Teknisk Wereld v4

by Celtic Guardian 7

Two god cards have been found now only one is left. Their foes are just as deadly as before though. They know who their main enemy is, but whose side is Sarius on? COMPLETE

21. Rematch of Heart

School starts again for me tomorrow. That is really not something I'm happy about, but there's nothing I can do about it of course. I am hoping that homework won't take up too much of my time overall, because I really want to continue updating this frequently.

This chapter was fun for me to write. I like how it turned out. Hope you guys enjoy it too.

Kinsei: Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Sun of God will be coming up quite soon, actually, so you don't need to worry about that! Glad you liked the Monty Python reference too.

Demon Fan: You'll have to wait to find out.

John: Well, they served their purpose.

Captain Obvious: Isn't it doppelganger, or are you talking about something else? Draken did have horrible luck the first time around and he had no idea his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon could be used in such a fashion, so yeah, he was more than prepared the next time.

Chapter 21: Rematch of Heart

"Whew. I'm glad that's over with," Draken sighed.

"I bet you are. He had you really scared, didn't he?" Rue teased.

"Oh shut up. I was just uneasy, that's all!" Draken retorted.

"But you all made it," Sakura said happily. "So once Larka puts Sarius in his place, we're done! Right?"

"You forgot about Juno," Gaston reminded her. "We won't be home free until he's taken care of."

"Ack," Sakura winced. "You're right, he slipped my mind."

"Is he really that bad?" Miles asked.

"He was very creepy, to say at the least," Claire shuddered. "I for one don't want to have to cross him again unless I have to."

"Juno certainly does not bring pleasant memories to mind," Will stated. "I too would prefer to avoid him, but it seems that will not be an option."

"…I'm sorry to get you all involved in this," Larka said, her expression full of guilt.

"This is not your fault," Zack said firmly. "You did not ask to be born with this power, nor did you want to fight over it. Nobody could be expected to handle themselves against all of these enemies by themselves."

Rue nodded. "Zack's right. After we learned what was happening, we chose to help on our own free will. Even if you had wanted to do it on your own, you couldn't have stopped us from helping you."

"We're in this together," Hope told her. "If any of us got into trouble, you would help us. We're simply doing the same thing for you."

Larka finally managed to smile. "Thank you, everyone. It's a great help to know I have that kind of support."

"Anytime," Hope said.

"So… what are we going to do now?" Neo asked. "Are we going back to the real world until tomorrow morning?"

"I do not think that would be a good idea," Darche replied. "For such an early time in the morning, it would be very easy to oversleep."

"No kidding," Rue winced. "Six? If we didn't doubt Sarius' sanity before, we have a good reason to now."

"Then perhaps we should stay in the Sky Temple," Will said. "Zack can set himself to wake up at a certain time, right? If we were already there and all in the same area, he could make sure we're awake at the proper time. Would that work, Zack?"

"That would be fine," Zack answered.

"How about we go back to the real world to prepare and then meet at the lake shore tonight at nine?" Draken suggested. "Er, nine would be our time. Fell and Larka would have to come at eight."

"Good idea," Amy said. "I do have a few things I'd like to take care of before this happens."

"I think we all do," Claire agreed.

"All right, we will be back here at the designated time. See you then," Amy said before vanishing, Sakura following her shortly.

"Don't worry, it will all work out," Hope told Larka. "We'll be back soon."

"Right," Max said, recalling Tenma before he left. Hope and Gaston were gone a few seconds later.

"So until later," was all Rue said before he had vanished along with Ruecian. Miles, Gen, Draken, Darche, Will, and Neo followed. Kisara recalled Kazel to her Soul Card and then left too.

Zack remained a moment longer. "It will be fine. As long as you have confidence in yourself, you will be able to win."

"Thanks," Larka said with a another smile. "With all the support I have, how could I think anything else?"

Although Zack was concerned that she might still be holding onto doubts, it actually did seem that she was feeling better now. The only thing Zack could think of as a response was to smile himself and say, "Very true. See you both later."

Fell merely nodded, looking distracted, while Larka said, "Bye."

When he was gone, she turned to Fell. "So, shall we get back?"

"…Yes," Fell said, coming out of his thoughts.

Then they vanished, along with Malon and Daine, leaving nothing but the crater made from the Holy Hand Grenade to show they had been there.

…

Amy sat up slowly, removing her Envoyant Machine. She was almost instantly mauled by her playful greyhound, Toby, who ran up and eagerly licked her face several times.

"Yes, yes, I'm happy to see you too," Amy laughed, pushing the large dog off her so she could get up. Then she went to the kitchen, Sakura following.

"If Toby was that excited to see you, I assume nobody else is home," Sakura said.

"Most likely," Amy agreed, finding a note on the table. She read over it quickly. "Yeah, mom and dad are at work while Sam's at his friend's."

Sam was Amy's younger brother, who was born from her stepdad and her mother. She had gotten used to calling her stepdad 'Dad', although he was not her true father.

"So we have the house all to ourselves," Sakura said cheerfully, sitting down at the table.

"Except for Toby, yeah," Amy confirmed, opening some cabinets. "My first priority is eating something. We can decide what to do when I'm done with that."

"Ok," Sakura replied, petting Toby as he came over and nudged her in the side for attention.

…

"So you two are finally back," Ms. Gales said as Fell and Larka came into the kitchen, Malon and Daine trailing behind them. "How long will you be staying here?"

"Until eight," Larka answered as she and Fell took seats at the table.

