Sevanos leaned on his car across the street from the warehouse. He sighed. It had seemed like hours, though was closer to ten minutes. Suspense was killing him. He stood to barge in when a sudden burst of flame came from the warehouse. A massive explosion. "Raven! Kaomi!" he screamed as loud as he could. No response. He broke into a run. Once he got to the front door, he saw a figure carrying another; the one walking calmly to the exit sported an impressive wingspan, "Raven!" Sevanos called in relief. Raven and Kaomi exited the flames. "What happened?"

"Illarya blew the place when Kaomi took control of her body. The fire started to approach us, so Tiamat protected us." The wings faded away, and Raven returned to normal, "Those wings are killer for blowing away flames."

"I'll say. Is she...?"

"Kaomi's fine, just a little tired."

"Lay her on the backseat. We'll take her back to Star HQ. We need a new plan. I've called everyone back."

"Illarya's on to us. This is bad."

"Not necessarily, we may still catch her off-guard."

"How?"

-O-

"So we lure the Abyss here, and take them out. No questing for them, plus it's on our terms." Sevanos explained to the group, "But someone will need to cover for Marshal and Itai."

"Sir, if I may?" Alan said, via speakerphone. "Seros' old vessel, Lantash, is en route to the HQ, and Kaomi will probably wake shortly."

"Thank you, Alan. So we get them here one at a time."

"What about Raven?" Aura asked.

"He's with Kaomi." Sevanios replied, "He's already been informed."

"How do we lure them here?" Ardrea asked.

"Illarya. She's our ace in the hole, here. She'll dispatch her agents to hit us hard and fast like we tried to do with her. Any leader would. The trick is, we'll expect it. I've posted heavily armed guards at every entrance to the building with orders to only let one in at a time. And we'll jam all cellular transmissions."

"So much for business as usual." Serenity sighed, "I'll inform our people that the HQ is on lockdown."

"Do it. No one in or out without my permission." Sevanos ordered.

"Sir, why not shoot-on-sight for those Abyss people?" Serenity asked.

"We don't want to harm them in the long run. Once Illarya's gone, we'll release them." Sevanos replied swiftly. "Since I'm sure Aura would like to check on Raven and Kaomi, this meeting is adjourned."

-O-

Aura entered Kaomi's quartering at the Stars building. "Is she awake?"

"No." Raven stared at Kaomi, "She better wake up soon, though."

"She knows how much you care, Raven. You risked your life for her." Aura pulled a chair up next to Raven in the room that passed for a nice hotel room. "She'll wake soon."

"She could've died." Raven clenched his fists, "Illarya has a total disregard for human life."

"I consider Kaomi one of my closest friends. I want my share of the vengeance pie." Aura made eye contact with Raven, who took his eyes off Kaomi for the first time, "I want to lend you my Millennium Sword for the final battle."

"Aura," Raven saw the anger in her eyes, "Of course."

"I'll give it to you later." Aura looked at Kaomi, "To think, I nearly lost my two best friends to that woman. Though I consider Ardrea a close friend, now, she's no substitute for you guys." She tried to lighten the mood, "Illarya will pay."

"I won't leave her side till she wakes." Raven said.

"Neither will I." Aura replied.

-O-

Sevanos shuffled his deck, and drew six cards. "Good." He repeated this process several times. "The waiting game sucks."

"What if they don't come?" Serenity asked him as they sat in her office.

"At least one will come." Sevanos assured her.

A phone on Serenity's desk rang, "Right." She hung up, "She's awake."

Sevanos bolted out of the office.

-O-

"So, you saved me again?" Kaomi sat up.

"Yeah." Aura replied, "He did."

"It was nothing." Raven said, modestly.

Sevanos entered the room, "Recovered?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Did you happen to overhear the rest of Illarya's plan?" Sevanos asked.

"No, sorry."

"No problem. Freshen up and get ready. The fight may very well be coming to us." Sevanos left.

"See you in a bit, guys." Kaomi hinted to Aura and Raven that perhaps they should leave.

