THE PARTING OF LOST SOULS
Chapter Fifteen: Dark Night of the Soul
After losing at the hands of Kaiba, Yoshiko astral-projected in Emrys' room at the loft. Seeing her friend as she slept, she pondered, "Her dreams brought her there. Her powers are increasing..."
Approaching Emrys' bedside, Yoshiko's non-corporeal form gently touched her friend's pale face.
Emrys stirred from her sleep. Her drawn eyes widened and misted as she looked into Yoshiko. A long pause of silence transpired as her probing hazel-brown eyes made direct contact with gray. She also waited for the cloaked woman to speak, but all she got from the other was a stone-faced stare.
Breaking the long silence between them, Emrys voice quivered as she asked, "Why did you try to kill Kaiba and me? Why?"
Sadness crept over the cloaked woman's face. She whispered to her friend, "You don't know how much revenge can twist people. My father died a broken man because of Kaiba. It's my duty to defend my family's honor."
The mist in Emrys' eyes turned into free-flowing tears. "Yugi said you're my good friend. If I'm your friend, why did you try to kill me? What did I do to deserve such betrayal from you?"
Softening her expression, Yoshiko replied, "I wanted you to come with me. I tried to run over Kaiba that night. I would've not minded running over his little brother. But you jumped in his way...in their way... I don't give a damn about the others. However, I would never do anything to hurt you..."
A teary-eyed Emrys kept silent.
Yoshiko gazed into her friend's lackluster hazel-brown eyes. "We've watched you all this time. You don't realize how much power you have. You were on the right path before. Somewhere along the way, though, you've grown soft."
"Soft...?"
Yoshiko nodded and then offered her open right hand to Emrys as she said with a softer tone, "I'm here to help you. It's not too late to turn back. For your own sake, please come with me..."
In between throbbing jabs of pain, Emrys blankly stared into Yoshiko's eyes. "Are you telling me the truth?"
Judging that Emrys still had amnesia, the cloaked woman whispered, "I'm your only true friend. All I want is to pull you back towards the right path. I know it's so confusing. Come with me then everything will become clear to you."
"No," Emrys deadpanned.
As Yoshiko's gray eyes burned with absolute disgust, she then dug her hand inside her rejecter's chest.
As the two women struggled and fought - one for control and the other for her life - Jonouchi and Mokuba rammed the bedroom door open.
A maliciously smirking Yoshiko used her dark magic, slammed the door shut, and continued crushing her victim's heart. "Where are your precious friends now, crest-wielder? You have no idea as to who you are...memory or no memory! You'll always live, and eventually die, like you're destined to be...alone!"
Struggling for much-needed oxygen, Emrys' shock and fear forced her incoherent pieces of memory to come together.
Suddenly, the pentagram medallion sitting on the nightstand activated once more. It sent the two young women to the Shadow Realm and solidified Yoshiko's non-corporeal form.
Now released from physical pain, Emrys grabbed Yoshiko's hands and kicked the latter away from the bed. Rising from the bed, she grabbed her opponent by the throat and then lifted the cloaked woman with her right hand.
Yoshiko's feet were suspended from the ground. In between choking breaths, the cloaked woman screamed, "That's right! Give in! I didn't realize that amnesia gives cowards such as you a backbone."
A fiendish and vengeful look crept through Emrys' face. "Who says I still have amnesia?"
The cloaked woman's eyes widened as she struggled from her captor's grip.
Emrys tightened her single-hand choke hold on Yoshiko, petrifying the latter to no end. "Aren't you pleased with your own handiwork? You and your lot harmed me in more ways than one...taking me to this realm many times, killing my parents, harming those I love, and betraying me..."
Yoshiko hysterically blurted out, "It was Kaiba that I tried to kill, not Yugi!"
"You tried to harm Kaiba Mokuba. You tried to harm Yugi. You tried to harm my friends. For those deeds, you pay!"
Yoshiko continued to struggle under Emrys' grip.
With Emrys' nails embedding on Yoshiko's neck, Em added, "And you harmed Kaiba Seto. He, along with the Pharaoh, are dearest to my heart. For harming Kaiba...for that, you most especially pay dearly!"
Further taunting her former friend, Emrys explained in an uncustomary and unemotional tone, "I found your little toy, by the way. It seems to love me more than you. Temporary as its effect may be, and excruciating the pain may be afterwards, it will suffice to do the job."
"I never meant to hurt you - I swear!"
Emrys' eyes further narrowed and her teeth intensely clenched in deep-rooted hatred. "Liar! I loved and trusted you as if you were an older sister all these years, but you still betrayed me!"
Seeing that her tormentor would not give her clemency, Yoshiko's eyes defiantly glinted. "You don't scare me, you bit - "
A glowering Emrys further tightened her grip as her nails dug deeper into her victim's throat. "You harmed the ones I love. You harmed me. You don't have to taunt me to make me wicked."
The cloaked woman's eyes watered and her face turned white in fear. "What are you going to do?"
Emrys pulled Yoshiko towards her until their eyes met. Looking at her already-weakened betrayer, she whispered with a wry smirk on her lips, "You desperately wanted the old me back, don't you? I've got news for you: she never left and you won't live long enough to know her..."
With full force, Emrys dug inside the cloaked woman's chest.
Seconds later, a petrified Yoshiko stared at her still-beating heart.
Making sure that the cloaked woman stared at her throughout the entire time, Emrys crushed the still-beating heart, saw rich blood ooze down her left arm, and witnessed her enemy violently convulse.
Minutes after staring at a wide-eyed corpse, Emrys then tossed the body on the ground.
