Sorry for the wait. I'm sure you don't want to here escuses and this is a VERY important chapter to the storyline so it took awhile. Thats right! The identity of Dark Yami's accomplice. Lets get to it!

"I've been waiting for this day Yami, ever since you killed Sting." Dark Yami chuckled and looked at Skullz with a wide unnatural smile on his face.

"But it wasn't me Skullz." Yami raised his arm and flashed it in front of his face so that Yugi's face replaced his own. "It was mine," said Yami in a more gentle voice belonging to Yugi.

"Enough mind games!" Skullz pointed at Yami, "We duel!" Dark Yami laughed and changed his face back to his own.

"Fine. Lets begin."

Skullz: 4000 Yami: 4000

"Before we begin I'd like to give you a heads up." Skullz raised an eyebrow.

"What's that?"

"This duel follows a special rule, if you want to summon a monster, you must give up your own life force! We'll see who has more strength beyond the cards." Skullz smiled.

"After I destroy your life force, your shattered shell will be easier to dispose of." Dark Yami smiled and nodded his head.

"You think what you wish Skullz, but at the end of this duel, you will be empty and cold," Dark Yami sneered evilly, "The world is a cold place without a soul."

Marik shook his head and Joey looked over at him.

"What's up?"

"I don't like this Joey. If Skullz win's Dark Yami will not be a threat, but Yugi will be gone too. But if he loses, we just wasted a lot of time and gave that ancient slab time to recharge." Joey scratched his chin thoughtfully, a gesture that didn't fit him well.

"Yea, but I'm also worried about that shady guy in the corner over there. I know I've heard his voice somewhere, but I can't place it."

"I recognized it too, who could it be?" Marik shook his head again and looked back to Skullz and Dark Yami. "Seems that the duel is starting."

"I'll go first Skullz." Dark Yami drew and frowned. "I have to get used to Yugi's deck, but it should be fun to figure it out," Dark Yami put his hands on the puzzle and shook it hard. "If only these two would give me some insight of your dueling strategy and the cards in this deck."

"Those two?" Dark Yami cocked his head to the side.

"Yes. My Hikari and Nakaba." Skullz frowned, but he quickly strengthened his resolve and pointed at Dark Yami.

"Its your turn still."

"Oh yes. I'll play Kinaki the destroyer in attack mode. (1600/1400)" As soon as the monster appeared Yami was shrouded in Darkness and just as soon as it came it dispersed, leaving Yami on one knee on the floor. "That stings and it was only a 1600 attack monster." Yami placed one card facedown. "I'm done Skullz." Skullz drew a card.

"I play Forgotten Combatant in attack mode! (1800/500)" Skullz cringed in pain as the shadows went through him. It was as though they took his very life from him. Skullz clutched his stomach. Actually, they probably did. "Attack now!"

Skullz: 4000 Yami: 3800

"Chump life point damage."

"Not yet for I activate my magic card, One More Chance! This magic card gives my monster card another attack, but it also revives Kinaki." Dark Yami gasped in surprise and pain as the shadows took the energy they needed to revive his monster. "Attack again!"

Skullz: 4000 Yami: 3400

"Enough Skullz my turn." Dark Yami placed one card facedown. "That's it."

"Then I'll sacrifice my monster for Numb Impotence (2700/1100)." Skullz yelled in pain a giant shadow blast ripped through him. 'Damn. That felt like a stake was just driven through me.' "Now… Attack!"

Skullz: 4000 Yami: 700

"I'm going to win Yami." Yami looked at the ground and his face became nothing but a shadow.

"Hmph. I don't have to win this duel to win the game." Dark Yami pointed at Skullz. "I can just tear away at your soul! Activate facedown magic card! Falling tokens! This little devil gives me 100 life points for every open monster position on your field."

Skullz: 4000 Yami: 1100

"But the fun doesn't end there. It also summons a Wall Guardra Token in every open slot in defense position. (0/0)" Skullz yelled in pain and fury as the shadows engulfed him in a tornado of absorbing energy. "I'll end my turn by summoning Crystal Enforcer in attack position. (0/100)" Dark Yami didn't flinch as the shadows rushed through him.

"M…My. T…urn." Skullz drew. "I'...ve got to thank you."

"For what?"

"For letting me summon my favorite monster! I'll sacrifice three tokens in order to bring forth Gashing: King of the Immortal Thieves! (3000/3000). And his special ability allows me to steal 100 life points every time a person ends a battle phase." Skullz snickered. "But I doubt we'll get that far. Attack Gashing now!"

"You wish! Crystal's special ability allows me to destroy any monster I wish and take no life points damage when he dies! I chose Gashing!" The Crystal monster exploded and the shards rushed at Gashing. The King stood still, and Numb Impotence jumped in front of him taking the blast. "What's this?"