-O-

"Something's not right here." Raven sat back in the finely decorated room.

"How so?" Aura did as well.

"Illarya hasn't sent anyone here yet, and something seemed off ever since we got back here." Raven sighed.

"Everyone's on edge." Colbert replied, "The idea that one of our own is out there turned against us, and another turned on the person closest to her all because of this woman who we expect to take down without falling ourselves. We're all afraid."

"Plus we're locked down. Frustrates me at least." Ardrea sipped her drink, "And I've yet to see action. I'm bored."

"Something's up with everyone. Even Sevanos, our wonderful strategy man, has doubts that we'll take Illarya down." Aura replied.

"Maybe." Raven closed his eyes, "And so we nine voyage to the heart of darkness in search of light."

"How poetic." Colbert smirked.

-O-

A guard stood, gun pointed at Lantash's head.

"Listen, my name is Lantash, Mister Sevanos will want to see me."

"At ease." Sevanos stood behind the guard, "Come in, Lantash."

"Thank you sir."

-O-

Raven sat in his room, finally watching the tapes of the Battle City Finals.

"Great beast of the sky, hear my cry! Transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight!" called out a duelist on the television. Raven hit fast-forward. He resumed went Kaiba versed Yugi. He watched Slyfer and Obolisk attack one another.

"These duels were insane." Raven watched in awe.

The tape cut out.

"But how did Yugi use Card Destruction on Kaiba's turn?" Raven sat back. This wasn't helping him take his mind off the upcoming duels.

"Attention, Sunnydale Duelists, Abyss people are on our property." Serenity called over the intercom system.

"Let's rock!" Raven threw his Duel Disk on and ran out of his room, Resident Quarters 4 on Floor 10.

-O-

Raven arrived to the first floor as quickly as he could, beating most. Over the next moment or two, the others arrived.

"Who's first to fry?" Orlandu asked.

"Well..." Sevanos paused.

A guard ran up, "Sir Sevanos, they've broken our defenses at the garage complex."

"Ardrea, Cid, Colbert, Lantash, handle with care, they're all yours." Sevanos ordered. The four dashed off, "Raven, you and Kaomi circle around front and thin that crowd. Invite in the first, they're all yours Shuyin."

"Right!" Those three ran off.

Serenity, Sevanos, and Aura stood, "Aura, go check the security cams in the office over there, no surprises." Serenity ordered.

"Serenity, you're worried." Sevanos pointed out to her when they were alone.

"Really? You think? I'm down to our security personnel only, you sent the rest home, we've locked down, and we're under siege by people in the ranks of someone who calls herself 'God-King of the Primordium'. That's not worry, that's stress. That's hair-gray-by-the-age-of-thirty-five stress!" Serenity sighed.

"Sorry."

"Sorry isn't what I want to hear, Sevanos! For three years I've run this branch as diligently as I could, trying to get noticed by the upper echelons of the Stars, the 108, you Central Office folk. I wanted to be a big shot too. But the one time Mr. Cream of the Crop notices me, he moves his people, not even official Stars, but Central Office material nonetheless, out to L.A. to fight some great evil. They'll all get honorary memberships, rewards, pay bonuses, and I, the host to this little good-versus-evil slumber party, won't even get a commendation! Must you overlook me constantly? I want you to notice me Sevanos! Don't passively apologize, just notice me! Once! I wanna feel important, Sevanos!"

"Serenity... I never realized you felt like that..." Sevanos closed his eyes,"I suppose the Stars could use a new publicity manager and spokesperson."

"You mean it?"

"Of course, Serenity. You deserve it."

"Thank you." Serenity bowed, "I must be off."

-O-

"Prepare yourself!" Kaomi launched her disk, "You're gonna kiss the shadows, just like that boss of yours!"

"I think not!" Her opponent activated his disk.

"Go forth, Dark Blade!"

-O-

"Seros, buddy!" Raven approached Marshal's body, under the control of Seros.

"Ah, if it isn't the little cockroach who buries his head in the sand when faced with his destiny." Seros activated his Duel Disk.

