Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh. Nor do I own the characters in this story.

Author's Notes:

I'll be doing the duel a little different this time. It was suggested that I include some information about each of the cards when they are played, just incase some of you don't know what they do. Just remember that when you see something like...

Monster Reborn
Spell Card
Choose one monster from either graveyard and special summon it to your side of the field.

...or...

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon
Dragon 12 Stars
Fusion (3 Blue-Eyes White Dragons)
A: 4500
D: 3800

...it represents what is written on the card. No one is actually saying those words out loud, and it isn't an exact duplication because I don't have time to write every bit of info for every single card that gets played. You'll just get what's relevant for the duel.

Also, for LP, I'll be writing it down like this...

Yami LP: 3250
Marik LP: 2000

...so you can follow along with the duel much more easily. I'm not sure how original these ideas are, but I'm not copying off of any one author in particular. I mean, I've read countless Yu-gi-oh fanfics on this site, and they all seem to do duels differently. So when you are reading someone else's story and you notice that they write their LP almost exactly like me, or they like to give out monster stats in the same fashion, they probably came up with the idea first.

Also, because of some issues when I upload is stuff, the effects of a monster might be down a line or so. I'll do my best to sort our those problems, but incase anything wierd does come up, I'm hoping you'll still be able to read it till I fix the problem.

There. That should keep my tail from getting sued off or chewed off or whatever else bad might happen to it. Now, on with the story.

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Chapter 18: Shadow Duel

Marik and I each drew five cards. I could feel the Shadow Realm seeping into the train car. Tiffany hung above us, watching the duel that would determine the destination of her soul.

"I will go first, if you don't mind," Marik said, drawing his card. I noticed the life points appear behind him: 4000.

"I do mind, you pitiful excuse for a human being," I growled, "but go ahead." Out of the corner of my eye, I could make out my own 4000 life points.

Marik ignored the insult. "Let me see. I'll place one card face down on the field and set a monster in defense mode."

The cards appeared to float above the ground, several times larger then the normal playing cards. It came as no surprise. After all, this was a Shadow Duel.

"My turn," I announced. I drew my card and gasped. Something felt strange about the cards. Every single card in my hand was radiating with fierce power.

I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I guessed that it had something to do with Tiffany not being involved in this duel. The cards actually seemed to be filled with rage for what Marik had done.

"I play Celtic Guardian in attack mode and place two cards behind it," I announced. The warrior appeared, standing tall with a defiant glare at Marik.

Celtic Guardian
Warrior 4 Stars
A: 1400
D: 1000

"That wimpy thing?" Marik laughed. "Come now, Pharaoh. I had expected better of you. Oh well. I reveal my facedown monster: Swarm of Scarabs!"

Swarm of Scarabs
Insect 3 Stars
A: 500
D: 1000

Effect: When this card is Flip Summoned, destroy 1 monster on your opponent's field. This monster can return to face-down defense position once per turn.

"My scarabs devour your pathetic guardian, leaving you wide open for an attack!" Marik laughed. "So I will add Revival Jam to the field and have both my monsters attack your life points."

Revival Jam
Aqua 4 Stars
A: 1500
D: 500
Effect: Pay 1000 life points when this card is destroyed as a result of battle to Special summon it in face-up defense.

I flinched as both monsters struck me with their attack. My life points dropped to half of their original number. Tiffany screamed from above.

Yami LP: 2000
Marik LP: 4000

"Now what are you going to do?" Marik laughed. "If you're thinking of going on the defensive, I'll just switch my scarabs back into face-down defense mode."

"Don't give up Yami," Tiffany cheered.

I reached over to draw another card from Tiffany's floating deck. The top card surged with power as I picked it up. I barely glanced at it before slamming down onto the field.

"I play Fissure," I shouted.

Fissure
Spell Card
Destroy the weakest monster on your opponent's side of the field.

Marik growled as the bolts of lightning destroyed his scarabs, but then he shrugged it off.

"Now I play Maha Vailo in attack mode!" I added

Maha Vailo
Spell Caster 4 Stars
A: 1550
D: 1400

Effect: Increase the attack of this monster by 500 for every equip card attached to it.

"Maha Vailo, destroy his revival Jam," I commanded. Maha Vailo raced forward, her entire body glowing with energy.

"I won't let you leave me defenseless," he announced. "I will use Revival Jam's special ability and pay 1000 life points to revive him in defense mode."

Yami LP: 2000
Marik LP: 3000

The Revival Jam lived up to its name, reappearing on the field as a hideous blob of goo.

"You can't do that for very long," I pointed out. "You lose ΒΌ of your life points every time."

Marik smiled. "That's why I have this card. I reveal my trap card, Solemn Wishes."

