The Last Rays of Twilight

by Seeker of the Soul

The Apocalypse has begun. Death itself will sweep like a plague across the lands and the only ones who have the potential to stem the tide of death are nowhere to be found. Truly it is the End of Days.

39. Funeral for a Friend

Author's Note: D'harim and Kai duke it out with Takuya!

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Funeral for a Friend

A huge black coffin lifted up out of the ground and stood in front of D'harim and to his left, the music growing louder with each passing moment. "The truth contained within my god's eye even has the power to raise the dead and give them the same life that we have. It requires great sacrifice of self, but with that ultimate knowledge anything is possible. Even the doors of the land of the dead open wide with a simple glance of that all-knowing eye!"

D'harim thrust out his left hand and the coffin's cover began to slide off bit by bit, creaking as it moved its heavy bulk away. "Watch as the power of my god's eye of truth reaches into the land of the dead and brings forth a foe that you cannot defeat! Granted his power, I will let you witness the birth of one of his newest servants!"

Finally the door creaked and slammed down to the ground. Fog poured out of it and Takuya's entire group stood stricken, unable to do anything but stare at the coffin, waiting for whatever was hidden within to emerge. "Monster…you're a monster…your god is a monster!"

The others couldn't even spare a glance at Takuya who was sputtering as one heavily armored foot stepped out of the coffin, steam rising up and away from that booted foot. "You see the truth of what my master gives, don't you Kensai?"

Behind D'harim Taichi couldn't help but laugh, although he fell into a coughing fit shortly after and had to be given his oxygen mask by Evelyn. Kodowari leaned in and asked the obvious question. "What is it father, what is it that makes you laugh? What's in that coffin?"

Taichi shook his head, still unable to breathe well enough to answer. As he tried to recover his breath a bone armored shoulder and arm moved into view, and then the end of a bone helmet, capped by one long horn on the forehead. "Father?"

Finally Evelyn removed the oxygen mask as Taichi patted her hand, indicating that he wanted it taken away. "Funeral for a Friend…is a unique magic…card. Given by D'harim's….dark god it allows….him to conquer…death."

"So what is it that's coming out of the coffin?" Taichi's blue eyes pierced into his son's and the boy jerked backwards, surprised by the intensity in his father's gaze. He had been amused just moments before, so why was he now mad?

Takuya shook his head and took two steps backwards as the rest of the new monster's body moved out away from the coffin and the mist. It was heavily covered in black bone armor, the joints wrapped in what looked like burnt flesh. Its left hand gripped a sheath made of skin, the blade itself roughly the shape of a katana within its sheath. "Please…I would rather face the apocalypse than be forced to do this. I protect the innocent…you can't make me do this!"

Taichi watched the monster slowly lift its armored head to gaze upon its foes. "It is…just an old friend."

The knight's eyes now met Takuya's, and Takuya fell to his knees under the pressure of those eyes. In a strange contrast to D'harim's white eyes this knight's eyes were different colors, one blue and the other brown. Its pale lips were just barely revealed by the fangs of bone from its helmet, but enough was visible that they saw the lips curl into a deadly smirk. "You beg for the apocalypse? I'll give you your apocalypse…Takuya."

D'harim rubbed a thumb against the ruby hilt of his sword, seeming satisfied. "Let me introduce to you the newest servant of my god. Death Knight Convert-Kai Kaethen(2500/2300)!"

Kai let his right hand drift until it was just surrounding the hilt of his sword but not yet drawing it. "Are you prepared to die Takuya? I know you want to protect the weak and the innocent, to act like a noble samurai. But the days of the samurai are long since over, and today is your final day as well!"

His hand clamped down on the hilt and he tensed his arm to draw. He was stopped in his tracks by the strong voice of D'harim. "Stay your hand Kai.

The newly converted Death Knight's hand stopped in mid-draw and he shot a glare back at D'harim. His bi-colored eyes shook with fury. "This is my battle D'harim, not yours! Let me end him or I'll end you!"

D'harim's white eyes seemed to harden at those words, and his left hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. "You will do as you are bidden, I am your superior and I am the one who has brought you here. In this battle as well as in any other you will obey my words!"

Behind Takuya the group was beginning to wonder just what was going on. Alice glanced over at Nikolas, who seemed to be staring intently at the two Death Knights with an expression she couldn't identify. "What is it Nikolas? The whole situation is weird, but what's got your panties in a twist?"

