Disclaimer: I don't own the Yugioh characters nor the character Shadow Phoenix which is being used with permission by Phoenix727.
Chapter 13: Battle 1 - Bring Me To Life
I smirked at the weaklings that I use to call my friends, and walked back to Shadow Phoenix and Luna. They seemed pleased for I was the one who sent Tea to the Shadow Realm, where she'll be tormented until she is released.
Yukai withdrawn from his fight with Luna, and he stood before my friends. His eyes burned with a fiery passion to end all this madness. Does he really think he can stand a chance against all three of us? Something must have gotten him angry. Could it be Artemis's disappearance?
"You bastards will pay for what you all have done!" Yukai yelled out. "Who else will have to suffer within your grasps?"
"Poor Yukai," Luna taunted. "Is the reason you're upset because I sealed away Artemis deep down in her Soul Room? How depressing! She should have destroyed you when she had the chance!"
"You will also pay as well, Shadow Phoenix!" Joey scolded at. "You killed my best friend!"
"Perhaps I should do the same to you and Kaiba!" Shadow Phoenix warned.
Atem stared with anger in his eyes, and Kaiba hid Mokuba behind him. Such a shame that they all have to die. Now who should I deal with? I got one obstacle out of the way, and for some reason, I pitied about Tea. Why did I feel this way? What's wrong with me? It's like something is trying to liberate my heart from the darkness that is presently my soul. Whatever it is, I don't want it to interfere with me!
Yugi,...
I hear Artemis's voice inside my mind. I thought Luna got rid of her. Could she have managed to escape? But how? Artemis was too weak, let alone get away.
Yugi... awaken from the darkness. Don't allow it to win, or we all will perish!
I noticed I was back in my Soul Room. Artemis stood beside me, her eyes filled with determination and innocence. Just like mine use to been.
"Get out of my mind!" I demanded.
"This is not you, Yugi." Artemis said. "Your battle begins with your heart and soul which have been tainted by the hands of evil! Your Soul Room reflects on your personality, and at the moment I see only darkness..."
"It's more better living in the darkness than living in the light!" I shouted.
Artemis nodded. "You misunderstand. You are the light while Atem is the dark," she explained. "He fathoms that more than anyone else, and now you must do the same."
"Then tell me!" I cried out. "Why do you choose to live in the light?"
"The light is what I am," she began. "It's my responsibility to keep hope in all 5 worlds, like Selene once did and my grandmother, Isis before her. Life depends on the light to stray darkness away, but... my time is running out, Yugi."
"Why?" I questioned.
"The darkness has already claimed Luna, and I fear it will get to me too. If you don't unbind yourself from the darkness, then I will be drawn to it even more!"
"I don't understand!"
"As the servant of the Pharaoh, I use to draw my powers from Atem, and now I draw it from you." Artemis explained. "Since your soul has been consumed by darkness, the same will happen to me... If only I hadn't failed you and Ra..."
Tears began to fall from her eyes. Everything suddenly became to make sense. When Artemis's Ka appeared, it was released with the help of my own shadow powers. Also she tried to protect us from Pluto, whom she knew that he wanted to cross me over to the dark side, and then that would mean she would be drawn to the darkness. But wait! What did she mean when she mentioned she failed me and... Ra?
"Why did you say that you failed me and Ra?" I asked.
"Yugi, there's not much time to explain all to you!" Artemis yelled out as my Soul Room was fading away. "Just remember this! I loved you very much the day I first laid my eyes on you! Don't let the darkness control your life!"
I opened my eyes to see Luna looking down on me. Her dark blue eyes stared at me with alert. I realized I was lying on the ground, and I got up. Shadow Phoenix seemed to have not noticed since he was bickering with Joey while I was knocked out.
"What happened to you?" Luna asked.
"I can't remember..." I lied. "It feels like a blur to me..."
"You're not telling me the truth," Luna stated. "Forgotten I could read minds, and pay no attention to Artemis. She was weak and soon she'll join you in the darkness. My little light always cared about you the most." Luna edged towards Shadow Phoenix and she ended his feud with Joey.
"We'll finish this later." Shadow Phoenix muttered as he and Luna made their way back to me.
"Yugi," Luna said. "To prove that you are not against us, I want you to annihilate those humans, and leave Yukai and Lo to me and Shadow Phoenix, got it?"
