Author's Notes: I'm just going to start the 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.

Chapter 20: Desperate Battle! Shatter The Dark Heart! Part 2

"YUGI!" Joey yelled as he stood in front of the black thunderstorm known as the Shadow Realm.

"There is no way we can get in!" Tea stated. "I just hope Yugi's okay…"

"We have no choice but to move on," Kaiba replied.

"We can't abandon Yugi!" Tea shouted. She stopped Kaiba from moving further to the castle.

"Tea, Yugi can handle himself." Joey said. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"It doesn't seem right to leave him," DJ replied sadly. "Yugi may be in trouble."

"Whatever diabolical scheme Artemis has for Yugi, he should be able to conquer it." Atem responded.

"Yugi warned us that the Galactic Dragon's resurrection has come, and we can't waste our time tryin' to save him." Joey explained. "This is our chance to stop the Final Five."

"Well, let's go already!" Tea decided.

They headed towards the castle entrance and safely went in. They followed a path down a gloomy corridor and torchlight guided their way. Joey and Kaiba had a look of determination on their faces, but Tea appeared worried. Each step they took, the colder they felt the darkness. DJ and Darien were alert, making sure the Final Five had no plan of ambush. A shadow followed the gang and they had not noticed it there.

Tea sensed a sudden chill go down her spine. She looked around the corridor, cautiously eying any suspicious shadows. She had a terrible sinking feeling in her stomach that Nick was watching them. Tea knew it had to be him. She continued to scan through the corridor when they finally arrived at a huge chamber.

"It is about time you all came here," a voice snickered. It caused Tea to shudder and she looked up.

Tea stared at the one she loved - Nick. He stood behind another doorway across the chamber and he grinned at them. His sword was kept within its sheath behind his back.

"Of all the friends we trusted, who would have thought it would be Carlstrom to betray us," Kaiba said coldly.

"Nick, please, you know I don't want to hurt you." Tea pleaded.

Nick glared at her. "Tea, I loved you but if memory serves me correctly you wanted me dead after I came back from the Shadow Realm!"

"You're wrong!" she cried. "Shadow Phoenix wanted you to commit suicide, and we prevented you from doing so!"

"I don't believe you!"

Suddenly a strange black portal appeared on the ceiling and loud roars were heard. Slifer's head came out and my friends' were baffled.

"A déjà vu moment," Joey mused. He remembered the time when he entered the Castle of Dark Illusions to save Kaiba and Mokuba from the Big 5's virtual world and saw Blue-Eyes appear from a similar portal as well.

"What's going on?" Atem asked.

"So they managed to escape." Nick muttered, not looking that pleased.

The Millennium Guardians fled out of the portal with Luna and another Guardian trailing behind. The Guardian had black hair and eyes and he wore blue and red robes. Who could this be?

"I told you I would find help." Luna said proudly.

"See, aren't you happy that there is a Guardian of Time?" Yukai questioned Pluto.

Pluto rolled his eyes. "Is there ever a time I appreciate having a Lesser Guardian saving me?" He actually emphasized the word "time" in his sentence.

"We're just lucky Chronos was able to get us out of in time!" Apollo exclaimed. He earned several glares from his siblings for saying a terrible pun but seemed oblivious to them.

The Guardian named Chronos nodded his head. "It appears I must take my leave."

"Unless you want to stick around and help fight the Final Five," Orpheus murmured.

"No," Chronos replied bitterly. "This is your war, not mine. When the time comes for all the Guardians to be reunited, is when our oldest enemy returns." With that, Chronos entered the portal and it closed.

Pluto looked around and he sighed. "Don't tell me this mortal wants to fight."

"I believe so," Yukai responded.

"You must be joking!" Pluto laughed.

"I'm stronger than I look!" Nick said defensively.

"If this is all Seiryu has to prevent us from going further, he must be that pathetic," Pluto continued. "Hey, where's the runt?"

"Good question…" Nidoki pondered.

"Artemis took him to the Shadow Realm!" Tea explained.

"We are definitely screwed." Yukai mumbled. He placed his hand on his empty sheath. "I completely forgot! My sword is not with me!"

"Yugi has it." Luna replied.

"Now mortal, stand aside or I will destroy you!" Pluto threatened.

"I rather fight!" Nick yelled.

