Raven ran to the front door as Kaomi walked in. "Kaomi!" He stopped right in front of her. Alan-Tax breezed past both, "I know it's only been a few hours, but-"

"I missed you too. A lot happened, eh?" Kaomi walked past him toward the shop.

"You know, just one second of delay on your part and you wouldn't be here." Raven smiled, "But I had faith right down to the stroke of midnight."

"What time is it now?"

"Twelve fifteen."

"I'm off to bed after I trade in my credits."

"Me too."

-O-

Sevanos stood in his office. He took a moment to ensure that he was alone, and slid aside a large painting behind his desk. It revealed another room, empty save the walls, which had exact images of ancient tablets on them. Egyptian tablets. The far wall contained three tablets. The Sacred Tablet, on display at Domino Museum, which displayed the struggle between the Pharaoh and Sorcerer. The one on the right displayed Tiamat, one of the Pharaoh's High Priests, raising a small armada to destroy a cell of ancient magical terrorists. The final tablet on that wall displayed a great dragon, the Final Incarnation of Tiamat, setting the cell ablaze, save its leader, Seros, who the dragon decapitated. There depicted was Seros' final vow: he would return for vengeance. Death was only the beginning, after all. Sevanos approached the three tablet images. None was more than paint on the dark walls of the room, but each felt so real. He placed his hand upon Seros' Tablet, the one on the left.

"All proceeds as planned, my liege." Sevanos reported to an invisible leader.

"Good. And, you understand how this will work. You must loose these upcoming finals to Raven Vaniver. Only then can I begin to corrupt his soul." Replied a voice in Sevanos' head. "Once that is done, he will take care of my vengeance for me! It's only a matter of time. Fate is on our side, Sevanos!"

"Yes, Master Seros."

"What is that saying, 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree'? Well, we can be thankful for that, can't we?" laughed the voice. "Let the finals begin!"

-O-

A call rang in Raven's suite. He answered it.

"Wake-up call by order of Lord Sevanos. It's nine-thirty and breakfast is available in the Rose Room. If you'd like, we'll just call you back in an hour to proceed to the arena."

"Thank you, but no. I think I'll enjoy some breakfast." Raven hung up and left his room.

-O-

No one spoke above a whisper at breakfast. Tension was thick. Kaomi and Raven left the room for a more private conversation. They walked to the elevator.

"Kaomi, I doubt there'll be time to talk between phases of the finals. There's something I want to explain." Raven began. He told her of Shadi, Sevanos, the ancient past, and what happened to Mike.

"I see. I could almost sense it on you." She explained, "Some sort of power."

"There's something else. Losers of these 'Shadow Games' are banished to the darkness of the Shadow Realm." Raven sighed, and stopped walking, "Kaomi, I've been meaning to tell you something, and since I'm probobly only three hours away from another plane of existence, and I may never be able to talk to you like this again, I might as well say it now."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Kaomi, if I don't make it, know that I loved you all along." He paused, "And know that I cannot let you face Sevanos, because I cannot loose you, even if I'll loose myself soon enough anyway. Promise me, you'll stay in this realm, and I promise you I'll come back."

"It's a deal." Kaomi closed her eyes, "I would like a bit of time to put everything together in my mind."

"You've all the time in the world." Raven continued to the elevator, and turned back, walking backward so he could face her, "Of course, if you and I should face off downstairs, we won't let this talk get in the way."

"Of course." Kaomi watched him turn away again and enter the elevator.

-O-

Raven entered the arena. Hw must have been the last save Sevnos, Kaomi and Aura to arrive.

"Time?" he asked.

A woman with long dark hair, blue highlights in the front, and a slightly blue forehead, with eyes an inhuman hue of blue, dressed in combat armor, and, as several other finalists were, wearing a pendant of a small, black metallic cube replied, "It matters not. At any time we may begin and at any time I may hail victorious."

"And you are?" Raven shot her a glance.

"Illarya, God-King of the Primordium." She replied.

"Impressive title." Raven sighed.

-O-

Kaomi and Aura walked together. Aura looked at her, "Something wrong?"

"It's Raven." Kaomi sighed, "If he looses against Sevanos, he'll be banished to some Shadow Realm or something. All I know is I may never see him again. I guess I'm just now realizing how bad that'd be. I don't think I could go on without him."

"So, you two care for each other?"

"Well, yeah. I guess..."

"So, let that hold you together. A solid bond like that can take the rigors of long-distance. Well, transdimensional, I'm not sure, but I'd imagine it would work." Aura suggested.

"You're a good friend, Aura." Kaomi smiled, "Let's head down."

