"I took a little journey to the unknown,
and I come back changed – I can feel it in my bones.
I fucked with the forces that our eyes can't see;
now the darkness got a hold on me."

(Meet Me in the Woods - Lord Huron)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Breaking the Snare

Riding through the wasteland kicked up black dust behind us. I kept my arms around my partner and watched the dark cloud in our wake. I murmured, "I wish we could stop and talk. There are so many things I wanted to tell you about. Oh! I know. I remembered something about myself!"

His muscles tensed. His question was neither immediate nor excited. "What was it?"

"Um. It- my last name. I can officially introduce myself. I'm Rain Orichalcum."

The whistle he loosed was shriller than the passing wind. "Orichalcum! Fancy. The princess title fits you more 'n' more. But. How come you sound so down when you introduce yourself? You not a fan of the name?"

"It's not that," I whispered. "I guess I thought you'd be more interested in me remembering something."

"Then I must not've delivered it right. Lemme try the whistle again-"

"You acted weird when I first mentioned remembering and now you're over the top." My lips pursed. The runner passed beneath an archway. Weathered and rusted steel once held a grandiose sign inviting excited families into the amusement park's gleeful grounds.

Most of the attractions had fallen. Those that remained standing were inhabited by the Zero Reverse's survivors: cockroaches. Termites. Vermin like me.

"It doesn't seem like you're being honest."

The tension returned to his limbs. "I'm sorry. I really am. There's- there is one last thing I haven't told you. It happened a long time ago. It's something you should know but you don't, and I've never understood why. Rain, you-"

"Jack!"

He leaned back. "Jack?"

The crimson spark accelerated my heartbeat. I pointed to the distant sky. The Hummingbird glyph scorched the clouds, scattered into cinders, and disappeared. I hoped his duel ended the way mine did; I hoped Carly found the light.

The Crimson Dragon's growl was gentle in my mind. Do not fear. Jack Atlas was victorious in his duel despite the dark god's control over the girl's will.

Control? The Earthbound Immortals can control the Dark Signers?

Indeed. They choose fallen humans because that state allows the dark god the option to control the husks. It is a tactic only resorted to if the Dark Signer attempts to give up.

Does that mean Kalin-

The Dragon grunted. No. When a dark god takes full control, you will know. He did not fold. He merely believed in your ability to win.

I wrapped my arms tighter around him. Kalin glanced back at me then at the sky. "That's what you meant. The new girl's duel is over. If you're worried about Jack, don't be. There's no way that chick Carly could keep it up."

"How do you know-"

Kalin floored the brakes. We stopped before the flames of Misty's dark sign, the Lizard. He said, "End of the line. We'll have to find another way around."

The crimson spark alarmed me, and fangs cut through. The Crimson Dragon said, It seems Yusei is in mortal danger. Allow me to guide you to his location.

I began repeating the Dragon's instructions with, "Swing a left."

"Whatever you say." We wound through boulevards as I directed him towards a decrepit funhouse. After stopping outside, I chucked off my helmet and flattened against the side of the building. The sounds within were harrowing. Kalin crept up beside me. He said, "Am I seeing things, or are your eyes, like, red?"

I covered my mouth with my palm. "It's, uhh, Signer stuff! Speaking of which, Yusei is in trouble somewhere inside. He needs your help."

"Dunno if it's a good idea to have me do that."

"Please! I have to reach Aki. I can't be in two places at once, and I know you can take care of this!"

His stare was pinned to his feet. His discomfort was clear in his quiet utterance. "Alright."

Dust kicked up behind his shuffling exit. I focused on my task. A crystal blue dome peeked over the flames of the glyph. Aki's presence beckoned from within. I strode down the empty street. Something tickled the back of my neck. I rubbed at it, but nothing was there. The purple fire blocked my way. I asked the Crimson Dragon, Can we get through those?

I'm afraid it is not within my power to protect you from the fires of the dark signs. Though, I do not believe fire can harm a young dragon.

My dreams came to mind, where blue flames had licked my fingers yet I hadn't felt the heat. Instinct deep within urged me to step closer to the bright and burning violet fire. Its roar tore through the earth itself. I stepped into the flames. While I walked through, they swirled around me like in my nightmare. I emerged on the other side unscathed.

I stared at my hands. They were bloodstained from my wounds but not burned. A young dragon. The fangs felt more natural. I rushed to the distant dome. Within, Black Rose Dragon stormed the field with razor petals. Bad bad bad bad. I started towards Aki.