"That means I can make both lunch and dinner for you." She went to the refrigerator and began moving aside some containers while searching for some leftover chicken she had in mind. "How is Hope doing?"

"She's fine," Larka said, which was actually true. Hope had looked like she was still feeling all right when she left.

"I'm glad to hear that." Ms. Gales finally pulled out the food that she had been looking for. "What about your friends?"

"They're well," Larka assured.

"That's good," was all Ms. Gales said before she turned on the microwave.

While they were eating, Ms. Gales commented, "You're being unusually quiet, Larka."

"Huh?" Larka looked up from her meal to see Ms. Gales. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Usually, you talk a lot, even when just eating," Ms. Gales said. "Now you're not saying anything."

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about some things," Larka replied, blushing slightly.

"There's nothing wrong with it, I just found it an unusual change," Ms. Gales explained before she left the room.

"That was an odd thing for her to say…" Larka commented as she picked up her plate to take to the counter. Noticing Fell was also done with his, she took his too. After depositing them next to the dishwasher, for Ms. Gales to deal with, she went upstairs.

"She is not the only one who has been acting strangely," Daine said. "Master, you seem to be thinking about many things yourself."

"…You could say that," Fell replied.

"Is there any way I can help?" Daine asked.

Fell thought for a moment, and then shook his head. "…No. This is something I must do myself. Sorry."

"If you ever need my assistance, you only need to ask," Daine said, leaving to see what Larka was doing.
Fell looked at his clawed hands and sighed. He knew there was only one solution to this problem, and although he disliked it, he was aware that he had no other choice. Feeling a depression he did not often experience, he went to find Larka as well.

…

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in!" was the first thing Max heard when they returned to the real world.

"Was that supposed to be an insult?" Ga growled at Ba.

"Could you two wait until we get up before you start fighting each other again?" Max requested.

"That would probably be the polite thing to do," Ba agreed.

"We will at least hold off until none of you are within scratching or biting range," Ga assured.

"Um… I don't think we were about to start fighting," Gaston said in a confused tone, looking over at Hope, who also seemed mystified.

"Thanks," Max directed at Gaba before he said, "I was talking to dad's Soul Monster. The one you two still can't see or hear for some reason."

"What monster is it?" Hope asked.

"A Winged Phantom Chimera Beast," Max replied. "His name is Gaba, and he has split personality problems."

"That's… great," Gaston said without any enthusiasm.

"I know, isn't it?" Ga responded.

"He can't hear us, idiot," Ba reminded him.

"Who said I was talking to him? For all you know, I might have been directing that at you, or myself."

"I AM you."

"…Unfortunately, that's true."

"Unfortunately? I'm your only saving grace!"

"Why do you think people think we're weird? Because of you, obviously!"

"Do I look anything like a wildcat? No. Yet all the children that you send packing are screaming about a vicious kitty being after them."

"We both look practically the same! Except that I'm handsome while you're ugly."

"You've never looked in a mirror, or so it seems."

"At least I know how to use one, unlike you. You're so stupid that you tried to find the on button for the first mirror you were attempting to use!"

"LIES! ALL LIES!"

"No, you just can't HANDLE the truth!"

"YOUR FACE can't handle the truth!"

"Oh, THAT was crossing the line! YOU WANNA FIGHT?"

"JUST TRY IT, PUNK!"

Max immediately dragged Hope and Gaston away from the center of the room as Gaba began thrashing, the two heads trying to brutally kill each other.

"Don't even ask," he said when they gave him questioning looks.

Luckily for him, Abby chose this moment to enter the room. Seizing the opportunity of a distraction, Max said, "How's Chasity doing?"

"She's asleep right now," Abby replied. After glancing at Gaba, she said, "How about we move into the kitchen?"

"Good idea," Max agreed, steering Hope and Gaston in that direction before they could ask.

They found Hime in there, cooking. She put that on a brief hold though to talk with them for a few minutes.

"Hope! You look as though you've completely recovered!" Hime said in shock.

"I feel as though I have," Hope smiled. "I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but I guess being in Teknisk Wereld helped."

Gaston and Max could tell that she did not want to try and describe what had happened with Kisara until they knew what exactly had occurred. Max changed the subject by saying, "What are Brandi, Matt, and Dad doing?"

"They're catching him up on what he's missed," Abby explained. "He has been gone for quite some time."

Max nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

"We will be staying here until nine, and then we have to go back to Teknisk Wereld," Hope said. "Hopefully, we can settle things there this time."

"The only thing I can do is wish all of you good luck," Abby said regretfully. "Stay safe."

"We'll try to, but that isn't always something we can accomplish," Gaston joked.

"I suppose that's true," Hime sighed, getting up to check on the food again.

…

"No, I tell you, Roy's the better of the two!" Rue argued. "He can instantly kill the opponent with Flare Blade!"

"After charging up for seven seconds. That's like Goku taking three episodes to charge up for one shot at one opponent, except your opponent will actually fight back in this case!" Draken pointed out. "At least Marth's Shield Breaker can be released prematurely and still do good damage."

"Roy's stronger overall though. Just look at his Counter!"

"Yeah, it often does do more damage, but you mainly use Counter to take opponents by surprise and then wail on them. Marth's Counter is just as good when it comes to that."

"Roy's grappler is more powerful."

"Marth is easier to chain toss with."

"Roy's Double Edge Dance is a lot easier to time."

"Both Double Edge Dance and Dancing Blade are easy to time, you dolt. They require some trial and error but when you've got it down, you're not about to forget it."

