Me: Welcome back everybody! We hope the story's exciting enough for you.
Toli: It just better be, a lot of this is me!
Me: Here's the next chapter!
Toli: WDOY…
CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE MURDER
Nona walked into her own room and tossed the Millennium Puzzle into a corner. She smiled, thinking of how close she was to triumph. It almost seemed unbelievable.
"Here I am, at the brink of the end," she said aloud, "yet I feel like enjoying the moment. Oh, a few moments won't hurt me, or him, for now."
She stretched her arms over her head and plunked down in her chair. In thinking of success, however, she failed to see the half-transparent form slip through the wall silently.
"Nona!" Lavell exclaimed with glee. "You're back!" She threw her arms around the dark-haired girl in a happy hug. "It's been so lonely without you!"
"Where have you been?" Seif asked, smiling as he approached.
Nona smiled back. "Oh--around," she offered lamely, not wanting to tell them that she had been in another continent murdering.
"Well, wherever 'around' is, I'm glad you're back here with us!" Lavell exclaimed, releasing her friend. "Next time you decide to run off, you'd better tell us so we can say goodbye!"
Seif was still smiling, but Nona could tell--just by looking at his disturbingly bright silver eyes--that he knew she was lying. He was always able to see right through her. And one of these days, she'd own up to what she was really doing when she suddenly left for weeks at a time. She knew her friends would still accept her. They were all close like that.
Little did she know, she would never get the chance.
Yami ran down the long hall. He knew he didn't have much time. Yugi was on the brink of extermination, and he wasn't about to let his light die without a fight from the spirit. Using his link to Yugi to guide him, he kept going as fast as he could.
Finally he reached a dark room. He could sense that Yugi was in there. He went in. "Yugi?"
"Yami!" Yugi's voice cried out in the darkness. "Please, you have to help me!"
Yami slowly walked forward until he found Yugi on the floor. He could sense that an immobility spell had been cast over the teenager. It was a powerful one. But I'm still going to break it, Yami thought determinedly.
Yami knelt beside Yugi. "Are you all right?" he asked. "You haven't been harmed?"
Yugi shook his head. "No, not yet, but I can't get up, and Nona said she's coming back!You've got to help me get out of here!"
Yami nodded determinedly."Yugi, there's been a spell cast over you to keep you from getting up," he said. "I'm going to destroy it but it may take some time."
"Okay," Yugi said. He wasn't sure what Yami planned to do, but he trusted the spirit.
Yami had a determined look on his face. He closed his eyes, and theglowing eye appeared on his forehead, glowing brightly. Suddenly Yugi felt an immense pressure, like there was an entire house on top of him. It took him a little while to realize it was the spell being pulled off of him.
They both sat there, Yami still working, Yugi still waiting. Finally Yami opened his eyes, and the pressure lifted off of Yugi.
Yugi pushed himself up on his elbows, then his knees, and then his feet. His arms were kind of sore.
"Thanks, Yami!" Yugi said.
Yami smiled briefly, but then his face turned serious. "Now that you can move, you need to get out of—"
Before he could finish the sentence, he disappeared suddenly, in a flash of light.
"Yami?!" Yugi exclaimed. "Where did you go?"
Then Nona showed up again. In her left hand was most of the Millennium Puzzle. In her right was a piece she'd pulled off of it. She looked angry.
"Didn't I say that you weren't getting away?" she yelled. "You're only making me angrier. I was going to let you have a few more moments to live, but now I'm simply going to kill you right now." She dropped the Millennium Puzzle, and another piece fell off of it. She lifted her arms and stretched her hands out towards Yugi.
You have to move! Yugi yelled at himself. But he was rooted to the spot. That seemed to be happening a lot lately.
Nona's eyes were glowing red. Her hands were turning black. Yugi was still staring. He finally realized she had hit him with another immobility spell.
"I won't lie," Nona said. "This will hurt. This is what I like to call a finishing spell. It will make every organ in your body cease functioning, killing you in a matter of seconds while administering the extreme pain of interior malfunction and death."
"Don't do it," Yugi pleaded. "Please!"
Nona shook her head. "It's too late. For the both of us."
Then her hands changed from black to their original white. Yugi could feel wind rushing at him.
"No!" Yugi cried, realizing what was happening. As soon as he spoke, something slammed into him, stealing the rest of his air from his lungs.
It was worse than simply hurting.
It was a blinding sheet of burning, gnawing pain attacking him from the inside.
Yugi's vision darkened, and solid black spots appeared in front of his eyes. He couldn't hear, or speak, and after a few seconds, he couldn't see.
He faintly heard Nona say, "I was saving that particular spell for my last victim."
Where were his arms and legs? Had they been vaporized? Yugi felt like he was floating in space, feeling nothing except pain. He could barely hear Nona's laughter. Then something hit his head.
No...it was him. He had fallen on the floor. He felt like someone had somehow set a fire inside of him, and the flames were getting worse. As consciousness left him, he wondered if Yami was okay.
That was his last thought.
Pain.
Blinding pain.
He didn't know when was the last time he had had to feel it. He knew what was happening, and he knew he was powerless to stop it. He felt overwhelming anger at Nona as he heard his poor light scream. He stretched out a hand, as if to find him, but he knew it was too late. The link was already dying in his mind.
