Author's Notes: I know I said the duel should start this chapter, but it's at the end. I have decided that this will be placed in parts, and you'll see what I mean in the chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Nick who belongs to Phoenix727 or DJ and Darien who belong to DJ Rodriguez but I do own the original characters and ideas for this story. Here's Chapter 19.

Chapter 19: Desperate Battle! Shine Through The Darkness, Yugi! Part 1

Why? This was all I kept thinking about after Artemis and Zephyrus left. I tried to convince Artemis to return to our side, but my efforts only became worse. The Guardians were stuck in time and there might be no way for them to escape. Luna mentioned that another Guardian could help locate them. I hoped she was right.

Something glinted in the morning sun and I looked down on the lush grass. Yukai's sword lay across from me and I went to pick it up. For some reason Yukai left behind his weapon, and I had no idea what his purpose was.

Tea continued to weep over Nick's betrayal and I ambled over to her. She gazed at me with watery blue eyes, and I placed my hand on her shoulder. If only I had told the Guardians about Nick, then none of this would have happened.

"It's all my fault…" I said forlornly.

"Yugi, don't blame yourself," Tea wiped the tears from her eyes. "The Final Five want us to suffer so we would not get in their way."

"I have to agree with ya, Tea." Joey replied as he and the others approached us.

"These beings want nothing more but to create chaos," Atem said, his jacket billowing in the wind. "Remember what Yukai said, we must stand strong or we will fall by our own doing."

"He doesn't want to make the same mistake twice," I mused. "Perhaps his sword might symbolize the unity between he and Artemis."

"You think that's why Yukai left it here?" Ryou questioned.

"The mirror!" Darien said loudly.

"What mirror?" Kaiba queried.

"I haven't seen her with one," DJ said.

"Her mirror represents…" Darien began. "I cannot recall what made it so special."

"Try to remember," I responded.

"The mirror has some unique properties, and I have witnessed them before when Artemis aided the Sailor Scouts," he continued.

"One of them wouldn't happen to be stealing souls?" I asked.

"Yes," Darien answered. "Artemis used it often but I cannot remember what it represents."

"Then we have to get our hands on it!" I decided.

"Are you serious?" Joey yelled.

"How do you expect us to retrieve the mirror?" Kaiba pointed out. "We would have to head to Animus and confront the Final Five."

"Also we need to open a warp tunnel to get there." Tea added.

"My brother and I can open one!" Kiki offered eagerly as she, Mark, Mokuba, Serenity and Tristan appeared.

"You really want to go there?" Mark asked with concern. "It may be dangerous without my younger brothers and his friends around to protect you."

"Hey, with me and Darien, they'll be in good hands." DJ replied, giving a thumbs up.

"I could have sworn there was another person here with you," Mark pondered. We all hung our heads low. Kiki nudged Mark to get his attention. Mark turned to her and Kiki whispered to him. "I understand your dilemma but rest assured your friend should return to the good side,"

"Big brother, you're going?" Mokuba asked Kaiba.

"It appears I must." Kaiba responded. "Without me, the mutt would not be able to summon Ammon."

"I could summon it myself if that dragon weren't split into two souls!" Joey spat angrily.

"Joey, please don't argue." Serenity pleaded.

"Well, are you guys ready?" Mark asked.

"Seren, I want you to stay behind or the Final Five will kidnap you," Joey advised. "Tristan, you coming?"

"I think I'll stay, to protect Serenity." Tristan said.

Joey glared at him. "Don't think I don't know you! My sis better be safe or I'll have Ammon take care of you!"

"She'll be fine as long as I'm around," Mokuba replied.

"And I'll be there to help him!" Kiki offered, slightly blushing at Mokuba.

"Why are you red?" Mark raised an eyebrow at his sister. "Oh, I get it!"

Kiki gasped. "No you don't!"

"We have to leave now!" I warned. The moon amulet thrummed against my chest. "We can't waste time or the Galactic Dragon will be revived."

"I'll open it right now." Mark said as the air around him became distorted. His eyes were closed and he concentrated hard to open the warp tunnel. A black vortex appeared and the dark atmosphere began swirling in a clockwise motion. "The Final Five should be nearby Relic City since Seiryu's fortress lies within the outskirt of the city. I opened the tunnel which should lead you all directly there."

"How do you know where the Final Five are?" Atem asked.

"Noa told my brother where the exact coordinates were," Kiki responded.

"NOA!" we gasped.

"But I thought – " I was cut off by Mark.