Solemn Wishes
Permanent Trap
Every time the controller of this card draws, their life points increase by 500.

"Now my life points will go up every turn," Marik said with an evil grin.

"But they'll be going down even faster," I replied. "I place one more card face-down and end my turn," I finished.

Marik drew his card, raising his life points.

Yami LP: 2000
Marik LP: 3500

"I don't have any more monsters to play yet, so I'll just play this magic card," Marik laughed. "Ookazi."

Ookazi
Spell Card
Lower your opponent's LP by 800.

"Oh no!" Tiffany gasped.

Yami LP: 1200
Marik LP: 3500

"I will also play Ante," he said menacingly, placing the magic card down.

Ante Spell Card Each player selects a card from his/her hand. Both cards are compared. The card with the highest Star Level wins. The loser sends the card they chose to the grave and loses 1000 LP.

"I chose Dark Magician Girl," I announced.

Dark Magician Girl
Spell Caster 6 Stars
A: 2000
D: 1500

Effect: This card gains 300 Attack points for every Dark Magician in either player's grave.

"Too bad," Marik laughed, "because I chose Barrel Dragon. You lose."

Barrel Dragon
Machine 7 Stars
A: 2600
D: 2200

Yami LP: 200
Marik LP: 3500

"Yami, you can beat this guy," Tiffany pleaded. "You have to."

I tossed the Dark Magician Girl to the graveyard. Marik watched me carefully, but I didn't give any visible reaction.

"You're look very calm for someone so far behind, Pharaoh," he said confidently.

I blinked. "You never were much without those Egyptian God cards to back you up," I said.

"What are you saying?" Marik growled dangerously. "You've been playing pathetically this entire duel."

"Just trust in the heart of the cards," Tiffany said dramatically.

"Good idea," I replied, drawing my card. "I'll play Skilled Dark Magician in attack mode."

Skilled Dark Magician
Spell Caster 4 Stars
A: 1900
D: 1700

"Now I'll use Monster Reborn to special summon Dark Magician Girl and use my Call of the Haunted trap to resurrect Celtic Guardian."

Monster Reborn
Spell Card
Choose one monster from either graveyard and special summon it to your side of the field.

Call of the Haunted
Permanent Trap
Choose one monster from your graveyard and special summon it to your side of the field. Equip this card to that monster.

Marik gasped. "I have nothing to stop you attacks except my Revival Jam."

"That's right," I smiled. "So first of all, I'll destroy it my Celtic Guardian."

The Celtic Guardian lunged forward and struck the slime monster with such force that it splattered all over the car.

"I'll use his effect to restore him," Marik announced. The Revival Jam reformed its self.

Yami LP: 200 Marik LP: 2500

"Then I'll destroy it again with Maha Vailo," I declared. The spell caster blasted the Revival Jam away.

"Restore yourself once again, Revival Jam," Marik commanded.

Yami LP: 200 Marik LP: 1500

"Fine," I said eagerly. "You set him up, and I'll knock him down. Go, Skilled Dark Magician."

Once again, Revival Jam was blasted away. Once again, Marik revived it.

Yami LP: 200 Marik LP: 500

"Way to go Yami," Tiffany cheered. "He can't resurrect that thing any more with his life points so low."

I nodded in agreement. "I'm really sick and tired of that thing. Dark Magician Girl, destroy it for good."

The Dark Magician Girl squealed with rage as she blasted the Revival Jam away. This time, there was nothing left of it.

"A gallant effort Pharaoh, but it won't save you!" Marik began, reaching for his card.

"Who said I was done?" I asked. "I just waited this long to see what you could do, but I'm very disappointed in you Marik."

"What are you talking about?" he raged. "You have no monsters left to attack me."

"No, but I still have this card," I said. The face-down card flipped up, revealing a magic card. "I activate Double Spell."

Double Spell Spell Card Discard one other Spell card from your hand to activate a Spell card in your opponent's grave.

"And look what I have in my hand," I smiled. "It's a spell card. I will discard it in order to activate your Ookazi."

"No!" Marik roared as his own card struck him with a blast of fire.

Yami LP: 200
Marik LP: 0

"I win," I announced as the Shadow Realm melted away. "Now release Tiffany."

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What a long chapter. Maybe I should have made it shorter, but it just seemed like this was the only spot to prevent a cliff hanger. After all, the story is resolved here, right? Surely Marik will keep his word like a good, honest, noble, duelist...

I don't know if I'll get the next chapter up on schedule. My computer finally caved in (literally), and it may be a while before I get a new one. I don't even want to think about letting Tiffany post another chapter.

Oh well. I'll do what I must. Till next time!

Please R&R!