Finding Family

Chapter 24 - Free

The light was coming fast. Everyone covered themselves as the light hit fast and hard. Everyone was thrown to the ground as the creatures made of plasma vansihed. They heard an anguished scream before they all blacked out.

Amber screamed as the light left her body. She fell unconscious.

"She's ready." Aroga smiled broadly as Erik said this.

"Good, now lets finish this." Aroga raised his hand as did Erik. The formed a sharp pointed shadow dagger and picked a spot on her chest. They slowly inserted into her chest. She squirmed and around and woke up. Her eyes a hollow gold.

"No...get it out..."

Kaiba and the others ran into the room and saw Amber with Aroga and Erik. Aroga snapped into position as he prepared to fight.

"You're not getting to the girl till were done with her" Aroga smirked seeing Sakura's reaction. Her face was in shock. She glared at him for some time. "What, find that your powers are too weak to face me"

"No Aroga. I'm just surprised you teamed up with Erik" Amber let out an anguished scream. "I mean I think about it and you've always worked alone." Aroga gave a sour expression but did not move. He fired a dark energy ball at her but she dodged. She fired one of her but it did not hit Aroga, it hit her. She fell back into Duke.

"You okay"

"Yeah..." Sakura looked up"Duke"

Kaiba turned around and saw Mokuba run in. "Mokuba, get out of here" Kaiba pulled Mokuba out of one of Erik's attacks and glared at the man.

"Let me...go..." Amber struggled in the chains.

Almost there. Erik thought and kept the others busy. What he failed to notice was Yugi, who was crawling on the floor to get to Amber. Yugi stood and, with his sword, broke the chains. He put the necklace back around her neck and was about to pull out of there when Erik crushed his hand with his foot. Yugi squirmed to get free but couldn't. He saw in a blur as Joey tackled Erik down and helped Yugi up.

"You alright" Yugi nodded and looked at Amber. Yugi picked her up and pulled the dagger out. He threw it to the ground and where a gapping hole should have been was an ugly scar. Her breathing slowly became normal but needless to say she was not okay. Her very soul, where the key was held, was damaged badly. She needed serious help.

"Amber, are you okay" Yugi asked breathlessly. She didn't respond"Amber! Wake up" Yugi shook her roughly this time.

"Foolish boy, she won't wake up." Erik spoke"She's under our spell." Even though she is not. I know her very soul has been damaged. "Now step away from her and we'll let you and your pathetic friends go."

"One" Yugi said stading up he put Amber down"They're not pathetic. Two: They're the closet people around me, Three: You guys aren't laying a hand on her." Yugi blocked their way to Amber. Aroga looked at Erik who gave a curt nod and a dark rope subnstance wrapped around Yugi's whole body locking his arms to his side. His legs were bound together as the rope wrapped around his neck cutting off the circulation.

"Yug" Similar ropes wrapped themselves around the others but did not tie around the neck. Yugi choked something out weakly.

"What was that Yugi Motou" Erik asked"Did you want me to loosen the ropes around your neck. I'm pretty sure your air ways are slowly being cut off and hopefully that will lead to your death." Erik laughed and picked up the unconscious Amber. He held her close and kissed her lips. He loosened the ropes around Yugi's neck leaving him gasping for air.

"You...bastard" Yugi spat angrily.

"You're both sick and twisted. I'll enjoy when I banish you to the deepest part of hell there is." Sakura squirmed within her confines. "I'll kill you Aroga, and this time, I'll make sure the job gets done"

"Thank you for the complement my love" Sakura made a face of disgust as Aroga refered to her as this"But I'm afraid I'm not so easily destroyed."

"You wish moron" Mokuba shouted out. Aroga grew angry and fired a dark beam at Mokuba but Sakura took the hit. She fell on top of Mokuba in a dead faint. Duke carefully manovered his legs so that her head rested on his lap.

"Another statement like that boy and I'll have your head as a trophie." Aroga walked up to Duke and Sakura. "Now, I'll take her." Duke snarled at him. "Fine, let it be that way. We'll just kill Amber once we're done and trust me, it will not be a quick and painless death." It was Kaibas turn to snarl.