The thief ignored her stupid insult and kept staring at the two monsters. "I know a little bit about feeling out levels of power, and I know that D'harim is very powerful. Yet the power that Kai is giving off is nearly at that level but seems…restrained."

His single eye finally came to focus on an object he at first hadn't noticed. Imbedded into the center of Kai's black bone armor was a blood red jewel similar to D'harim's on his sword. "I get it…the power of that magic card that raised him also restrains him, putting him under D'harim's control. This is certainly an interesting development, but I don't like that these Death Knights can so casually raise the dead."

Ryu finally managed to interject a comment into the conversation, while behind him Autumn shivered in fear. "I hate to interrupt, but either way it doesn't matter. What we should be worried about is the fact that right now it looks like D'harim has the duel advantage."

Finally, after nearly a minute of a stalemate face-off Kai's hand released his sword and he turned to face Takuya again. "For the moment I'll take your orders, but only for the duration of this duel. Are we understood?"

"Your opinions don't matter Kai Kaethen. All that matters is that you obey. And now, back to the duel!" He reached out to his deck and picked up a top card. He chuckled when he saw what it was and flipped it around to show Takuya as well.

Takuya stared at the card almost vacantly and read the name, ignoring the image of bodies falling out the back of a plane. "Corpse Deposit…."

"That's correct; I'm discarding this card from my deck to allow me to revive Missionary. However, when Corpse Deposit goes from hand or deck to the cemetery that player may pay up to five hundred life points in increments of one hundred to discard the top five cards of their deck to the grave as well." He tilted the card down and then shoved it into his discard slot, then proceeded to place the top five cards of his deck into the grave as well. (DLP: 3500)

Briefly D'harim nodded to Kai, and the new Death Knight slammed his fist into the ground. But instead of it punching through the steel it just seemed to warp straight into it, vanishing from sight. "I now activate one of Kai's effects, discarding a magic card from my hand to pick up a magic card in my cemetery. This effect is usable once a turn."

Kai pulled his hand up and out of the warp in the ground and his fingers now gripped a green bordered card. "Take the card D'harim, that's all you'll get from me for the time being."

D'harim graciously accepted the magic card, and then placed a card from his hand into the grave. "Now that I've gotten this card back, I suppose I should tell you what I just discarded. It was the magic card called Passing On!"

A black ray of energy shot out of his discard slot and one by one a large number of cards were pushed out of it. Takuya's eyes widened in surprise to see so many of D'harim's cards returning from the grave. "What's going on? Why are so many cards coming out of your cemetery?"

"The effect of Passing One is that when it goes to the cemetery all cards that have gone to my grave this turn are immediately returned to my hand. That means I get to pick up six cards." He laughed as he reviewed his brand new hand of eleven cards, quite satisfied by it.

D'harim took the card that Kai had handed him and held it straight out. On it was a picture of a black whirlwind that was hurling around bodies and cutting them up. "This is one of my deadlier magic cards known as Black Wind of Death. It destroys one magic or trap card on your field with no chance of negating it, and deals you five hundred damage in the process!"

Black sickles of wind danced across the field and slashed up Takuya's one face down card. Then the sickles continued and slashed three gashes onto Takuya's body. One on each shoulder and the third on his right arm. The warrior gritted his teeth but didn't cry out. "Damn…" (TLP: 3000)

When the winds died out completely D'harim made to continue his turn. "Lucky for you I cannot use Kai's effect to return this card to my continuously since once played it is automatically shuffled back into my deck."

He tucked it into the center of his deck and proceeded to shuffle it heavily before returning his attention to his move. "Next, since I still have so many cards to play, I'll activate Vision of a Future World, which lets me view the top cards of your deck until I reach a monster."

The two duelists walked into the center of their dueling area and D'harim reached out for Takuya's deck. He picked up the first card and looked at it, then the second, and the third, and finally the fourth card he turned to show Takuya. "Another Saint Knight of course. Since it was the same sub-type as a monster on your field you gain one thousand life points." (TLP: 4000)

He returned the four cards back in the proper order and then they went back to their own original positions. Scanning his remaining ten cards he took one of them and placed it at the very top of his strange duel disk where it was pulled into a slot in the flesh. "Field magic card, activate!"

The area around them shook violently and a wall of something that looked like organs erupted in a massive circle around Takuya and D'harim. The others were blocked out as the mass of flesh closed in around them, forming a huge dome. Takuya gagged, the scent terrible and filling every part of his body. "What is this godforsaken place?"

