Chapter Forty-Eight: The Final Battle Part 1
"Is everyone OK?" Saria gasped. The foursome had managed to get into the castle but they were shaken up from the ride.
"Yeah, I think so," Yugi gasped, his black tank top soaked with sweat. He was gripping the Millennium Puzzle with anxiety.
"I think I lost something on the ride up," Ryan smiled as he sat down on the plush red carpet.
"I'm fine," Ashley simply said.
"Good to hear because we got company," Ryan replied, drawing the Master Sword. Approaching them were hunchback-like demons whose bodies were black in color and they had beady red eyes.
"I'll get them," Saria stated, drawing her bow and quiver from her magic pack. She nocked an arrow and chanted a spell that turned the arrow into a golden energy arrow that emanated golden light. Saria then shot the arrow down the hall. Though the arrow missed the demons, they vanished in a flash of white light.
"What was that?" Yami asked, appearing next to Yugi.
"A Light Arrow. Mom taught me how to use them," Saria said as she slung her bow over her shoulder, "Their magic properties can wipe out evil."
"Good, because I have a feeling you will need all the evil destroying power you can get," Mrs. Floyd replied, appearing next to Saria in a semi-transparent form, "Are you all OK?" The foursome nodded.
"That's good to know. Listen. We've discovered that four barriers of evil magic protect Kaiba's palace. In order for the Sages to aid you, you must dispel the barriers with Saria's sacred arrows."
"Yes, but what about our friends?" Yami asked.
"I'm sure that if you dispel the barriers, you'll find your friends. But first, bring me to up to speed on what happened down at the castle," Mrs. Floyd replied. The group sat down and explained what happened.
"It seems we have a common enemy Yami. If this Anubis is as powerful as you say he is, then we might be in trouble. It's imperative that you get moving. Each one of you take a Light Arrow and split up. Scour the castle and destroy the barriers before its too late," Mrs. Floyd explained, when his image flickered and vanished.
"Alright, it's up to us," Saria said as she charged three more Light Arrows and handed them to her friends, "Be careful. I only gave them the power to be used once so don't waste them." Saria then nocked her bow.
"OK, lets go and stay close," Ryan said, leading the way. The group walked nervously down the ancient brown stone hall, the torches' orange glow and the glow of Saria and Ryan's weapons lighting the way. As they reached the end of the hallway, they gasped at the size of the foyer. The circular room had a large elaborately decorated spiral staircase in the center surrounded by four energy barriers. Streams of energy came out from the room's four corners and fed the barriers with energy.
"That must lead to Kaiba," Ryan thought.
"But how do we reach the scumbag?" Ashley wondered. Saria glanced around and saw that underneath each energy stream was a door.
"What if we go through the doors?" Saria supposed.
"That's a good idea. I say we split up," Ryan declared.
"I don't like it," Ashley replied nervously, "It may just be the fact I'm Gerudo, but don't you find it strange there are exactly four doors here, four of us, and four friends that were captured? This could be a trap."
"Good point, but we have to be fast. We have no idea what Kaiba, Anubis and Damon are planning," Yugi pointed out.
"We won't really be alone anyway," Saria said, "Not if we can unite our spirits so that we can form a telepathic bond."
"That's a good idea, but can you do that?" Ryan asked. Saria nodded.
"Yeah. Everybody join hands and I'll take care of the rest." Wearily, everyone joined hands and closed their eyes as Saria began her magic spell. Everybody began to glow as Saria worked her magic. When it was done, each person could feel the presence of the others in their mind.
"Now, no matter how far apart we are, we'll always be together. Now lets get moving. There's no telling how long we've got," Saria said. The foursome spread out and each took a different door.
SARIA'S ROOM...
"Well what have we got here?" Saria wondered as she stepped into the room. The room she stepped into was a large hall that had pure shiny black onyx walls where Saria could see her reflection. As she walked forward, the images on the walls changed to show some images.
"Hey, what's this?" Saria wondered. The first screen showed her dueling Cassidy for the first time. There was no sound and everything in the picture was black and white except Saria.
"It looks like Kaiba's had his eye on me from day one," Saria noticed, staring down the hall at the different screens, "If he thinks videos of me will intimidate me, well he's got another thing coming." Saria bypassed the screens and headed through another sliding door into a similar room, only it was circular. But in the opposite side of the room in an alcove, there was a black ball surrounded in dark energy floating.
"That must be the power source for one of the barriers," Saria thought. But as she stepped into the center of the room, she heard laughing all around her. Instinctively, Saria nocked her bow with a Light Arrow and aimed for the black ball and fired. Shockingly, the arrow bounced off harmlessly.
"What the?"
"You won't destroy the barrier that easily," Came Joey's laughing voice. Saria looked around and saw that instead of her reflection in the onyx, there was Joey. Saria then turned back to the black ball and saw Joey standing in front of the energy barrier.
"Joey! Am I glad to see you!" Saria sighed, lowering her bow.
"Ha! If only things were so simple, right Saria?" Damon asked. Saria lifted her bow again and began to reach for an arrow.
