Chapter Nineteen: Down For The Count?

Flashback Ended

"Now that you've seen my side of the story, what do you think of your so-called friends now?" Kalika asked in a wicked-sounding voice.

Yami looked down into the water below and heaved a heavy sigh. His gaze then lifted to meet that of Kalika's. "I still consider them to be my friends no matter what you say or do! You'll never convince me to turn my back on them! Never!" he roared angrily, struggling to free himself from the ribbons that were still holding him in a tight bind.

Kalika shook her head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk... When will you ever learn Pharaoh? Haven't you ever heard the old saying, 'Today's friend is tomorrow's enemy'?"

"Yes but that doesn't apply to my friends," Yami stated, trying to remain as calm as possible.

The wicked priestess smirked evilly. "We'll just see about that, now won't we?" With that said, the unconscious Yugi lifted from her arms and hung lifelessly, floating in mid-air.

Yami growled. "Just what do you think you're doing, Kalika! Release Yugi at once! He hasn't done anything to you!" Just by looking at the scowl upon Yami's face, you could tell that he was full-out enraged. Whenever something came between himself and his hikari, he would always go to great lengths to save him. This time would be no exception...

"So, you think you can save your little friends by defeating me? Is that correct?" Kalika questioned while stroking her chin.

"That's exactly what I think and I know it will work!" Yami exclaimed.

"Well I'd like to see you try when my ribbons are still holding you back," Kalika stated, pointing out the obvious.

'Damn it, she's right. What am I going to do? I have to save my friends but how?' Yami played with this question over and over again in his mind, trying to figure out a solution to the dilemma at hand. It was then that Kalika interrupted his thoughts with a loud, hysterical laugh.

"Ha, ha, ha! Think all you like Pharaoh but you'll never find a way to rescue your pathetic friends! They belong to me now and will soon be offered as a sacrafice to bring back the great Anubis, the all-powerful ruler of the underworld!"

"You think that scares me?" Yami tried to put on a serious face but no matter what he did, he just couldn't hide his feelings of worry, hatred and fear.

"By the way you're acting, I say it does..." Kalika taunted mockingly.

Yami growled and muttered a few words under his breath. "That's enough out of you..." he murmured in a low, almost inaudible voice.

"Well if you're so determined to defeat me, then why don't you go ahead and try?" Kalika arched an eyebrow as she spoke.

Yami tightly clenched his fist. "I would if I wasn't so tied up..." He was completely aware of his sarcasm but showed no hints that he cared.

"Fine..." Kalika began chanting an old, Egyptian spell as the ribbons around Yami's wrists and ankles loosened so that he was able to free himself. He slowly floated down onto a small platform made of ice and crystal. He looked at Kalika with fire burning intensely within his deep violet orbs.

"Are you ready?" he asked, taking his typical battle stance. He clutched the Sennen Puzzle with his right hand. 'Don't worry hikari. I will rescue you from Kalika's grasp. I guarantee it...' he promised himself mentally.

"Well, are you going to fight or just stand there like you have nothing better to do?" Kalika asked, tapping her foot impatiently. Yami sent a deathly glare her way.

"I would of thought that you'd want to prolong your death, not bring it on faster. Oh well, that's your decision." Yami heaved a heavy sigh and waited for the priestess to reply.

"Yes, it is my decision and I will win this battle, whether you like it or not..."

"We'll just have to see about that, now won't we?"

Kalika nodded in response as she jumped up, her Sennen Scepter in hand and almost collided head on with the Pharaoh. Luckily, he was able to dodge her attempted attack just in time.

"Heh," he smirked. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to defeat me..."

"Oh, don't worry, I will. It just takes time my Pharaoh. All defeats come in good time..."

"You're right about that...but it won't be me who will be the one defeated," Yami corrected. The Sennen Puzzle then started to glow as did Yugi who was still hovering in mid-air.

"What's going on? What have you done Pharaoh?" Kalika asked, a shocked expression plastered across her face.

"It's not what I've done Kalika, it's what you've done!" With that said, he held out the palm of his hand, closed his eyes, and started chanting an age-old Egyptian spell, one that only the Pharaoh of Egypt himself had come to learn. As soon as the last word slipped from his mouth, both his and Yugi's eyes shot open at the exact same time as if it was timed. Yugi slowly floated down onto a different crystal platform directly across from the one Yami was currently standing on. Once his feet hit solid ground, you could almost instantly tell that he had just come out from under a deep spell. Dark circles had formed underneath his eyes and he looked rather groggy standing upright. However, even in his state of consciousness, he still managed to send a deathly evil glare in Kalika's direction, which was normally unlike him. But seeing as how this situation had begun to take its toll on him, the young teen couldn't help but feel some hatred towards the wicked priestess.