Suddenly all around them giant slits opened in the flesh, taking shape as completely white eyes, all of which seemed to be focusing on the two duelists. D'harim took a deep breath and looked around at the new arena, seeming pleased. "This is the Kingdom of the Blind, a field where even the blindest of fools can have their eyes opened."

He snapped his fingers and suddenly his Brute and his Missionary were speared from behind by tentacles of flesh from the wall. "Each turn we must offer all monsters on our field until only one remains, and we gain life points equal to half the base attack of those monsters." (DLP: 5250)

Takuya raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what to make of it. "Also, we must discard an equal number of cards from our hand. If we cannot we lose half of our life points."

D'harim instead reached for his deck and fanned it out, then selected two cards and jammed them into his cemetery. "We can choose to substitute cards from our hand with monsters from our deck, though it costs up eight hundred life points per card." (DLP: 3650)

With a feeling of eyes on his back Takuya craned his neck backwards and saw that above his head one of the blank white eyes now had a pitch black pupil staring down at him. "I thought that the eyes were blind…"

"They are, but as I said this is the place where the blind can see the truth. Each time one of us succeeds in forfeiting our strength one of the eyes gains sight, and different effects occur to us depending on the number of eyes that can see. For instance, now that we have one eye shown the truth, the player who gave it sight gains five hundred life points each standby phase." Takuya grimaced, starting to worry. If that was the effect of just succeeding once, then he didn't want to know what would happen if more were opened.

"Fine, you've got your kingdom and your bonus life points. Are you going to do anything else?" D'harim nodded and then glanced at Kai, who returned the nod. The new Death Knight grabbed his katana and unsheathed it in a flash.

He didn't seem to move from his spot, but the Saint Knight on Takuya's field shuddered and its head fell off. Thanks to the Spirit Barrier however Takuya felt nothing from it. "Now, I set two cards face down and conclude my turn."

Takuya drew, shuddering at the feeling of that eye still watching him. "Say…what happens if I don't have any monsters above just one?"

"Then you fail to meet the requirements for Kingdom of the Blind and cannot let any of the eyes see." Takuya scowled, realizing that meant D'harim had an easy advantage since with his deck he would always be able to have additional monsters to tribute to Kingdom of the Blind.

With that disadvantage he had to capitalize on whatever he drew, and right now his card was certainly going to help him out. "Activate magic card, Continuous Energy! First I sacrifice a continuous magic or trap card on the field…"

His face-up Spirit Barrier faded away as particles of light. "Once I've done that I get to add two continuous magic cards from my deck to my hand, and these two are my choices!"

Two cards shot out of his deck and he held them up, one showing a series of green swords and the other people on their knees staring up at a holy light. "Activate continuous magic cards, Swords of Revealing Light and Joyful Light of the Heavenly Realm!"

Dozens of green glowing swords slammed down over D'harim's field, freezing Kai in place. Even his eyes didn't move thanks to the power of the swords. Then the face-up magic card appeared on Takuya's field. "Swords of Revealing Light will prevent you from attacking for three turns while Joyful Light of the Heavenly Realm lets me draw one additional card each draw phase."

He made a slashing gesture with his right hand and faced D'harim with his full focus. He couldn't slip up now, there was nobody to back him up and his team was counting on him. "Turn End!"

D'harim drew and then the one eye with an actual pupil blasted him with a ray of white light, covering his body with the glow. "Thanks to Kingdom of the Blind I gain five hundred life points during my standby phase." (DLP: 4150)

Once the light had faded he slid the top card of his deck into the cemetery. "Using this effect I special summon Death Knight Paladin(2300/2200) to the field!"

A Death Knight identical to him save for being on a horse floated up out of the fleshy ground and raised its pitch black sword above its head. "Using its effect I will now special summon Death Knight Warlord(2650/1800) to the field from the cemetery!"

His newest Death Knight also wore similar armor to the paladin although it was thicker and had two bulky horns coming out of the top of the skull helmet. Its sword was also huge, being at least the size of a claymore. "While Death Knight Warlord is in play whenever a Death Knight destroys a monster I can deal you one hundred damage per that monster's level."

A card pushed out of his grave and he casually shuffled it into his deck. "Using the second effect of Death Knight Paladin I can shuffle one card from my cemetery or out of play pile back into my deck. I choose to return Passing On to my deck."

