Chapter Twenty-Seven

A Bond in Darkness

The symbol of the Condor floated high above New Domino City. The glyph's fuchsia fires intensified with the start of the Shadow Duel and threw violet onto the blanket of black clouds. I stood at the etching of the Condor's splayed tail feathers. Far across at the beak towered the Stairway to the Dragon Star.

Rex Godwin faced me from its apex. His dark eyes caught the bright red from his crimson sign. We both fanned out our hands of cards and raised our voices in a shout:

"DUEL START!"

I said, "Since I am the accepter, I'll take the first move!"

Oh? commented the Crimson Dragon. Since when do you choose to move first?

Since I have no fears. My Field Spell slot sliced open. "I activate the Seal of Orichalcos! This indestructible Field Spell adds 500 attack points to my monsters, and I can use my back row for summoning!"

The Seal locked us in its circle. The wicked green light outshone the Dark Signer fires. "I'll summon Luster Dragon in attack mode, set one face-down, and end my turn."

Sapphire sparkled on my dragon's hide. His 1900 attack increased to 2400. Godwin added a sixth card to his hand. "Since you have a monster and I have none, I can special summon level 5 Oracle of the Sun. Its effect lets me add level 3 Fire Ant Ascator to my hand, who I will now summon. I tune them both to Synchro Summon my level 8 Signer Dragon, Sun Dragon Inti!"

A headdress-wearing chief waved a staff of white feathers, and a giant red ant appeared beside him. The chief slammed his staff into the ground, and green rings surrounded the two monsters. A red dragon with four necks protruding from a central sun emerged from the portal. The Signer Dragon's 3000 attack overshadowed my monster.

"I activate the effect of Weeping Idol, banishing Fire Ant Ascator from the graveyard to special summon it. I also pay 1000 life points to special summon Dark Tuner – Dark Goddess Witaka! I use Witaka's effect to copy the level of my Sun Dragon Inti and change the levels to negative. Level 2 Weeping Idol and negative level 8 Witaka inverse align to Dark Synchro Summon Moon Dragon Quilla!"

The sun's matching dragon appeared in a wash of silver. Its roar showed off its 2500 attack. Seeing a Signer Dragon and Dark Synchro in tandem was both sickening and awe-inspiring.

"Sun Dragon Inti destroys Luster Dragon, and Moon Dragon Quilla attacks directly!" Flames tore through Luster Dragon and the true damage reached me, lowering my life to 3400. The Dark Synchro shot blue flames alongside it, and they mixed together to consume me in the fuchsia flames of the Dark Signers. My life points fell to 900. Godwin burst into laughter. "The Signers are doomed!"

The flames cleared, and my skin wasn't seared. Godwin gaped at me. I murmured, "It's a good thing I didn't bring my ice cream."

"The fire didn't affect you?" he exclaimed. Composure swiftly returned to him. "You don't have what it takes to duel me, girl. We stand on uneven ground! I have the blessing of the Crimson Dragon and the dark god. I end my turn. At End Phase, Moon Dragon Quilla destroys itself."

I dusted cinders off my cloak. "The Crimson Dragon hasn't blessed you."

"Oh, but it has. Watch!" The red signs glimmered and disappeared from the Signers' arms. They then shone upon Godwin's chest as the full mark of the Crimson Dragon. He laughed, saying, "This is the true strength of a god!"

"Right. Yep. Uh-huh. I'm sure the Crimson Dragon is crazy about you. My turn!" I smiled at the draw. "I activate the effect of The Fang of Critias, sending it and the trap I drew, Tyrant Wing, to the graveyard. They combine to special summon Tyrant Burst Dragon! My buddy here will destroy your Signer Dragon!"

Gold cloaked Critias's broad wingspan. The black dragon's 2900 attack boosted to 3400. He shattered the opposing Signer Dragon with a single wingbeat. Godwin's life points fell to 2600, and slices of yellow energy tore into him.

Despite the pain, he was laughing. "Sun Dragon Inti's effect activates! The attacking monster is destroyed, and you lose life points equal to its attack. You've doomed yourself!"

"Ah-ah-ah. Tyrant Burst Dragon has a very special ability. I can remove him from play to boost the attack of a Dragon-type on my field."

"Are you blind? There aren't any other monsters on your side!"