"I bet you say that to all the guys." Raven launched his, "Too bad that flattery will get you nowhere."

"Just duel!" Seros ordered.

"Fine," Raven drew, "I summon Kuriboh and set two cards face down. Go."

"Underestimating me is a big mistake, boy!" Seros hollered, "I summon Pharaoh's Servant. Isn't that you, lap dog?"

"Back to a game of flattery, eh?" Raven smirked, "Well it won't work."

"Attack that fuzz ball!" Seros was quickly becoming angered.

-O-

"Reveal Magic Jammer!" Kaomi called, "Now I play Soul Exchange to cross-sacrifice, and offer my Dark Blade and your Harpie's Brother to summon Seiyaryu!"

"But your dragon can't attack."

"Wow. Give the man a kewpie doll."

-O-

"Thanks to my Negate Attack, my fuzz ball is just fine, and now I can sacrifice Kuriboh for my Blowback Dragon. I feel bad for you, so..."

-O-

"... go." Kaomi ended her turn.

"Speaking of dolls, here's my Stuffed Animal in defense mode. And two cards face-down."

-O-

"Watch yourself, Vaniver, your own dragon's breath may be used against you. But in the meantime, I summon my Shine Ball in defense mode. Go."

"We'll see, Seros." Raven drew, "Time to bring you to your knees! Activate Change of Heart offering Shine Ball and Bloback Dragon to summon Blowback's big brother. Come hither, Barrel Dragon!"

-O-

"Mystic Flame!" Kaomi ordered.

"Reveal my Call of the Haunted bringing back Harpie's Brother! And reveal Mirror Force!" the man laughed.

"Go, Rope of Life!" Kaomi revealed her face-down card.

-O-

The Barrel Dragon had one red and one green signal for it's overcharged Plasma Cannon Burst. Both Raven and Seros waited to see the result. Red light. The cannon powered down.

"Set two cards and go."

-O-

"Defend." The man looked for options.

"Let's throw this into high." Kaomi drew.

-O-

"Are you ready, Vaniver? Maybe you need your darker half for this."

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Alright, Vaniver. Your mistake. Sacrifice my monsters to summon Wingweaver! And wanna know what's better? Check this out, a card from the deck of this vessel. Remove Shine Ball and Servant from my grave from play to summon Chaos Emperor Dragon, the Envoy of the End!"

"Alright. Do your worst." Raven smiled.

"Wingweaver, ATTACK!"

"Activate Wabaku! Your attacks are useless!"

"Fine! Envoy of the End, activate Apocolypse!"

Every card was destroyed and Raven felt a massive blow as the Emperor Dragon itself burst. Raven's Life Points fell to 1500.

"It's over, Vaniver." Laughed Seros.

"Yes, it is." Raven drew and the Barrel Dragon reappeared, "I activated my other card, the Interdimentional Matter Transporter! This saved my Dragon, and it's time to play the card that I drew, Pot of Greed!" Raven drew two cards, "Perfect. First, activate Monster Reborn, returning Chaos Emperor to my field."

-O-

Kaomi smiled, "I play my Scroll of Bewitchment, making Seiyaryu a Spellcaster, so I can play this, Diffusion Wave-Motion!" Seiyaryu shot a stream of fire, destroying all monsters on the man's field, "And now, I play two cards face-down. Go."

"Set..."

"Nio, reveal Light of Intervention and Final Attack Roders! You can only summon face-up Attack mode."

"And Seiyaryu has 3200 attack points!"

"That's right. Another kewpie."

-O-

"Barrel Dragon, Attack!" Raven ordered. As he drew his hand back for the finishing blow, he stopped, "Go."

"Fool, I can defend again!"

"Attack, and go."

"Defend again!"

"No more!" Raven drew, "Summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, getting Shinato's Ark!"

"Shinato?"

"And activate Shinato's Ark!" Emperor Dragon and Manju flew into a large boat and out came an angel, "Meet Shinato, King of a Higher Plane!" Raven smiled, "Now that's beautiful, a madman beat by the card he is closest too."