A familiar voice left me tripping over myself: "If it isn't the pitiful little darling."

I tumbled to the ground. Sayer, founder of the fallen Arcadia Movement, followed close behind me. The tips of his bundle of burgundy hair were scorched. Half the flesh of his face was mangled and marred. "There are no gods, dark or otherwise, to save you this time. You'll be useful."

"As if!" I shouted. "I'm not letting you hurt Aki again!"

"You speak as though you have any power whatsoever." He stepped closer to me, saying, "What if I were to offer you a glass of water?"

The uncontrollable shaking of every last limb returned. I wept without any way to stop. I crumpled as a pile on the cold Satellite streets. Sayer laughed over me and dropped to his knee. "Good darling. We'll make the Dark Signers pay for what they stole from me. Target every last one and eliminate them."

I stood up on my own. My rational thought couldn't separate from the overwhelming panic. Don't follow his orders. My feet marched on. What if I ran into my partner, and Sayer forced me to fight him? Sayer followed a step behind. I couldn't control myself. I would forever be some puppet to whoever decided to use me next-

A tiny pain pricked the back of my neck like a touch of a toothpick.

Blood roared in my ears. I snapped to attention. My cape's fluttering stopped. Sayer barked, "What are you doing? We stop when we find a Dark Signer while Akiza handles hers!"

I spun on my heel and bashed my elbow into his jaw. He lurched back. Blood dribbled from his split lip. He slowly wiped it off and shook it to the ground as though offended by its existence. "How are you ignoring it?"

I palmed my Orichalcos saber and approached Sayer with slow, sure steps. He backed away and repeated his special phrase about a glass of water. My pace neither hastened nor slowed.

Gold flashed upon Sayer activating his duel disk. He slipped the Psychic Sword card into the slot. A glowing blade appeared in his grasp. Sayer charged me. He swung in a downward arc. I caught the strike on my saber. Electricity sparked as Psychic Sword slid down my curved blade. I whispered the three ancient words.

Bright green energy exploded, flinging him back on the ground. His sword skidded away. He smacked a new card into his disk and growled, "This may jog your memory: Hinotama!"

A blazing fireball shot toward me. I smiled, slid my right foot behind me, and braced my shoulder. Hinotama blasted against it. I didn't slide back an inch. Nary a burn pinked my skin.

"You're not her," he said. "Who are you?"

I continued my slow walk. He removed the Normal Spell, Brain Control, from his deck. Sayer slid the card into his spell/trap zone. Tickles inside my skull didn't stop me. His jaw dropped. The whites of his eyes captured every dark sign in the sky.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice sickeningly sweet. "Didn't like what you saw?"

Fear painted his features, and trembling fingers searched through his cards. His messy sorting tossed spells and traps to the ground. "I'll take you down with me! Meteor of Destruction!"

A shadow large as a house captured us. The plummeting meteor added a dash of molten red to the doomsday sky. I tilted my head at the sight. There was something captivatingly beautiful about it.

Sayer held a trap card and said, "I'm not letting you leave. Your vision for the world will never become reality. Spellbinding-"

I closed the gap between us in a millisecond and sliced open his inner thigh. He hit the earth squealing. I walked away from the human and the meteor. The tremendous crash left my cape flapping.

His limp body remained in the fresh crater. I checked his pulse. Still alive. Excellent. He had more uses to fulfill.

Young dragon! The Dragon's voice sounded far away. Can you hear me?

I dragged Sayer to the end of the street. On the way, familiar voices caught my attention. To my right were two buildings, one taller than the other. The flames of the Dark Signer glyph separated their foundations. Three figures stood on the higher roof. Crow's voice said, "It's way too far! We can find another way around."

One leapt off the roof. The air tore at his dark cloak as he fell, and even I could see his smile. Kalin's feet barely reached the opposite roof. He was forced to drop into a roll, but he was laughing. Crow yelled, "The hell were you thinking? You're nuts!"

His laughter didn't stop. He shoved to his feet, saying, "C'mon, don't tell me you've become cowards since I left! You want to save your girlfriend, don't you, Yusei?"

Silence followed. A couple of seconds later, Yusei jumped towards Kalin. He landed on the edge of the lower building, and Kalin grabbed his forearm to steady him. "Seeee? Not so bad!"

"My knees are like jelly," Yusei said. A few wobbly steps steadied him. "You really are crazy. In a good way. I think."