"So, what is your plan" Joey asked trying to distract the two men from what he was doing.

"Why should we tell you boy"

"Maybe some of us arn't all that kind and want to turn to the dark side" Mokuba added giving his brother a 'hold on' glance.

"Well, for those of you who want to transfer to the darker life it's simple; take the key from the person who holds it. In this case Miss Kaiba. Sacrifice the child of times body with the sword of time and cut a lock of hair of her. As the child of time itself, her blood will fuel the very prize we seek. The entrance to time. There we will atain control of time itself. We can manipulate the world as you know it. Erase you all from existance." The group was shocked.

Joey found the ropes binding him broken. He sent a blast at the wall causing a distraction. He untied everyone and picked Amber up. "Come on guys! We can't do much right now." Everyone agreed and ran out of the building as fast as they could.

Kaiba turned around and fought off five plasma monsters. He took each one down at a time. Making sure they were really gone they made it to the front door which seemed to have formed a barrier on it.

"Getting out is not going to be so easy" Erik laughed"The barrier on that door is unbreakable. So don't even try, your attacks will bounce right off and hit you."

"And trust me, that girl is not leaving the building with you brats." Kaiba took his sister and held her protectivily.

"Over my dead body are you getting your hands on her."

Yugi stood up and stood in front of Kaiba. He could sense an attack coming. "There is no way I will let you hurt them"

"Then you're a fool boy" The force of the power flung Yugi in a swirl and sent him crashing into a wall where his healed arm, curtosy of Harmony, cracked at the shoulder. He screamed in pain as he landed in a weak slump. He was still awake.

"Yug are you okay" Joey bent over his friend.

"Yeah...go help out." Yugi motioned to the chaos of more plasma creatures. Occasionally Kaiba errected a barrier to protect everyone from the sharp gusts but Joey caught one on his shoulder. He grabbed it and felt the warm gush of blood from his arm.

"Damn..." Joey cursed"Damn it all to hell. This hurts." Joey took out the dagger"I'll be back Yug." Yugi nodded. Yami took over for his dark motioning the others to do the same. As Seth, Kaiba had more capabilities in magic. Yami had more range and experiance and Sakura had two spirits to protect her. Cala stood weakly and prepared for battle.

Amara tried to stand but the injury to Amber's soul was too great. "I won't be much help. Amber's soul was damaged." The others nodded. The door barrier finally broke down when Sakura fired a well aimed arrow at the door.

"It's...open" Cala panted and fell to her knees.

"Duke, Mokuba we need you guys to help the others out. We can take care of ourselves" Joey informed.

"Seto..." Amber awoke and weakly formed a golden ball"Add this to your septer." Seth took the ball and thrust it into the staff. It glowed with power as it changed into gold. The barrier imeadiatly gave them all time to escape. Making sure everyone was out, Kaiba put a strong barrier on the door to keep Aroga and Erik from getting out for a long time.

Amber and Sakura were the first in the limo with Joey and Kaiba following. Yugi and Mokuba were the last to get in. No one came out unscathed. Mokuba had a cut on his cheek which would need stitches. Yugi's shoulder had been dislcated, Amber's very soul was damaged but Harmony would have to see her. Joey had a deep cut on his shoulder. Kaiba carefully wrapped up the wound and held Joey close as he fell asleep. Sakura had injured her leg but nothing serious. Duke, who was in his own car, had recieved nothing but a small cut. Kaiba had a burn mark on his right arm and it hurt like hell.

A cell phone was ringing in the limo. Yugi picked through Sakura's coat and found the phone. "Duke"

"Yeah. How is everyone"

"Everyones a little worn out. Where were Mai and Tea? I didn't see them out there."

"They split. Listen, I have to go. Tell Sakura, when she wakes up, that I'll call her."

"Sure Duke. Bye." Yugi hung up and stroked Amber's hair. "She's got to be okay..." she started coughing roughly as blood ran down the side of her mouth. "You're going to be okay...you have to be."

TO BE CONTINUED...HA HA HA HA HA!