"Even the blind have foresight! I activate my trap Birthright, which returns Luster Dragon to the field! Tyrant Burst Dragon is sacrificed and boosts Luster Dragon's attack to 2800, and your field's wide open!"

Godwin tsk-tsked. I prickled at the disrespectful gesture. "When Sun Dragon Inti is destroyed, I can special summon Moon Dragon Quilla from the graveyard. Moonrise is here!"

The four-headed dragon's silver scales shifted to blue because of its defense position. Its 2000 defense couldn't stop my monster. I spoke through my teeth. "Luster Dragon destroys Moon Dragon Quilla."

Sapphire embers sizzled through the Dark Synchro. Godwin's chuckle reminded me of his brother. "When the moon sets, the sun rises again. Revive, Sun Dragon Inti!"

"What?" I shouted. Inti growled at my monster; the Signer Dragon's 3000 attack was too much for Luster's 2800. Destroying one meant the other came back. I would have to overpower them somehow or remove them from play – neither of which I was capable of in the moment. I said, "Okay, I'll summon Exploder Dragon in attack position and end my turn."

"At your End Phase, I activate the spell Fires of Doomsday to bring two Doomsday Tokens to my field."

A pair of black wisps materialized in front of the Stairway. Their single, green eyes were thinned by their laughter. Rex Godwin said, "I release my tokens for a tribute summon!"

The wicked god's heart pulsed in the sky. Screams resounded from below. New Domino citizens transformed into purple shades and curled towards the heart. Ghastly wails battled the growls of the dragons on the field. The Condor's violet veins preceded its full avian silhouette.

"Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!" Godwin announced.

I blinked. "Um. The gods are usually formidable. Your chicken there has 1 attack point."

Godwin's grin was nothing short of demonic. "Allow me to show you Wiraqocha Rasca's ability. By skipping my Battle Phase, your life points are lowered to equal Rasca's attack!"

Eh?

The Condor screamed its high-pitched battle cry. The wicked god glided forward and spewed flames like a crop duster. Though the fire left no visible damage, the force of its blast threw me against the Seal. My life counter fell all the way to 1.

"One more turn," Godwin promised. "Thanks to the special abilities of the Earthbound Immortals, Rasca can attack directly and cannot be the target of attacks so long as a Field Spell exists. I very much appreciate your indestructible Seal of Orichalcos, girl."

I grimaced at the lines forming the Seal's star. Godwin saw and laughed. "You're not the only one feeling hopeless. This sign shows me how utterly lost the Signers are! They were wrong to bet on you!"

Agony pulsed with my heartbeat: the cuts on my feet from Misty's broken mirrors, the wounds on my arms from Regulus's fangs and Aki's thorns, and my ribs cracked from my duel against Kalin and Uru's attack. I closed my eyes. "I'm sure you're lying. My friends' feelings betray me as much as my Seal of Orichalcos has; which is to say not at all."

He scoffed. "Call me a spokesperson for the Signers. You wouldn't understand, but emotions are shared through the signs!"

"I understand just fine," I growled. The crimson threads woven between me and the real Signers shared sheer hope. I thought, Hey, Crimson Dragon. I have a treat for you. In this duel, I'll show you that the power of a villain can save the world, too.

He offered a low growl. Well? I am watching.

The crimson spark blazed in my veins, and adrenaline beat back my paralyzing agony. I leapt to my feet. "My draw! I activate Cards of Consonance. Discarding the Dragon-type tuner, White Stone of Legend, lets me draw twice. White Stone of Legend hitting the grave adds a Blue-Eyes White Dragon to my hand. I'm playing Trade-In to send my Blue-Eyes to the grave and draw twice!"

"From two cards to three," Godwin scoffed. "Many activations for little resources in the end."

A corner of my mouth lifted. "I play the next layer of my Field Spell: Orichalcos Deuteros!"

A second outer circle enclosed our place in the sky. The green glow brightened and cast ghastly shadows on my eye sockets. I said, "I summon Hanewata and use a new effect of Orichalcos Deuteros. Once per turn, I gain 500 life points for every monster on my field, which is three!"

My counter increased from 1 to 1501. My smirk widened to a grin. I swayed my fists from side to side in a lil' jig. Best Earthbound Immortal, the Crimson Dragon had said. Pfft. Godwin was totally the lesser of two evils.