"Don't even bother! I am not in this room, but if you would like to meet me, then you'll have to defeat my servant in a duel first, as will the rest of your pathetic friends!" Damon taunted. Saria turned back to Joey and saw that his normally brown eyes were not the usual shade. They were more hazel in color now, showing that he was brainwashed.
"Fine Damon. Have it your way. I'll duel Joey," Saria said, casting aside her weapons and activating her duel disk.
"Good, I knew you would."
ASHLEY'S ROOM..."Don't these things ever quit?" Ashley asked herself as she slashed another mummy. Since she had gone through her door, she had run into an army of zombie mummies. She had been fending them off with her twin swords but she had little luck in destroying them, seeing as how they regenerated every time she attacked.
"Screw this!" Ashley swore and she bounded off the brown brick walls over the mummies. She then charged down the hall until she came to a wide chasm. Ashley looked down and saw filthy brown water and zombie mummies moaning.
Judging by the fact that only their upper torsos are visible, that water is not exactly deep. Ashley thought wryly. But moaning behind her caught Ashley's attention. Turning back, she saw the mummies from before advancing on her.
"Don't you guys ever quit!" Ashley shouted, gritting her teeth. She turned to the chasm and tried to wall leap over it only to find the wall was poorly constructed as it fell apart, making Ashley fall towards the water. During the fall, Ashley grabbed her scimitars and tossed them to the other side of the chasm. When Ashley hit the water, the mummies immediately surrounded her. She attempted to hold them back with hand-to-hand attacks only to be mauled and forced underwater.
I have to get out of here. Ashley thought desperately. She concentrated her magic power into her hands and with one blast, knocked all of the mummies to the walls and into pieces. She then stood up out of the water, sputtering. She then wall bounded out of the chasm and spun around like hurricane to dry herself off. She then picked up her twin swords and went through the nearby door. She entered a similar room that Saria had found Joey in except this one had a dirt floor and brown brick walls. Four torches lit this room.
"So there's the barrier. Well, say goodnight!" Ashley said, drawing her arrow.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Serenity replied, appearing in front of the black orb, "Now Gerudo heathen, you and I shall duel!"
"Serenity? What's happened?" Ashley asked.
"She's under my control," Damon replied, his voice echoing throughout the room, "Now, if you want to reach us, you'll duel." Ashley's eyes scanned the room and she didn't catch a glimpse of Damon anywhere.
"Looks like I don't got much choice," Ashley sighed, as she activated her orange duel disk watch.
RYAN'S ROOM...
"Well the first hallway wasn't bad," Ryan commented as he went through a door.
"Yes, but it seemed too easy to me," Zelda replied appearing at his side, semi-transparent.
"Well this next room seems simple enough too," Ryan thought aloud. The room he had entered had no visible walls, only a single tree sitting in a pile of dirt in the center of the room. A thick mist sat over it all, making Ryan unable to tell where the room ended.
"Ryan, I don't like this. This room reminds me of one of the rooms in the Water Temple," Link said, appearing at his side, "I faced a dark clone of myself here or at least in a room similar to it." Ryan drew his sword and shield.
"I hope I don't have to do that," Ryan said wryly. The two spirits then vanished. Ryan walked through the room and found that there was about an inch or two of water on the floor. Ignoring this, he stepped towards the tree and saw it was a common oak tree save for the fact it had no leaves and was clearly dying. But just as Ryan past the tree, he heard something hit the water behind him. Ryan turned to see a pure black figure with beady red eyes and the sword and shield it bore in its hands.
"Link was right! There is a shadow monster in here!" Ryan gasped as the clone charged. Ryan charged too and soon the two were clanging steel. Finding that the monster could match him move for move, Ryan sheathed his weapons and drew the Sage Staff he had borrowed from Saria. The clone became stumped as Ryan transformed the staff into a large blue Ice Axe and began to swing it with relative ease. Ryan rushed the demon and began laying attack after attack on the demon's sword and shield until they were frozen solid. When this happened, Ryan sheathed the staff and redrew the Master Sword. Ryan, with one powerful vertical slash, destroyed the shield. Ryan then followed up with a spinning sword combo that destroyed the sword, and followed up with a powerful thrust that caught the demon in the heart, destroying it leaving behind a pair of gauntlets with green metal backing. Ryan picked them up and the two spirits joined his side.
"Those are the Emerald Gauntlets of Hyrule!" Link gasped, "Their magic is supposed to let anyone who enters the Lost Woods be protected from the magical air."
"So how did Kaiba get them? They're a sacred treasure of the Hylians!" Zelda wondered.
"I don't know, but right now we have to stop him," Ryan said, pulling the gauntlets on, replacing his plain leather ones, "We can ask him once we find the punk." Ryan then sheathed his Master Sword and went through a door at the opposite side of the room. The barrier room he had entered had water flowing down the walls and into tiny fountains and into a tiny canal that ran around the room. The floor was white stone and it had a small bridge leading over the canal. Standing on that bridge was Tristan and he had his duel disk activated.
"Glad to see you made it," Tristan greeted, "But unless you beat me in a duel, you'll go no further!"
"Tristan! What's goin' on?" Ryan demanded.
"Well, if isn't the kid who crushed me before," Kaiba noticed, "You like my mind control spell?"