Since he hadn't actually played any real cards this turn he still had seven cards in his hand to work with, and Takuya was feeling worried. "I summon Death Knight Shield Soldier(800/1800) in attack mode!"

This Death Knight lacked a sword and instead its shield was bigger than normal and was tipped at the end by spikes. "Now in my first main phase I sacrifice all three of my Death Knights save for Kai according to the effect of Kingdom of the Blind!"

Lumps of flesh shot out and wrapped around their bodies then proceeded to drag them all into the organ walls where they could no longer be seen. "I gain half their total attack as life points." (DLP: 7025)

Without skipping a beat he reached for his deck and flipped through it until he found three cards which he dumped into the cemetery. "I discard these three monsters for twenty-four hundred life points in order to not discard from my hand." (DLP: 4625)

Takuya had to forcibly stop himself from flinching when D'harim snapped up another card from his hand. "I play the magic card Poisoned Rations, tributing my two face down cards and Nightmare Lash to deal you five hundred damage for each!"

The warrior felt himself growing ill as if he had eaten something that was rotten and was just now getting the after effects of it. It was an unpleasant feeling he had only had once before after eating bad oysters. "Is there a point to all this?" (TLP: 2500)

D'harim chuckled and discarded another card from his hand into the grave. "Of course there is, but first I discard the magic card Sins of Friend and Foe to the grave for Kai's effect. I pick up and reactivate Nightmare Lash."

Something about the way he had phrased his move put Takuya on edge. "Why did you bother to name the card you were discarding? It has an effect doesn't it…?"

"You are as aware as ever. But before I explain, I'd like to show you the second open eye, the one off to your left." Takuya looked to his left and saw that on the far wall there was another eye with a pupil in it, just like D'harim had said.

"Since I've succeeded in fulfilling the costs for Kingdom of the Blind again, now I get to deal my opponent three hundred life points of damage during his standby phase." Takuya glared at the eye, since in the next turn it was going to be dealing him additional points of damage that he couldn't afford.

D'harim stretched out his free right hand and Takuya looked down in surprise as his deck started glowing a deep red color. "What's going on?"

"Sins of Friend and Foe activates when it goes from my hand or deck to the grave. During my opponent's standby phase they have to draw until they reach a monster and that monster will be special summoned. It automatically attacks any monster on my field that I choose. Of course if you already have a monster in your hand that one is special summoned." Takuya blinked and then realized why D'harim seemed unworried.

'He knows what my next monster is thanks to Vision of a Future World. My next two draws will either be magic or traps, then I'll draw again for his magic card and special summon that monster. Even with the effect of the Saint Counter it might not be a match for Kai…and if it is, what happens if Kai is destroyed? The bastard is trying to force me to destroy Kai!' He didn't know how he knew that, but he was absolutely certain that was D'harim's intent.

The Death Knight coughed, bringing Takuya's attention back to focus on him. Then D'harim took one of the four remaining cards in his hand and slipped it into his duel disk. "Go ahead Takuya; it's your turn to suffer."

As soon as Takuya drew he was struck by a beam of red light from the second open eye, and he felt as if his body was being coated in acid. Even though the actual life point amount of damage was minimal it still hurt terribly. 'I can't keep up like this every turn…' (TLP: 2200)

He looked down at the two cards he had picked up and then remembered the effect of D'harim's magic card. So he drew once and held up the card he had drawn, seeing that it was indeed a monster. "According to your magic card's effect I special summon Saint Knight-Edward(1800/1500)!"

This Saint Knight was like all the others, only with grey hair and a thick full beard that was also grey. "Again following your magic card my monster attacks; however he gains five hundred attack points because of my Saint Counter!"

Kai suddenly came to life and drew his sword, flying straight across the field to meet Edward in the middle. He jumped over Edward's sword swing and slashed his sword right through Edward's neck, spraying blood all across the ground. Then he landed beyond Edward's body and calmly sheathed his weapon. "Finally a chance to spill blood, and hurt you."

The glare that he sent at Takuya was enough to make the warrior turn away, unable to remain staring at his former friend turned monstrosity. "Humph, coward." Without another word Kai returned to D'harim's field and was frozen in place by the swords.

D'harim reached to his side and unfurled the whip. "I use the effect of Nightmare Lash to negate the damage, thus destroying the top card of your deck!"

