19. End of the Shadow Game
Yugi smiled as Joey appeared from behind one of the stone tablets. Rebecca, Tristan, and Duke were with him.
"Oh good, the pep squad has arrived," Kaiba groaned.
"You guys won your duel!" Yugi said with relief, ignoring Kaiba.
"Was there any doubt?" Joey grinned.
"We didn't doubt Rebecca anyway," Duke said, nudging Joey. Joey scowled at him.
"How about Mai and Serenity?"
Joey sobered. "Haven't seen them yet. She'll beat him, though. I know she will."
"She will," Yugi agreed.
"Anyway, we're here to back you up, dude," Tristan changed the subject. "Kick the crap outta this guy and let's blow this cave already."
"Then if you don't mind, I'd like to take my turn," Kaiba said huffily and Yugi turned his attention back to the duel. It was then that he noticed a sort of unfocussed look in Evan's eye, as if he was seeing something far away instead of them. And come to think of it, he hadn't complained about the interruption or the arrival of more supporters, either.
"Hm," he said under his breath.
"What?" Téa whispered.
"Look at Evan. I think he's communicating with Ramesses. Through Reshef."
"What? Like in his mind?"
"Why not? Marik did it, why couldn't Ramesses?"
"That's it? That's your big move?" Yugi heard Joey grumble and he turned his attention back to the duel. "You set the card you drew and then pass?"
"Listen, you wannabe, when I want the advice of a third-rate hack, I'll be sure to ask. In the meantime, keep your opinions to yourself."
"Well, well, so much for team spirit," Evan said and Yugi saw that the glazed look was gone.
"This isn't a pep rally, it's a duel," Kaiba responded. "And it's your turn, Yugi."
Yugi drew Dedication Throught Light and Darkness. An excellent instant magic card, but he'd have to get Dark Magician on the field to use it. Still, he did have Dark Renewal. He set Dedication Throught Light and Darkness, emptying his hand once more.
"So, neither 'World Champion' has a move," Evan smirked as he drew, collecting another five hundred Life Points thanks to Solemn Wishes. That put him back where he started at four thousand. He played Card of Demise, which allowed him to draw until he had five cards in his hand, so long as he discarded his entire hand at the end of five turns. He drew three more cards to add to the two he had in his hand, bringing his Life Points to forty-five hundred. "I play one monster in defense mode and two facedown cards and I play the magic card Swords of Revealing Light."
Five luminescent swords dropped down around Yugi and Kaiba, preventing them from attacking for three turns. Apparently Evan had no other spell cards to discard because he did not try to use Reshef's effect to take control of Black Luster Soldier again. The fourth ring around Reshef disappeared and he was down to five.
It was Kaiba's turn again and once again the only thing he could do was set the card he drew.
Yugi drew Shallow Grave. Another useful card, but not at the moment. He was starting to feel frustrated. His Life Points were no longer teetering close to zero, but they were still five turns away from getting rid of Reshef, but he didn't have a move. He was close. He had some good cards on the field, but he didn't have a move. Keeping his expression blank, he passed. Come on, Atem. If I have your memories, let me have some of your strength, too. Let me be you, let me pull this off.
"Again it's back to me with nothing played! Excellent!" Evan cried happily. He drew and brought his Life Points to five thousand. "Now you will see the true power of my deck!" He flipped his facedown monster, Jowls of Demise, into attack mode, thus simultaneously completing its summons and activating its special ability.
Bingo. Time for Yugi to play his trump card. "By summoning a monster to the field, you've activated my Dark Renewal Trap card!" Yugi called out. "This allows me to sacrifice the monster you just summoned plus one of my monsters to summon Dark Magician from the Graveyard." As he spoke, Jowls of Demise and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon Yugi controlled both dissipated while Dark Magician materialized in front of Yugi.
"You just sacrificed a three-thousand attack strength monster for one with twenty-five hundred attack points?" Kaiba said incredulously. "This had better be good!"