-O-

"Now, I play my lovely Monster Reborn on Dark Blade. Blade, attack! Seiyaryu, attack directly!"

-O-

"Goodbye to you, Seros, old friend. Shinato, my King, prepare yourself for a little Holy Judgment! First, let my Barrel Dragon blaze a path to your Life Points, and then, Shinato, time for your stuff to be shown!" The defensive monster exploded, and Shinato raised his hands.

"Shinato, no!" Seros stepped back.

"Ye shall be judged!" Raven called as the beam of light shot from Shinato to Seros, "And it looks like he judged you as guilty!"

-O-

"Seiyaryu!"

-O-

"Shinato!"

-O-

Across the distances, and in their own little orbs of shadow, Raven and Kaomi declared at once "OBLUTERATE!"

-O-

"Let us duel!" Lantash drew.

"Let us." The Abyss man launched his Duel Disk.

"Hey!" Ardrea screamed at Lantash, "Shut those things down. You'll both have to wait your turn!"

-O-

As the shadows faded around Raven, Marshal's body fell to its knees.

"Well, well, Dragon, you have once again defeated the Angel of Darkness."

"Quit rambling." Raven scowled.

"What? You care not to know the truth? It cannot be found in some old rock, my friend. I did merge with Shinato, and Tiamat and I did battle, which caused the shadows to capture us both. This is fact."

"Why would you tell me the truth?"

"Because, old man, destiny is not what is pushing all this forward..." Seros stood, although Marshal remained on his knees, "...fate, destiny, it is all void as long as he is here."

"He?"

"The force of all humanity's bane, the rage and hate of our entire plane of existence..." Seros gasped as the shadows began to consume him, "Surely if you cannot sense the link, your lover can. It is the evil one, the one who has twisted our fates for millennia..." Seros let out a scream of pain as the shadow moved swiftly across his essence, "Nemesis!"

"Nemesis?" Raven cocked his head. It was too late for further explanation. Seros was gone. "Something tells me Google isn't going to explain this one."

-O-

Shuyin smiled, observing his hand, "Perfect."

"Have you ignored everything I have told you of the fate of this world?"

"Friend, let me tell you something, I slept through the staff meetings. Your boss, as I was her opponent in the Star Quarterfinals, is a real windbag. And really your speeches sound like too much plot for me. I'm the action guy, all about the duel. For Ra's sake, why do you think you only have twenty-one higher-ups? Too much plot, boyo."

"'Too much plot'?" laughed his opponent, "The entire world rides on your shoulders and you call it 'too much plot'?"

"My friend, don't take yourself so seriously, you'll have a heart attack." Shuyin drew, "Vampire Lord, attack!"

"So you managed to destroy my defensive monster. So what? Now it's my turn!"

"Make it quickly, Mr. Serious..."

-O-

"Let's do it." Aura launched her Duel Disk in the lobby.

"Nothing better to do anyway." Ardrea launched hers.

"We accept your challenge." The two cloaked strangers nodded.

"I'll go first," Ardrea smiled, "I play the Index of Toon World! This allows me to retrieve and activate my Toon World card! And then, I summon my three Toon Mermaids!" A large book and three closed clams appeared before her, "By the way, kiddies, it's now officially midnight, so I think it's time the two of you say good-night!"

"My move! I summon Gemini Elf and complete my turn." The first stranger summoned his twin elves.

"Yeah? Get a load of this, buddy. I activate Black Luster Ritual, offering my Millennium Sword and Kuriboh to summon the Black Luster Solder!" Aura smiled as the luster solder appeared before her, "Now, my great knight, slash those elves up!" The Black Luster's blade passed through the elves.

"I play Stray Lambs!" the other unnamed duelist called "With one card face-down."

"Yeah? Well my arsenal can attack this turn! I sacrifice one of the Toons for my Toon Magician Girl, and pay 1000 of my Life Points to allow my other two to attack. Archery mermaids, open fire on each duelist! Then set this card." Ardrea called, setting three cards face-down.