Kalin grinned and gestured for Crow to join them. Crow stood on the edge with shaky legs. He bounded towards the lower roof. His leap wasn't enough. Kalin flattened and stretched his arm over the gap, catching Crow's hand in his. Crow slammed against the side of the lower building. He looked to the many meters separating him from the ground.

"Holy shit," Crow shouted. "I'm not gonna make it!"

Through grit teeth, Kalin said, "Yes- you- are!"

Why are you watching? Aid them! The Crimson Dragon's command sounded as though it reached me through thick glass. You can use your monsters!

I thinned my eyes and watched.

What's happened to you?

Yusei dropped beside Kalin and grabbed Crow's forearm. Together, they managed to haul him up to the roof. The three sprawled out and sucked in deep breaths. "Goddammit, birdbrain! Aren't you supposed to fly or some shit?"

"Stop calling me that! I don't do well with heights, okay?"

"That makes no sense!"

Kalin laughed despite the complaint. Yusei said, "I missed this."

"What, me almost dying? That's why you always picked me to be the bait!"

"You know what I mean," Yusei said, his smile plain.

Kalin was silent and looking away from them.

Guilt was scrawled in the pinching of his features. The "me, too," he uttered had a quietness unrecognizable from him. Crow shouted, "If you go psycho on us again, though, I swear I'll-"

"Rain, is that you?" In the process of avoiding his teammates' stares, Kalin's focus drifted over the empty cityscape and landed on me. "How are you here? Wait a sec! That's Sayer, the sick bastard!"

Yusei leaned over the building's edge. "That's the guy who tried to kill me! Hold on. How do you recognize him, Kalin?"

"We've met." Kalin squinted. "I believe the more important question is why Rain's carrying him around."

The deep cut in Sayer's thigh had left a bloody trail where I'd walked. My eyes opened wide. I flashed Kalin a big, big smile.

"Shit." The word escaped with his exhale. "That's not Rain."

"Whaddya mean?" Crow said. "She's standing right- hey! Where are you going?"

I hauled Sayer over my shoulder and turned my back on them. The red sign in the crystallized dome beckoned. They called for me. I didn't look back.

The street opened to a wide area formerly hosting a hall of mirrors. Aki had shattered the reflections, and I had to take my steps carefully to avoid the shards.

A blue dome trapped Aki and Misty, a representation of Misty's Field Spell. The wicked god by the name of Ccarayhua, a black-and-green lizard standing on two legs, smiled down at the Signer it longed to destroy.

"How fitting that you persist like a weed," Misty growled. "One more turn, and you'll pay the eternity of suffering you deserve for murdering my brother."

If one were to take vengeance, it should have been on the deserved party.

Far be it from me to rob them of their desire.

I tossed Sayer at the dome. His cranium hit the glass. The impact returned his consciousness. When I drew my bloodied saber, he tried to crawl away from me. He spat vile terms like "monster" and "murderer." Did the darling expect them to cut me?

"The younger Tredwell," I said. "You killed him, correct? Sector Security had info that said as much."

According to Aki when we spoke among rose bushes, anyway. Sayer pulled a card from his pocket. As he reached for his disk, I threw my sword end-over-end. The blade sliced clean through his index finger and thumb. The card fluttered from his grasp.

"Answer," I stated.

He held his bleeding hand by the wrist, and his face was ghostly pale. His face twisted into rage. "That boy? He was too weak! He couldn't survive the simplest of tests. He ended up another lost soul covered up thanks to our dirt on Godwin! Akiza's destruction made a perfect scapegoat for all those lost lives. You were so much better, darling, taking the agony of every experiment in stride!"

"You did what to me?"

"You… you monster!" Misty's matching furious gaze burned through Sayer. The wicked god deigned to pass judgement upon the human. Ccarayhua snatched up the frightened Sayer and flung him into its sharp jaws. The Earthbound Immortal swallowed while wearing an unsettling grin.

My eye twitched.

She stole it.

The rushing blood in my ears intensified. Black crept onto my vision.

SHE STOLE-

I touched my aching head. The cloth of my partner's headband was soft on my skin. The roaring blood in my ears stopped. The black retreated from the edge of my vision. I breathed in, blinked, and glanced around.

"Um. Where am I?"

Young dragon! the Crimson Dragon called. His voice was crystal clear. An outside force is influencing you, and Akiza Izinski needs you!