"Don't worry, Kaiba, you'll get your Blue-Eyes back before too long," Yugi replied, aping the Pharaoh's assertive tone.
"In the meantime, even though Jowls of Demise is gone, he left behind a gift when he flipped into attack mode, and that's the ability to control one of your monsters and use it to attack your Life Points directly. Black Luster Soldier, come back to my side of the field!"
Yugi's monster obeyed, and Evan looked from Yugi to Kaiba with glee. "Now, both of you have fewer than thirty-eight hundred Life Points, so which of you should I attack?"
Yugi realized once again he didn't have any way to defend them, but Kaiba merely sniffed. "So that's the 'true strength' of your deck? Using other people's monsters? That's not strength, Evan. It's no better than a kid playing dress-up."
"Then maybe I should attack your Life Points?"
"I don't think so, because you activated my trap when you took control of Yugi's monster." One of Kaiba's set cards revealed itself and Yugi smiled in relief. "Remove Brainwashing, Evan. That means all monsters on the field return to their original owner. Oh, and it's a continuous trap, which means you won't be controlling our monsters anymore, not with Reshef, not with any of your other pathetic drones."
Black Luster Soldier returned to Yugi's side of the field."Kaiba's right, Evan," he said. "Your deck has no heart of its own, it just constantly seeks to borrow from others." He eyed Evan thoughtfully, remembering what Kaiba had read about Reshef in the hieroglyphics. "In fact, I don't think this deck has your heart in it at all. I think this is Ramesses's deck. He's the one who likes to control others, isn't he?"
"And I'm his Vizier. What's his is mine to oversee," Evan rejoined.
"Do you really believe that? Look at Ramesses's deck. Look at his personal guardian monster. They're all about controlling others. Do you honestly think you're more than that, more than just another pawn to be controlled?"
Evan smiled. "Nice try, but no one is controlling me."
"Where have I heard that before?" Yugi asked, remembering Mai when she was with Dartz. While it was true she wasn't being controlled per se, she wasn't exactly operating under her own free will, either. And both Dartz and Ramesses had used the Orichalcos.
"I serve my Pharaoh because of his power."
"And you think you'll share in that power?"
"Of course I won't share in it. But I will be rewarded for my loyalty."
He paused and Yugi narrowed his eyes, watching carefully as Evan got that glassy look again. Then Evan smiled broadly. "Yes, I will be rewarded quite well."
Yugi glanced sideways at Kaiba, who looked back at him with one eyebrow raised.
"Is that what he's telling you to say? He's controlling you even now, isn't he? Through Reshef. We know he can speak to you through Reshef, Evan."
Evan's smile faltered for only a fraction of a section and then he laughed. "Yes, he can communicate with me through Reshef, much like your Nameless Pharaoh could communicate with you through your Millennium Puzzle."
"His name was Atem!" Téa bit out and Yugi looked at her, torn yet again between being troubled by her defensiveness on Atem's behalf and being touched by it.
"It doesn't matter what he calls him," Yugi told her, then to Evan said, "You can never understand the bond between Atem and me. We worked together as partners, not as master and servant."
"Is that why he sacrificed you to the Seal of Orichalcos?"
"Actually, that was my choice."
"But playing the Seal wasn't, was it? He didn't consult his partner then, did he?"
"Don't listen to him," Téa whispered beside him. "You know what you meant to him."
And that was the flaw in Evan's attempt to rattle him. If there was anything he knew without question, it was where he had stood in his bond to his other self. His access to Atem's memories, his ability to see their three years together—to see himself—through Atem's eyes left no room for doubt. Rather, it filled him with a strength that surprised him. Their first night on the ship, Téa had said that she wished she could see himself the way she saw him, but at this moment he could see himself the way Atem saw him. It had never occurred to him to do this before, to really see himself through Atem's memories, and what he saw stunned him.
He had always seen himself as the weaker half with the Pharaoh as the goal he could never quite reach. Or as Kaiba had described Evan, as a kid playing dress-up. Looking through Atem's eyes, through Atem's memories, he saw that at first Atem had seen him that way, too, as someone who needed protecting.