-O-

Sevanos entered the room last. He addressed everyone. "Alright, in an effort to speed things up, the first round will consist of four double-duels. The team breakdown is as follows, selected randomly by my personal assistant Alan." Sevanos paused, "Kaomi Itai and Aura Leathe versus Lios Helos and Arkith Panzer." The four stepped aside, "Raven Vaniver and Shuyin Beolve versus Willow Rose and Avron Sesna." One of the people, a male, with the cube pendant, stepped aside with Willow, Raven, and Shuyin. "Xavier Dyson and Edmond Duke versus Cid Orlandu and Alexander Retta." Two men with pendants stepped aside with Cid and Alex. "And finally myself and Illarya-"

"God-King of the Primordium." She added.

"-God-King of the whatever she said, verses you two." He pointed to a man and a woman with those dammed pendants. "Kaomi and Aura v. Lios and Arkith, you're up."

As the other twelve took seats in the stands surrounding the playing platform, Alan-Tax, took a central position. He would be the Executive Arbiter of these finals. Of course, all rulings and so forth would be done electronically, but Alan would bring a human presence, and would serve as a master of ceremonies, more or less.

-O-

In a control room on the twenty-first floor, the girl, named Opaka, and Barbas sat at computer consoles.

"Virtual systems ready." Opaka reported.

"Activate holographic projectors and uplink duel disks into central computer." Barbas ordered

"Projectors on, uplink engaged." She replied.

"Set Life Point counters to 4000."

"Set."

"Cameras on; raise lights."

-O-

As the four duelists took positions on the floor of the arena, a ring of light on the floor around them lit, shining up at them.

"Ambiance lighting. How nice." Lios smiled, "Someone likes to put a bit of mood in their duels."

"Trust me, no amount of light in the world will change the mood of a duel with Sevanos." Kaomi shot Sevanos a cold stare.

"What are we waiting for?" Arkith called impatiently.

"Let Round One commence!" Sevanos called from the stands, causing holographic fireworks above the field.

"That!" Aura drew, "Let's rock, Kaomi." She turned her glance to Arkith and Lios, "Here goes nothing. First, I play this field spell card, Portal of Millennia. This gives all my millennia-old monsters a bonus." A bright Eye of Anubis appeared on the floor in the center of the arena, "I'll throw this face-down and I'll defend with this monster. Go, Arkith."

"I will" Arkith drew, "I'll just play a defensive monster for now. Go."

"I'm afraid I won't be as passive, Arkith." Kaomi smiled, deviously, "Go, my Skilled Dark Magician! And I'll play this Spell card, Red Medicine. Raising my Life Points to 4500." One of the three gems on the Skilled Dark Magician's robe lit.

"What just happened?"

"I just got a Spell Counter." Kaomi explained. "I place two cards face-down and have my Magician attack Arkith's monster!"

"HA!" From the defending card rose a stone solder.

"What's so funny, Arkith?" Another of the three gems lit, and the blast from the Magician's rod turned the Giant Solder of Stone into rubble. "You see, my Magician cast a little spell, this one." Her face-down card revealed a Rush Recklessly. "I'll play two more cards face-down and end my turn."

"What happens if you get all three Spell Counters?" Lios demanded.

"Believe me, you don't wanna know." Kaomi grinned.

"Then I won't let it stay long enough to find out." Lios drew, "I play Dark Hole!" A vortex began to form.

"Reveal my card, the Ancient Rod of Silence!" Aura activated it, sending a magician's rod made of solid gold into the vortex, causing it to collapse.

"I'll pass." Lios grumbled.

"In that case, now's the time!" Kaomi said, just as Aura went to draw, "My Skilled Dark Magician is a bit less skillful that some. For example, the spell it's about to cast will give it great power. Dark Magical Transformation!" Kaomi watched her Magician change forms into her mighty Dark Magician of Chaos. A card slid out of Kaomi's graveyard, "By my new magician's effect, I get one spell from my Graveyard now too."

"And it's still my turn. I reveal my Bubonic Vermin. I'll now get two more defensive rats and sacrifice the first for my Millennium Shield." Aura smiled as the ancient shield appeared; its Eye of Anubis shined brightly as it's defensive value soared to 3700.

"My turn." Arkith smiled, "I play five cards face-down and end my turn. Itai, you're on."

"Wow. You've got nothing. I think it's time to roast you, Arkith. I'll play my Rush Recklessly. Now, Dark Magician of Chaos, Reckless Silence!" A series of orbs crashed into Arkith with a red-hot force.

"Hehehe. Thank you, Itai."

"Thank me, Arkith? You have 500 Life Points left!" Kaomi laughed.

