DECLARAION: - This story has been written and produced by Cathrath (FanFiction. net ID: 609465). Distribution of any kind is prohibited without the written consent of Cathrath. If you should see this story posted anywhere other than FanFiction .net or under any other name it has been stolen so please notify the author. I do not own Yu-gi-oh.
Chapter 18 – Duel
Yami struggling to his feet within his cage as Seto drew closer. Seto laughed as he approached and stopped a little way back from his victim before raised his arm and firing another blast of energy towards the cage. Yami did not move as the blast approached him, he just raised his hand. Yugi cried out and banged on his prison as the blast hit the cage fearful for his friend but as the dust cleared he breathed a sign of relief. Yami stood, unharmed with the millennium eye glowing brightly on his forehead. The lightening bars of his prison were gone. He was free. In response Yami launched his own attack at Seto. Seto waved his hand and the flaming energy died into nothing.
"Nice trick Yami, using the energy of your cage to deflect my attack. It would seem we are evenly matched again. Shall we settle this as we did once before, with a duel?"
Yami kept his fists clenched at his sides as he glared at Seto.
"If you wish, but there will be a difference this time. We shall use only one monster and when that monster is defeated its owner shall lose."
Seto nodded.
"I agree to your terms but I will add my own condition. The loser of the duel will be sent to the shadow realm for eternity."
Yami paused for a moment before nodding.
"Agreed."
Seto laughed as he discarded his cloak, preparing for the duel.
"You're a fool Yami. You throw away your life and for what. Your people, friends...loved ones?" he said this looking at Yugi whose fists were red raw from trying to break the walls of his prison.
"The only fool here is you Seto," Yami said as he moved himself into a position opposite his foe.
"To fight for our loved ones is not a hopeless cause but then I suppose you could never understand the concept of love. You, who treated your own brother like a tool and discarded him when you were finished. Your brother sought to free you out of love but you rejected it and now you will pay the price."
"ENOUGH," Seto snarled in anger.
"LET THE DUEL BEGIN."
They slowly backed away but neither took their eyes from the other. Soon they had enough room for their duel and both stood waiting for the first move to be made. Yugi braced himself against the sides of his prison in anxious anticipation as he prepared to watch the duel.
Yami could hear the call of his friends behind him shouting their encouragement and out of the corner of his eye he could see Yugi still trapped within his prison. He clenched his fists and turned to face Seto. He would win. He had to. Yami began to draw on his power and he felt Seto do the same as they called forth their monsters from the shadow realm. Seto was able to summon his more easily than Yami and the form of the Blue Eyes White Dragon slowly materialised beside him. Yami knew what monster he was calling. There was only one choice. Yami had to concentrate hard but slowly the form of the Dark Magician in his long purple robes and carrying his staff appeared beside him.
"Mahado", Yami whispered at seeing the familiar figure beside him.
The Dark Magician looked down at Yami and nodded before turning its attention back to the Blue Eyes in front of him.
The Summoning of the Dark Magician had taken its toll on Yami and Seto laughed at the beads of sweat that had formed on Yami's brow with the effort.
"You're weakening already Yami. This will not be a long fight."
Yami scowled at this is defiance.
"We shall see Seto, DARK MAGICIAN ATTACK WITH DARK MAGIC," Yami shouted.
The magician dived forwards at the command from his master and fired a bolt of dark magic from his raised staff. The Blue Eyes sprang forwards in response and it met the bolt in mid air with its own white lightening attack. Both Seto and Yami shielded their eyes at the intense flash as the two attacks collided. Yami concentrated all his energy towards the Dark Magician and watched as the Magician sprang forwards once more. The Blue Eyes dived out his way and lashed out with its tail. The tail caught the Dark Magician across the shoulder. Yami cried out in pain clutching his own shoulder as the blow struck his monster.
"First blood to me I think," came Seto's mocking response to Yami's pain.
Yami, still clutching his shoulder, raised his head.
"It's not over yet Seto," he said though clenched teeth.
With that the Magician raised his staff and lashed out at the soft flesh of the dragon's belly. Seto cried out in pain as Yami had when his monster was struck. The speed of the attack had taken him by surprise and his dragon staggered at the blow.
Yugi watched the titanic battle before him intensely. It was just like his dream and the vision Seto had sent him. Yugi knew that if Yami began to weaken, as he appeared to be already, Seto would win and Yugi would loose his friend to the darkness.