The first opponent was down to 1500 as he drew. "I play my spell, Mystical Space Typhoon, clearing that accursed Toon World."

"You'll pay." Ardrea scowled as the book and all her monsters were sucked into a cyclone.

"Sure I will." The man laughed, "I discard Alpha, Beta, and Gamma the Magnet Warriors!"

Aura gritted her teeth. If her Solder were to be destroyed, she couldn't make the Millennium Luster Solder.

"Valkyrion! Attack and destroy the Solder!" A robotic warrior destroyed the Luster Solder.

"My turn!" Aura drew, "Not bad."

"Aura, hold up!" Ardrea smiled, "Pegasus taught me more than the use of the Toons. Reveal Polymerization, combining Relinquished and the Thousand Eyes Idol to from Thousand Eyes Restrict!"

"Thanks, Ardrea! I play the Change of Heart spell card, to take your metal monstrosity and sacrifice it for the great Spell Cancler!" Aura smiled.

"Now, only my Restrict can attack..." Ardrea smiled.

"... and all your Spells are useless." Aura set two cards, just in case something good happened, and folded her hand, "Your move."

"Not to fear, partner, I have a plan." The second man, cloaked, removed his hood. He was a fellow Aura had heard of at Battle City. The former Rare Hunter, Seeker. His description matched perfectly, "You now face your unholy end. I first activate my Compulsory Ejection Device, removing your Cancler! Then, I play the Monster Reborn spell card and divide Valkyrion back into three parts." Alpha, Beta, and Gamma appeared before him, "And I sacrifice them to summon the Egyptian God Monster, the Winged Dragon of Ra!"

"It's gotta be a knock-off..." Ardrea scowled, "Master Pegasus informed me all three, Obelisk, Slifer, and Ra, were in the hands of the King of Games himself."

"Smart little girl." The Divine Dragon came to be behind him, "Sadly, this fake is so well made these Duel Disks register it as being authentic."

"Boy, you are messing with things greater than you can understand!" Ardrea screamed, "It'll kill us all!"

"Seeker!" his partner screamed, and fell, "You can't use that card! Remember what happened to Sir Odion!"

"He was a fool." Seeker laughed, "He bought in to Master Marik's stories. Such an impressionable fellow. It takes a firm hand to possess a God."

"You don't." Aura scowled.

"I beg to differ. It may not be an original, but this dragon behind me will roast both of you. Now I have my lambs, and I also have my Divine Dragon. I can't attack, however, because of Restrict... but that's just for one turn."

"My move!" Ardrea closed her eyes, To honor Master Pegasus, I have to win... I have to handle this cheater. "Draw!" Ardrea drew, "Yes! I play the spell Monster Reborn! Come forth, Black Luster Solder."

"Reveal face-down spell, Millennium Sword and Shield, allowing me to get my Millennium Sword from the Graveyard!"

"I pay 1000 Life Points to roast your Solder!" A fireball flew at the Luster Solder. As it did, the building began to shake.

"Activate Shift!" The fireball crashed into a Stray Lamb.

"Again!" Another fireball flew at the luster solder, destroying it. In doing so, a hole was blown in the floor.

"Rope of Life!" Ardrea laughed as the Solder just returned at 3800 points of attack.

Seeker scowled. He was down to 2000 life points, and he would rather pay the rest to Ra, and just toast the Solder... "I now pay 1400 Life Points to the Winged Dragon of Ra, raising it to 5000 attack power and lowering me to 600."

"I expected that..." she sighed, "Aura, if you have it, play it now."

"Polymerization, fusing my Millennium Weapons with her Solder to form the Millennium Luster Solder."

"Now, the only way to hole off the wrath of Ra..." Ardrea closed her eyes as shadows consumed them, "In the name of the Pharaoh and of the actual Ra, I shall contain you, Sun Dragon!" A fire exploaded in her eyes, "My Restrict, as you said, affects your Dragon for one turn. Let's do it. Thousand-Eyes Restrict!"