Kalika smiled evilly. "Heh, so what are you planning on doing now, Pharaoh? Attacking me with your poor excuse for a hikari?" This was what made Yami's blood boil. He was able to remain calm when Kalika had held Yugi captive, but when she insulted him, that was going too far. He tensed both his fists firmly and stared at Kalika with a look of pure hatred.

"That's it. You were lucky before but now that you went and said that about my hikari, my light, you won't live to see another day ever again!" His fists began to tremble uncontrollably as the Sennen Puzzle glowed even brighter. He leapt forward, as did Yugi, right into Kalika's path, both glowing an intense shade of golden.

"Shadow creatures! Please hear our call! Erupt from the other world and give us your strength! I beg of thee! ARISE AND ANSWER OUR PLEAS!" Both Yugi and Yami exclaimed in unison. It was then that hundreds of monsters, both evil and good, came up from the ground and surrounded both hikari and yami. One by one they vanished into both bodies, making each one stronger with every soul. When the last one withdrew itself into Yugi's body, both him and Yami collided against Kalika sending her flying to the side about thirty feet or so. She crashed into one of the pillars and slide down it until she hit another crystal platform. She started breathing heavily before lifting herself up off the ground. Yami and Yugi both landed gracefully on the opposite platform to which they were originally standing.

"Had enough yet?" Yami asked with a hint of sarcasm as he arched his left eyebrow.

"Not by a minute..." she replied, holding out her Sennen Scepter. She didn't even have to say a word; the scepter started glowing a silvery white as a large beam of light shot out and headed in Yugi's direction.

"YUGI! NO!" Yami shouted, fear overflowing in his voice. But it was too late. Before Yugi had the chance to dodge the blast, it overcame him and sent him flying backwards into another pillar. This time, however, he was not as lucky as Kalika. As he slipped down the pillar, there was no crystal platform to stop him from falling. Instead, he slid all the way down into the water below.

"YUGI!" As the Pharaoh looked below, he couldn't see any sign of his hikari anywhere in the slow, rippling water. He then fell to his knees in complete horror, fear and anger. He punched the ground as hard as he could. "Why? Why did this happen? Why didn't I stop it from happening? This is all my fault... If I could of just protected my hikari better..."

"Yes, it is all your fault. You failed to protect your hikari and now you have to pay the price. What a shame...he really was a cute one..." Kalika said with a wink. Yami just ignored it; in fact, he practically ignored her all together. "Well? Aren't you going to say something?"

Yami didn't even so much as flinch when she spoke. He was too upset over the sole fact of losing his one and only companion. Sure, he did have his friends, but techincally those weren't 'his' friends, they were Yugi's. Yugi was the first person to actually accept him for who he was and he respected him for that. But now that he was gone, who did he have left? Everyone else was trapped with no way out. It was just him and Kalika, face to face. He wasn't sure if he could continue fighting now that he had no one to stand by his side. 'It's hopeless...' he thought. Then, out of nowhere, he heard a small, yet familiar voice mentally calling out to him.

'Don't give up. You'll never save me or the others if you do. Think about all the people that are counting on you to defeat Kalika. Don't let them down...' The voice then slowly faded away. Yami thought for a moment and then realized who it was that was speaking to him. "Yugi?" he questioned himself out loud.

"I'm afraid little Yugi's gone... It's just you and me now, Pharaoh," Kalika spoke up.

"Yes and this time I'm going to win!" he exclaimed.

"You say that now..." Kalika's scepter than began to glow once more as she charged straight for Yami. He managed to escape that attack, but not before the priestess quickly chanted a spell and another blast of silvery white light erupted from the golden object. It hit him directly in the side where his rib bones were located, causing him to collapse to the ground. As he laid on the crystal platform, nearly unconscious, Kalika floated down beside him.

"Heh, I told you that you couldn't withstand the power of my Sennen Scepter. Now to finish you off..." However, just as she moved the scepter to face the spot where Yami's heart rested, the water bubbles that held Subaru and Kisara burst open and the two sisters emerged from within them. Both Kalika and Yami turned their heads to look at what had just happened. Hovering in mid-air, both girls held their Sennen items in their hands; Subaru with the Sennen Bow and Arrows and Kisara with the Sennen Charm. They both looked at Kalika and then to Yami who was still lying on his back right underneath Kalika who was literally standing overtop of him. They nodded to him, as he did the same and then shifted their gaze back to Kalika. This was going to be a long fight...and Ra only knows who will win...

END OF CHAPTER NINETEEN

A/N: Yes, yes, I know. I hate cliffies too but the next chapter will be worth it, I promise! I just know all of you will love it! So don't forget to review and stay tuned for chapter twenty! Luv ya all! Ja ne everyone!