A slash from the dragon's claws caught the Dark Magician unawares and although he jumped back away from the slash it caught him across the stomach. The Dark magician staggered and fell to one knee holding the area of torn robes. He turned his head at the pain filled cry from his master. Yami was likewise on his knees, head bowed and an arm wrapped tightly around his middle. Yami slowly moved his arm away to look in horror at the three blooded slashed across his stomach. The blood was seeping into his white tunic.
"Give up Yami. There's no hope for your now".
Seto's mocking voice cut through Yami's pain fogged brain and he gritted his teeth.
'No, it can't end this way,' he thought.
Yami rose shakily to his feet.
"It's not over yet Seto," Yami shouted in defiance and again directed his energy towards the Dark Magician.
The battle progressed and with each second Yami was getting weaker and weaker. The Dark Magician staggered back at a series of blows from Seto's Blue Eyes and Yami fell to his knees again. He could hear Seto's cold laughter and it bit into his heart. Yami had given it everything but he knew he was going to lose. There was nothing he could do to stop it. He caught sight of Yugi kneeling on the ground surrounded by his prison and his anger flared up again. No, he couldn't give up. Yugi depended on him and he would not disappoint his friend. With one last surge of his remaining energy he willed his Dark Magician back to its feet. Yami showed inhuman strength as he raised himself to his feet once more, a shimmering aura of power surrounding him. He screamed in pain and frustration as he willed his Magician into one final attack, giving him everything he had. The blast from the Dark Magician's staff was more powerful than anything he had produced before and the Blue Eyes White Dragon was flung back to lie still at Seto's feet. Seto howled in pain and collapsed as his monster was flung back by the massive blast. Seeing his enemy fall Yami staggered closer. The Dark Magician approached with him and raised his staff ready to finish the weakened dragon.
"Surrender Seto, or face defeat," Yami said as he approached.
Behind him Yugi gave a shout of triumph at Yami's apparent victory.
Seto did not move but instead a cold and chilling chuckle emanated from the shadows covering his face.
"You think you've won don't you Yami?" he said in a deathly quiet voice.
"I know so Seto. Your monster is weakened beyond recovery. If you do not surrender then it will be destroyed, and you will face a similar fate."
Seto continued to chuckle as he slowly climbed back to his feet.
Yami braced himself. Why was Seto laughing? What had he missed?
"I'm sorry to disappoint you Yami but I'm afraid there was always only going to be one winner of this duel."
Seto raised his hand and to Yami's horror the blue eyes white dragon slowly climbed back to its feet.
"I'm sure your faithful Ishizu told you the story of the millennium guardian before you who trapped the evil he fought in the shadow realm in the form of a Blue Eyes White Dragon and I'm sure by now you've realised that this is the very same dragon. That being so, this monster has a few special abilities which you would appear to be unaware of."
Yami stood in horror as the blue eyes began to glow an intense blue. Then a nightmare began to unfold before him, two new heads, one either side of the original, began to appear.
"You see there are three Blue Eyes White Dragons in the shadow realm. Each a powerful force on its own but combined they form an unbeatable monster. Oh your Dark Magician is powerful Yami, but still no match for this creature. BLUE EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON, DESTROY THE DARK MAGICIAN."
Yami staggered back as he tried to call on his power to protect the Dark Magician from Seto's new attack but he had no more to give. He was hurled across the ground by the force of the blast as it struck the Dark Magician. He struggled to rise but he had no strength left. He had lost. Seto had won. His eyes locked with Yugi's and he watched as tears ran down his young cousin's cheek.
Yugi knelt back on his heels in shock and placed the palms of his hand flat against the clear wall of his prison in stunned disbelief. Yami had lost. His monster had been destroyed. He started to cry out Yami's name over and over again. Once more pounding on his prison trying in vain to break free, to go to his friend, to help him but is was hopeless. Yugi watched, as Seto and the lumbering form of the Blue Eyed Ultimate Dragon approached and everything seemed to move into slow motion. Seto tilted his head back and laughed at his stricken enemy kneeling beaten and defeated before him.
"I've waited a long time for this," Seto said as his Blue Eyes tilted all three of its heads back.
Yami lifted his head bravely to face the white lightening attack as it streamed towards him. He closed his eyes, a last single tear running down his cheek as he heard Yugi crying out his name and the words 'you promised'.
Yugi watched in horror as the white flame engulfed his friend. When the smoke finally cleared nothing remained of Yami except a single smoking hole. Yami was gone, sent to the shadow realm. Yugi wailed a cry of hopeless loss and grief as he collapsed to the floor. It was over, Seto had won and Yami had been destroyed.