That is not what the phrase means, the Dragon said.

"Stop celebrating!" Godwin roared. "A human like you has no way to eliminate an Earthbound Immortal! Kneel to your new god!"

I clapped my hands together, smiled in a sweet way, and separated my palms so my fingertips touched. "Guess what? My Hanewata is a LIGHT tuner! That fulfills the requirements for a very special Synchro monster of mine. Level 1 Hanewata, level 4 Luster Dragon, and level 3 Exploder Dragon fall in sync!"

Burgundy markings snaked around my arms. My eyes shifted color to blood-red irises. My incisors extended and pricked below my bottom lip. "O-kay! Synchro Summon! The Crimson Dragon!"

Scarlet swarmed from the ink bleeding over my limbs. Thousands of crimson threads wove together to form the tapestry that was the Crimson Dragon. His wide wingspan cast ruby upon the New Domino skyscrapers. Orichalcos Deuteros boosted his 2500 attack to 3000.

I tsk-tsked back at Godwin. "What's the matter? You were so sure of that blessing of yours!"

Godwin demanded, "How? We looked everywhere!"

"Not quite. The Crimson Dragon and I are one in spirit and heart! And, and he doesn't even like you!"

A note harsh, the Dragon said.

"Uh, never mind, I take the last part back! Anyway! The Crimson Dragon's ability activates upon special summoning, so I can negate one of your monster's effects! I choose Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca! Crimson Masquerade!"

A scarlet face mask appeared above the Condor's beak. The wicked god screeched and wrenched its neck in various directions. I said, "The Crimson Dragon targets Wiraqocha Rasca for attack! When battling a target afflicted by Crimson Masquerade, he gains that monster's attack! Crimson Star Flight!"

"My chances won't end here," Godwin growled. "I activate Destruct Potion! Inti is destroyed and I regain 3000 life points!"

The Dragon's soaring continued. The black blot of the Earthbound Immortal exploded into raining, toxic sludge. Godwin braced through the sizzling attack. His life points ended at 2300.

"My second trap activates: Contaminated Earth! When two of my monsters are destroyed, I can re-summon Wiraqocha Rasca from the grave. Quilla also takes the field since Inti was destroyed!"

All the stars. The persistence of that sorry excuse for a Signer Dragon and Dark Synchro was so damned annoying. I said, "I'm setting a face-down and ending my turn."

"End Phase! Quilla is destroyed, and Sun Dragon Inti returns!"

"Hah wow boy how surprised I am they switch again," I grumbled. "I use The Crimson Dragon's effect. At End Phase, I can send him to the graveyard. Don't worry! You and your best buddy won't be separated for long; I promise!"

The fiery dragon slithered back into my soul. Godwin was not shaken. "This is far from over. You can't speak for the Crimson Dragon. Through his actions, I know I am blessed. This mark on my chest represents it! We're on uneven footing! My Signer Dragon attacks you directly and ends the duel!"

White-hot flames built in Sun Dragon Inti's four throats. The quad beam conjoined and rushed towards me. Three scribes in blue materialized. The fires slammed into an invisible wall. I said, "Waboku prevents the Battle Damage. Since you're already in your Battle Phase, you can't skip it for Rasca's ability."

Fury convulsed the muscles of his face. He slammed a card onto his backline. "I end my turn!"

"My draw! During the Standby Phase, the Crimson Dragon is special summoned through Crimson Molting!"

Scarlet wings unfurled. The Seal of Orichalcos glowed upon the Dragon's brow. Godwin's chin dipped. "I see. You have a cycle of your own to continue activating his ability."

My lower lip poked out. At least mine had some risk attached. "Right, so Crimson Masquerade activates again! Rasca's abilities are negated! I attack the Earthbound Immortal with The Crimson Dragon!"

A bubble formed around his half of the field. Sacred fire from the Dragon leaked into the forcefield. Godwin's life counter increased from 2600 to 5600. "Draining Shield transfers your attack into my life points!"

"Great. Just great," I said. "I summon Debris Dragon into my backline. Its effect can special summon a Dragon-type with 500 attack or less, so I'll bring back White Stone of Legend. Now, I use the effect of Orichalcos Deuteros to increase my life points."

My 1501 boosted to 3001. Nowhere near the bigshot god across the field, but whatever. "At End Phase, I use The Crimson Dragon's ability to send it to the graveyard again."

