Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or Nick who belongs to Phoenix727 or DJ and Darien whom belong to DJ Rodriguez.
Chapter 27: The Gods' Fury
I carefully watched the conversation Artemis had with Orion and Endymion. The wolves kept pricking up their ears as if they sensed something wrong. Artemis listened to every word they said while I sat down on one of the chairs beside the large table. I lay my chin on the smooth surface as the Guardians were busy with their own discussion, abruptly being interrupted by Nidoki and Orpheus who began falling asleep. I realized Apollo glared at me and my head felt a tingling sensation, his bluish-silver eyes glinted as if piercing through my mind like a sharp knife.
The sun finally entered the chamber, shedding light and warmth as my friends arrived. I lifted my head up, smiling at them and they came over. The feeling within my head dissipated once Apollo approached us. I arched my head in his direction, a mysterious grin came upon his face and he was greeted by my friends.
Joey nodded his head and his eyes widened. He gaped at the sight of the wolves and he said, "What are wolves doin' here?"
"Joey, calm down." Mercury pleaded as he rushed over to us. He explained to my friends the situation and they understood.
Artemis finished speaking with the wolves and walked towards us, her moon amulet remained silent beside her chest. Her eyes were locked on Apollo's, like she knew her twin brother had done something.
"You all will not believe what I have heard." Artemis replied. The Guardians came closer to us whilst Orion and Endymion sat alone in a corner. "Slifer and Obelisk are out there, helping to destroy Animus."
Everyone was shocked by her words. Slifer and Obelisk attacking. I thought Yukai and Pluto had control over them, unless the Galactic Dragon had some special abilities of its own. Kaiba glowered at Artemis as if he did not believe anything she just said.
"Do you obviously think I would believe all this nonsense coming from you?" Kaiba spat bitterly. He stood up from his seat and closed his eyes. "We saw Pluto and Yukai get killed, now how can their Ka be working for Seiryu?"
"Seiryu may have tapped into the abilities of the Galactic Dragon." Artemis concluded.
Luna appeared in spirit form and stood beside her. "The Galactic Dragon is able to use the souls it has captured and employ their powers, like Yukai and Pluto's Ka."
"DJ, Darien, I think we may need to alter your plan." Artemis stated. DJ and Darien nodded their heads in agreement.
"Don't worry. We can still handle three Egyptian Gods." DJ said.
"But whose ability has Seiryu activated?" Darien questioned.
Artemis frowned. "Although it may not look like it, but Yukai can control the Egyptian Gods."
My eyes widened in shock. Atem had a worried look on his face and he, too, frowned. He mused over how Yukai was unable to stop The Winged Dragon of Ra before it attacked him and Pluto. Probably the Egyptian God was brainwashed into thinking that Seiryu controlled it.
"We still have the threat of Seiryu," Nick replied. He glanced at Artemis, awaiting her response.
Instead, she turned her back away from us. She mumbled a few words under her breath as if she were debating with herself. My friends and I were puzzled by her action, but the Guardians seemed perfectly fine with it.
Kaiba was growing impatient as he gritted his teeth. "Llubera, what are you hiding?" He opted to call her by her human last name.
Artemis faced him, casting a harsh glare at him and then shook her head. She clutched her moon amulet as the wolves immediately stood up. The Guardians were alarmed by their behavior, looking around every corner of the chamber. Sonja and Zephyrus entered the room with disturbed looks.
"What's wrong with them?" Joey asked fearfully. He gazed at every direction, finding nothing that the Guardians were looking for.
Atem approached me cautiously. His crimson eyes appeared to glow within the darkness. "Yugi, I believe the Guardians sense something."
"I don't understand." Tea said. She stood beside Nick for protection.
"Remember, they are not human." Atem explained. "The Guardians have heightened senses, unlike us, and we must remain silent."
"How did you know about that?" I whispered softly.
"Just mere observation." He answered.
Suddenly the Guardians came out of their trance. They were more alarmed than before. Orion and Endymion opened the doors, waiting for us to get out.
"They're coming." Artemis said.
"Who?" I asked.
"It can't be..."
"Slifer and Obelisk are approaching, mistress!" Orion yelled as he darted across the room.
"Isn't The Winged Dragon of Ra with them?" Tea queried.
"No." Artemis said. "Sonja, I want you to take care of Zephyrus!"
"I will not abandon you!" Zephyrus protested. He nearly fell if Sonja had not held him.
"Zephyrus, you're injured and I cannot risk your life!" Artemis said back.
I stepped in. "I will make sure Artemis is fine."
Zephyrus stared at me. He staggered towards my direction as his green eyes continued looking down on me. "I will stand down then."
Sonja proceeded to carry him away. Then Artemis decided who needed to stay behind, and she chose Ryou, Bakura, Mercury Nidoki and Orpheus. She did receive a protest from Bakura, but she explained her reason to him. Atem, Joey, Kaiba, Nick, DJ, Darien, Tea, Forseti, Lo and I began to leave the chamber.
I glanced back at Artemis who was telling Orion and Endymion to remain with the others. They obeyed her command and she walked towards the door. I waited for her before we left together.