"Gashing runs a gang of the most feared monsters in duel monsters, any monster over 1800 attack points feels undying loyalty towards him and will protect him from damage. We'll I'm out of monsters to attack with so I end my turn."

Skullz: 4000 Dark Yami: 1000

"Fine my turn. And I'll play monster reborn! Bring back Numb Impotence." Dark Yami cringed over the shadows. "Now I'll play this magic card Blessing of a Forgotten King! Raise his attack points by 1000 this turn! (3700/1100) Attack now! Numb Impotence rushed Gahing and cut him down. But as he stood their Numb Impotence exploded as well. "Another ability?"

"As I said, Gashing is strong due to his ties. Now when a monster crushes him down, the monster commits self-sacrifice. That leaves your life points wide open." Dark Yami's eyes widened in surprise.

"Dammit!"

"MY TURN!" Skullz drew from his deck. "Now I summon Black Litmus Warrior! (1400/1800)" Skullz smiled as the shadows hit him. "Its over." Skullz frowned as he noticed a change in Yami. His puzzle glowed bright and he entered it pushing Yugi back to the outside.

"Wha… Skullz?"

"Yugi?" Skullz was shocked as he took a step back from his opponent. "Err! Coward! Come back so I can finish you Yami!" When nothing happened Skullz became furious. "Fine Black Litmus Warrior!" Skullz pointed at Yugi. "At-" Skullz hesitated. 'I… Yugi. But… Sting. I have to avenge him. But I can't just kill Yugi! What's wrong with me! I have to destroy him!'

"Hesitating Skullz? Lose your resolve?" Skullz looked over at the voice. The shadowed figure laughed and Skullz sneered.

"Hardly."

"Then kill him already."

"I will!" Skullz turned back to Yugi.

"Do it Skullz. Maybe you can rid of Yami along with me."

"Don't do it Skullz!" Joey yelled.

"Yes let it be, we'll think of another way!" Marik yelled.

"Enough, I've made my choice." Skullz raised his eyes to Yugi. "I end my turn." Skullz had enough time to read the shock on Yugi's face before it was gone and replaced by Dark Yami's.

"Fool! You couldn't bring the resolve to crush me! So now it's the end." Dark Yami smiled. "I summon Vicious the Sacrifices in attack position. (0/0) When he is summoned he automatically is destroyed to bring forth a monster from your graveyard. So come back Gashing!" Dark Yami cringed slightly as two waves of darkness went through him. "Then I'll power up Gahing with Double-Edged swords! Raising his attack and defense points by 1000 for one turn. (4000/4000) Attack now!"

Skullz: 1400 Dark Yami: 1000

"Now a change is in order after I end my turn!" Dark Yami switched back to Yugi.

Skullz: 1300 Yugi: 1000

"No Skullz! You've got to win." Skullz smiled at Yugi.

"Its alright Yugi. Maybe my pain will be less in the next life. You know… I'm worthless to this miserable little planet now. My only friend is gone, and I'm all alone."

"Your not alone Skullz! We're here too!" Yugi pleaded.

"You're here…" Skullz looked down at Yugi and smiled sincerely for the first time since Yugi had been with him. "Thank you Yugi. But it's to late for me. Everything is gone. My family. My friends. Everything. Maybe I was brought here to die." Skullz stared into the ceiling. "It's been fun Yugi. But I think its over now." Skullz lowered his head. He slowly raised his duel disk… and placed his hand over his deck. "I forfeit the match."

"NO!" Three voices yelled at the same time. Yugi, Marik, and Joey looked on in horror as the field vanished.

"Fool." Skullz looked over to Yugi to see Yami standing where he once was. "You'd sacrifice yourself for nothing?"

"Nothing? I suppose. But it no longer matters. Finish me off. Send me to the shadows." Dark Yami laughed.

"A man with nothing to live for?"

"Vengeance wouldn't break the pain."

"But a quickened Death would?"

"Yes." Dark Yami shrugged and pointed his palm at him.

"So long. Skullz." Shadows rushed a Skullz and he was knocked off his feet into the arms of Joey and Marik. His eyes glowed white and it was almost as though he smiled as he was sent to the shadows.

"You monster!" Dark Yami laughed again.

"Monster! You heard him. He wanted to die. Death is an escape from pain. A journey away from suffering. Nothing but shadows for the rest for your life." Dark Yami grinned. "That's what's in store for you." The shadow figure clapped his hands.

"I'll get rid of them." The shadow figure stepped out of his hiding place and Joey was the first one to gasp.

"Wha…? Impossible!"

"Something wrong Wheeler?" Kaiba cracked his knuckles. "Or are you not ready to be finished off yet?"