"What have you done to Tristan?" Ryan shouted, his eyes roving the room for his target.
"I merely brainwashed him and if you hope to get past, you'll duel him," Kaiba replied.
"No way!"
"Yes and you will. Because you can't destroy the dark barrier orb until you beat him which I assure you won't happen!" Kaiba laughed. Ryan looked at his friend and prepped his duel disk.
"OK, we'll do things your way and I'll save you Tristan!" Ryan vowed.
And I'll save everyone. Ryan thought to himself.
YUGI'S ROOM...
"Well, give Kaiba credit for originality!" Yugi gasped, running down the tiled hall, tiles dropping out behind him. The hall seemed to go on until Yugi spotted a blue sliding door.
"The door... Right there!" Yugi gasped. He quickly thrust it open and shut it behind him just as the last tiles dropped. Yugi clutched his beating heart, trying to slow it.
"Are you alright Yugi?" Yami asked, concerned.
"Yeah, just... out of breath..." Yugi sighed, breathing deeply. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his navy jacket and stood up wearily. He then looked around and saw that he was in a room of mirrors but instead of his reflection, he saw his friends, each smiling at him.
"Hey, these mirrors show our friends," Yugi smiled. But his grin faded when the mirrors' images changed to show his friends being abused by Kaiba, Anubis, and Damon. Their cries of anguish filled the boy's ears as his friends cried out.
"Guys!" Yugi cried, turning back and forth, trying to see all the images.
"Yugi! Look at Joey!" Yami gasped. Yugi looked at the image of Joey being beaten on by Kaiba. It was then he realized that Joey's hair was a more reddish-color.
"Yami! Joey's hair isn't that shade of blond!" Yugi declared. Yugi then looked at Serenity being mauled by demons. Her eyes were a blue color.
"And Serenity's eyes aren't blue! Yami! Not all of these are real!" Yugi realized. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the images of Joey and Serenity vanished.
"I get it now! I need to figure out which of these are fake in order to open another path," Yugi declared and he turned to the image of Saria being rapidly stabbed by Damon, "Damon's sword! It's not straight like that! It's curved so this image is fake!" Yami could indeed see that Damon's sword was indeed not curved.
"You're right! And what about Tristan's picture?" Yami wondered, the Saria image fading. Yugi looked at it carefully and saw that Tristan was being punched back by Anubis.
"Anubis' wristbands! They're not blue! They're supposed to be red!" Yugi declared, the image fading. It was then his eyes lay on Ryan's image. It showed him fighting off a bunch of demons only to be stabbed in the back by Kaiba, who was holding the Master Sword.
"Kaiba can't wield the Master Sword! It repels evil and that means Kaiba can't touch it, so that leaves Teá's picture as the true one!" Yugi declared, Ryan's image fading. Yugi walked up to Teá's picture and saw her being whipped badly by Butch of Windfall. In the background, there was a floating black orb whose glow matched that of one of the energy barriers found in the foyer.
"This image... It's real!" Yugi gasped. The image slid aside to reveal a hallway.
"Hold on Teá! I'm coming!" Yugi cried out and he ran down the hallway to find himself in a circular chamber with blue carpet. But what shocked him was what sat in front of the black energy orb. Floating inside of a large yellow crystal was an unconscious Teá who was garbed in a yellow peasant dress similar to that of Jennifer the Wind Sage's. Standing in front of it was Butch of Windfall.
"Ah, so you figured out the puzzle huh? Impressive, you are indeed worthy of the title King of Games but soon you will be the King of Lame after I get my revenge for what your friend Saria did to Cassidy!" Butch declared.
"Butch! What have you done to Teá?" Yugi demanded.
"Oh? You mean the girl? Well, Master Damon couldn't brainwash her so we decided instead of killing her, we decided to use her as bait to lure you here. Needless to say, it worked."
"Leave Teá alone!" Yugi commanded.
"Ha! We'll see if there is iron in your words for if you beat me in a duel, I'll be more than happy to fulfill your request!" Butch said, activating his duel disk. Yugi took the opportunity to activate his.
"Yu-Gi-Oh!" Yugi shouted, his Millennium Puzzle glowing fiercely, enveloping him in golden light that made him take on the form of his more confident self.
"Butch! You will regret the day you crossed my path if you hurt her!" Yugi shouted in his new deep voice. Yami appeared at Yugi's side in his semi-transparent form.
"Yami, this is personal. Please, stay out of this," Yugi requested.
"But Yugi..."
"Please understand Yami. This is my battle and I will win. Teá's my friend and I'd do anything for her because I..." But Yugi stopped himself.
"Because you love her. I understand. Since you feel so strongly, I'll let you handle this, but know this: I'll be right here watching you should you need me," Yami assured the boy. Yugi nodded and stared down his opponent.
"So you denied the help of the pharaoh's spirit huh? You'll regret doing that! Now lets start this Shadow Game!" Butch declared, the duelist's life point counters setting up to 4000. In every other room, all of the duelists were having their life point counters setting to 4000 as well. It must have been fate but all the duelists had the same thing to say to their opponents.
"Let's duel!"