But over their years together, he understood through Atem's memories, Atem's opinion had changed. Remembering from Atem's point of view his return from the Orichalcos, remembering just before they separated in Egypt, he saw himself radiating with power, with a strength that was deeper than he ever knew. His unwillingness to compromise his integrity, his refusal to do the wrong thing even for the right reasons, his unwavering dedication to what he knew to be the right course, even when it cost him, his capacity for love and his loyalty to and faith in those he loved. These things were things Atem not only had seen as real strengths, but had admired him for.
Atem… he admired me, Yugi realized with astonishment. He admired me! And even though those had basically been Atem's parting words to him, he'd always figured he had meant them only to be bracing, to get Yugi to buck up and not be afraid of losing him. But seeing their relationship now through Atem's memories without his own insecurities to filter them, he knew it had been the truth, that Atem had actually believed what he'd said about Yugi being strong.
Yugi blinked, trying to refocus himself on Evan and the duel. "He did play the Seal," Yugi agreed at last, forcing himself to use the Pharaoh's voice, to not be overwhelmed by the strength of his other self's love and regard for him, "but I also know what he did to get me back, to make things right, so if you think this is a memory that causes me pain, you're mistaken. Being reminded of our time together only makes me stronger and the Orichalcos weaker, Evan.
"Look around you. Kaiba and I have our friends on our side. You have a 'master' who promises you 'rewards' if you succeed, but what if you fail, Evan? What then? When I've failed, my friends were always here to pull me up again, but when you fail, will Ramesses do that for you?"
For just a moment, Yugi thought he saw a flicker of fear in Evan's eyes, but it was gone in an instant. Yugi continued. "Face it Evan, you have nothing. You don't even have a move right now, and only four rings left to protect Reshef and two turns with Swords of Revealing Light. So who really has power, Evan? Us or you?"
"You tell him, Yuge!" Joey cried in support.
Evan said nothing but Kaiba rolled his eyes. "If you're done with your sermon, can I take my turn now?"
"Be my guest," Yugi replied with a smile.
Kaiba gave Evan a tight grin as he drew. "As tired as I am of Yugi's series of discourses on Friendship, Teamwork, and the Heart of the Cards, he did get one thing right, Evan. You have nothing. And now, you have even less than nothing. Say good-bye to Ring of Nine Lives." Kaiba played Remove Trap, and the final four rings protecting Reshef disappeared.
"That's showing him!" Mokuba approved, giving his brother a high-five.
"You still can't attack thanks to Swords of Revealing Light," Evan pointed out.
"No," Kaiba agreed, then he held up two fingers. "Two turns, though, Evan. Two turns and you're finished." He looked to Yugi. "Now do you think you can manage your turn without another incessant speech?"
"I'll try," Yugi said dryly as he drew. He smiled as he looked at the card, Bond of Brothers. Not a card he could use right now, but like Magician of Faith and Dark Magician Girl had made him think of Téa, which in turn made him feel invincible, this card made him think of Atem. It made him think of Joey and Tristan, too. He had the Pharaoh's confidence once more, only this time it wasn't an act. He knew exactly what to do and he knew he couldn't lose.
"I play the magic card Shallow Grave. This allows each of us to bring back one monster from our Graveyards in facedown defense position." He saw Kaiba nod his approval as he set what Yugi—and probably Evan—knew had to be his third Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Yugi brought Dark Magician Girl back and Evan chose his monster as well. Now Yugi had both Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl on the field in addition to Black Luster Soldier.
He thought of Mahad, Atem's friend when he was Pharaoh, who had sacrificed his life and become the Dark Magician. He thought of Mana, another of Atem's friends and Mahad's student, who had become the Dark Magician Girl. He thought of Téa, to whom that card was bonded, their lifelong friendship a mirror to that of Mana's and Atem's. He thought of Blue-Eyes White Dragon and her bond to Kaiba.