"Aki?" I murmured. The Signer had collapsed. I shattered a section of the crystallized dome with a blast from my sword and dashed to her.

"R-Rain?" Her eyes fluttered open. The darkness in the irises reminded me of the dead. Her bangs had fallen out of her silver clip. She was on her knees. The claw mark of the Crimson Dragon glowed on her right forearm. "Rain, did you see? Sayer is- He's gone. That evil god and Misty killed him!"

"He is?"

"He came to see me." The drifting up of her eyes indicated her loss in reverie. "He told me how much he cared about me. Sayer…"

I scanned her duel disk. The Shadow Duel appeared to be near its conclusion with Aki ahead via life points. Her Signer Dragon floated opposite the Earthbound Immortal. Misty was starry-eyed.

"Akiza, I'm sorry for everything I did to you. I see now I was wrong. You're a good person. A Signer. Finish me, Akiza. Do your duty!" Her eyes widened. Misty gripped the sides of her head and dropped to her knees. "Hurry! I- can't hold it back much longer!"

Aki stood, and rage conquered her features. I squeaked, "Aki?"

"I'll make sure this duel lasts a long time," she said. "I'm going to make you suffer, Misty. You stole away the most important person in my life, and you will share my pain!"

"No, no, please, don't do this!" I grabbed her shoulders but she shoved me aside. "Remember what we talked about before we left! If we take too long, the world is doomed! Don't sink to her level!"

She growled, "This level is where I belong."

"You are a Dark Signer," a deep voice said. A purple aura encapsulated Misty. "You must destroy the Signers. If you are no longer dedicated to the task, I shall accomplish it by your hand."

Misty screamed as the dark force enveloped her. Her eyes and the red marks lining her cheeks glowed lavender. I thought, What happened to her?

The dark god took full control as I extrapolated earlier.

You mean the Lizard?

Yes, young dragon. The Lizard.

The new challenger excited Aki. "How about a refresh, Dark Signer? I want all the chances I can to hurt you!"

"Very well," said the dark god. Both reshuffled their fields and graves into their decks.

"Hey, Rain!" The crystal dome faded when Misty returned her Field Spell. Luna, Leo, Trudge, and Mina had gathered to watch beyond the enclosure. Luna continued, "Don't let her! That weird dude showed up, and Akiza's been acting insane ever since. You have to do something! The last time she was like this and dueled, she lost to Yusei!"

Right, at the Fortune Cup. The stakes of a Shadow Duel were astronomically higher this time. I planted myself between Aki and the Dark Signer. I said, "Why duel Aki when you could have a chance to kill the Vessel of the Crimson Dragon herself?"

The dark god thinned its black eyes. Their green irises glowed by dark flames. "You are the Vessel?"

The Crimson Dragon emerged in his full form and coiled around me. Aki backed away, and the dark god grinned. I said, "I challenge you in Aki's place!"

"You fool, offering yourself up like a lamb to the slaughter! I'll gladly tear you to pieces and steal the soul of the Crimson Dragon!"

"That's not happening!" Aki rushed forward as the Dragon returned to my body. She said, "The Dark Signer is mine. I won't let you take my revenge from me, Rain!"

"Did I hear you wanted to duel a Dark Signer?"

Kalin grinned at Aki. He, Crow, and Yusei had joined the others watching.

Woah. To see the three of them together again inspired a warmth within. All three were criminal marked yet still remained to be my heroes.

You saw them earlier, did you not, young dragon?

No?

Kalin stepped forward, saying, "Iii think I can give you what you want."

Aki glowered at him. Her rage was palpable. "You. You're that maniac who nearly killed Yusei! I'll destroy you!"

"My new name really rolls off the tongue," Kalin muttered. "Yeah, that's right. Want to get me back for it?"

Aki held up her disk and screamed, "Hell yes!"

"Don't do this," Yusei said. "She's not herself. She'll really hurt you."

Kalin waved a hand back. "Doesn't matter. I'm gonna buy enough time for Rain to beat Misty and for you to talk down your girl. Got it? I need to borrow someone's disk."

"Here, take this." Trudge removed his blue duel disk from his arm and offered it to Kalin. His nose crinkled.

"Ugh, this is one of those Security models! Gross! Whatever. You can keep the deck. Security strategies suck ass." Kalin side-eyed Trudge's furious expression and laughed. He broke away from them, ran to me, and asked, "Mind if I borrow that old deck, partner?"