Shortly thereafter, the mystical medallion transported Emrys back to reality. It released her from its evil hold and made the rich blood disappear as well.
As soon as the medallion released Emrys from the Shadow Realm, the bedroom door swung open.
Mokuba and Jonouchi saw Emrys fall hard on the floor. Working together to move her back to the bed, the blond-haired teen lifted her from the floor while the boy secured her sprained left arm with his open palms.
Beads of sweat formed on Emrys' forehead and her face was flushed. In between sobs of excruciating pain and throb-ridden breaths, she whispered, "I remember everything now..."
The blonde teen and the raven-haired boy - unaware that the evil medallion's glow waned from behind them - smiled once they saw the spark of recognition from Emrys' hazel-brown eyes.
As Emrys closed her eyes from exhaustion and her reignited fever, the mystical pendant disappeared as it merged with her soul
As the events between Yoshiko and Emrys unfolded, evening fell on the isle of Crete. As the majority of its citizens retired for the night, a minority populace secretly dwelling within Crete's many caves knew what just happened at the other end of the globe.
A hooded follower approached a throne occupied by a man cloaked in richer robes. Kneeling and bowing his head low before the throne, the follower said, "The first offering has been made, Master."
The Master stirred from his throne and stared at the cloaked herald. "Good! The second prophecy came into fruition..."
Maintaining his subservient position, the hooded man inquired, "What is thy command?"
"We have months to prepare for the Dark Queen's feast. Make sure that everything is prepared. The Dark Queen will be most pleased, for her release is near."
The cloaked subordinate stood up, bowed to acknowledge the order given to him, and then left.
The Master rose and descended three steps from the throne. He then turned around and stared at a towering hematite statue of a crowned, royally garbed, and faceless woman.
With eyes smoldering in promise, the Master said to the inanimate statue, "Soon, my dear Queen, we will release you from slumber. You will regain your throne, your powers will be unleashed, and the world will once again cower before the Atlanteans' feet. When that time does come, the crest-wielder will be no more!"
Immediately after Emrys crushed Yoshiko's heart, the dark cloud disappeared within the dank cell.
Kaiba and the other Yugi, who were standing side-by-side, saw the cloaked woman's body sprawled face down.
Approaching Yoshiko and kneeling on the ground, Kaiba turned over her body. He checked the side of her neck for a pulse. Slowly looking up to his rival, he then unemotionally stated, "She's long dead."
Kaiba then rose up, asked the other Yugi for his cell phone, received the cell phone from his rival, and called the police. He also called Mokuba to ensure everyone's safety and to inform him of what just happened.
While the sable-haired duelist made the calls, a tightlipped other Yugi pondered, "Did Emrys have something to do with this? For her sake, I hope not..."
The entertainment and celebrity sections of newspapers, magazines, television news, and tabloids reported that Alexa was recuperating at a local hospital. Now that the public and media knew the truth, it quelled down some of the rumors speculating why the singer missed her own after-party.
As to Kaiba Seto's kidnapping, the CEO made sure that the news did not leak to protect Kaiba Corporation's standing. He had his press release manager handle all the questions regarding Alexa, dispel any "rumors" of his kidnapping, and dismiss his and the other Yugi's involvement regarding Yoshiko's untimely demise while police investigation was underway.
Yoshiko's death from heart failure also appeared in the entertainment and obituary sections. Since the coroner's office deemed that Yoshiko's death was due to natural causes, the police stopped questioning Kaiba and the other Yugi. The NYPD also confirmed to them that there was no Detective Garson under their employ.
As soon as Emrys was admitted in the emergency room, the hospital staff took a series of x-rays, monitored her heartbeat, reassessed her injuries, and administered an ice-bath to lower down her fever. After the grueling tests and procedures, the doctor recommended a three-day confinement to ensure her recovery.
With Yoshiko dead and her three accomplices behind bars, Kaiba, Jonouchi, Mokuba, Yugi, and Emrys had their heartfelt reunion in her hospital room. With a new feeling of safety descending upon them, almost everyone considered this as the end of their ordeal.
Everyone but Kaiba and Emrys...
The driven CEO wanted to make Yoshiko beg for mercy before killing her with his own hands. He realized that his intense need for retribution refueled his hatred as well as made him feel powerful. Feeling such familiar energies return to him, he pondered as to whether he would ever find the inner balance that he sought to have.
As to Emrys, she was devastated over Yoshiko's betrayal and death. Even though she did not know that she supernaturally killed her betrayer, she felt inexplicably guilty. She dismissed her feelings as grief and hid them deep inside from everyone...even from the other Yugi.
Even though Kaiba and Emrys were outwardly contented, the two kindred spirits knew that the worst of their internal struggle just began. Their loved ones and friends were left unaware of what was behind their respective masks of composure and inner peace.
End of Chapter Fifteen
Author's Note
The plot further thickens...
Who is the Dark Queen? What will happen to all the characters, as they get more involved in the hooded men's plans? What will happen to Emrys, now that she unwittingly used her power to kill Yoshiko? What do the hooded men want with the crest-wielder?
And now that everything is almost back to normal, what will happen in the rivalry between Kaiba and the other Yugi over Emrys?
To find out the answers to some of these questions, stay tuned to the next chapters of Parting of Lost Souls.
The rest of the questions above will be answered in The Descent of Lost Souls. This third installment of the Lost Souls Story Arc will be a welcome treat to Maximillion Pegasus / Pegasus J. Crawford, Shadi, and Isis Ishtar fans.
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!
PJ Zatken