"It's easier to sweet spot with Roy."

"Please, Marth has a much greater advantage. Since he's a fair distance away from the opponent, you have more time to react."

"Still, Roy has more power behind his attacks."

"What are you on? Marth does more damage in everything but Counter and throwing! Besides, speed can beat power any day of the week, and Marth is a lot faster than Roy."

"But Roy has fire!"

"And Marth has a sharp stick he can poke people with, what's your point?"

"At least you can tell Roy's male; Marth wears a freaking tiara!"

"It's a memento to his dead sister. See, even his character background owns Roy's! It takes a real man to wear a tiara."

"…You are really messed up."

"What, you just noticed?"

Kisara was watching them in amazement while Miles was shaking his head. Gen was covering his forehead with his hand, trying to suppress a large headache he had gotten from listening to the two of them. Claire and Perseus had heard Rue talk about this one too many times and were attempting to ignore the argument.

"What exactly are they talking about?" Kisara asked Miles.
"They're discussing this awesome Gamecube game called Super Smash Brothers: Melee," Miles told her. "It's a fighting game with twenty-five Nintendo characters you can choose between to be your fighter. They're arguing about whether Marth or Roy is better. It's a popular debate since they are similar characters playing wise. There are differences that may not seem big at first, but they can entirely change someone's playing style. Anyway, Marth and Roy are both swordsmen that came from a series of games called Fire Emblem."

"Which one do most people say is better?" Kisara inquired.

"Usually, Marth is proven to be the better one in the end, although Roy fans refuse to give up on him. Still, both are good characters," Miles shrugged. "I'm a Marth man myself, since he's a lot faster. However, I prefer Fox over both."

"Two for one," Draken said to Rue.

"Two for two," Will corrected as he walked into the room. "I play as Roy."

"HAH!" Rue said triumphantly.

"You shut up," Draken grumbled before turning to Will. "I guess I can see why though. Just look at what Neo turned into."

"Actually, I came up here to tell Neo something. Is he here?" Will asked.

"No, he left almost immediately when we got back. What were you going to say to him?" Perseus asked.

"I was going to tell him to stay out of the kitchen, especially since he's in that new form now," Will explained. "I'm afraid he might not be able to control his power very well, so I wanted to…"

A huge explosion rocked the entire house.

"…I will return shortly," Will said, exiting.

"I'd hate to be Neo right now," Miles commented.

"Yeah… so, do you know anyone else that plays as Marth or Roy?" Rue asked Draken.

"Not sure. Let's see, who else in the group would play? Hope has a Playstation 2, but not a Gamecube, so I bet she doesn't."

"If she has, I bet she's one for Marth. Girls always fall for the prettyboys," Rue snickered. "Just like you and Kisara."

"We can either pretend you did not say that or I can leave you with no bones intact. Which do you choose?" Draken said.

"The first option sounds better," Rue answered. "Anyway, if Max plays, he seems like one who'd be into slow and powerful. That'd make him a Roy user."

"Nah, Max plays to win. He'd want Marth for how much more superior he is," Draken stated.

"Maybe. But I doubt anyone else in the group plays it," Rue sighed.

"Except me," Claire said. "I guess you decided to neglect saying that since I usually beat you, huh?"

"You did not need to mention that," Rue muttered. Then he said, "We should get everyone together and have a tournament or something when everything is over. Teaching everyone else how to play would be fun."

"I doubt you could make Fell want to play it," Draken pointed out.

"His loss," Rue shrugged. "Everyone else would like it. Even Zack could be persuaded to try playing."

"Speaking of which, where is Zack?" Miles asked.

"He went to another room, saying he needed some time alone," Gen replied.

"Oh. I guess he didn't want to have to put up with our bantering," Draken said. "So Kisara, what do you think about this game from what you've heard?"

"It does sound interesting," Kisara admitted. "I cannot compare it with anything though, since I do not play video games."

"It's amazing! I bet even Sarius knows the greatness of it," Rue said. "Although he does seem like one who'd use Marth…"

"Nah, he's totally Zelda and Sheik. She's got the light and darkness balance thing going for her," Draken laughed.

"I don't know whether I want to beat you over the head or give you an award for saying that," Rue said. "I think I'll just smile and nod to compromise."

It was then that Neo made his entrance, staggering into the room before collapsing on the floor.

"It seems Will got his revenge," Darche said dryly.

"He wasn't kidding… about the hose…" Neo managed to gasp out. "Painful… very painful…"

"And now Will has a new method for keeping Neo in line," Miles joked.

"Yes, I do," Will said as he walked in, stepping over Neo as though he was not even there. "Do not go downstairs. I am leaving to get something for us to eat, since we have nothing remaining here due to circumstances. It should not take very long." Before anyone could respond, he left the room.

Miles looked at the door, then Neo, then the door, then Neo, and shook his head. "I think I'll follow Will's instructions and stay here."

"Rule number two of any thief: always be cautious," Gen recited.

"What's rule number three? Don't tell your victim that you stole from them?" Miles said sarcastically.

"No, that is actually number four. Rule number three is refer back to rules one and two," Gen smiled.

After a few seconds of silence, Miles said, "That book is officially lame."

"It sounds more obvious than lame to me," Draken commented, examining Neo. "Well, you should be ok by the time we go back to Teknisk Wereld. Let's hope you are, anyway. I doubt Will is going to feel very sympathetic towards you."

