick. If he lost the duel and forfeited his soul, he would never see Mokuba again.
Yoshiko glowered at her opponent. "Make your move, Kaiba. Unless, of course, you wish to forfeit the duel."
"I never forfeit!" Kaiba spat. Still feeling the agony from Yoshiko's direct attack, he pulled out a card to begin his turn. After looking at the card, his azure eyes glinted with vengeance - rattling Yoshiko's smug confidence.
Slamming the card that he just drew into an open Magic and Trap card slot, Kaiba declared, "I first activate Pot of Greed!"
Pot of Greed
Normal Magic Card
Draw two cards from your deck.
Due to Pot of Greed, Kaiba drew two cards from his deck. With eyes ablaze, he then said, "I now activate Monster Reborn to resurrect my Blue Eyes White Dragon!"
The Blue Eyes White Dragon (ATK 3000 / DEF 2500) materialized from Kaiba's graveyard and emitted an ear-piercing roar.
Looking at his stunned opponent with a sarcastic and elated smirk, Kaiba then declared, "I activate Soul Exchange. I tribute my Battle Ox and your facedown monster to normal summon my second Blue Eyes White Dragon!"
Soul Exchange
Normal Magic Card
Choose a monster from your opponent's side of the field and tribute it in place of your own monster. You must skip your Battle Phase.
As the second Blue Eyes White Dragon appeared on the field and stood side-by-side with its sibling, their proud master said, "You're lucky that Soul Exchange ends my battle phase for this turn. Next time, my two monsters will start decimating your defenses and your life points!"
"This duel is far from over, you bastard!" Yoshiko then drew a card for her turn and slammed the card face down in her Magic and Trap slot.
Kaiba confidently drew a card. Maintaining a poker face, he mused, "The Goddess of Victory is on my side. One more card, and this duel will be over." Pulling a card from his hand, he placed it on the field and said, "I activate Harpies' Feather Duster!"
Harpies' Feather Duster
Normal Magic Card
Wipes out all Magic and Trap Cards in your opponent's side of the field.
A huge bird-like feather appeared from the void and wiped out all of Yoshiko's magic and trap cards on the field.
A scowl crept through Yoshiko's face, angrily pondering as she tightly balled her fists, "Shit! The bastard just wiped out my Mirror Force before I get to activate it!"
Mirror Force
Counter Trap Card
Once an opponent attacks one of your monsters, your opponent's attack mode Monsters on the Field are destroyed and sent to the Graveyard.
Even though the psychic effect of producing Harpies' Feather Duster on the field sapped half of his strength, Kaiba smirked upon seeing Yoshiko's disappointment. He then ordered, "Blue Eyes White Dragon, attack her facedown card!"
The regal dragon released a mighty roar and with its trademark attack, it decimated Yoshiko's defense monster.
The glowering CEO then pointed at Yoshiko. "Blue Eyes White Dragon, direct attack! Burst Stream!"
Yoshiko gave out a bloodcurdling scream once the second Blue Eyes White Dragon's Burst Stream attack hit her. After the direct assault, she gasped for breath while her overall life points dwindled down to 500.
A smug Kaiba said with a smirk, "So how did you like your lesson in pain?"
Shaking and clenching her teeth, Yoshiko yelled at the top of her voice, "Damn you, Kaiba Seto!" She then pulled a card for her turn, slammed it on her Magic and Trap slot, and then ended her turn.
As he and Emrys observed the entire duel, the other Yugi thought, "Yoshiko's losing her focus. If there's anyone who could keep this up, it's Kaiba. As long as he maintains his composure and faith in his deck, he'll prevail."
Emrys glanced sideways and gave the other Yugi a nod of agreement.
The azure-eyed duelist drew a card and stared at it. He then glared at his opponent and said, "Once and for all, you'll know why you shouldn't mess with Kaiba Seto! I activate Polymerization!"
Polymerization
Normal Magic Card
Fuses two or more Fusion-Material Monsters to create a new Fusion Monster.
The other Yugi braced himself as he mused, "Could it be?"
Emrys' heart and ears loudly pounded as she also felt the adrenaline rushing through Kaiba's veins and a large amount of energy coursing out of her system. Closing her eyes, she pondered, "He's summoning the heaviest hitter from his deck..."