The thorny lash slapped Takuya in the chest, drawing a long line of blood even through his uniform. Without a word in his own defense Takuya discarded the top card of his deck. "Did you have any other terrible effects to act upon me, or can I move on with my own turn?"

Gripping one of his two cards tightly Takuya held it up and it started to glow. "Magic card activates! Offering to a Saint! This magic card increases my life points by the attack of one monster on the field after it has defeated a Saint in battle. Meaning I gain Kai's attack as life points!" (TLP: 4700)

Then he took his last card and slipped it into his disk. "That finishes up my turn."

D'harim drew for his second turn under the swords and got bathed in the light of the first opened eye. "I gain five hundred life points of course." (DLP: 5125)

He snapped his fingers and the top card of his deck slid forwards, letting him easily pick it up. "I send this card to the cemetery in order to special summon my Death Knight Paladin(2300/2200) to the field from the grave!"

His monster form appeared, and then was instantly followed by the familiar form of Death Knight Warlord(2650/1800) from his previous turn. "Using its effect I shuffle a card back into my deck. And then I use the effect of the card I just discarded a moment ago."

The spot next to Warlord twisted as the organs moved aside, allowing another monster to make it was out. "Death Knight General(2500/1900) is summoned because I discarded Death Knocks. And now for my normal summon."

Ignoring his general he slapped another card from his hand onto his duel disk, which formed as a Death Knight wielding a huge scythe. "Death Knight Reaper(1800/1600) is my choice. Not that he stays around long as I tribute all my monsters save Kai!" (DLP: 9750)

Following the absorption of his four monsters he reached for his deck and picked out four monsters which he also discarded. "Discarding those four monsters costs me thirty-two hundred life points." (DLP: 6550)

Up above D'harim's head a third eye grew a pupil which focused on Takuya just as the other two seemed to. "Thanks to opening the third eye I can draw one extra card each turn, much like your Joyful Light of the Heavenly Realm allows you to. And with that my turn ends."

Takuya drew and braced himself for the burning feeling. Just as he had been waiting for it hit, nearly knocking him off his feet from the pain. His vision was flooded with strange sparks almost as if he had been hit by a heavy blow. 'Such pain for such little damage…' (TLP: 4400)

"I draw for your magic card's effect…" He grimaced as he picked up three cards before finally reaching a monster. He shuffled the other three cards into his deck and then placed his monster onto his duel disk.

"My monster is Saint Knight-Boniface(1700/300) and he attacks Kai, gaining five hundred attack points in the process!" Boniface, an old man with leathery skin, trudged across the field on his horse, only to be gutted by Kai's blade.

Immediately D'harim snapped his Nightmare Lash, striking Takuya in the thigh and drawing blood. He gritted his teeth and quickly tore off part of one of his sleeves, tying it to stop too much blood from coming out. "Okay, so I discard, but that doesn't mean I'm done. In fact, it means you're in trouble!"

D'harim blinked in surprise when Boniface's form was immediately replaced by one of the lightly armored Saint Knight Tokens(1200/1200). "What is this?"

"When Boniface is destroyed in battle I can create a Saint Knight Token, and then during this turn that monster gains the ability to attack the opponent directly. Attack my Saint Knight!" The token ran past the frozen Kai and slashed its sword across D'harim's chest, not even scratching the armor, but doing a decent amount of life point damage. (DLP: 5350)

The Death Knight pointed to his set card which began its process of flipping up. "Pain of Retribution is my trap card, which deals you damage equal to that which I have just received from battle!"

The area on D'harim's armor that had just been cut glowed for a brief moment and then fired out an arc of red light that headed for Takuya. Takuya smirked and pressed a button on his duel disk. "Open set card, Divine Wind! This lets me take whatever effect damage I am about to receive and return it to the opponent with an added five hundred points tacked on!"

A swirl of blue wind surrounded Takuya, sucking up the red energy attack and spinning it rapidly around the warrior's body. After several seconds it shot back out, this time headed towards D'harim. It hit the Death Knight in the exact same spot. "Truly impressive Takuya…you're stronger than I would have thought." (DLP: 4150)

"I'm strong than whatever you think D'harim, and I'll continue to prove it. Activate continuous magic card, Holy Magic Aura! This card equips to one player. For every light type in that player's grave they gain 100 life points each standby phase." D'harim didn't seem overly worried, since that wasn't that much life points.

"Your card is insignificant. Did you expect it to make a difference?" Takuya smirked and wagged a finger at the Death Knight.