"No kidding…" Neo groaned.

"What surprises me is that Zack didn't come out of that room when that big explosion occurred to see what was going on," Claire said.

"Maybe he's charging, although I don't see why he would, since we'll have enough time for that tonight. I'll go check," Draken decided, getting up. As he left the room, he managed to hear Miles say, "So who do you play as, Claire? Roy or Marth?"

"Marth."

"Yeah, I tried to tell her about the greatness of Roy, but she wouldn't listen," Rue stated.

"Didn't she say she usually wins?" Miles asked.

"…That's beside the point."

Draken shook his head, and then went to the door of the room where Zack was, knocking.

"Come in," he heard a second later.

Draken entered, and saw Zack was sitting in a corner of the room, cards spread out in front of him.

"Is there something you wanted?" Zack inquired.

"I was just wondering what you were up to. You didn't come into our room to ask about the explosion," Draken said.

"I assumed it was Neo," Zack stated. "After living here for the past month, I have grown used to it."

"If you say so…" Draken turned his gaze to the cards. "Remaking your deck?"

"No, just modifying it," Zack replied. "I still have the cards Matt gave me, so I'm adding some in that I did not want before. Now I think they will be beneficial to me."

"You didn't encounter that guy you said you lost to. So you're expecting to face him again sometime soon?" Draken asked.

"Correct. That is why I have to be ready," Zack said.

"That, and you want to be able to protect Larka, right?" Draken assumed.

Zack looked down at the cards spread in front of him. "Of course."

"Well, I'm sure you'll do well," Draken said as he went to the door. "I'm going back to the others."

Zack nodded. "All right. Thanks."

"Not a problem," Draken replied before he closed the door. Then he went back to the room everyone else was in.

"How was he doing?" Claire asked.

"Fine," Draken said, sitting back down. "He's just doing a few things to get ready for when we go back." He turned back to Rue. "So, where did we leave off in our argument?"

…

Amy and Sakura found that they were the first ones to arrive. "I guess that was to be expected though," Sakura commented as they looked around the lake shore and saw nobody else. "We are about five minutes early, and often they wait until the last minute to show up, from what Hope's said."

"Was Hope including herself when she said that?" Amy inquired.

"Unfortunately, yes," Sakura sighed.

"Well, we're not really ones to talk," Amy shrugged. "It's a trait that runs through the Gale family; we always end up late or really close to it one way or another."

"Lucky you," Sakura laughed.

"Amy! Sakura!" Larka called. They turned to see Larka and Fell coming their way with Malon and Daine at their sides. "Are you two the only ones here so far?"

"Yep," Amy replied. "I just arrived."

"As did we," Hope said, coming over with Gaston and Max. "So we're just missing Will's group."

"Not anymore," Rue announced as they suddenly appeared over the slope. "We were just a short distance away from our meeting point."

"Good, it looks like everyone is here," Perseus said.

Sakura noticed that Neo seemed to be more pale that usual. "Is something wrong, Neo?"

"No… nothing…" Neo muttered, looking a bit sick.

"How are we going to get up there?" Miles asked. "Is Darche going to call over some Blue Eyes White Dragons?"

"That was the plan," Darche replied, holding up his sword. "I might not be able to get that many to come, since it's nighttime, but I'm sure at least a few will arrive. The ones that do show up may have to take multiple trips up and down to get everyone to the Sky Temple, but it will work out. Kazel can also help out. Well Draken? You want me to do it now?"

Draken nodded. "The sooner we get up there, the better."

Darche's sword began to glow blue. A few minutes later, five Blue Eyes descended in front of them, softly hissing at Darche.

"It would be better if we recalled all the Soul Monsters except for Kazel," Draken said. "Two people per dragon should work."

Malon whimpered and looked up at Draken with big, sad eyes.

"…Fine, Malon can stay out if he must," Draken sighed. "At least he isn't that big."

"The cute ones always get him," Rue laughed.

"Shut up and get on one of the dragons," Draken ordered.

Kisara and Amy boarded Kazel, while Hope and Max, Rue and Claire, Will and Fell, Zack and Larka, and Miles and Draken each boarded separate Blue Eyes. The dragons took off instantly, soaring straight up until they went through the clouds.

They arrived at the Sky Temple shortly and landed on the clouds. Everyone dismounted, and Draken sent them off after thanking them. Kisara had to recall Kazel, since they were keeping all of the Soul Monsters (except for Malon) in their Soul Cards to conserve space, and then they went inside.

Everyone took a few moments to admire the interior of the back room that they had not been in last time. Amy and Claire were impressed with the whole place though, as neither had even seen the temple until now.

There wasn't much else to be said. Since they would have to get up at five forty-five to prepare for Sarius arriving, they would need all the sleep they could get. So everyone settled into the room except for Fell, who instantly went outside.

"I'm never going to get him," Rue sighed, taking off his hat to use as a crude pillow.

"Have you… er… set yourself to wake up at the right time?" Draken asked, not sure on how to say it.

"Yes. It is ready," Zack answered, pressing a button on his wrist to confirm his selections.

"Great. Then let's hit the hay," Miles said, lying back.

"That's the best idea you've had yet," Rue joked, doing the same.

"If I wasn't so tired, I'd argue over that point," Miles muttered.

"Good night everyone," Larka said.

It must have been due to the busy day most of them had, for even the anticipation of ending this whole affair could not keep them awake. In less than five minutes, all of them were asleep… except for one.

