Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Nick who belongs to Phoenix727 or DJ and Darien who belong to DJ Rodriguez. If anyone wants to know, this story has not ended yet. Anyone happy? Here's Chapter 24.
Chapter 24: Desperate Battle! The Dark War Begins Part 6
I couldn't let my life end like this! Seiryu had gone too far and I would not let him win. I might be the only one who could stop the Galactic Dragon, and without me, the other Phoenix Dragons would fall. The pain in my chest continued to grow worse each time the sand fell from the top to bottom of the hourglass. Artemis was horrified while the others were in complete shock. Yukai and Pluto glared at Seiryu whilst the Galactic Dragon watched with a malicious look.
It must sense I was dying because I could feel its darkness consuming me. If Seiryu did accomplish this, the Galactic Dragon would have my soul and all hope would be lost. The destruction of the entire universe was at hand, taking my and I friends with it, and no chance of victory.
I glanced at the hourglass, and it was near to the last bit of sand. It finally finished as I collapsed on the floor, my soul being forcibly removed from my body. Everything grew dark, the world turned colder, but I felt a shot of lightning destroying the path my soul was taking to the Galactic Dragon.
"Yugi!" I heard Artemis's voice echo. Gentle arms pulled me up, my eyes opened, and Artemis wrapped her arms around me. Her warm embrace felt soothing and I realized the source of my return.
Slifer lowered its jaw and roared. It appeared that Yukai ordered his Ka to attack, preventing the Galactic Dragon to claim my soul. Yukai looked exhausted from the attack and Pluto had to hold him up so he wouldn't fall. Seiryu was not pleased and he drew his attention to his allies.
"Stella, Sonja, Athena, Vulcan," he replied calmly. The four of them confronted Seiryu, shaking in fear.
"What is it...?" Stella asked, her voice was quivering.
"You four are dismissed from this point!" Seiryu said.
"He can't do that!" Zephyrus gasped as he hid in the shadows.
Luna was surprised as he was. "I think he failed to tell you the same thing."
"It doesn't matter," Zephyrus contemplated. "I'm no longer part of the Final Five."
"Is he serious?" I pondered, looking over Artemis's shoulder to find my friends shocked.
"But Sonja isn't really part of the Final Five!" Artemis argued. "She's a Titan!"
"She's right." Sonja agreed. She stared at Artemis. Her eyes softened and then she glared at Seiryu. "Maybe I should have been on the good side from the start!"
"You dare defy me?" Seiryu yelled angrily.
"Seiryu, you've gone too far. Please end this before I lose you to the darkness!" Stella pleaded.
"I don't believe this is happening." Atem replied.
"The Final Five are having a change of heart," DJ said. "I wonder why."
"They must be remembering their duties as Guardians!" Artemis concluded. She smiled happily at me.
"If they are, then where is Zephyrus?" I questioned, finally noticing he wasn't around.
"You know, I haven't seen Luna around since we arrived." She said.
"Where could they be?" We looked around, but we failed to notice Zephyrus and Luna hiding in the shadows.
"See, Seiryu," Pluto began. "Even your own followers have turned their backs on you because you're one sick son of a bitch."
Seiryu grinned. "They have already completed their purpose, but there is still one thing I want from them." The Final Five stood back in fear. Their eyes widened as Seiryu drew out his sword from its sheath behind his back. He raised it up in the air as lightning began accumulating around the sword.
"Everyone, spread out!" Artemis warned.
"What is he doing?" I demanded.
Artemis pulled me back as she raced towards the others. Her hands trembled when she released her hold on me. "Yugi, Seiryu is going to sacrifice the Final Five to the Galactic Dragon."
"He's lost his mind!" Nick exclaimed.
"Is there any way to stop him?" DJ asked.
"No one has ever survived this move. It rivals that of Slifer's Thunderstroke attack." Artemis explained.
"You fools, get out of there!" Pluto yelled, but he did so in vain.
Sonja was the only Guardian who wasn't immobilized and she reached the safety on the other side of the chamber. She tried to call the rest of the Final Five, but they stood frozen, accepting their demise.
"Stella, Athena, Vulcan, move!" Yukai shouted.
"Yukai, it's too late to save us now. We deserve to perish..." Stella stated.
Seiryu's sword built up enough energy and he aimed his attack at the three. The sword released its contained power and attacked Stella, Athena and Vulcan.