"I'm not equipping it to me; instead I'm equipping it to you! Do you want to know why?" D'harim's only response was to glare at Takuya, waiting for an answer to Takuya's own question.

"Fine, I'll tell you. While it gives a nice bonus for every light type in the grave it also deals damage for each dark type in that player's grave. One hundred for each to be precise. And how many dark types are in your grave?" D'harim's white eyes widened imperceptibly as he realized just how much damage that was going to be.

"Very clever, especially considering if I follow the effects of Kingdom of the Blind the number of monsters in my grave will continue to increase." Takuya smirked, confident now that he had his magic card to help him out. He had no illusions that it was going to win him the duel though.

"That will do for the moment, so I set one card face down and end my turn." He took a deep breath and waited for D'harim to draw, and draw he did, gaining life points in the process thanks to his field card. (DLP: 4650)

However, even though he had just gained life points he also began to lose them, his body sizzling from the holy aura that surrounded him thanks to Takuya's card. "I have thirteen dark type monsters in my cemetery…so I take thirteen hundred damage." (DLP: 3350)

Even though his mouth couldn't be seen Takuya was certain that D'harim was scowling. "For your impudence I'll crush you into pieces! I discard the top card of my deck to revive Death Knight Paladin(2300/2200) and then I shuffle once card into my deck and revive Death Knight Warlord(2650/1800)!"

The two familiar monsters formed and then blew into pieces when they were stabbed by multiple tongues of flesh from the walls around them. "I tribute them to Kingdom of the Blind and then discard these two cards from my hand as well!" (DLP: 5825)

An eye off to Takuya's right gained a pupil and started glowing. "Now thanks to the fourth one during the opponent's standby phase they must randomly discard one card from their hand. Meaning if you were top decking during your standby phase you'd lose your only card."

D'harim took one of the three cards he had left in his hand and placed it face down. "Now I end my turn, bringing a conclusion to these bothersome swords of yours! Let us truly battle from this moment out! Come and destroy your friend and acknowledge the suffering that will open your eyes!"

Takuya gripped his deck and drew two cards, biting his lip to keep from crying out when he was burned by the power of the Kingdom of the Blind. Freed from his bondage by the swords Kai sneered, his pale face looking crueler than the real Kai ever had. "How pathetic, nearly on your knees for that pathetic amount of pain? You wouldn't even deserve the title of samurai if they still existed!" (TLP: 4100)

A spectral hand reached out from his cemetery and grabbed one of the cards in his hand and then dragged it back down. Takuya took a shuddering breath and then lifted up his head to meet Kai's eyes. "Your words won't effect me…you aren't the Kai I knew. The soul is the same, but you've been perverted into a monster, while the real Kai was kind and honest and wouldn't laugh at the pain of others."

Kai snorted and reached down with his right hand to grip the hilt of his sword. "No, the 'real' Kai was a coward who didn't even understand his own reasons for fighting to save the world. He was a pathetic idiot who thought his life was bad even if it was comparatively easy. And you? You're way too similar and that's why I want to kill you! You remind too much of that simpering loser that I used to be!"

Takuya closed his eyes and breathed out between his closed lips. After a moment he opened his eyes and looked at Kai completely calm. "So that's the real reason then? I understand…you want to wipe out any traces of who you used to be, because the reminder is painful. Isn't that right?"

"Perceptive, that's what people have said about you. You really are perceptive, even I can admit that. I can't have that knowing look of yours aimed at me, acting like you understand anything of what it's like to suffer infinitely. I suffered on the brink of death outside of time and space for longer than Japan has existed! You know nothing about me anymore, so don't look at me with those eyes!" He unsheathed his katana in a blur and pointed it directly at Takuya's face.

Kai jumped forwards, his sword aimed right for Takuya's face. It smashed off of something else entirely with a loud clang. Kai looked to his right and saw that D'harim was now standing next to them, sword drawn and blocking Kai's own weapon. "Don't interfere D'harim! I have to make him stop looking at me with those eyes!"

D'harim looked directly into Kai's eyes and suddenly the ruby at the end of his sword began to shimmer with an inner light. The ruby on Kai's own body also started to become brighter and he fell to his knees clutching at it. "That's enough. This is a duel of honor, and thus you cannot kill him. Once he loses you can kill him, but until then this is still a duel and you will not act without my permission."