Outside, Fell summoned Daine, who looked up at him. "Do you want me to act as a sentry, master?"

"Yes," Fell said. "I have something I wish to do."

"You really should get some rest. It will be a long day tomorrow," Daine stated.

Fell paused, and then said, "I know. However, this cannot wait. I may not have another chance."

Daine recalled what Fell had said earlier that day and nodded. "All right. If it is that important, then I shall say no more."

…

Zack woke up abruptly and froze at once. He could tell that something was not right. It could not be nearly six yet; the darkness of the sky meant it had to be just an hour or so since they had fallen asleep. That meant that someone must have triggered him into awaking.

He looked towards the door way, and felt a surge of relief when he saw that it was just Fell standing there. Now that there was no enemy to be worried about, he wondered why Fell would be coming back into here.

To his surprise, Fell turned his gaze to him. After a few moments, he gestured towards Zack, and then to himself before going back down the hallway.

He wants me to go with him? But why? Zack wondered. No answer came to him though, so he got up. I suppose I won't know unless I follow.

Zack silently walked out of the room and continued going through the temple until he was outside it. Fell stood in front of the staircase, while Daine was lying down at the very right of it.

"Did you want something?" Zack asked when Fell did not say anything.

"…I need to speak with you on a matter that has been concerning me for a long time," Fell said, sitting down on the top stair.

To have Fell, of all people, actually want to start a conversation was beyond unusual. Zack sat next to him and said, "Go ahead. I will listen."

Fell hesitated a moment, uneasy about how to begin. He finally started, with a blunt statement. "You love her."

Zack could instantly tell that he was referring to Larka. It surprised him that Fell would want to discuss such a thing with him. Wondering what this was all about, he said, "Yes."

"…You told her today. I could tell by the way both of you were acting, although her actions told me more," Fell said.

"How did you know I was the one to confess?" Zack inquired.

"Larka is too shy to be so forthcoming with such a matter. She would gladly tell her feeling if prompted to, but she would not want to start such a conversation," Fell said.

"True… yes, I did tell her. And she said that she felt the same," Zack said, unsure on how Fell would take this.

For a moment, he did nothing. Then he said, "…That is good."

Whatever reaction Zack had been expecting, that wasn't it. "Why do you say that?"

"…Because now she will have someone that she can love," Fell stated.

"What about you?" Zack asked. "She loves you, and nothing would change that for her."

"…As do I," Fell said. "She is the only person I have cared about for a very long time. That is why I wished this for her."

Zack still wasn't clear on where he was going with this. "What do you mean?"

Again, Fell paused, and then he said, "When Sarius leaves this world… I will be going with him. After the duel Larka and I had with him, he said I could if I wanted to."

"…So you are agreeing to this offer he made you?" Zack assumed.

"…Yes. I am not sure why he wants me to join him. I cannot comprehend what it is that he sees in me. However, if his offer is still valid… I shall accept it."

"This means you would help him by going to other worlds, right?" Zack inferred.

"Yes," Fell answered.

"Back then, all you cared about was Larka," Zack stated.

"And myself," Fell said emotionlessly.

Zack was not sure of what to say to that. "…Perhaps. But I am surprised you would consider such a proposition if it meant separating you from Larka."

"Sarius said she could come with me as well," Fell responded.

"…Then why not ask her to? She would accompany you if you wanted her to," Zack said, the words weighing heavily on him. He wanted Larka to take the course that would be best for her, but to be separated just after he had found the courage to say what he had been feeling all along…

To his surprise, Fell shook his head at once. "I cannot do that."

"Why?"

"…Because that would make her unhappy," Fell said. "She loves this world. She has friends that trust in her as she trusts them. That was one of her greatest desires; simply to have friends. And now she has someone beyond that… a person who can love her, and stay with her forever." Fell shook his head. "Are you saying I should steal all of this away from her? I have been selfish enough. I will not drag her down with me."

"Then why must you leave?" Zack questioned. "What makes you want to go with Sarius?"

"…I am not like my sister," Fell stated. "I do not like this world. It feels as though I do not belong here. I have found people I can… trust. Yet I do nothing for them. It is a shaky bond, and one I feel as though I might not be able to uphold." He gazed up at the sky as he went on. "Sarius is different. I do not know why, but I feel as though I want to help him. Despite some of the things he has done, I still hold trust for him. It is strange, but that is how I feel. It is possible that I want to be of use to Sarius because there is something that makes me stand out in his eyes. Maybe I like that idea, of being wanted. Also, if what Sarius says is true, we will be visiting many worlds." Although he doubted what he saw at first, Zack was sure Fell gave a slight smile at this part. "Perhaps that means I can find a place where I feel that I truly belong."

Zack knew there was nothing he could say to deny Fell's words, but he still said, "Larka will miss you with all of her heart."

"…Not all of it. Part of it is now devoted to you," Fell said. "She will accept this. Her greatest concern about me was that I was not happy. Going down this new path may not be any better. Maybe it will be worse. I might wish I never chose this course in my life. However, the opportunity to find what I have been wanting for so long is worth the risks. Larka will know that, and she will want me to do what she believes is best for me." Fell finally turned his gaze back to Zack, staring into his eyes. "My time here was valuable. I have someone that I can love, even if I may never see her again, and I know that she will feel the same way for me. I know that I have the ability to trust others. And… I have faced my fears, accepting that they will be there. I believe that is what mastering the darkness within me is. I now have the ability to look at what frightens me, and say that I do feel fear clawing me, and then face it for greater causes." He turned away once more, closing his eyes. "It is possible that I will never learn anything more important than that. I would like to think that I might, however, find more lessons such as that one. Questions such as these… they are my greatest challenge. I do not know why, but that makes me all the happier."