Godwin drew a single card for his empty hand. A creeping grin curled up and up. "Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca's ability activates by skipping my Battle Phase! Polestar Obey!"

OBEY.

A flurry of dark flames swirled around me. I clenched my fist and stared at the fingerless glove over my right palm. Three words in the Atlantian language were etched onto the back. Fuchsia from the flames danced upon the trio of runes:

DRAGONS CANNOT BURN

I stepped out of the fires unsinged. Purple embers brightened my white locks. I threaded my fingers through my hair to scatter the ashes. I patted off my dirtied hands. My life counter was at 1. "You done?"

"It makes no sense!" he roared. "Your attacks burn me! Why are you unaffected?"

My smile made him angrier. Godwin said, "I end my turn with a face-down! See what you can accomplish, Vessel!"

"Draw," I called in a nonchalant, singsong voice.

"Trap activate!" he said. "Bad Reaction to Simochi! Any abilities that would increase your life points deal damage instead!"

Oh.

Well. That could be.

A problem. If I negated the effects of Sun Dragon Inti, the attack gain would let me destroy the Signer Dragon. The graveyard effect could still activate, destroying my Synchro and dealing me damage equal to its attack, meaning I would lose. His Earthbound Immortal could destroy me next turn even if I could prevent the damage. If I destroyed the Earthbound Immortal, I was left at great risk the next turn if I sent the Dragon to the graveyard.

Wait. "Why didn't you wait until I regained life points? You could've won."

"I've already won! I'm sick of your disrespectful attitude, so I'm making you feel the utter despair a wicked god incites. I'm showing you the hopelessness the Signer War creates!"

I observed the card I had drawn. A weighty breath passed my lips. A smile found me. I giggled. I laughed and I couldn't stop.

"What are you laughing at?" Godwin shouted. "You're through!"

I covered my smile with my fist and cleared my throat. "Sorry, I just- it's exciting, winning a card game!"

"You? Win? You're bluffing," he said. "The blessing of the Crimson Dragon and the dark god keep me on a higher plane than you. You can't hope to achieve what I've become."

"Think I'll keep on hoping. At Standby Phase, The Crimson Dragon is special summoned, and I target Wiraqocha Rasca with Crimson Masquerade. Next, I'm releasing both White Stone of Legend and Debris Dragon for a tribute summon!"

A flash of fuchsia whisked my spirit into a world of darkness. The woman in the dark cloak lounged upon the Giant, Ccapac Apu's palm. I said, "I have a deal for you. Instead of consuming the souls of nearby humans, I can offer a greater power."

Her dark cloak lifted as she dropped to the ground. She walked in a slow circle around me. "I know this part. You don't want me to eat up the souls of the humans around because you're changed and a good girl now, right? You're going to feed me your special blue fire, which makes you weaker and weaker."

My lip twitched. "How did you know?"

A wolfish smile was shoved into my vision as she threw her arm around my shoulders and yanked me close. "We share a body now, you and I. I know everything about you, Rain. We're best friends."

The hiss in her words betrayed how she really felt. I failed to hide my discomfort. I offered my hand. A swirl of the Blue Flame illuminated the palm. With insane enthusiasm, she clapped her hand to mine. Light surged behind me. I peered over my shoulder to see dragonfire blazing through the Giant's veins.

My muscles trembled, and I was forced to fall to a knee. The extinguished fire was a bit more impactful than just losing the option of Shining Burst, Diffusion, and Nova. My fall inspired the woman's cackle, which intermingled with the Giant's roar.

"Thanks for the boost," she mocked.

I blinked twice, and I was staring at the Seal of Orichalcos hovering high above the foundation of Godwin's mansion. The Condor glyph scorched the sky. Through my teeth, I said, "I s-summon Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu."

"What?" Godwin shrieked.

The large, shell-shaped object materialized above us. Fire blue like waterfalls of sapphires laced through the Giant's pulsing heart. Black exploded outward. Ccapac Apu rose higher and higher until it could touch the stars.

The dark sign glowed on my right forearm. My right eye was infected by the Dark Signer black outside the iris while my left remained red through the crimson spark. I hefted myself to my feet. Rubbing my knuckle across my mouth left it smiling. "Ah, there's that look again! Did you not know? We've been standing on level ground this whole time!"