The glow faded on both rubies and Kai finally stood. With one last withering look at Takuya he stalked back to D'harim's field. "When he wins, I'll cut your eyes out so that they can never look at me again."

After giving Takuya a once over to make sure that Kai hadn't managed to harm him the Death Knight D'harim walked back to his first position and gestured to Takuya. "Go ahead; I believe it was time for you to follow the effect of Sins of Friend and Foe."

Takuya nodded and snapped the top card off his deck. "That's right, and I have no intentions of letting my own feelings get the better of me. Because I know exactly what the real Kai would have wanted! The past isn't to be covered up, it's to be embraced and understood, and you're running from the past! Something Kai refuses to do!"

One glance at his card told him that he needn't draw any further. "I special summon Saint Knight-John(1600/1400) in attack mode! And immediately he attacks!"

His saint was more physically attractive than any of the previous, with wavy locks of brown hair that went down to his shoulders. His sword was thin but long and looked razor sharp. Without taking an order from D'harim Kai raised his katana and blocked John's sword strike easily then pushed the sword aside. "This weakling won't stand between me and destroying those eyes!"

He stabbed into John's chest and then withdrew his weapon, blood trailing with it. Takuya clutched at his chest, feeling as if he was the one who had just been stabbed. D'harim reached for the Nightmare Lash and then stopped. "No, I won't negate the damage." (TLP: 3700)

Kai sneered and with a flick of his wrist the blood went sailing off his katana, effectively cleaning it. "That was almost too easy."

But his elation was shattered when he realized that though John stumbled backwards and was bloodied, he was not gone. "What's this madness? Why is your monster still standing?"

Takuya looked up from his hunched over position, one hand still clutching his chest. "John isn't as strong as you, but he has a special ability that makes him impossible to defeat in battle. In other words he can't be destroyed when in battle, but he can be sacrificed!"

D'harim narrowed his eyes, looking carefully at the lone card in Takuya's hand, and then he looked down at the one card he had set on his own field. "You actually intend to defeat your friend?"

Takuya shook his head and raised his right arm, palm open, above his head. Five points of light shot into it, forming a basketball sized orb of light. "No, my friend is already dead and I intend to give him a funeral by sending this monstrous fake to Hell in the way Kai would have wanted. By the sword!"

He slammed the ball of light into his duel disk and his deck adopted the light and a card shot out of Takuya's grave. "As I mentioned earlier Hildegard generates a Saint Counter while in the grave during my standby phase. I had five there, and once in the game I can sacrifice all the counters and remove Hildegard from the grave to draw cards equal to the counters I tribute!"

His deft hands drew five cards, pumping him up to six in hand. "Now, in order to give Kai the send off he deserves I need a stronger monster, and the monster I choose needs a tribute. So I sacrifice John in order to summon Saint Knight-Isaac(2300/1800)!"

The monster that appeared was far more impressive than any of the previous Saint Knights. Instead of simple white armor it had an extra layer over its chest that was crimson and had wide shoulder pads. Covering its face was a conical helmet with a wing decoration on it, and in his hand was a long straight broadsword. Kai snorted at the sight. "He's too weak without your Saint Counters to beat me."

"Maybe you're right, but once he is strong enough I'll give you a warning. For a monster that is a soul incarnated you should worry, because any monster slain by Isaac in battle is removed from the game!" Kai took an involuntary step back when Isaac shouldered its weapon and gazed imperiously at him, it looked ready to destroy him that very instant.

D'harim watched with interest as Takuya's body began to be sheathed in armor of light that coated his whole self. 'Interesting…although before he's summoned up the power within him without realizing it, this time he's consciously doing it based on his desire to defeat what he believes is a perversion of his friend's nature.'

Takuya took a deep breath and then let his own power flow into his Saint Knight. "Its time I activate my own Duel Presence, the power I have inside me that's burning to get out! The ability of Soul Transfer, which allows me to pay life points to raise the power of my own monsters!"

Light flowed between him and Isaac and the knight's power began to shoot upwards. Kai gulped as he saw the attack counter. "How much power are you giving to that thing?"

"I'm giving it just about all I can afford to give, in other words I just gave it all but one hundred of my life points. And if you add thirty-six hundred to twenty-three hundred that means Saint Knight-Isaac(5900/1800) has more than enough attack to finish you off for good!" Now the light was gone from Takuya and completely covering Isaac, giving him his huge power boost. (TLP: 100)

Without skipping a beat Takuya flipped around one of the cards he had just drawn. "This isn't just your funeral, but this is the end of this duel! I activate Knight's Final Strike which will force battle between my knight and you, and after being destroyed your attack will be dealt as damage to D'harim!"