With such pride and satisfaction radiating from his voice, Kaiba declared, "Come forth, Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"
The other Yugi and Emrys concentrated and lent Kaiba as much psychic strength as they could muster. Once their energies combined, the CEO's Polymerization card activated.
Yoshiko shuddered as a fearsome roar reverberated throughout the Shadow Realm.
Kaiba's chest heaved as he pointed at the single monster on the opposite side of the field and commanded, "Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, attack!"
Carrying out its master's orders, the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon (ATK 4500) used its earth-shattering attack and destroyed Yoshiko's facedown monster.
A seething Yoshiko drew out a card from her deck. "I activate Ookazi!"
Another series of fireballs quickly shot out from the void, each individually striking Kaiba until his overall life points dwindled down to 100.
The other Yugi and Emrys agonized from the duelists' last respective moves and struggled to keep their near-exhausted link with Kaiba.
Kaiba, mustering the last ounce of strength within him and seizing the opportunity, then said, "I activate Last Battle! For its effect, the monster I choose is my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"
Last Battle
Normal Trap Card
You can only activate this card if you have 1000 or less Life Points and only during your opponent's turn. Choose one of your Monsters on the Field, and destroy all other Monsters on the field. Your opponent Special Summons a Monster from his or her deck, and both Battle (damage to players is negated). At the end of the turn, the player with the remaining monster is the winner. Otherwise, it is a tie.
There was silence throughout the Shadow Realm as everyone waited for Yoshiko to choose a monster.
Although his chest constricted from the latest direct attack, Kaiba yelled on the top of his lungs, "What are you waiting for? Choose a monster from your pathetic deck!"
The cloaked woman's eyes narrowed in rage and bitterness. Shaking, Yoshiko then bit her lip and muttered, "This duel is over. You win."
Amethyst and hazel-brown eyes gleamed in elation over Kaiba's hard-won victory. The other Yugi then noticed that Emrys' non-corporeal form began to disappear. He uttered with such warmth and gentleness, "Thanks, my love. I'll see you shortly..."
Kaiba and Yoshiko also felt Emrys leave the Shadow Realm.
The CEO shut his eyes and thanked Emrys for lending him strength, with him not knowing that she could read his innermost thoughts. Once he opened his eyes, his focus then fell on his opponent.
An evil grin curled from Yoshiko's lips. "Your Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon may have won this duel for you, but I'm claiming a greater prize! So long, Kaiba Seto. You haven't seen the last of me yet..."
Upon hearing Yoshiko's threat, the other Yugi's face turned white. He ran towards the cloaked woman. Before he could reach to her, the two young men were transported back to reality while she remained within the Shadow Realm.
Kaiba took a series of deep breaths as he glanced sideways and murmured, "It's all over now." Receiving no response and noticing that his rival still looked worried, the CEO then demanded in between breaths, "What's wrong with you?"
Ashen-faced, a tightlipped other Yugi grimly replied, "It's Emrys, Kaiba. Yoshiko left to kill Emrys. Mokuba and Jonouchi are with her..."
End of Chapter Fourteen
About Yoshiko
If you're wondering who Yoshiko is, she is the stage manager, personal assistant, and Emrys' long-time friend. She appears in Chapters 6 and 7 of The Encounter of Lost Souls (entitled The Prelude and The Night to Remember respectively).
Her primary mission is to keep Emrys - the crest-wielder - close to her, and has been involved with the sinister group before knowing and befriending Emrys. Just like her father, Yoshiko is bent to get power - even in the cruelest of ways.
But since fate has a way of intertwining things, she includes revenge against Kaiba and the other Yugi in her agenda after her father dies.
Kaiba, through the course of making arrangements for Alexa's concert at Kaiba Corporation's Domino Arena, meets and deals with Yoshiko. And the other Yugi meets Yoshiko for the first time in Chapter 6.
Author's Note
Although this story arc stands independently from The Encounter of Lost Souls and There Will Come Soft Rain, the three stories are inter-connected. This fact will also apply to most of the subsequent Yu-Gi-Oh fan fiction stories that I will post in the future.
Normal Disclaimer
Yu-Gi-Oh is the property copyrighted by Kazuki Takahashi. This fan fiction, as well as the original characters, is the author's property.
Enjoy reading!
Zatken