Artemis led the way through her castle as we passed by a corridor with paintings of unusual creatures. I had never seen beasts that looked like they were from a horror movie. I wondered why Artemis had these terrifying portraits in her castle. Three paintings caught my attention.
The one on the left was a red, dragon-like monster. It had gold claws and long wings. Its fierce red eyes would probably make even the mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon cower in fear. Behind the monstrosity was the sun, but it was carefully painted with intricate designs.
The middle portrait depicted another ferocious creature. Its pearly-white fangs protruded from its snout, like that of a saber-toothed tiger, and its claws appeared it could tear through flesh. Yet its appearance looked cat-like, its silver-brown fur shone within the milky glow of the moon beside it. I admired its red eyes and then diverted to the painting on the right.
"Yugi." Atem called. He rushed over to me as the others waited. His eyes widened once he saw the painting I was looking at.
I nodded my head. "What's wrong?"
Atem touched the painting as if in a trance. He seemed to know what these powerful beasts were and he blinked.
I gazed at the portrait and I noticed what startled him. What appeared to be a black chimera, only lacking the goat, and even had wings. Horns curved around its head and its deadly claws illuminated by the stars in the background as it stood beside a burning city. Those red eyes oozed blood lust.
"Yugi! Atem! We cannot stay here all day!" Artemis cried out. She lowered her eyes and then turned away.
Atem and I followed our friends out the corridor, into the pathway that would lead us to the front doors. Torchlight lit our way as we approached the doors and they opened on their own. We headed outside, finding no deceiving activity and I glanced at something in the horizon.
A huge serpentine-like creature with long wings was flying towards us as the earth shook, nearly making us fall. An immense figure appeared through the treetops and its red eyes were locked on us. We confronted Silfer and Obelisk who were preparing to attack.
"Who should we challenge?" DJ asked Darien. He was eager to fight the two Egyptian Gods.
"We faced Slifer before so perhaps we should go for Obelisk this time." Darien suggested.
"Artemis, we're going after Obelisk!" DJ alerted her.
"Then we'll take care of Slifer!" Artemis said.
"Obelisk isn't really that powerful for an Egyptian God." Nick remarked. Artemis sighed. "It's true."
"Well, if Pluto were here, don't say that in front of him." Artemis advised. She watched Nick and Tea go with DJ and Darien before she faced us. She glanced at Slifer for a moment, being reminded of Yukai and despair had taken over.
"My little light, remember the promise you and Yukai made." Luna said as she appeared with the Soul Sphere in her hands. A mystifying glow exuded from it.
Artemis smiled. "You're right. I cannot let him down." She signaled us to summon our Ka.
Atem summoned Dark Magician, Forseti summoned Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Joey and Kaiba summoned Ammon, Apollo summoned Des Vostgalph as I summoned Ra. The monsters were prepared to attack whilst Slifer began charging up its own force. I noticed Artemis did not summon Mesenet at all. Slifer finally shot its Thunderstroke as our Ka deflected the attack and it backfired to the dragon.
Meanwhile DJ, Darien, Nick and Tea were handling Obelisk. The huge blue monster pounded the earth which created shockwaves in the ground. They dodged the blows as Obelisk continued its assault. Nick had his Invader of Darkness beside him as Tea's Ka, Shinato King of a Higher Plane, was defending her. DJ and Darien gave everything they had to attack Obelisk, and their attempts were working. Obelisk fell to the ground as DJ's attack brought it down, temporarily. It got itself up and roared.
I glanced at Artemis who still did not summon Mesenet. She seemed shock for some reason. I had no idea why. Then a wall of fire appeared around me and the others, blocking Artemis to get through. I covered my eyes from the scorching blaze, and I could barely make out the figure who stood before Artemis.
"That can't be possible!" I heard Artemis yell out.
The flames were put out by Atem's Dark Magician and I got a better look at who created the attack. My eyes widened as I saw the person responsible for it. The being stood in the shadows as something gold flashed in the sunlight.
Artemis took a few steps back as she covered her mouth. The being appeared, a sword glinted in my eyes as I saw Yukai. He smirked evilly at us and he lifted his sword, pointing it towards Artemis. I realized even DJ, Darien, Nick and Tea encountered Pluto. What was going on?
"But we saw Yukai get destroyed by Seiryu!" Joey shouted.
"Then it's true..." Artemis gasped. Everyone turned their attention to her. "The Galactic Dragon can revive those it has vanquished and turn them against us."
This could not be happening! Seiryu was using our allies against us, and how could we beat them? What were we going to do?
Yukai lifted his sword as flames formed around it. His attack was aimed at us and I feared this one might be more powerful than his first. Artemis stood defiantly as she prepared for the worst, so did my friends. I rushed over to her as Ra followed and we were not backing down from this fight.
Author's Notes: About those portraits in Artemis's temple, I will get into that I believe in Struggle of Chaos, and think of it as a foreshadow. Let me start the chapter summary:
Yugi and his friends now confront Yukai, but now he and Pluto have been brainwashed by Seiryu. The Galactic Dragon revived them both, but Artemis may have forgotten to mention about Pluto's special ability. His power can be deadly. On the next Dark Crisis - Chapter 28: Whisper