I glanced at Aki, who still glared at him. "If you-"

"A self-respecting partner wouldn't let you go it alone." He winked and finished, "Back-to-back, just like old times."

A smile found me. I fished the deck out of my back pocket and held it out to him. He accepted it gratefully and clicked it in his borrowed disk's deck slot. I said, "With you at my back, this'll be easy."

"I hope so. Misty's deck is annoying as hell," he grumbled.

"So is Aki's."

"I'm not afraid!" He faced his opponent, and I did the same. We stood so our backs touched at the shoulder blades.

My duel disk activated. The card zones sliced out in a sickle shape. I drew and whispered, "I'm not, either."

"DUEL START!"

"Your move, Lizard!"

"You shall regret protecting your precious Signer, Dragon!" A wicked grin slashed Misty's face. "I activate the Field Spell, Mirror Labyrinth!"

The dome formed from shards of glass separated Kalin, Aki, Misty, and I from the others. Mina said, "No, not again! Now there's no way for them to escape if they need to!"

"Escape?" My partner shouted. "You insult us! It's them who're trapped in here with us, not the other way around!"

"Hey, Mina." Trudge nudged her with his elbow. "That pair is the infamous Kalin Kessler and his shadow. I got to see them duel each other."

"I see, so he became a Dark Signer," she muttered. "Guess the rumors were true, and Rain was being honest with Director Godwin. Kessler died in the Facility."

Trudge nodded. "Starved to death. Damned guards decided to hold back rations from a couple of kids."

"What? B-but that's not what Sector Security's goals and ideals represent-"

"Doesn't matter for Satellites. There's no one to care if they die. I used to agree, but now I'm starting to think…" He glanced at Yusei. "That should change."

"Wait a second. Doesn't that mean you just lent your duel disk to a convicted terrorist? And you're sympathizing with him and his accomplice?"

"Uh, y-yeah, but you really should hear their side! Not that what they did was right! It just, uh, makes you wonder, you know? To be a Satellite like them…"

"Hear that, partner? We made him realize the fate of Satellite scum like us!" Kalin giggled. "And they say the Security's heart grew three sizes that day!"

"Hey! I haven't forgotten what you said about my deck!"

Crow rolled his eyes and mentioned, "To be fair, I've never seen a Security win."

While Trudge simmered, Mina said, "Okay, I believe you. What they say about those two is a little scary. They can surely handle themselves."

"I, um, didn't realize we were so well-known," I mumbled.

"Aw, did you think I was the only one who was legendary?" He tossed his head back to wink at me. "We all were. So. Let's give them a show of why!"

"Your confidence is irritating," Misty said. "I will see it extinguished. I summon Reptilianne Serpent in attack position. While it is face-up on my field, neither of us can summon monsters! I'll also activate the Continuous Spell, Sad Story – Atrocious Day. If you draw a trap card, you have to reshuffle it into your deck. I end my turn!"

"There goes, like, half my deck," I muttered.

My partner tilted his head to watch me with one hazel eye. "Am I hearing doubt from the legendary Rain?"

"N-no! I draw!" Dammit. Waboku. "I drew a trap, so it goes back into my deck."

I observed my hand, which had two monsters, two traps, and a spell. As long as her monster existed, there wasn't much I could do. I'd play off of her. "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

Aki's voice rung out from behind me. "I'm going to enjoy this, Dark Signer! Your duel with Yusei will be a brush of a feather compared to what I do to you!"

Kalin tensed. "That's only fair. How about I go first, so you'll have the first chance to attack?"

I watched Aki over his shoulder. Her smile was dark. "You don't know about psychic powers, do you? You're just a piece of trash Satellite! I'll give you a hint. They can physically harm people through duels, and that goes doubly for a Shadow Duel!"

"I know about em," Kalin murmured. "Or haven't you met Rain?"

"You know she has them?"

He threw his hands up. "Uh, duh. We're partners."

"Why would you want to be a partner to someone with powers like mine?"

Kalin laughed. "Because she used them to save my ass! The psychic shit is pretty cool if you ask me."

"Cool?" Anger readjusted Aki's features. "I'll be sure to change your thinking in this duel! Your move!"

Guess she forgot what I told her. No. She's almost a different person like Yusei said. We had to figure out how to undo whatever Sayer did. Kalin swiped a card off of his deck. "I'll start by activating the Field Spell, Pandemonium!"

The sky tinged blood red beyond the dome, and yellow lightning pulsed among the clouds. Aki said, "Humph. You need that to sustain your Earthbound Immortal, don't you?"