Kalin screamed down below. "Rain! You- What the hell did you do?"

A bond in darkness, huh? Yusei always did have a way with words. I giggled. "Crazy, right? You'd think a couple of villains like us would be in hell by this point instead of saving the world!"

"Why?" Rex uttered. "Why would the Crimson Dragon choose a Vessel willing to take a dark mark? Why would he choose a 'villain?'"

"I wasn't chosen. The Crimson Dragon was forced to conjoin with me to survive since my non-human status made me the only material for a Vessel. Really, it's more like he's stuck with me."

Rex Godwin thinned his dark eyes. "What are you?"

The swift winds at our altitude tore at my Knight's cloak. "I'm more interested in how the Director of Sector Security got his hands on Roman's crimson sign and became a Dark Signer on top of it! How about we trade stories?"

"My goal," he explained, "is to create a new world, one to prevent this war's despair. These dark and crimson signs ruin lives. I will break the never-ending cycle here. I watched a war rage inside of my brother because of your Dragon. He- he cut off his own arm, right in front of me. Your Dragon forced so much turmoil upon him… right up until he died horribly in the Zero Reverse."

The image of the burnt and blackened body that used to be Roman Godwin filled my mind's eye. I swallowed bile and said, "The Crimson Dragon did nothing so horrible. Uru took control of your brother and killed him. The Signers and the Dragon exist to prevent that suffering from spreading."

"You think your Crimson Dragon is a symbol of hope, don't you? Yet the Signers themselves proved there is none!" He slammed a fist on his altar. "The current world isn't capable of change! That is why I must create a new one! I've been a Satellite like you. I had hope, once. I am the original architect and constructor of the Daedalus Bridge reaching towards New Domino City."

"What?" Crow shouted from below. "No, you can't be him! The legendary man would never join Sector Security! They're the ones who shut him down in the first place! Being a Director? Nah, I'll never believe it!"

"The truth cares not for its deniers," Godwin said. "I fled to the City and created a new life for myself here. Becoming Director would be my way of changing things from the top to the bottom, but I found it impossible. Corruption was rampant and impossible to weed out. Prejudice against Satellites and psychics was widespread. My brother believed in me to save the world, but what I found was a world not worth the effort.

"There was one final hope. The Signers and the Crimson Dragon. They could change the world, surely. I placed every resource into gathering you together. Then, what happened? The public turned on Izinski, Fudo, and Atlas so swiftly. The first for being a psychic, the second for being a Satellite, and the third for losing his title. The Fortune Cup was supposed to bring about hope, but it did the opposite. I learned that humanity's salvation is unachievable."

"You're looking for hope in all the wrong places!" Crow shouted. "Back in the Satellite, you gave everyone something to look towards. You gave people the strength to move forward in hopes of a brighter future. You created hope with your own two hands! How do you not see that? I'm only here today because of your actions!"

Godwin waved him away. "Their belief is meaningless. If the bridge they so wanted were to exist, they wouldn't find a welcoming world. I imagine it would resort to the Satellites being hunted down."

My heart constricted. Like an outcast.

"Not true," Aki said. The strength she placed behind the words calmed me. "Whatever the public thinks, we made a place of belonging among ourselves. By living what we believe, we changed our worlds. That acceptance… I think – no, I know it can spread."

Yusei shouted, "The true strength of a Signer is living the change you want to see in the world! By becoming a part of the prejudice, you had already given up!"

The Crimson Dragon on my field glowered at Rex Godwin. His jaws unhinged, and a roar to quake the Stairway had me clapping my hands over my eardrums. The full mark of the Crimson Dragon scattered from his chest. The head mark fell to Yusei, and Crow was gifted the tail of the Crimson Dragon.

"Whaaat," Leo said. "Rain picked him and not me!"

Crow grinned and tapped his knuckles against his chest. "I did beat a Dark Signer."

"I didn't pick anyone!" I hollered. "The Dragon's really particular and secretive about his signs! I don't play favorites like he does!"

"Are you quite done?" Godwin seethed. "Yusei Fudo is incorrect. I have not given up!"

"Right, it's more. You've lost," I said.

"I don't think so. You should agree with me, Vessel," Godwin said. "A Satellite psychic hunted by Sector Security, tortured in the Facility, and enslaved by the Arcadia Movement. I'm ready for your tale, Vessel. Explain the horrid path this world forced you down. Then see if you can really call your attack and leave civilization as-is!"