"Monster Reborn!" Called Lios, laughing, "And Dedication through Light and Darkness!" He revived the Dark Magician and instantly transformed it, "And I'll return Monster Reborn, and re-revive the Dark Magician." Next to his Dark Magician of Chaos, Kaomi's Dark Magician reappeared. "My Magicians will destroy Aura's rats." The magicians launched attacks, shattering the rats.

Aura smiled, "It's time to see one of my favorite strategies. I set two cards face down, switch my Millennium Shield to Attack Mode, and play the Shield and Sword spell card. Now, roast the Dark Magician of Chaos!" The Millennium Shield slammed into the Dark Magician of Chaos, and shattered it. Lios' Life Points fell to 3100, "Go, Arkith."

"Your shield returns to normal, meaning it only has 700 Attack points right now, so here comes my Gale Lizard. Gale Lizard, blow that shield out of existence and deal 700 damage." Arkith ordered.

"Reveal trap card, Mirror Force." cried Aura, activating her card.

"Reveal Zero Gravity." Arkith saved his monster and his partner's by switching them to Defense Mode.

Kaomi drew. My Dark Magician of Chaos is stuck in Defense Mode like their monsters, so all I can do to attack is summon another monster. She thought. Then she got an idea. "I play a monster in defense mode and set two cards face-down. Go."

"Pass." Lios stared intently at his hand.

"I place my Opticlops. Now, my monster will destroy the Gale Lizard." A large fiend sliced up the lizard.

"Reveal trap card, A Hero Emerges, summoning my Sword Hunter." He grinned, "Now on my turn, Sword Hunter will attack you!" The knight sliced and diced the Opticlops, and its attack power rose to 2600 as Aura's Life Points fell to 3400.

"Mi turn. My Dark Magician of Chaos will go on the offensive, and the monster I reveal is my Dark Blade, which I sacrifice to summon Ryu Kokki. Kokki, destroy the Dark Magician, and Dark Magician of Chaos roast that Sword Hunter." Kaomi smiled, "Isn't that 300 Life Points now, Arkith?"

"I'll begin. I play a monster in defense mode. Go." Lios shot Aura a glance.

"What are you doing!" Arkith screamed.

"Have faith." Lios smiled.

"I play Monster Reborn, and sacrifice my tow monsters to summon the Millennium Sword." Aura smiled, "Slash away, and finish Arkith."

"Negate Attack!" Arkith revealed one of his cards.

"Go."

"YES!" Arkith laughed as he played the card he drew, "Reversal Quiz!" all the cards on Arkith's field exploded, "Now, Kaomi, if I can guess what kind of card this is," he gestured to the top card of his deck, "you and I will trade Life Points." He paused, "Trap" he grew it, and revealed it to the rest. Final Countdown.

"My turn." Smiled Kaomi, "I play Nimble Momonga in attack mode, and I attack Arkith directly!" Kaomi ordered the assault.

"You idiot, you cost us this duel!" Lios screamed at him.

"Now, Kokki, destroy his defensive monster and Chaos attack him directly."

Lios drew as his Life Points hit 300. "No way..."

"That's all from you. Millennium Sword, finish him off!" Aura ordered. Lios fell to his knees as the great sword sliced away the last of his Life Points.

"The winners!" screamed Alan-Tax, "Kaomi Itai and Aura Leathe!"

-O-

Raven, Shuyin, Willow and Avron took their places.

"Begin." Sevanos called.

"Ok, I will." Raven smiled, "I summon my Breaker the Magical Warrior. I'll throw these face-down as well." Raven smiled.

"I defend and set two cards face-down." Willow waved Shuyin on.

"Time to kick this up a notch." Shuyin drew, "Start your countdown to demise. I play the Twilight Mage in defense mode and three cards face-down. Go."

"Wow. I'm shaking." Avron drew, "Have a try at my Gemini Elf." Two elves lunged at the Mage.

"Negate Attack." Shuyin smiled.

"My turn." Raven drew.

"Activate Covenant of Growth, transforming my Twilight Mage into an Apocalyptic Sage." Shuyin watched his caster become more aged and menacing.

"And I play Fissure." The ground opened and swallowed the Skilled White Magician. "Breaker, attack!"

Willow drew as her Life Points fell to 2100. "I place one card face down and activate Card Destruction."

No! Raven wanted to scream, My Dark Magician!

"And reveal my face-down Monster Reborn." She shot a glance at Breaker, "And to make sure that thing gives me no troubles, reveal Exhausting Spell." The Dark Magician Girl appeared on Willow's field. "Dark Magician Girl, attack Breaker with Murky Burning."

Raven's Life Points fell to 3300.

"Time for me to clean house." Shuyin drew, "Now, Apocalyptic Sage, destroy the Dark Magician Girl."