And now it was time for he and Kaiba to really team up. "If I know Kaiba, he's got his three Blue-Eyes back on the field, so I'll now activate Polymerization to merge them into Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon." Kaiba's facedown card was indeed his third Blue-Eyes and the three dragons merged to once more become the silver, three-headed behemoth. "Then I activate Dedication Throught Light and Darkness, which allows me to sacrifice Dark Magician to summon Dark Magician of Chaos from my deck, and whenever Dark Magician of Chaos is successfully summoned, I can also get one magic card back from my Graveyard. I choose Polymerization, which I'll use to combine my Black Luster Soldier with Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon to form Master of Dragon Knight with five thousand attack and defense points."
When Yugi ended his turn, Kaiba had Master of Dragon Knight on his side of the field and Yugi had Dark Magician of Chaos with twenty-eight hundred attack points and Dark Magician Girl facedown with seventeen hundred defense points. If he had a chance to switch her to attack mode, she would have twenty-three hundred attack points—two thousand of her own and an additional three hundred from the Dark Magician in his Graveyard. Mahad sacrificed himself and only then could his student reach her full potential, he thought.
Evan clapped his hands together slowly. "Very nicely played, King of Games. However, all of these powerful monsters do you no good while Swords of Revealing Light prevent you from attacking."
"What difference does it make?" Kaiba asked. "This is your last turn with Swords of Revealing Light in play, so enjoy it while you can."
Evan drew, adding another five hundred Life Points to his ever growing total. "First let me switch my facedown monster into attack mode." It turned out to be Gravekeeper's Curse. "This activates his special ability, which, as you'll remember, deals five hundred points of damage to my opponent's Life Points. I believe I'll use that on Yugi," he added, and Yugi's Life Points went down to twenty-eight hundred.
"Now for the rest," Evan went on, "you should know, Kaiba, you're not the only one who can destroy cumbersome trap cards. I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Remove Brainwashing—"
Yugi knew immediately what Evan planned to do. He would discard a spell card and take control of Master of Dragon Knight, which he would use to destroy Dark Magician of Chaos, knocking Yugi all the way from twenty-eight hundred Life Points down to six hundred. He'd then switch Reshef to attack mode and destroy Dark Magician Girl. Finally, he would attack Yugi directly with Gravekeeper's Curse and that would be that.
Kaiba, however, had other ideas, once again saving the duel. Before Evan could discard his spell card, he called out, "I activate my trap card Ring of Destruction, which destroys one face-up monster on the field and reduces all our Life Points by the attack strength of that monster. Say good-bye to Reshef, Evan!"
Yugi smiled. So that was why Kaiba gave him the three thousand Life Points with Last Hope. Reshef disappeared and Evan cried out in distress. His Life Points went down to three thousand while Kaiba's went to eleven hundred and Yugi's back to three hundred.
"Now let's see what you can do without your precious Reshef," Kaiba said, crossing his arms with a smug grin.
"How about this?" Evan shot back. He played Fulfillment of Contract, a spell card that cost him eight hundred Life Points but brought back a Ritual Monster from the Graveyard. Yugi groaned as Reshef reappeared on the field in defense mode. Evan then called on Gravekeeper's Curse to attack Yugi's facedown Dark Magician Girl. Gravekeeper's Curse wasn't strong enough to defeat her, so he took nine hundred points of battle damage, bringing his Life Points down to thirteen hundred. Apparently he no longer had a spell card to discard—Fulfillment of Contract must have been his last one—because he didn't attempt to take control of one of their monsters. His turn ended and Swords of Revealing Light dissolved away.
"Well, well, considering how many times I bailed Yugi out in this duel, it's only fitting that I be the one to end it," Kaiba chuckled as he drew. "Master of Dragon Knight—"
"Kaiba wait!"
They all turned to see Mai and Serenity running toward them through the rows of tablets.
"Mai! Serenity!" Joey called out, practically sagging in relief.
Mai ignored him as she and Serenity skidded to a halt and she tried to catch her breath. "Kaiba…" she panted, "you have to… attack Reshef. You have to… get him off the field or you won't win!"