"Here's news for you," I said. "Five thousand years from now, there will be new civilizations, and the Crimson Dragon will rise again to fight for them. Likewise, the Dark Signers will return. Your actions won't end the cycle you so hate, and what you believe to be the nature of humanity will not change."

Fury crossed his face. "Then I will destroy the world so the pain will end! Humanity does not deserve its existence!"

"Exactly!" I said. "Now you're catching on."

"Then listen to me and fold," he demanded. "If you defeat me and skip off to your happy ending, you'll come to regret it once you realize the true nature of our world."

My cards fell from my hand. "You think I reach a happy ending?"

"Of course you do. You and your little friends will celebrate when I fall. As is true to children, you don't care about the future."

My hands lifted and lowered as though they were weighing scales. "Fighting to save the world… doesn't care about the future. Hey, Dragon. Do you get it?"

His head swiveled around. You linger too long on the ravings of a madman.

"True. I enter my Battle Phase!"

"Why?" Godwin asked. "Do you enjoy being enslaved by the Crimson Dragon? This will not be your last war, Vessel. He will use you again and again; you will know pain eternally."

"You're assuming this is my first rodeo!" I said. "My contract with the Crimson Dragon ends this Signer War, actually. I was conscripted for two."

"That would be over five thousand years ago!" Godwin shouted. "You're only a child!"

I wound a strand of hair around my finger and pouted. Why did they have to bring up the thing about me being young? "I got sealed away after the last war and didn't age until I woke up in the Satellite. Before that, I was born, grew up, and died in Atlantis. That's why I say I don't really have a history of 'happy endings.'

"Already I've lost pints of blood, broken every one of my ribs, and plenty else that'll hit me once the Crimson Dragon runs out of grace. I don't think I'll find a 'happy ending' today, either. That's not why I'm opposing you. The Signers could win on their own for their happy ending. They let me be representative because I made a mistake, and my friends gave me the chance to fix it."

"I have a brighter offer," Godwin purred. "You deserve better than punishment for being the Crimson Dragon's slave. My brother, similarly, should have been a hero. I can give you a happy ending!"

I grasped my right arm. The dark sign of the Giant glowed on the makeshift bandage my partner gifted me. "You manipulated my friends against their will. You sacrificed the people of New Domino City, who did nothing wrong. I could never be satisfied with your twisted idea of a happy ending."

Bright red streaked the dark sky above. Five lights twisted and melded onto my back. The full mark of the Crimson Dragon shone there. Godwin scanned me. I imagined the mixing of the black of my cloak, the purple of my sign, and the red of my threads was an odd sight.

He said, "Your belief is a contradiction. Your Satellite was full of gang violence and selfish people. Your time in New Domino City was spent on the run or in Sayer's psychic chains. Otherwise, you've been forced into a war by the Crimson Dragon himself. I beg you to reconsider your stance."

If he had reached the bargaining stage, I hoped he was that much closer to acceptance. I'd entertain him a little longer. They were his last moments, after all.

"In the Satellite, I met my closest friends and was taken care of by a woman with more generosity and kindness than my own mother. On the run, I was hidden by a sympathetic stranger who became a friend. At the Arcadia Movement, I forged friendships stronger than Sayer's brainwashing. See a theme? I like this world the way it is because it has all my favorite people in it."

Godwin gazed across the sea. "Kindness? Generosity? I spent my time in the Satellite looking at the City across the ocean. I always thought of Roman. I wondered what he saw."

I wrung my bracelet around my wrist – an old gift from my brother adorned with a sapphire as both a birthstone and a reference to the Blue Flame. Ranue was the only one who knew about my power. "Um. This might be overstepping, but it seems like the world isn't what matters the most. Seems like it's your brother."

Godwin growled, "It's not fair! It's not fair what your Dragon put him through. Roman was the greatest mind of our generation. He developed a renewable energy source and gave it to the City with no profit for himself! He was the best man I've ever known, and the Signer War tore him to shreds. The world can never be whole or good because it lacks Roman Godwin."

"Roman was a true hero," I said.

I mean, the guy seemed content to let me rot in his laboratory in the depths of hell, but I'm sure the statement was factual to Rex.