Tea walked towards Pluto and raised her arm to stop him from attacking Nick. Courage gleamed in her eyes and she placed her arm down. "You guys go ahead! I'll take care of Nick!" Tea said.

"Are you sure?" Atem questioned with concern.

Tea nodded. "Remember what Yugi said, time is running out!"

The others made their way across the chamber and into the doorway. Atem took one look back at Tea and he saw that she and Nick were preparing to summon their Ka.

"Good luck…" Atem whispered before going inside the doorway.

The corridor wasn't long and it led my friends to another chamber. It seemed quiet, and Pluto and Yukai were warily watching anything that could pose as a threat.

"Well, it looks like even Artemis can't keep you all away!" Stella replied.

She and the rest of the Final Five were perched on top of a balcony. They all jumped down and landed securely on the floor. Sonja, Stella, Zephyrus, Athena and Vulcan were the only ones present in the room. Seiryu was nowhere to be found.

"I figured as much that Seiryu wouldn't be with you idiots," Pluto remarked. "Move aside before I get rid of you personally!"

"We have much bigger plans to deal with you all!" Stella shouted. "Seiryu wants the Millennium Guardians in one piece but the mortals must be eliminated!"

"Then try to get through us!" Joey yelled angrily. He and Kaiba began summoning Ammon as the Millennium Guardians summoned their Ka.

Artemis definitely knew my strategy, and I had to come up with a new one before she counterattacked. She had Blue-Winged Crown (Winged Beast/ATK: 2100/ DEF: 800) and one card facedown. Artemis was correct about my hidden monster and I had to try to attack her before she did. I drew a card from my deck and placed it in my hand.

"For my turn I sacrifice Gamma the Magnet Warrior (Rock/ATK: 1700 DEF: 1600) and bring out the Summoned Skull! (Fiend/ATK: 2500/ DEF: 1200)"

"You think I didn't see that coming?" Artemis sneered. "I activate my Trap card, Trap Hole which destroys any monster that is summoned with 1000 attack points or more!"

Summoned Skull disappeared under a huge hole, eliminating it from the field. I didn't expect her to play Trap cards early in the duel. I assumed she would save them for later, unless she had a strategy to stop me.

"I end my turn." I said. Artemis drew her card.

"Since you have no monsters to protect you, then you are vulnerable to attack!" Artemis responded. "Blue-Winged Crown, attack his Lifepoints!" Her monster hit me hard, and I felt pain coursing through my body. Artemis forgot to mention about this part. I held onto my left shoulder and waited for Artemis's next move.

Yugi – LP: 1900

Artemis – LP: 4000

"I think you're starting to familiarize yourself with my strategy, so I place one card facedown and end my turn." She said.

I drew a card and smiled. Artemis gazed at me with wonder. "I play Swords of Revealing Light and that will stop you from attacking me for three turns!" I said. Swords began to surround Artemis and her monster. She didn't look pleased at all. Instead, she crossed her arms. "I summon Kuriboh in Defense Mode! (Fiend/Effect ATK: 300 DEF: 200)" The furry creature materialized on the field.

Artemis stared at me puzzled and sighed. "If that's the best you got… Then I'll activate my Trap card, Solemn Wishes!"

"No!" I cried. "Solemn Wishes allows you to recover 500 Lifepoints every time you draw a card from your deck!"

"Very perceptive," she replied. "Your Spell card is only delaying the inevitable for you, and I will defeat you!"

"Artemis, I vow I will have you back to the side of good, even if my soul is sacrificed!" I yelled. "I'll place two cards facedown. Now it's your turn."

"No matter what you play, I will be one step ahead of you and you'll be one step further to defeat!" Artemis responded.

What should I do now? I already had less than half my Lifepoints and Artemis had lost none. If I did not attack, her Solemn Wishes would recover her Lifepoints for each of her turns and there had to be a way to stop her. I could not lose this duel!

Author's Notes: This is the reason why I split the chapters into parts. Here's the next chapter summary:

Three vicious battles, no way out of them! Tea fighting against Nick, the Millennium Guardians and the rest of the gang facing the Final Five, and Yugi dueling Artemis, who knows who will emerge victorious. Yugi, watch out for Artemis's powerful cards. Remember what's at stake! Also the Final Five are toying with Pluto and Yukai. How? Find on the next Dark Crisis – Chapter 21: Desperate Battle! Painful Memories Part 3