"Ardrea, what are you doing! If this things as dangerous as you say, taking it with Restrict and destroying it's owner is insane!"

"I'm not doint that, Aura. Trust me." Ardrea opened her eyes, staring at Ra, "Aura, avenge me."

"No. No you wouldn't dare!"

"Restrict, Absorption Force!" Ardrea screamed. Ra drifted across the field. Bolts crashed around the field, and fire sprung around them. Ra entered the Restrict, and a great bolt struck the center of the field. Each eye of Restrict grew wide as the beast lit aflame, and its shell revealed the head of the mighty dragon. "Please, Ra, quell your assault!" Ardrea screamed as she fell to her knees, struck by one of the random bolts of divine fury. "I..." Her hand fell over the counter of her Duel Disk as she fell to the ground, "Surrender." She voice and indeed her body faded away.

"You..." Aura clenched her fists, "Damn you... Since she surrendered, she's gone. Forever. Because of you, Seeker." Aura gritted her teeth, "You took my friend from me, and the apprentice of the great Pegasus from this world. And I will make you pay for what you've done." Aura screamed. "I release you both. This is between myself and Seeker, I have no quarrel with you." She said to the un-named man. The shadows dissipated revealing the building's lobby in ruins.

The floor had countless depressions and a few outright holes, the ceiling supports were all severely damaged, the front desk had a hole through it, the information office was non-existent, singed cards littered the ground, presumably from the destroyed shop. The elevators sat, exposed, in the distance, and chunks of debris, some aflame, lay scattered everywhere.

"First..." Aura grabbed the fake Ra from Seeker's Duel Disk, "This demonic card must go." She threw it up, and it became consumed in it's own fires.

"Very well, then perhaps you'd rather face this" he unfolded three complete sets of Exodia.

"To bad you can only use one." Aura shuffled her deck, "Let's duel, Seeker." Shadows consumed them.

"So, you have these Shadow Powers too?" Seeker asked, placing his new deck in his Duel Disk.

"Shut up, Rare Hunter!"

"Fine. Let us duel."

"I play these three cards, Millennium Sword and Shield, allowing me to retrieve my Millennium Sword, then Cost Down, to lower my Sword's level by two by discarding Elma Blade, and then finally I play Tribute Doll, allowing me to summon my Sword free of tribute. I set my final two cards face-down and end my turn."

"I play a monster in defense mode and complete my turn." Seeker laughed.

"Sword, slice and dice away."

"Sangan, getting me the Right Arm of Exodia." Seeker smiled, "Clock's ticking, girlie." He drew, "I play a card face down and a monster in defense mode."

"I will avenge my friend!" Aura screamed as she drew, "Here goes my Card of Sanctee, raising my hand to six cards!"

"Mine too."

"Yes! I activate Card Destruction!"

"No problem. Reveal trap card Backup Solder, returning my three pieces of Exodia to my hand, bringing me up to four."

"Fine, reveal Disgraceful Charity! All our discarded cards return to our hands! So now my hand contains twelve cards. And of them, the cards I need are all ready to go. Polymerization, fusing Black Luster Solder, Millennium Sword, and Millennium Shield to create the Millennium Luster Solder! Then, I play the field Portal of Millennia!" A bright flash occurs between them and a glowing Eye of Anubis appears on the ground between them. "That'll protect my Solder from this, the Dark Hole spell card!" A vortex claimed the Mystic Tomato, "Next, I play the Monster Reborn spell, returning my Millennium Sword, and to finish preparations, I play my remaining Tribute Doll to summon another Millennium Shield. Now, it's time to get my revenge, Seeker. You may have four pieces of Exodia, but that fifth is out of reach. I command my Sword to attack you directly!" The blade crashed into Seeker, knocking him back and reducing him to 300 Life Points.

"No!"

"Yes. Now, Millennium Luster Solder, finish him." The proud warrior firmly clasped his golden blade, "Millennium Strike!" she screamed. The solder sliced at Seeker, sending him flying back into the dark abyss. "Vengeance was served." Aura collapsed to the ground. "Damn Ra..."

