Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Last Pearl
"Hey Yugi," Saria greeted as she took a seat next to him.
"Hey Saria. I'm just working on my deck. I've got to figure a way to slip Slifer into my deck," Yugi replied as he studied his deck cards. Saria picked up a Red Eyes Black Dragon.
"Maybe you should take this out? You haven't played it yet in this tournament," Saria pointed out.
"I can't do that. That card is too important to me."
"Why is that?"
"It's Joey's. With Red Eyes' help, I got the Battle City crown. It helped me when I had to face Kaiba."
"Oh."
"It's also like having a piece of Joey's heart in my deck. That way, he's always beside me as a friend."
"That's kind of what Teran did with me when he gave me his Dark Blade."
"That's right." Came Yami's voice.
"Hey Yami? Tell me about yourself."
"I don't know much about myself to be honest. After all, I'm just a spirit that was contained in the Millennium Puzzle. Prior to Battle City, I learned that I was an Egyptian pharaoh from 5,000 years ago and that I had saved the world from ancient evil forces."
"Wow. How did you meet Yugi?"
"I had always been with Yugi but we never really talked until the fall of Pegasus."
"You mean THE Pegasus? The creator of Duel Monsters?"
"That's right. Yugi and I didn't hit it off right away but we eventually connected. Now, we're together a lot. He's been trying to help me now in return."
"Help you? How? What do you need?"
"Knowledge of my past. I've forgotten who I was. Bits and pieces are coming back to me but I want to know everything about myself."
"Hm... Well, I hope you find out who you are. I sure wish I knew more about myself."
"What do you mean?"
"I know who I am, but my mom and dad are very secretive about their past. They won't share it with me. Then I heard them talking today."
"About what?" Saria wasn't sure what to say.
"Something about someone not being ready. I don't know much but they said something about the Shadow Realm."
"Shadow Realm! What did they mention about it?"
"Uh, that you could repel the power of the Shadow Realm with the Millennium Puzzle. My dad wouldn't hear of it though."
"Strange..." Yami then finally found a spot to slip Slifer into. He shuffled his deck and slipped it into his watch. It was then something caught his attention.
"Something wrong Yami?" Saria asked.
"I sense darkness nearing us. It's coming from that island," Yami replied, pointing at an island.
"That's Greatfish Island, but it's tore to pieces!" The island was a practically carbon copy of Outset then enlarged to fit the large population. The place had many skyscrapers and houseboats littered the canals or at least what was left of them. The boardwalks were clear but the bridges that led across the canals were knocked down and water was already cascading over the ruins. Houseboats were smashed in and the windows in the skyscrapers were smashed. One had even fallen onto another, causing great damage. What was the natural part of the island was littered with smashed, broken palm trees. The beach was littered with driftwood and debris. Hanging over it all was a gathering wall of black clouds, rain and a large dragon cloud over the center of the island.
"We better tell Dad," Saria said. Yami nodded when Mr. Floyd's voice came over the intercom.
"All personnel to the bridge stat!"
"Sounds like he spotted the trouble too," Yami commented as the two ran down the hall to the bridge. When they arrived, the bridge was in pandemonium. Mr. Floyd was busy shouting orders while the teens sat quietly at different points in the room.
"Saria! Yugi! Strap yourselves in," Mr. Floyd ordered. Saria and Yami Yugi quickly sat down at the back of the room and put on the restraints. The ship shook as the Courage IX neared the island's beach. The ship then stopped and everyone was free to move again. Saria stared out a window and realized that they were still in the air by about two meters. She then noticed her father carrying a large black rifle and was heading for the exit.
"Dad! Wait! Let me come along!" Saria said.
"You want to come along? We don't know what happened here! It could be dangerous," Mr. Floyd pointed out.
"I don't care. I feel as if I have to go. I can't explain it."
"It's your genes kid: They lead you into danger like me. (sigh) Grab your weapons and follow me." Saria quickly opened up a sliding panel in the bridge and eyed the contents. There was a sword and shield, a protective lavender jacket, a pistol and thigh holster, and a rope and hook. Saria quickly put on the gear and joined her father at the airlock.
"Be careful," Mrs. Floyd warned. The two nodded and Mr. Floyd opened the airlock. Mr. Floyd then leapt down and hit the beach in a roll. He looked up and saw Saria looked down nervously.