D'harim's eyes suddenly focused and Kai looked back at him, barely covering his fear. Kai looked almost pleading as he spoke. "Do something damn it! Total that's seventy-five more life points of damage than you've got to spare! If he succeeds he wins the whole duel!"

Isaac lifted up his sword which was now covered in pure light and braced himself. Takuya clenched his right hand into a fist and smiled. "Goodbye Kai, you were a good friend and good person. Always remember that you weren't the last candle to go out, and when yours did I was there to take your flame and keep that fire burning. I will not let others suffer like you did."

He unclenched his hand and looked at the face that was so similar to Kai's and continued to smile. In his mind's eye he could see it as Kai, never smiling but always a beacon for those around him though they might not like his methods. "Kai was a pillar for those around him, never faltering and always there. That's what I will be in his honor, a pillar for my friends and any who fight with me! So one last time, goodbye Kai Kaethen!"

Isaac swung his blade down and a torrent of pure white energy exploded from the tip and shrieked across the field at a now terrified Death Knight. Kai looked past the oncoming energy that would destroy him and met eyes with Takuya. "Those eyes…those damned eyes…"

Suddenly their surroundings were ripped apart and both duelists were slammed to their feet by a tremendous force that screamed through the building. It was in their heads, in their bodies, it was raw and unbridled power, terrible and amazing at the same time. Even the energy of Isaac's attack broke apart from the force.

With the building revealed once again Takuya saw that everyone was on their knees, save Taichi who was stuck on his wheelchair and merely breathing harder. After several seconds however the energy died down, allowing them to stand. D'harim shot a look back at Taichi, who nodded. "It appears our duel of honor has been caught short Kensai. I apologize as I would have liked to see a conclusion as much as you. Unfortunately pressing matters have come up and all of us must leave. Your friends may go as well."

The Death Knight that was Kai grimaced and looked away from Takuya then followed D'harim as the other Death Knight walked away at the heels of Taichi and his pseudo-family. Takuya reached out towards them, fury contorting his face. "Come back and don't run like a coward, there was a conclusion! We saw it, I was about to win before you started running away!"

D'harim stopped walked and looked over his shoulder at Takuya, his cold eyed glare strong enough to silence the martial artist. "Don't mistake my honor with cowardice. I follow commands I am given even if I would like to do something else. And don't assume that there was a conclusion when there wasn't, or had you forgotten my face down card?"

Takuya grimaced, as he had completely forgotten about that set card. "No…I had to finish it, I had to end it and give Kai his honorable send off. You cheated me out of that!"

The Death Knight sighed and looked away. "In all honesty I apologize. However, it has woken up at last and we must take care of matters. Take my word in this matter; do not fight it if you encounter it. Instead flee so that we may finish our battle another time. Farewell Kensai, until we meet again."

Nikolas pushed past Takuya in a fury and slammed one hand into the railing. "What the hell are you talking about? Run away from what?"

Without looking back D'harim gave his answer just as the five of them rippled and then vanished. It left D'harim's answer floating in nothingness. "The Devourer."

Takuya fell to his knees and stared at the metal beneath his feet. He barely noticed when Ryu looked out at the production facility and commented saying, "All of the bodies are gone…where did they go?"

Instead of listening to the discussion that ensued Takuya could only focus on what he saw as failure. "I'm sorry Kai, I couldn't do as I promised and destroy that monster that took your name. But I promise that next time I will succeed. Next time we meet I'll destroy it and D'harim along with it!"

He looked up at the sky that was filled by that terrible scar and made his promise. "I promise that just like you I won't be the last candle to go out. I will keep burning bright even in the coming darkness."

Though the first skirmish had been left without a conclusion, they could all tell that the war was only just beginning.

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Author's Notes: Heh, sorry pals but no conclusion to this duel. Still, it was fun wasn't it?

Next Time: The raw power that ripped apart Takuya and D'harim's duel is a mystery. Reports of the first encounters with Death Knights begin to appear, but all of that news is cast aside as inconsequential when news stops coming from Cairo and reports indicate that against all logic the city is no longer there. It is a power unlike anything the world has ever seen and it will never stop. The world trembles in its footsteps…

See it all in, Devourer of Millions; Am-heh Approaches!