"Reveal Magic Cylinder." The Dark Magician Girl held a cylinder in front of her.

"Reveal Seven Tools of the Bandit." Raven called.

"Reveal Shift." Willow searched frantically for another option, "Direct at Gemini Elf!"

"WHAT!" Avron screamed.

"Shut up and take it like a man, Avron." Willow yelled, "It's only 600 points of damage."

"See, not even that matters." Shuyin smiled, "Activate Higher Power. Transforming my Apocalyptic Mage into my Ultimate Magician. And now, here is your end. I play the Forbidden Spell – Ultima." Shuyin laughed, "Ultimate Magician, use Ultima Magic!" From the tip of his magician's rod, a green orb flew to the center of his opponents' fields. "My Ultima is an instant victory spell." The orbs exploded, reducing both players to zero.

"Holy mother of-"Raven watched the explosion grow more bright and intense until the holograms shut down and Willow and Avron fell to the ground.

"Have a nice day." Shuyin left the arena.

"The winners!" announced Alan, "Shuyin Beolve and Raven Vaniver."

-O-

The next four took positions.

"Let's make this quick." Alex nodded to Cid.

"Yeah. Let's toast and roast these suckers." Cid smirked.

"Orlandu and Retta v. Dyson and Duke. Begin." Called out Sevanos.

Alex drew, "Oh, yeah. We're gonna rock the broccoli. I play the Black Luster Ritual, discarding these two, and activate Monster Reborn on my Gaia the Fierce Knight. Set two cards face-down. Go, Edmond." Alex smiled.

"I'll play Dark Hole."

"Magic Jammer." Alex threw another card out of his hand.

"Defend. Go."

Orlandu drew. "I play a monster in defense mode and allow Alex to reveal his card-"

"-Polymerization. Fusing Gaia the Fierce Knight and-"

"-Curse of Dragon-"

"-to from Gaia the Dragon Champion!" They both called as Gaia mounted the mighty Curse of Dragon.

"Set three cards. Go, Dyson." Orlandu smiled.

Dyson drew. "I'll play the Little Windguard." The tiny guardian appeared in front of him. "Attack the defensive monster."

"You attacked Troop Dragon. You should know this about my dragons, they replenish." As the one Troop Dragon exploded, another rose to take its place.

"Windguard, defend."

"Now, my monsters; destroy theirs!" Alex ordered.

"My turn." Duke drew. "Defend."

"I play this monster, and activate Pyro Clock of Destiny allowing me to flip it. Revealing my Summoner of Illusions! This monster will transform one monster into something else for a turn. Something truly great." The Troop Dragon began to glow brightly and transform. Another Troop Dragon appeared as the first finished its transformation. It became the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. "Now I activate Polymerization combining my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon-"

"-and my Black Luster Solder-"

"-to form Dragon Rider!" both called.

"And another Pyro Clock will let me attack. Dragon Rider, finish Dyson." From each Blue Eyes mouth shot a powerful blast, and the Black Luster Solder shot a fourth blast of energy, knocking Dyson right out of the arena. Orlandu turned to Duke, "Just give up."

"No way!" Duke threw another monster in defense mode.

"Whatever you say..." Alex shook his head, "Snatch Steal!" one monster moved to Alex's field, "And I'll sacrifice it for the Lava Battleguard. Lava, destroy the last monster. Gaia, attack directly.

Edmond Duke's Life Point display read 1400. "I can at least buy myself another turn. Defend against the Dragon Rider's assault."

"No, you can't. Remember my final Troop Dragon and my Summoner are still here. Well, I'll sacrifice them both for my Red Eyes Black Dragon! Red Eyes, attack! Dragon Rider, OBLITERATE!" Duke was thrown from the arena.

"The winners!" Called Alan, "Cidofolos Orlandu and Alexander Retta."

-O-

"Time to show you the meaning of pain." Sevanos laughed, "Embrace the darkness, fools!" A cloud of shadows surrounded them, "Let us begin."

The four drew.

"I'll go first." Sevanos reached for his deck.

"It is pointless for us to continue." Illarya looked at him, "I will commence my turn by playing this." She placed the Left Arm, the Left Leg, the Right Leg, the Right Arm, and finally Exodia himself.

"Oh, great Illarya, why do you do this to your own servants?" One of her opponents cried as the great colossus began to form.

"You are weaker than I. This is a victory for the Abyss." Illarya turned from them.

"The 'Abyss'..." Sevanos shot her an odd glare.

"It is none of your concern." Illarya walked off as the shadows faded and consumed their opponents.

"The winners..." Alan shrugged, "Illarya and Sevanos."