Kalin's eyes flicked to his right arm, where his dark sign used to glow. A corner of his mouth quirked up. "Hell yeah! Hope you're scared! I summon Shadowknight Archfiend in attack position, set a face-down, and end my turn!"

My partner knew he wasn't a Dark Signer. He was lying to make her angrier, I guessed. A winged skeleton knight flew to Kalin's field. The monster's purple hair and tail were a stark contrast to its crimson blade and claws.

He may have known he wasn't a Dark Signer, but he didn't know the wicked god corrupted my deck now.

"Akiza, wait!" Yusei stood beyond the dome and pressed his gloved palms on its glass surface. "Kalin isn't a Dark Signer anymore, and this isn't who you are. I know you don't want to use your powers!"

"Ah-ah-ah." Kalin wagged a finger in their direction. "He's lying to you. He's such a saint that he doesn't want you to hurt me after all I've done to him. See, I am a Dark Signer, and I'm here because I want revenge for what you did. What, did you think I'd just let that go?"

A shiver racked my spine. From the looks on Aki and Yusei's faces, they couldn't tell if he was lying or not, either. Aki said, "You mean what I did to Rain."

I said, "Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Hey, partner." Kalin's eyes sparked. "I'm trying to buy time for your duel, remember? Focus on Misty."

"You're no saint to her, either!" Aki shouted. "Here's some news for you, Kalin. Since you became a Dark Signer when you died, they thought you escaped the Facility. Know what that meant for Rain? She was tortured so they could find out where you went!"

"What?" He turned to face me. "They did that to you?"

"No, that never happened!"

"You're lying. Oh God, you're lying." He stepped back and lowered his head, but I could see the emptiness in his eyes. "That means, because of me, you- Rain, you were right. I was better off dead."

My heart twisted. Aki drew, saying, "It's about time someone returned the favor on all that pain you create! I activate Mark of the Rose! With this, I can take control of a monster on your side of the field! Shadowknight Archfiend is now- what?"

Shadowknight blocked the mark, and a die rolled above its head. I grasped Kalin's arms. "Maybe it's the truth. I went through that, and, and it's okay. You went through so much for my sake. I see it now. Part of being partners means we share in suffering, too."

He avoided my eyes. "That can't be right. I'm not worth anything. I don't deserve you."

The die landed on four. Kalin turned away, and I was too stunned to speak. "Since the roll wasn't five, your spell isn't negated. My monster is yours."

A glowing rose appeared on Shadowknight's cheek. The monster walked to the opposite side of the field. Aki said, "I'm going to wipe out your life points this turn, Dark Signer, and you'll be nothing but a bleak memory! I summon Twilight Rose Knight in attack position and special summon Violet Witch through his effect! Hope you're ready for your first taste of my power. Let's start with your own monster! Shadowknight Archfiend, attack him directly!"

The fiend unfurled its wings. Dust and broken glass stirred in the wake of its flight towards my partner. Purple firelight shone on the monster's red blade as it descended upon Kalin's shoulder.

I drew my saber and crossed swords with Shadowknight. Sparks flew as his blade raked down my curved sword. Archfiend swiped its claws at my flank. I blocked and whispered an invocation. Energy exploded from my blade. The monster skidded back. Kalin's life points fell to 3000, but he was physically unscathed.

Kalin gaped at me. "The hell is that?"

"Oh." I pointed at the blade. Zeman's bloodstains littered the dark green. I murmured, "I have a sword now."

He laughed a little, looking like his normal self again. "You sure do."

"You're an idiot to protect him after what he's done!" Aki shouted. "Let him suffer! Twilight Rose Knight, attack directly!"

I braced myself to defend him again. The sheer confidence in his voice eased me: "I activate the effect of Tragoedia in my hand. Since I took Battle Damage, I can special summon it! Tragoedia's attack and defense equal 600 times however many cards I have in my hand, which is two. 1200 beats out all of your monsters."

A spiderlike fiend tore onto the field from a black hole of a portal. It stood as a wall between Aki's three monsters and me. She growled, "How dare you try to avoid what you deserve!"

"Believe me. I know exactly what I deserve," Kalin said, "but there's no way in hell I'd let my partner down. The only thing to suffer in this duel will be your life points."

Aki snarled, "You're a Dark Signer, and this is a Shadow Duel! You'll be hurting me, too!"