-O-

"That's what Seros told me." Raven explained to Kaomi as they drifted toward the front door.

"I think..." Kaomi closed her eyes, "... he may be right. The same malice in the men at Battle City, the darkness of Sevanos's ancestor, and now Miss Illarya... something seems to tie them together. Some darker force."

"And what about us? About the good Sevanos, about our alliance?" Raven asked, fascinated by Kaomi's odd sense of things, but implicitly trusting it.

"Each seems to be from all sorts of forces and energies. No overlord on our side."

"Then I think its time to phone a friend." Raven broke into a run. Kaomi followed.

-O-

Sevanos stood as the elevator doors opened, smiling. Eyes closed. "Mr. Shuyin is victorious!"

Raven burst through the front door. "Aura!"

Sevanos opened his eyes on the destroyed lobby. "What did this? Who did this?"

"Raven... it was a bad man..." Aura caughed, "He used a fake God."

"Ra..." Raven stood and faced Sevanos, "One of our foes turned the knock-off Ra from the Battle City finals."

"What?" Sevanos asked, puzzled.

"Joseph Wheeler barely survived his encounter with the fake Winged Dragon of Ra. It is assumed the card was thrown out somewhere over the city of Domino. One of our opponents got a hold of it and used it here. The fake God Card angers the real Egyptian Gods, and their wrath is swift, causing major destruction and devastation." Raven explained.

"You enjoyed those tapes of the Finals, huh?" Sevanos laughed. He walked over to the front desk of the building. A few appointment notes lay scattered. He picked up the phone, and wiped the debris off the keys. "Connect me to Serena's office."

Across the room, Aura lay with Raven and Kaomi tending to her.

"That man, Seeker... He took Ardrea. She had to give herself up to destroy the fake Ra before it killed all of us."

"Raven, is there anything you can do?" Kaomi asked.

"I'll try something. If it works, I'll let you know." Raven walked off toward the elevators.

-O-

"I knew it." Raven sighed, "Just the dispatcher I wanted to talk to." Raven stood in the elevator with Shadi, moving upwards. The elevator came to a stop, but the doors did not open. "I assume that's your doing."

"Yes..." Shadi closed his eyes, "You wish to know of Nemesis, and of a way to save your friend Ardrea..."

"Bingo."

"I know that for every action there is a reaction of equal and opposite force. So, since Nemesis is an entity of pure evil, there is one of pure good."

"Where?"

"That, I do not know." Shadi opened his eyes, "I do know that this mission must be completed. All forces of fate agree." He paused, "As for your friend, you will need the power of either a Millennium Item, a power I can lend you until you defeat Nemesis. The Item might even attract the Good Essence..."

"Wait, what?"

"You have a strong spirit. Let the Millennium Scale test you."

"Test me?"

"Watch." Shadi revealed the scales, "The nature of your essence, represented by your heart, will be weighed against a feather. If the feather is heavier, you receive the scales."

"If not?"

"You die." Shadi shrugged, "Let us begin."

-O-

When Raven stumbled from the elevator, the lobby contained a frantic Serena, a few medics tending to Aura, Sevanos overseeing the medics, and Kaomi and Shuyin sitting on a mangled bench. Raven quickly walked up to the medics.

"Aura..." Raven smiled, "I have the power to bring Ardrea back." He closed his eyes and heald his right arm in the air, as if grasping something that wasn't there. Rippling into existence in his hand were the Millennium Scales. "I hope this works" he whispered, "Shadows, return the one unjustly took. So calls the Item of Judgment, the Millennium Scale!" Across the lobby, near the mangled bench, an orb of shadows formed and misted away in the way they do. Lying in the spot where the orb formed was an unconscious Ardrea, "Get medics for her." Raven said to Sevanos, as the scale disappeared.

"Wait a sec!" Sevanos pulled Raven aside, "Did you just use the Millennium Scale? One of the legendary Millennium Items of the Pharaoh! Man, that's killer!"

"You're telling me. It was one hell of a Pepsi Challenge to get these things..." Raven smirked.