"Jump! I'll catch you!" Mr. Floyd shouted. Saria leapt off and her father caught her. He put her down and the two scanned the shore. There was nothing around. Mr. Floyd hefted his rifle and aimed around. Saria jumped as her father shot several rounds towards the town.
"What was that for?" Saria demanded.
"For them!" Mr. Floyd replied and he fired off more rounds. Saria looked ahead and saw tiny devil-like monsters with tridents rushing them.
"What are those?" Saria asked as she began to fire the pistol.
"Miniblins. They are quite dangerous," Mr. Floyd replied as he popped in another clip. The two Floyds watched as the bullets made one Miniblin split into two!
"This isn't working!" Saria realized when a whale-like cry split the air. Saria turned and saw a whale get beached on the shore.
"Dad look!"
"That's Jabun! He has Nayru's Pearl!"
"I'll get it!"
"Saria! Wait!" But she was already running towards the whale when something hit Saria from below and knocked her onto her back. The thing that had hit her was a large knight that stood about eight foot tall and wore sand-colored armor. In its hands was a large broadsword. Saria was rooted to the spot in fear as the knight raised its sword for the kill. Saria screamed as the sword neared her.
"Celtic Guardian attack now!" Yami's voice cried out. Saria watched as the Celtic Guardian appeared and held the sword back with its own.
"Saria! Get away!" Yami urged over the ship's loudspeaker. Saria scrambled to her feet and ran for Jabun when more of the knights popped out of the sand and made a beeline for Saria and Jabun. Saria stood in their way, sword and shield in hand.
"You want Jabun? You have to go through me first!" Saria challenged. The knights charged and Saria said a silent prayer then rushed them.
MEANWHILE ON THE COURAGE IX...
"There's too many of them!" Tristan realized.
"Yugi! Do something!" Serenity urged.
Yugi! Only Slifer can save Saria now! Yami told Yugi.
You're right! I hope Slifer is up to the task. Yugi thought as he drew in all of his magic reserves. He focused all of his spare magic into Slifer.
"Slifer the Sky Dragon! Come forth!" Yami and Yugi commanded as he played the card. The card glowed a bright red as the sky turned even darker. Lightning struck all around Jabun and the battle-scarred Saria as the mighty Egyptian God arose. It wrapped its body protectively around Jabun and Saria. Yami and Yugi were just about ready to fall.
"Slifer... Attack! Thunder force attack!" Yami commanded as he returned to the Millennium Puzzle, leaving Yugi powerless. Yugi slumped over in a faint as Slifer unleashed powerful bolts of lightning from its two mouths, engulfing the island in unnatural light. When the light vanished, every monster was gone. No traces remained except for a view blood-covered bullet casings and the footprints that were in the sand. Slifer then vanished in a ray of star light.
"Whew! That was too close. Maybe Yugi can help us after all," Mr. Floyd mumbled as he scanned the destruction. He then noticed Saria laying in the sand unconscious. Mr. Floyd wordlessly dashed to her side. The only visible injury she had was a laceration on her upper right arm, but nothing too serious. Lying next to her however was a glowing blue pearl.
"Nayru's Pearl," He whispered. He pocketed the pearl and looked over Jabun. His eyes were closed and he didn't appear to be breathing. Mr. Floyd wordlessly picked up the unconscious Saria and ran back to the Courage IX.
HOURS LATER...
It hadn't the Hylian Navy long to see the destruction from satellite images. A small platoon had gathered at the shores and soldiers were already searching for survivors.
"We'll do everything in our power to find any survivors," a Hylian captain told Mr. Floyd.
"Thank you Captain. I would like to stay with Jabun though until he wakes," Mr. Floyd replied.
"Very well. Knowing him, he'll wake soon. Playing dead is his specialty."
"I hope so," Mr. Floyd wished as he reached for a wrist communicator, "Becky. Drop the AMWING and take off without me. I'm going to stay with Jabun."
"OK. Call me if you need to."
ON THE COURAGE IX...
"AMWING deployed," Matson said.
"Take off for Southern Triangle Island then. We have an agenda to keep," Becky declared, taking control of the crew.
"You sure it is wise to leave him there?"
"He'll join us when Jabun wakes OK? Lets go." No one said much as the Courage IX flew away from the demolished island.