"Oh, right," Kalin muttered. "I was totally lying. I'm not a Dark Signer. Rain kicked my ass in a duel, so I lost my sign."

"W-what?" Aki stared pointedly at Kalin's blank arm. "Then you should be dead!"

"Yeah, well, I have a bit of a habit of coming back from the dead."

Aki scowled. "That can't be the truth."

"It is! Please, Akiza!" Yusei banged a fist against the crystal dome. "Kalin's on our side! He's my friend, and this was all a mistake. I've forgiven him, just like I've forgiven you."

"Becoming a Dark Signer and nearly killing you is more than a simple mistake!" Aki yelled. "It's evil, like I know you are, Kalin! I tune Twilight Rose Knight with Shadowknight Archfiend to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon!"

A storm of red rose petals cut through the field, signaling the rise of the Signer Dragon. The thorny rose of a monster roared with rows of sharp teeth. I sheathed my saber and stumbled back. The razor-sharp petals tore at my skin.

Kalin slung his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. A paper-thin cut on his cheek dribbled a single bead of blood down his face. He was not bothered in the slightest. "I'll have this wrapped up quick. You have a duel to win, princess."

"Bet I can win before you."

"Fat chance!"

"Why the hell are you two so happy?" Aki shouted. "Your only monster is weak compared to my Dragon! I set a face-down and end my turn!"

"Ah, she doesn't know us," I lamented.

Kalin shrugged. "No one does."

"Have you forgotten about me, Crimson Dragon?" The dark god controlling Misty stared at me. I stood back-to-back with Kalin once more. He was standing straighter than before. "I'm fine to burn as much sunlight as possible."

Dammit, she's right. Er, not she. It. It is right.

You are a master of wasting time, the Crimson Dragon growled.

My bad! "Okay, I d- wait. It's your turn!"

A wicked grin stretched Misty's face. The glow in her eyes sent chills down my spine. "That it is. My draw. This isn't a trap, so I can keep it. I'll start by attacking you with Reptilianne Serpent! Since it's less than 5 stars and my only monster, it can attack twice by my Field Spell's effect. Show the Dragon your venom!"

The snake leapt at me and lashed me with its tail twice. I grit my teeth and almost backed away, but my partner was there. My life points fell to 3800. Misty said, "I'll also activate my next Sad Story Continuous Spell: Unwavering Truth! Now, any spells we draw return to our decks!"

And there went my whole deck. I had a feeling the duel would come down to whatever hand we started with. The dark god said, "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

"Okay, my draw!" When my fingers touched the card, blue fire crawled up my arm and disappeared at my chest. The card seemed to glow when I held it. Tilting the art showed a glimpse of an iridescent sheen.

A prick on the back of my neck had me reaching. I forgot the annoyance and said, "I end my turn."

"Is that all you can do? I was taught to fear the Crimson Dragon, but you're pitiful. I draw. This is a monster, so I'll keep it. Next, I activate the final of my Sad Stories, Sorrowful Memories! When we draw monsters, they are reshuffled into the deck! We're locked into whatever cards we have now! I activate my set trap, Sorrowful Chain. This summons a very special monster to my field: Dragon Queen of Tragic Endings!"

A dark-green dragon with torn wings floated above the Dark Signer. It boasted 1900 attack and 2600 defense. The Reptilianne beside it shattered by its own effect. Misty commanded, "Attack the Crimson Dragon directly!"

The monster rushed me. When its talons were about to touch me, I was pulled away. Quadruple claw marks raked across Kalin's upper arm. His other arm locked around my midsection. He let go as my life points dropped to 1900. Rose petals still swarmed around the dome. I started, "Why-"

"Save it. I'm gonna protect you, too, partner."

Awe prevented me from looking away. Despite the depth of the scratches, he didn't even wince.

"My turn isn't over," called the dark god. "When my dragon deals battle damage, you must discard. I also have a chance to draw, and since this isn't my Draw Phase, the drawn card isn't affected by my Sad Story spells! I'll set this new card face-down and end my turn."

A corner of my mouth lifted. Discarding created just the opening I needed.

"You have such a poker face," Kalin said.

"H-hey! Shut up!"

End of Chapter Twenty-Two

A/N: "Holy darkness got a hold on me~"

on chapter 20 i forgot to copy/paste the full card descriptions of a couple of customs, so those are up now

two duels at once is hard to keep up with so at the top of the next chapter you'll see a recap of the accepted game states of each field!