"That monster!" Sonja growled. "I can't believe he destroyed Stella! They were lovers, for crying out loud."
Blinding light enshrouded the chamber as I covered my eyes. It dissipated and I noticed three orbs of yellow light hovered over where Stella, Athena and Vulcan were. The Galactic Dragon eagerly absorbed the orbs and I sensed it grew stronger. Then those orbs were their souls.
Seiryu smirked at the cruel deed he committed. All of the Guardians had disgusted looks on their faces as Sonja shook her head in total disbelief. My friends stared with fright and both Zephyrus and Luna were enraged.
"Now it's time to finish that runt Ra and the two remaining Phoenix Dragons!" Seiryu declared as he raised his sword, pointing it towards me.
"Artemis, summon God Phoenix!" Pluto suggested.
Artemis nodded as the fiery bird appeared, its red eyes glaring at Seiryu. Seiryu seemed to not fear the power of God Phoenix. He continued to smirk.
"Well, maybe it's time for God Phoenix to meet its counterpart." Seiryu replied. A familiar creature started to appear and it was one monster we all feared.
It waved its bird-like wings and its golden body shone in the torchlight. Joey was taken aback because he remembered the time he first encountered this mighty beast. The Winged Dragon of Ra roared and descended to the ground.
"Only Millennium Guardians or those given the ability can summon Ka!" Yukai yelled in surprise.
Seiryu laughed evilly. "Since I began working for Apophis, he granted me the power for such occasions as these."
"All of you, leave now!" Pluto yelled. The Millennium Ring around his neck glowed.
"Let us take care of Seiryu!" Yukai said as the Millennium Rod glowed too. I had forgotten about his sword. Yukai might still need it, and I felt it pulsating, like it was warning me of something.
"I'm not letting you all leave!" Seiryu shouted. He waved his sword and ordered the Winged Dragon of Ra to attack. It opened its jaw as it gathered particles of light and it became one powerful beam. I was kept distracted and I hadn't realized that Seiryu was ambushing me. Zephyrus knew Seiryu's plan and came out of the shadows.
"Yugi, you will die!" I heard Seiryu's voice from behind me.
I turned around and he swiped his sword, directing it to my chest. A shadow appeared to defend me as I saw who protected me. Zephyrus blocked Seiryu's sword and he took the damage I would have received. A long gash developed on his chest and his hands were covered in blood. He clutched his right shoulder and he glared at Seiryu.
"Well, Zephyrus, I was wondering when you would show yourself so I can sacrifice your soul to the Galactic Dragon," Seiryu said, smirking evilly.
Zephyrus' eyes quivered. "I would never give my soul to that beast!"
"I knew the day I met you, you would turn on me. Call it fate, if you will."
"The vision!" I gasped, realizing what Artemis meant back on Earth. She predicted that Zephyrus would betray Seiryu.
Artemis heard the whole thing and came to our aid. Her eyes glinted with hate as her God Phoenix roared at the Winged Dragon of Ra. Seiryu hadn't said anything to his Ka, but he nodded his head and the dragon released its attack. It was aiming at my friends!
"You can't save them," Seiryu taunted. "The Winged Dragon of Ra is the most powerful of the three Egyptian God cards."
"We'll see about that!" Yukai roared. "Slifer, defend!"
"Obelisk, go help Slifer!" Pluto commanded. Their Millennium Item's glow intensified.
Slifer shielded my friends with its elongated body whilst Obelisk barricaded the full blast. The Winged Dragon of Ra gained more energy as it continued to attack with full power. Pluto and Yukai looked like they were becoming weak, and then the Galactic Dragon interjected with its own attack. The two Egyptian Gods were no match and they disappeared, leaving Yukai and Pluto much more vulnerable.
The Galactic Dragon took its chance and shot out another blast of its mighty attack. Pluto removed the Millennium Ring from his neck and tossed it to Mercury who caught it. Yukai managed to hurl the Millennium Rod into the air as Artemis used her telekinesis to grab it and bring it safely to her. She grasped onto it as its glow vanished.
The attack hit Yukai and Pluto with full force as we gazed at the capabilities of the Galactic Dragon. After it ended, there were no signs of either Yukai or Pluto. They seemed to be gone, but I noticed two orbs of light similar to what appeared after the Final Five were eliminated. The orbs floated to the Galactic Dragon and it absorbed them.