"…So nothing will change your mind," Zack said.

"Nothing," Fell stated, now looking at the steps in front of him. "This means that I must ask something of you, even if you think it unnecessary."

"Yes?"

"…Please, look after her for me," Fell said, his eyes glittering. "I have played the role of being her guardian very poorly, but for that time, I was all she had. Now she can depend on someone who is much more reliable than I will ever be." Again, Fell's eyes met his. "I ask of you… no, beg of you… to keep her safe."

"…You are right. You did not have to request me to do that," Zack smiled. "However, now I will do so for your sake as well as hers. There are very few things I have given my word on, but I promise you that I will guard her with my life… even if I have to lose it to do so."

Blue electricity suddenly shot through Zack. Fell watched him warily as it faded away, leaving Zack in a fair amount of pain.

"Machines do not have emotions. That is their greatest strength and most fatal flaw," Zack said. "I was supposed to be like that. Somehow, I kept my soul. That is something I am truly gratefully for." He looked at his metal left hand, which reflected back the light of the stars and moon. "I will overcome anything I must to keep those emotions… even my own body. That is the goal I strive for. The day I overcome it, that greatest challenge… I might never be able to find another one to haunt me. So I will be both overjoyed and saddened on the day that I complete it. Does that seem odd to you?"

"…A while ago, it would have. But now… I find that I understand it completely," Fell said.

Zack got up from the steps. "You have chosen your path, and I have found mine. We will split for those paths, but they will cross several more times from now. Let us meet again on those intersections, so that we may tell of our journey through life. We both wonder if we have indeed made the right choices. I feel as though we have, and I pray that it is not false hope."

Fell also rose, but only nodded.

"Is there anything else you wanted to say?" Zack asked.

"…Nothing. You already answered anything I could possibly ask at this time," Fell responded.

"If my words have helped, then I am satisfied. I bid you good night." He went into the hallway, going towards the back room.

"…You hold much respect for him, master," Daine commented.

"…Yes. That is why I can finally feel relaxed about my decision," Fell stated as he lay down. With his largest concerns aside, he at last felt as though he could let himself sleep.

…

Zack had thought that the next time he would wake up, it would be five forty-five. This was not the case. Instead, he was awoken by Rue yelping and a large crash.

He wasn't the only one to come around. Everyone else was up instantly, and saw Amy, looking bewildered, on top of Rue, who seemed to be having trouble breathing, as Amy was crushing him into the ground.

"What did Rue do this time?" Draken asked as he sat up.

"Everything," Miles answered automatically.

"I should have been the one… to fill your dark soul… with LIIIIIIIIIGHT!" Rue gasped out, still half unconscious.

"Oh dear," Amy said, getting up. "I think I made him lose even more brain cells by doing that. Maybe I kicked him in the head by accident."

"Did you sleep walk?" Hope asked, being very familiar with her sister's odd habit.

"I'm afraid so," Amy confessed. "I would have walked right into that wall if Rue's body hadn't stopped me. Thanks Rue!"

"I MUST obey my master," Rue muttered.

It was then that Daine ran into the room. "What happened?"

"Nothing important," Miles assured. "We just got a bit of an early wake up call."

"That is fine, because I would have gotten you up myself," Daine stated. "Someone is approaching."

"Is it Sarius?" Claire asked worriedly.

"No. I do not know who this man is," Daine replied. "He will be here shortly, so please come to the front at once." Then he ran back down the hall.

Malon leapt out of Larka's arms and went after him at once while everyone else got up and grabbed their Duel Disks. Rue was still out of it, so Draken went over to him and shook him roughly. "Come on, get up. We have to get moving."

"You were the Chosen One! You were supposed to destroy the Marth supporters, not join them!" Rue said, his eyes still closed.

"Good grief," Draken sighed. Then he kicked Rue in the side.

"Ow! I'm up, I'm up!" Rue protested, rising. "What did I do this time?"

"Everything," Miles repeated as they headed for the hall.

"It always seems that way, doesn't it?" Rue muttered.

When they got to the front, they saw Fell, Daine, and Malon standing at the top of the steps, looking down at what they assumed to be the man Daine spoke of.

"You cannot try to deny it," they heard him say. "I recognize that Soul Monster. It is the Limiter's, which means she must be here. I have already had to go through resistance to get to her before, and I would prefer to not have to do it again. Please step aside."

"That voice…" Larka whispered.

"Do you recognize it?" Kisara asked softly.

"Yes…" Larka looked over at Zack. "Should I…"

"Let me," Zack requested. "I will not fail again… I can't afford to. I ask of you to let me have a second chance."

Larka did not say anything, but she nodded. That was all that was needed. Zack went out of the doorway and to the staircase.

"I'm sorry if I am denying your wishes," Zack said as he came up next to Fell. "However, like before, I can't just stand aside. If you want to get to Larka, you will have to defeat me first, Lario!"

"Ah… I should have known you would be here if the Limiter was," Lario stated. "It seems you have recovered from our last encounter."

"Yes," Zack confirmed.

"Still, I hope you have improved. In the first duel we had, you barely put up a fight," Lario pointed out.

"I knew I would face you again," Zack said, walking down the stairs towards him. "So I took proper precautions. I can't afford to lose again."