Faintly he heard a thought come to him from the other side of the rapidly closing link. I hope you're all right, Yami.
He felt tears. Even in the midst of death, Yugi still cared more about others than himself. He didn't deserve to suffer; he didn't!
"YUGI!" Yami managed to scream before darkness closed in on his world.
And suddenly, it was over.
END CHAPTER
Me: Yes, cliffhanger. Hope you enjoyed!
Toli: We'll see you all next time!
NEXT IN CHAPTER 12…Yami, Tea, Joey and Tristan may have to learn to live in a world without Yugi, but what if he isn't really dead?
REVIEW RESPONSES
Mena: HOPE YOU HAD A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Toli: O.O Uh, ow?
Mena: RESPOND TIME!!
Toli: Okay! First up is Elizabeth Aiken. Yeah, Mena loves everybody...it's a fact. Things may not end the way you think. Who knows what's really going to happen to Little Yugi...besides us, I mean! Anyway, stay tuned!
Mena: Okey doke, next up is Phoenix727! Hey, guys! You know, I never thought of that. We do think about murder a lot now don't we? Oh well, you'll just have to endure a little more! And what's this I hear about the Terminator? Did he sneak in or something? I thought he was governing California...
Toli: -.-; See what I have to deal with? My empathy for you radiates like heat. Anyway, our next response goes out to DMoS13 and Torru. Hey, wazzup, guys? I'd tell you what I want you to fix, Torru, but my nosy twin is still hanging around...
Mena: I know just how you feel! I nearly burst into tears when Yugi took Yami's place in the seal. That was awful! And I think it's "Orichalcos". I dunno. I almost feel guilty for what we're putting Yugi through in the story!
Toli: O.-; You'll get over it. All right, our next guest is Silver Moon Phoenix. You're alive! Great! You know, too many people want to get their hands on the Millennium Puzzle. And you notice, they haven't even dealt with Bakura the thief in the show yet? He's just hanging around in the Puzzle like a squatter...
Mena: Sorry, Nona isn't telling anyone what her spells are. She says they're nobody's business. You'll just have to remember an old one.
Toli: Or give up on controlling bodies completely.
Mena: Okay! Next up is Marshmellow13Dragon. Hope you got your shower in time! Yeah, it makes a little sense why she has to kill Yugi. It's so funny, it seems like a lot of people feel sorry for Nona. And will we kill him? Wait and see...hehehehe! PS: Don't let the muse thing discourage you. It's easier than it looks to find one. Toli, I gotta take this next one.
Toli: Go right ahead.
Mena: Okay! The next respond goes to dragon shadows! Hey! How ya doin! It turns out we didn't need the spirit of the Millennium Plate's protection after all! Oh, and she contacted me in her dreams and told me if I call her Lexie again, I'll pay. Her real name is Jesselda, I think. She doesn't seem very nice. Oh, and don't worry about me wearing the Plate. It's a small plate and I can drill a hole in the top!
Toli: Or you could use the hole and string that's already there.
Mena: Or that! n.n;
Toli: All right. Next we have Millenniumgrl126. Yes, isn't Nona evil? I worked on her personality myself. I'm terrible. I'm letting her attempt to murder him.
Mena: Please keep Killer under wraps! I'm getting scared!
Toli: Anyhows, the next review response is for Ayamari. Thank you for the compliment! We're churning these chapters out as fast as we can for the reader's sake. We hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Mena: And next is Krista123. It's okay, we're just glad you reviewed this time! Apparently we surprised you! Yes! You didn't guess! Thank you so so much for all the great compliments. I feel sorry for Yugi too, but don't worry, there will be a happy ending. Toli promised.
Toli: (grumbles) So I did.
Mena: Okay! next on our list is SilverTiger-GoldenPhoenix. How ya doin'? Now, don't worry, the tape sticks well but it doesn't stick long. We're glad your hair grows fast; I wouldn't want my crazy ideas to get you teased!
Toli: Hmm. Why must the innocent die...I don't know. It makes stories freakier, I guess. You'll have to ask an authority figure about that. WILL YUGI BE SAVED? I can't say. Sorry! You'll have to come back next time!
Mena: And now we have xcrystalclearx. Hey, and welcome! We're glad you enjoy the story! The chapters are going but the climax is still coming! You'd better not miss it!
Toli: And finally, Masami, Mistress Of Fire. Wow, I'm used to calling you StubsMcGimp. Anyway, Hey! (attempts to return returned returned return--) (crack) OW! OH NO! MY HAND!
Mena: O.o; You're both waveaholics...
Toli: And while you're at it, could you find the cure for the common coffee high? It's a little problem I'm dealing with...
Mena: Jesselda says that she can get right on the Mind Vacuum thingy, you just have to say where and when. Hey, I didn't know you took dancing lessons, Damion! That is so sweet! I love guys who dance!
Toli: Just don't get any ideas, all right, Mena?
Mena: Wow! So many people like us!
Toli: We'd better head out and start working on the next chapter! We don't want to disappoint anyone!
Mena: Right! Come on, Lex--I mean, Jesselda! (grabs Millennium Plate and follows Toli through exit door)