Godwin's black eyes were on our Earthbound Immortals. "My brother believed in me to defeat Uru, break the wicked god's control, and send him back into his true death. When he realized I lost the Shadow Duel on purpose, he looked so… heartbroken. I told myself I would create a world where he would never feel that."

My heart lurched. "I'm sorry."

"Roman assured me over and over again I would be fine as the fifth Signer." Rex stared intently at the cards on the tablet before him. "He said after the Signer War, the world could reach a golden age with the power of Ener-D. He acted like this would be his- his sacrifice, but what would that leave me? I'm not smart like him. I'm not a leader. Here I am desecrating his memory. I can't create the best world. I couldn't even save Roman."

"He forgives you," I said, my voice pained. "He said he's waiting for you."

"He does?"

"Y-yeah. He just seemed worried about you, not angry or anything."

Godwin's wide eyes caught the mixture of Orichalcos green and violet from the dark flames. "He does. Very well. Do it, Vessel. Call your attacks and win the duel!"

I said, "For the duty of fulfilling yours and his final wish: The Crimson Dragon attacks Wiraqocha Rasca, and Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu attacks directly!"

Scarlet cloaked the Dragon's lava hide. He rushed through the Condor. Souls spilled from the mortal wound. Godwin's life points fell from 5600 to 2600. My Earthbound Immortal smashed its fist into the Stairway to the Dragon Star, and Godwin's life points fell to zero.

The Earthbound Immortals disappeared. I put up my deck and ran to where Rex once stood. He was crushed against the stone monument and fading. The Crimson Dragon curled around us.

"The darkness… I see. That Dragon made the right choice with you, Vessel," Godwin murmured.

His body withered to black ashes. I ducked my head so my bangs casted a shadow over my eyes. The right choice. As if. I was the only choice, and my actions today reaffirmed how unfortunate of a necessity I was.

The crimson spark was reminiscent of a slow heartbeat. What Rex said is the truth, young dragon.

We don't have time to argue. The big blob is almost here. I jumped off of the relic and onto his back. Hey, Dragon. Do you remember the Atlantian incantation that gives my sword power?

Tell me again, he said.

I drew my blade. Insluith, the faith my friends gave me.

We soared towards the King, and the Crimson Dragon's flare lit up the dark city. Yrrsil, the love my partner showed me.

The Dragon curved. I catapulted off. The force of our flight was behind my blade as I drove it between the King of the Underworld's eyes. Rykuix, the pain I will heal.

The Orichalcos saber glowed bright green and exploded by my invocation. The beast loosed a devastating shriek. The black sludge of its head flew in all directions. My own blast threw me away. The King of the Underworld melted away, and the Crimson Dragon roared with triumph. My last sight before falling deep into the ocean waves was shining crimson light.

Poetry, young dragon. Your actions give me pride.

I gasped awake. The world was a pitch-black plane like Uru's trap. Ghostly crimson swept away from me and curled back. A teeny, transparent version of the Crimson Dragon placed his little paws upon my cranium. His whiskers tickled my forehead.

A rectangle of light squealed open like a pair of doors. The Godwin brothers approached. Rather than the garbs of the Dark Signers, Rex wore his pale blue suit and Roman was as he appeared at the reactor chamber: long, blond hair spilling over his white lab coat.

No charred skin this time.

"Thank you for helping me to my truth," Rex said. "We're happy to rest peacefully – together, at last."

"You've only been able to see Rex and me because of your dark sign," Roman explained. "That gives you an opportunity. With the power of your dark mark, you can take the Dark Signers back to the land of the living."

Behind me, Misty, Carly, Greiger, and Devack were drifting through nihility. "R-really? They can come back?"

Rex chuckled. The sound was far more gleeful than his usual self. "Indeed they can."

"Thank you for fulfilling our oath," Roman said. He put a hand on his brother's shoulder, and they both left with regards. I limped over to the former Dark Signers. I poked Misty's shoulder. Purple light spread from my touch and consumed her body.

She has returned to where she belongs, the Crimson Dragon said.

Tears built in the corners of my eyes. After I'd stared at her and called the finishing blow, I could right what I'd done. I repeated the process on the other Dark Signers.

Scarlet wisps surrounded me. Red washed over my vision. I blinked into sunlight. The four Dark Signers were scattered around my spot on the Daedalus Bridge in the Satellite.