"You want me to deal with those fools!" Shadow Phoenix argued. "They're not worth my time!"
"Those 'fools' are not meant to be underestimated, Shadow Phoenix. They have lived for countless centuries, and they know how to fight well." Luna replied. "We'll leave you with your friends."
I walked towards my 'friends' and I turned my gaze at Atem. His violet cape billowed in the wind, and his eyes no longer had the confidence I use to see in them, instead they were replaced with fear and anger. I can't believe the once mighty Pharaoh is actually going to have to fight someone he was supposed to protect.
"Yugi..." he whispered softly. "I don't want to hurt you."
"It's too late for that, Atem," I said. "And the rest of you as well. I have already pledged myself to the darkness."
"Then, I guess we have no choice." Joey replied.
"So, it comes to this." Kaiba spoke.
"I'm scared, big brother." Mokuba cried. Kaiba kept Mokuba hidden behind him.
"Nothing we do will help you come back to our side, and whoever does triumph in the end will have the power to reign over all." Atem continued. "You are the Chosen One, and your destiny was close to being fulfilled. Now my memories will never be revived."
"This is the end for you, Atem!" I yelled as I summoned my shadow powers to aim directly at him.
I noticed he didn't move. Does he want to accept his fate? Has he gone mad? This has to be a trick, and I'm not falling for it! Yukai and Lo tried to defend him, but they were kept busy by Shadow Phoenix and Luna. The time has arrived for Atem's demise, and yet, he still doesn't run away.
"Once I am gone, Yugi, you are free to destroy Kaiba, Joey and Mokuba if it pleases you." Atem's last words seemed so painful to me. What's going on? I'm having all these emotions once again! Does that mean part of soul has not been taken to the darkness?
Remember...
Artemis's voice echoed in my mind, and I couldn't get it out. Am I struggling against her, or is it just me? Light and darkness seemed to have been battling inside my very mind, and I needed to kill Atem before I become lost in my Soul Room again. I produced an orb of black light and aimed it at Atem. Joey, Kaiba and Mokuba backed away as the attack took its hit.
Luna and Shadow Phoenix turned their attention to my fight, and they couldn't believe their eyes. Yukai and Lo looked on in horror as my friends held on with panic on their faces. Black smoke appeared where Atem stood, and as it cleared something caused me to gasp. Within the smoke stood two figures, one that was Atem and the other was unknown to me.
The second figure held Atem back and her black hair waved as the sunlight beamed on it. Her black eyes stared directly at me as she shook off the suffocating smoke with her black butterfly-like wings. Her velvet emerald and violet robes gleamed in my eyes. Who was she?
"Pharaoh, are you alright?" the girl spoke with an Arabic accent.
"Who are you?" Atem asked.
"No, not her!" Luna yelled.
"I am Nidoki, Guardian of the East," the girl introduced herself. "The Pharaoh's time is not up yet, but you, Luna, you will meet defeat in the hands of Artemis!"
"Luna, you should know my older sister was once the holder of the Millennium Necklace." Yukai explained.
"We have no choice but to retreat!" Luna decided.
"Why?" Shadow Phoenix asked.
"Facing the Millennium Guardians is not an option if you want to be sent back to the Shadow Realm!" Luna said as she quickly teleported herself near me.
"You cannot get away!" Nidoki cried out.
"Let's just see about that!" Luna removed my Millennium Puzzle from my neck and then teleported back with Shadow Phoenix. "With this, Pluto has all he needs and we'll be going now!" Luna and Shadow Phoenix disappeared into the shadows, and Yukai and Apollo came towards us. They had depressed looks on their faces.
Nidoki walked away from Atem and comforted Yukai. "We failed..." Yukai whispered.
"I can't believe we lost..." Apollo said softly. "First, Artemis is gone, and now Pluto has the Millennium Puzzle."
"Is there a way to get Artemis back?" Kaiba questioned them.
Nidoki, Yukai and Apollo nodded their heads. Maybe Artemis is truly gone... forever. Why have I been so ignorant? She was only trying to protect me and Atem! Pluto will pay for what he has done to hurt me and my friends! I will defeat you Pluto!
Author's Notes: Battle 2 will begin next chapter!