"You seem quite confident," Lario commented, turning on his Duel Disk and bringing out Shinato. "Let us see what brought about this new manner of yours."

"We should go down and bring out our Soul Monsters," Will suggested. "It would be easier if they also watched than having us try to explain it later."

" Yeah, you're right," Hope agreed, starting down the stairs with everyone else following. When they were on the much more roomy cloud, all of them brought out their Soul Monsters.

"What's going on now?" Gaston asked as he saw Zack and Lario facing off.

"His name is Lario. He is not with Sarius or Juno, although he would support Sarius if he had to choose," Larka explained. "It is possible for him to acquire Limiter powers for himself, so he wants mine. We met him when we were here before, looking for Mavericks. Zack dueled him, but lost."

"You think he can win this time?" Neo inquired, seeming a bit anxious.

"I know he will," Larka said. "Because… I believe in him."

Zack: 8000

Lario: 8000

"You lost before, so I will let you go first if you wish to," Lario offered.

"Thanks, I accept," Zack replied. "I lay one monster in defense mode and two cards face down. It's your turn."

Lario considered the card he drew, and then said, "Last time we dueled, you did not get to see Shinato's Deck Master ability. I will tell you of it now. If I draw a Light Main-Type, I can pay 500 Life Points to destroy one monster on your field."

"Shenanigans!" Miles yelled.

Rue paled. "That's almost identical to Juno's Deck Master, except that he had to draw Dark Main-Types! Does that mean that Lario is running a Shinato deck, like Juno ran Zork? Is Shinato a strong ritual monster too?"

"Shinato is an Angel Sub-Type that is summoned through the ritual Ark of Miracles," Will said. "He is stronger than Zork in stats, but although his effect is good, it can only affect one monster, unlike Zork. You'll see what I mean if he summons Shinato."

Lario showed Zack his card. "I drew Blade Knight, which is indeed a Light Sub-Type. I will pay 500 Life Points to destroy your monster."

Zack: 8000

Lario: 7500

"That was my Drillago…" (1600/1100)

"I summon Manju God. (1400/1000) He allows me to search my deck for a ritual monster or a ritual magic and add it to my hand." Lario made his choice and shuffled his deck before sliding it into his Duel Disk. "I attack directly with Manju God."

"I play my trap card, Cry of the Living Dead!" Zack countered. "This allows me to special summon a monster from my Cemetery in face up attack mode. So I will choose Drillago! Do you still attack?"

"I do not see any point in it," Lario said. "I lay two cards face down and end my turn."

"First, I summon KA-2 Death Scissors," (1000/1000) Zack said. "Then I activate another trap card, Raremetal Conversion, Magic Reflex Armor! I choose one Machine Sub-Type monster on my field and raise its attack by 500. I choose my Death Scissors. (1500/1000) Then I attack you with Drillago!"

"In response to your attack, I activate Enemy Controller, and choose to switch Drillago to defense mode," Lario said.

Zack did not seem concerned. "That is fine. I'll attack with Death Scissors next!"

"This time, I activate Book of the Moon on it, so it will go into face down defense mode," Lario stated.

The book appeared, and opened in midair. But as the moonlight streamed out of the pages, the metal armor on the Death Scissors reflected the light away.

"That is the second thing my Magic Reflex Armor does," Zack explained. "The first magic card that you target my Machine Sub-Type with is negated. That means my Scissor's attack goes through!"

"At least it does hardly any damage," Lario said as his Manju God was cut to pieces.

"Actually, your Life Points will take quite a hit from it," Zack informed him.

"What?" Lario looked at his Life Point counter, and to his surprise, he found that it was dropping rapidly.

"When KA-2 Death Scissors destroys another monster in battle, you lose 500 Life Points times the level your monster was," Zack said. "Since your Manju God was level four, that means you lose 2100 Life Points overall."

Zack: 8000

Lario: 5400

"That did more than I expected," Lario stated as he drew. "But it will not matter in the end. I just drew the final card I need. So I will activate this card now, Ark of Miracles! By offering Blade Knight and Mirage Dragon from my hand, I special summon Ruler of Heaven Shinato!" (3300/3000)

"Yep, his deck seems to be based on him," Will commented as Shinato appeared.

"Well. This isn't good. This isn't good at all," Miles said with wide eyes.

"Does Zack even have anything that is strong enough to defeat that?" Claire asked.

"Maybe nothing by itself, but he can put together combinations of cards to defeat him. Don't jump to conclusions yet," Gen said.

Larka just continued to watch the match, her fists clenched at her side.

"Now I equip Shinato with Meteor Strike. As you might remember, this lets Shinato do damage to monsters in defense mode," Lario stated.

"Ah… a good strategy on his part," Will said.

"What do you mean?" Amy asked.

"Whenever Shinato destroys a monster in defense mode, its base attack is subtracted from the opponent's Life Points," Will explained. "With Meteor Strike, he'll be able to inflict damage for the attack itself and still use Shinato's effect to its fullest potential."

"Geez! I can see why Zack lost before," Draken winced.

"He had time to prepare to face him again," Claire reminded them. "He might have a certain card in mind to counter Shinato with."

"Let's hope so," Sakura said.

"Now I attack your Drillago!" Lario declared as Shinato raised his hands and sent out a beam of white energy, which tore through the monster and connected with Zack.

Zack: 4500

Lario: 5400

Despite the pain the strike caused, Zack remained standing as he flipped over his face down card. "I activate a trap card, Time Machine! It allows me to bring back the monster you destroyed in battle in the same mode that it was destroyed in. So Drillago returns to my field in defense mode."