"Why that -" Orpheus growled, too upset to complete the sentence. His right fist was clutched tightly.
"They are gone..." Nidoki cried as she covered her mouth.
"This can't be happening!" Forseti yelled.
"He destroyed them..." Apollo whispered. He then collapsed to his knees.
"Pluto..." Mercury said silently, his face darkened as he held onto the Millennium Ring, the only remaining item Pluto left behind. He seemed hurt by his brother's sacrifice.
"No..." Artemis sobbed, tears forming in her eyes. The God Phoenix vanished as did the Winged Dragon of Ra. She fell on her knees, and Luna appeared to comfort her.
"Seiryu!" Zephyrus snarled.
"How could you?" Sonja shouted.
Luna stood up and the Soul Sphere in my pocket began to glow. It seemed to be reacting to Luna's emotions and it suddenly materialized in her hand.
"Luna," Artemis replied.
"I believe it's time for me to have my powers as the Wind Sorceress to return to me now that I have the Soul Sphere," Luna said. She gave a sly smile.
"But -" Artemis argued.
"My little light, I will help you and the others escape." Luna intended. "Don't worry, I will come as soon as you're safe."
"So, the ancient priestess herself has stepped in," Seiryu mused. "I won't let you all escape that easily!" The Galactic Dragon once again drew in more energy, but sparks began to fly from the Soul Sphere.
Luna brought out her bow and a quiver full of arrows. She grabbed one arrow as it glowed like the sphere and she aimed her attack on the Galactic Dragon. "Go!" Luna yelled.
"Zephyrus, come with us!" I offered. He looked at me with a surprised look, but complied.
We ran over to Artemis who began to concentrate her powers of teleportation to transport us to a different area. I watched Luna shoot her arrow as it struck the Galactic Dragon and it roared in pain. She quickly rushed over before we disappeared, leaving this awful place.
Seiryu wasn't too happy and his expression was insipid. He sheathed his sword back and smirked. "They're all doomed."
We emerged out from Artemis's teleportation trick as we appeared by her temple. She immediately flew up high into the air as she chanted a spell under her breath. A powerful barrier surrounded the inner walls of the temple and then I noticed that the temple itself disappeared. Artemis descended and she walked over to the rest of the Guardians. Her long dark brown hair waved in the wind and she had a look of sorrow as did her siblings.
Tea was too frightened to speak that Nick comforted her. Kaiba, Joey, DJ, Darien Bakura, Ryou and Atem appeared fine, but I couldn't help shake off the feeling what Zephyrus, Luna and Sonja were thinking.
"Now what will happen?" I asked as I approached Artemis.
"We may as well wait for the end..." she answered.
"How are we to defeat the Galactic Dragon if Seiryu can summon the Winged Dragon of Ra?" Mercury questioned. "That monster destroyed Pluto, one of our stronger Guardians!"
"We have all been hurt, Mercury," Nidoki tried to calm him down. "Yukai is gone but we can free him only if we defeat the Galactic Dragon."
"But we don't even have a plan..." Apollo inferred sadly. "Without Pluto and Yukai, we will fall..."
"Don't say that!" Artemis yelled. She held the Millennium Rod tightly in her hand. "It's time for us to face this battle alone. That is what Yukai and Pluto were trying to teach us and now we must fight this dark war without them."
"It's been a dark war from the start," I began. "There's no way out of it and we must do our best to stop the Galactic Dragon. The dark war is only beginning, Seiryu!"
Author's Notes: It's not over yet! I ended Pharaoh's Servant at Chapter 24, and now the war has started on the same chapter number. Also remember what Seiryu said to Yugi at the conclusion of Pharaoh's Servant? Let me refresh everyone's memory. He said to Yugi "The terror is only beginning, Yugi!" Now at the end of this chapter, Yugi says it differently. Anyway, here's the chapter summary for Chapter 25:
Seiryu has crossed the line now that he sacrificed Stella, Athena and Vulcan's souls to the Galactic Dragon. Worst of all, Yukai and Pluto are gone and luckily Yugi and his friends escaped to the safety of Artemis's temple. Zephyrus and Sonja have joined them, and now the Galactic Dragon is preparing to first destroy Animus. Without Yukai and Pluto's leadership, how will the Millennium Guardians fight? Next time on Dark Crisis - Chapter 25: Evil Reborn! Destruction of Animus