The Dragon said, I've brought you a gift, young dragon. Know, however, that my energy will run out soon. You have few minutes before you lose consciousness.

"Um? A gift? For me?"

"Rain!" His shout came from far ahead. In the light of the sunrise, I could see four shapes. Kalin came into view first. He was sprinting the fastest and breathing heavily by the time he reached me. He grasped my shoulders. "Rain, please tell me it was some kind of trick. Tell me you didn't take it!"

The dark sign flared on my arm. "I know you're angry, but… because I did this, I was able to save you and all of them."

His dumbfounded stare drifted behind me. "You brought them back? You brought me back. How could I be angry? You did that for me. You saved my life. It's more like I- I can't believe anyone would do that for me."

I flashed a grin. "One in a million. Nah. About you, that's an insult."

The full pain of my wounds faded in. I winced and fell to my knees. Kalin dropped with me. "We gotta get you to a hospital or somethin."

"I- the Dragon said I'm gonna pass out soon."

"That's fine," he assured. "You take all the time you need, and I'll wait as long as I need to."

"Ha… That doesn't sound like my Kalin."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm a little different now."

I winced and wrapped an arm around my abdomen. "D-don't think you're off the hook or anything. You're gonna owe me a ton of dates to make up for it. Like, all the time you have."

His laugh was pained. "I swear it, princess."

"…I love you so much."

"Right back at you, partner," he whispered, and his eyes glistened.

"There she is," Crow said. "The hero!"

"Nah," I mumbled. "You're the one who's a goat now. Signer."

His tail mark glowed through his jacket. Instead of smiling, he smacked his forehead. "We've been over this! It's the GOAT! Like, Greatest Of All Time! A. k. a. lots cooler than being called a bleating goat!"

My smile quivered. "I'll work on it."

"We'll work on it," he corrected. "No wonder you didn't know ramen or TV or all that crap! Now we gotta take you through all the best foods, like burgers and sushi and-"

"Pizza first," Yusei said. "She's gotta have pizza."

"Gotta have it!" Kalin affirmed.

"What is that?" Jack shouted, his stare pointedly on Carly.

"They can live again," I said. "I met with Rex and Roman, too. They didn't want to come back. They found peace."

"Thanks to you," Yusei said. "The dark bond stretches further."

Crow said, "Everyone from the Satellite is back, like Louie, Annie, and Martha. You had us on edge for a while there, but you fixed it like you promised."

Jack could only gaze at Carly.

Crow cleared his throat and nudged Jack with an elbow. "Enough with the serious talk! Back to the important part. I bet Jack knows all the great za joints in the City, eh?"

Jack hollered, "Why in God's name would you start her off with a poor man's dinner? She should start with a regal meal, like steak!"

The agony from my ribs flared. The Crimson Dragon's small form dropped from his perch atop my skull and fell into my arms.

"Start with the junk and ramp up," Yusei said.

Jack scoffed. "Your palate isn't refined enough to distinguish junk from quality. I'll make all the choices."

"Here we go again," Crow grumbled.

Crimson threads frayed from the Dragon's existence. With each lost thread, a new instance of pain flashed. I hugged my dearest friend to my chest.

Kalin threw up his hands. "You have it allll wrong. Just let her decide for herself. Though. We'll have to be patient."

Yusei started, "Since when do you-"

My partner got them to look at me. By their reactions, I must've looked like some kinda mess with my legs sprawled behind me and oncoming wash of agony written on my face.

It's not like I could let them worry, so I smiled. Laughter tumbled past my lips. I must've sounded like a maniac with the fit I was caught in. The sunrise from the City washed pink as a newborn's skin over our world. Tears streamed over my wide grin.

"I was totally wrong," I said. "We're all together again. This is the happiest ending I ever could have imagined."

My teammates started to speak. The wee dragon in my grasp dispersed into nothing. Pain exploded all at once. My consciousness drifted downward in peaceful, merciful silence.

A presence trailed down alongside me.

I thought, Hey, Dragon?

An instance of nothing.

Then, his voice: Yes?

Um. It's nothing, I guess. Just… it's nice, having friends that care about you.

End of Acid Rain

A/N: there's still the epilogue left. I'll be issuing my insane amount of gratitude then. 'Till next time. Y'all are the best ٩(^‿^)۶