"Go now!" he yelled." I'll explain later!"

We were left baffled when we heard Kiki mention Noa, but could it be really him? Could he have survived the blast when we escaped his Virtual World?

My friends leaped into the tunnel and I looked back at the others. Kiki was waving, and Mokuba,Tristan and Serenity were waved as well. I didn't know what would happen when I arrived back to Animus, but I had a bad feeling the Final Five have something planned. I jumped into the vortex, and it closed.

Moments later I emerged and found myself with my friends. Little did I know, the Final Five were waiting for us.

"Well, it's about time." Artemis replied. She was standing beside the gateway to a huge fortress. Four towers loomed high on each side and a black aura enshrouded the castle.

I quickly realized that black thunderclouds surrounded me and I was cut off from my friends. Artemis entered before it sealed itself from the outside world. There was no way for an escape, and Artemis seemed to have complete control over this realm. She had trapped me in a Shadow Game!

"Let me go!" I shouted at Artemis.

"Yugi, you cannot get out!" she said. "You will duel me, and whoever wins will get out but if either of us lose, your or my soul will be sacrificed to the Galactic Dragon."

"I refuse!"

"There's no backing out now!" A duel disk appeared on Artemis's left arm and my left arm as well, and I took out my deck from my belt. For once I was glad I had it with me. Artemis pulled out her deck and inserted it into the duel disk's slot.

At least this wasn't the first time I had to duel… alone. I dueled against my toughest foes like Marik, Kaiba and even Atem. Artemis could probably be my most difficult enemy yet.

Did I really want to duel her? If I win, her soul would be taken and I won't see her again. If I lose, the universe would be doomed. This was a hard choice to make, and I had to do what I could to stop all the chaos.

"Ready?" Artemis remarked.

"I am." I said. "I'll begin first."

Yugi – Lifepoints: 4000

Artemis – Lifepoints: 4000

Duel start!

"I place this monster facedown and lay this card facedown as well." I replied.

Artemis carefully scrutinized through her hand and smirked. "That card wouldn't happen to be a high-defense monster, would it?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Pity, I will activate this field-magic card called Rising Air Current, which raises the attack points of Wind-attributed monsters by 500 and lowers their defense by 400 points." She explained.

The atmosphere of the Shadow Realm suddenly transformed into blue skies and I could feel the harsh winds blow around Artemis and I. I briefly wondered whether she was running a Wind-inspired deck and I hoped I was prepared for the strategy she had planned.

"Now I summon Blue-Winged Crown (Winged Beast/ATK: 1600 DEF: 1200) and thanks to my field-magic card, its attack points is 2100 but its defense is now 800." A medium-sized blue bird appeared and its head was shaped as a fiery crown. It landed beside Artemis with its wings stretched out.

"Aren't you going to attack me?" I questioned.

Artemis stared vigilantly at my side and she nodded. "I will not attack but lay this card facedown on the field and end my turn."

I glanced down at my hand. It didn't look good, and I looked over at Artemis. She must be expecting me to sacrifice my facedown monster so I could summon a creature stronger than her Blue-Winged Crown.

"It appears you have nothing in your hand that can help you," Artemis taunted. "There is no way you can defeat me, and remember I have seen your strategies and I predict you will lose!"

"Artemis, I will find a way to get you back to the side of light and have you end this Shadow Game!" I declared.

"Well then, attack me! Show me that you aren't backing down!"

"I won't!" I yelled.

The fate of the universe was in my hands and I could not lose to Artemis. I will defeat her and the Final Five before the Galactic Dragon was resurrected once more.

Author's Notes: Part 1 is over and Part 2 will begin next chapter. I am sure that this next chapter the Millennium Guardians will return, and about Noa. If anyone paid attention in Chapter 1, it states that Jupiter is a computer expert and I didn't mention that she managed to save Noa before his Virtual World was deleted along with his father. I'm trying to do the best I can to make the duel layout a bit like the battle layout for Pokemon Colosseum: A New Destiny.

Anyway, here's the next synopsis:

Yugi is separated from his friends and now he and Artemis are in the Shadow Realm. Where are those Millennium Guardians? How long does it take Luna to find the help she's looking for? Yugi's friends begin to ascend the Final Five's castle but unfortunately they are waiting for them. Yugi, you must beware Artemis's deck and if you lose, your soul will be sacrificed! On the next Dark Crisis – Chapter 20: Desperate Battle! Shatter The Dark Heart! Part 2