"What are you talking about?" Kaiba scoffed. "Reshef's in defense mode. If I attack him, Evan's still in the game. If I attack Gravekeeper's Curse, then it's all over."
"No, you don't understand," Mai argued. "Pegasus told me… he won the duel, but he left Reshef on the field. Ramesses can control Reshef. He attacked Pegasus directly after it was over!"
"What?" Yugi cried in alarm. "Kaiba, attack Reshef!"
"This is ridiculous! We're going to listen to Pegasus, who at best was brain-controlled and at worst is on Evan's side?"
"He broke free for a moment," Mai said. "He… I don't know, he thought I was someone else for a second. He called me 'Cecelia,' and it broke him out of it for just a second."
"Cecelia? She was his wife. She died soon after they were married. She would be his touchstone," Yugi mused, "and she was blonde."
"Well, he grabbed my arm and snapped out of it for long enough to tell us that he beat Evan but then Ramesses took over Reshef and attacked him."
"That's why he was so pale, just like Téa," Serenity added. "He was attacked the same way she was."
"Please. When a duel is over it's over."
"You're forgetting what happened with Dartz," Yugi reminded him.
"I'm not listening to this nonsense anymore," Kaiba spat. "How do we even know Mai didn't lose and isn't being controlled?"
Mai rolled her eyes. "Oh for the love of—"
"Kaiba," Yugi interjected urgently, "she's right. It's just what you read in those hieroglyphics. You have to get Reshef off the field!"
"And let you get in the winning attack after I saved your sorry ass no less than four times? I don't think so! Master of Dragon Knight, attack Gravekeeper's Curse and end this duel!"
Master of Dragon Knight attacked in a blinding flash of light. It ripped through Gravekeeper's Curse, shattering it into nothing, then knocked Evan backwards with the force of its forty-two hundred remaining attack points. Evan flew into the stone tablet depicting Reshef, then slumped as his Life Points clicked down to zero.
"Any more questions?" Kaiba asked as Mokuba cheered for him and slapped him on the back.
At that moment, Reshef, who had been kneeling in defense position, rose into attack mode.
"Kaiba, look out!" Yugi cried, but Reshef was already attacking. There was the same flare of bright light, then the three glowing balls of energy in its midsection, then finally the eerie electrified atmosphere and the silence. When it was over, Yugi looked around in panic, trying to determine whom Reshef had attacked.
"Holy—Yuge, look!" Joey cried.
Yugi looked where Joey was pointing, toward the altar where Evan was slumped. His body shuddered and convulsed like an epileptic in the middle of a grand mal seizure, and then it was still and lying with limbs tangled in positions that did not look natural.
NOW THE SHADOW GAME IS COMPLETE, a voice boomed and Yugi realized he wasn't hearing it but feeling it in his head. He looked around and could tell by the looks on his friends' faces that they could sense it, too. YOU HAVE DEFEATED THE SERVANT BUT YOU CANNOT DEFEAT THE MASTER. YOU NOW FACE THE GREAT PHARAOH RAMESSES AND THE REAL WAR HAS JUST BEGUN!
Before anyone could even react, Master of Dragon Knight shuddered and bucked, then went still. He then flew to Reshef's side. At the same moment, Reshef geared up for another attack, turning slightly to face Kaiba, who no longer had any monsters to defend himself.
"Dark Magician Girl, defend Kaiba!" Yugi shouted just as the first bright light from Reshef's attack flashed. It dimmed and then came the charged atmosphere and silence before Dark Magician Girl imploded in a wail of agony. She was in defense mode, so Yugi didn't feel her destruction, but next came Master of Dragon Knight's white lightning attack, also aimed at Kaiba. Yugi's sent his Dark Magician of Chaos, which was in attack mode, to intercept, and when he disintegrated under Master of Dragon Knight's attack, it tore through Yugi like a wall of fire burning through his skin and into his chest, his lungs, his heart. He thought he heard someone—maybe even several someones—call out his name as he collapsed into someone's arms, and then everything went black.