Chapter Five: Death of a Friend

"Yugi! You will stop this immediately! No have no clue what those things can do. Their powers are far too great to be used," it was Yami.

"Well, I have to hand it to Shadi, he was right. Oh wait, that's right! He can't hear me, he's dead, you know, the millennium rod can be such a dangerous weapon if hit in the head. I imagine it hurts quite a bit too."

"What is wrong with you? I don't even know you anymore. But then again, you're not my friend, the one I once knew. You have hurt too many people and you tried to get rid of me. You hurt your own friend, and for that, you are my enemy."

"Blah, blah, blah, do you ever shut up. You want to fix everything, then you're going to have to go through me first."

"I plan to."

They stood there, doing nothing.

"Well," Yugi prompted, "Aren't you going to do something?"

"Yugi, there is still good in you, turn away from that which controls you. Don't let it take control of you."

"How touching. But this is me. Don't like it, get rid of me, if you can that is."

"I challenge you to a duel."

"Fat chance. Might I ask, with which deck do you plan to use?"

"The one you gave me."

"This one?" He reached into his pocket, pulling out a deck of cards.

"How did you get it?"

"You seem to forget that you were in the Shadow Realm, it only took a few seconds to pull it out of its little container."

"Yugi!" It was Joey. They were all there. Tea, Mai, Joey, Tristan, Duke, Kaiba, Mokuba, all of them.

"Yugi," Kaiba said in his usual calm voice, "If you think you're going to get away with this, you're wrong. By the way, I like what you did with the place."

"Thank you, Kaiba. I was so sure you'd approve."

"Yugi, don't do this, it's not worth it."

"You're breakin' my heart Mai. Would you like me to play you a song?" A violin appeared in his hands. He began to play.

"Hey, no need to get smart."

"Tristan, shut up! You have no clue who you're dealing with."

"Yugi, all you're friends are here to help you. They want to help, and you need help. Something about you has changed."

"Yeah, I'm stealing the spotlight, making myself known, and you can't stand that you weren't smart enough to do the same."

"You might have the upper hand here, but you can't take us all!"

"Whoever said I was going to take you guys on. I don't need to. Not with these at least." He lifted up the deck. "Let's see how you handle this." He picked up a card from the top of the deck and flung it toward them.

It disappeared and was replaced by the Dark Magician.

"Kaiba."

"I'm on it." He reached into his pocket and pulled out four cards. He threw them as Yugi had and they sprung to life. The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon appeared. It attacked Yugi's Dark Magician.

"Well, three heads really are better than one, let me try that. I summon, The three Egyptian God monsters!" He held them up. One by one they disappeared. And were replaced by the Gods themselves. "Combine yourselves to create the ultimate creature!"

They obeyed, Slifer and Ra each wrapped themselves around Obelisk's arms.

"Behold the Gods and their unlimited power! But wait, there's more!" Yugi said in a comical tone, "I now offer you the millennium puzzle!"

"No Yugi! Don't do it!"

"Too late, my dream has finally been realized. I am now in total control of ever monster!"

The God monsters became smoke and traveled toward Yugi, where they absorbed into his body.

"Now pharaoh, I am the supreme ruler of the universe! Hahaha!"

"I'm sorry Yugi. I couldn't save you. I wanted to but now, you give me no choice." The millennium eye appeared on his forehead.

"You wouldn't!"

"I just wish there was another way. I've done all I could to try and save you. But. Now, there is no hope for you. I BANISH YOU TO THE SHADOW REALM FOR ALL ETERNITY!"

"Hahahahaha! That is the biggest mistake you ever made! For now all your power is gone!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I have absorbed the power of all your precious items."

"Perhaps it is better then if they are gone, this way no one can ever use them."

"And don't worry, his voice began to change, "I'll take good care of Yugi for you."

"Marik?" Yami stared at Yugi.

"Yes it is I. And you have just lost the most precious thing to you. Yugi is gone now!"

"NO! This can't be happening! How?"

"Your foolish little friend absorbed all my memories, with it, he got my mind, and I have since manipulated him to my bidding. He was weak. I took control all too easily. And now, we're no more."

Yugi's body fell to the floor. It lay there lifelessly.

"No! Yugi! This is all my fault. I should have gotten rid of my powers when I had the chance. I, I was too selfish. I believed that I would one day reclaim the throne and use these powers to do so."

The place began to fall apart.

"Come on, we got to get out of here," Joey said. "Yami, come on!"

"No! Leave me here to die."

"Not a chance!" Tristan replied. He and Joey dragged him out. The building collapsed behind them as the made their way down the stairs.

"So, it wasn't Yugi who did that?" Mokuba asked.

"No little brother. You remember Marik don't you?"

"Yeah."

"It was him. He took over Yugi's mind and when Yami got rid of Marik, he also got rid of Yugi. Let's go, Mokuba."

"What! That's it? That's all you have to say? Yugi just died and you're going to walk away like nothing happened? Are you out of your mind?" Joey blurted out.

"Joey… though I am sorry that Yugi died, getting all emotional about it isn't going to help anything. He's not coming back and even if he could, his body is under several tons of rubble."

Joey ran up to him, punching him in his face as hard as he could.

Kaiba was shocked but quickly regained his posture. "You can do what you want to me, that facts are the facts. Yugi isn't coming back. You aren't the only one who has lost someone though. I truly am sorry, but I can't do anything."

"You insensitive little bastard!" He grabbed Kaiba by the arm and balled up his fist.

"You don't know anything about me." He jerked free of Joey's grip. "Let's go, Mokuba."