"That is fine. I am done."

Zack looked over his hand, and nodded. "This is the only strategy I can think of… I sacrifice Drillago to summon Immense Battleship Big Core! (2300/1100) I lay one card face down and end my turn."

"Hm… either I could destroy your KA-2 Death Scissors for more damage, or I could destroy Big Core to make sure that it doesn't interfere with Shinato," Lario mused. "I would prefer not to take any chances. Shinato attacks Big Core!"

Shinato sent another beam of light at Big Core, but a clear barrier suddenly appeared around the battleship, negating most of the blast. Some bits of the energy managed to get through the barrier though, hitting Big Core.

"How is it still here?" Lario asked.

"When I summon Big Core, it starts out with three counters," Zack said. "Each time it is in battle, a counter is removed, but it is not destroyed. It is destroyed on the damage step of the battle phase it enters without a counter. I do take Life Point damage though."

Zack: 3500

Lario: 5400

"It can only last for so long."

"It will last long enough," Zack stated. "I sacrifice KA-2 Death Scissors for Immense Battleship Tetoran!" (1800/2300)

Rue stared at it in disbelief. "What the heck? I didn't know there were more cards like that!"

"I call D-8," Draken joked.

"No! You sunk my battleship!" Miles exclaimed in a melodramatic tone, falling to his knees.

"Would you people shut up?" Sakura snapped. "This is a serious duel you know!"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Miles said sheepishly as he got up.

"Does this one also get three counters?" Lario inquired.

"Yes, its effect is very similar to Big Core's," Zack answered. "However, it has another effect as well. By removing a counter, I can destroy a magic or trap card on the field. I will remove one to destroy Meteor Strike. Then I switch Big Core to defense mode and end my turn."

"I lay one card face down, attack Tetoran with Shinato, and end my turn," Lario said.

Zack: 2000

Lario: 5400

Zack looked at his hand, and then said, "I lay one monster in defense mode and switch Tetoran to defense mode. That is all."

"I lay two cards down and attack Tetoran with Shinato." As the light faded from the attack, Lario stated, "You have no counters left on Tetoran now. One more battle phase and it will be gone for good. Go ahead and make your move."

Zack drew his card slowly and looked at it. Then he smiled. "You are right. It will be gone in one more battle phase. But that is all I need."

"You think you can defeat me this turn?" Lario asked doubtfully.

"I am almost positive that I can. Let me show you. First, I flip summon Sonic Jammer. (350/650) This prevents you from activating magic cards until the end phase of the next turn, so any instant magic cards you might have are useless. Next, I sacrifice him for Immense Battleship Crystal Core!" (2100/1000)

"Another one?" Claire said in disbelief.

"So were these the modifications he made to his deck?" Draken wondered. "It seems like he mainly added some Battleship cards and that's about it…"

"There are a few other differences, but that is the main one," Zack informed him before turning back to Lario. "I switch Big Core and Tetoran to attack mode. Then I activate a magic card, Limiter Removal!"

"I remember that one," Lario said. "All of your Machine Sub-Types' attacks are doubled, but they are destroyed at the end phase of the turn."

"Correct," Zack confirmed. "Which means I have quite a formidable force! (4600/1100) (3600/2300) (4200/1000) Big Core attacks Shinato!"

"I will have to stop this with one of my few trap cards," Lario announced. "I activate Itaqua's Gale! All of your monsters change modes; in this case, your three Battleships go from attack mode to defense mode."

"Sorry, but I can't allow that to happen. I have to win this," Zack said. "I counter with Bandit's Swiss Army Knife! By paying 1000 Life Points, I negate and destroy your trap!"

Zack: 1000

Lario: 5400

"There is nothing I can do then," Lario said as he watched Big Core tear apart Shinato with several red lasers.

"Then it's over. Tetoran and Crystal Core finish off your remaining Life Points!"

Lario barely had enough time to brace himself before he was assaulted by the two other Battleships.

Zack: 1000

Lario: 0

"Mass carriers equal instant win!" Rue shouted into the silence.

The customary thunk of Will's book hitting Rue over the head came after it. "We do not need any references to Starcraft."

Lario dismissed Shinato and turned off his Duel Disk. "You have taken your duties much more seriously. It is good to see that, at least." He paused, and then said, "I have lost the right to try and take this Limiter's powers. I don't even know where the second one is, but I assume that Tirran has a head start on me for it as well. I will not be able to catch up. So I shall depart this world shortly. You will not have to worry about meeting again."

Zack nodded. "All right. Thank you for making me realize what I had to do."

Lario did not reply to that, but Zack understood from the expression he wore that he was, at least slightly, satisfied. Then he turned and walked away, vanishing into the dark.

"Nice win," Draken said to Zack as he came back over to them. "Those were some pretty cool additions to your deck."

"Thanks. They served their purpose well," Zack replied.

"Um… Zack… thank you…" Larka managed to say.

"I should be the one thanking you for your trust," Zack said. "It means a lot to me."

Rue coughed, looking awkward, and said, "What time is it?"

"I would assume it is nearly six," Will answered, looking at the sky. "The sun should start rising any moment now."

Kazel's head suddenly shot up. "Over there, in the sky… they are coming."

They turned to look where her gaze was. There they saw something flying towards them. As it got closer, its huge size and structure showed that it could only be one thing.

Raid.

To be continued…