Well, as I said last time, these will be the final two chapters of this story and will be dealing with the episode "Darkness Within."
Chapter Fifteen- Duel with Evil
"You asked to see me, Chancellor?"
"Yes, Atticus. Please come in."
Sheppard took a moment to look at Atticus as she came closer. He remembered seeing a pretty brunette girl walk into school with Alexis one Monday morning and deduced that it was Atticus. She had seemed a little unsteady on her boots and moved a bit awkwardly. Now, she moved confidently and gracefully and was comfortable as a girl.
"I understand you're dating Zane." He got a nod. "That may help. I believe you're the only one who can help him."
"Then, he is here."
"Yes and there's some things I need to tell you. First, Zane is heir to what is called The Cyber Legacy and is why he has such a strong bond with the Cyber End Dragon. Recently, he got his hands on a forbidden deck that is the dark side of the Cyber Legacy called the Underworld Deck. It is my belief that he is now under the influence of an evil force. You are certainly no stranger to dark forces."
"I believe his manager is the one responsible for Zane's…behavior."
"Be that as it may, it is imperative that you get through to him before the evil of the Underworld Deck corrupts him forever."
Atticus inhaled sharply at this pronouncement. "How long has he had this deck?"
"Not too long which is why it's best to separate him from that deck as soon as possible."
"I'll take care of it, Chancellor," she promised. She left the office and headed for Slifer, a plan already in mind. Sheppard had mentioned her being familiar with darkness and had an idea of what Sheppard probably had in mind. She went to her closet, opened it, and opened a drawer at the bottom. When her body had changed, she had gotten rid of her old clothes- except for one outfit: Her Night Shroud outfit. She wasn't sure why she had kept it, but now she was glad she did. The shoes were the only part of the outfit that was gone, but that was fine; her uniform boots would work. Also in the coat's pocket was the deck she had used as Night Shroud. I'm not quite sure if wearing the clothes and using the deck are necessary, but this may be my only chance to return Zane to normal. She put the outfit in her bag along with her duel disk, hoisted it onto a shoulder and left for a cliff that provided an excellent view of Zane's favorite spot.
No one was there, but she wasn't worried. She was certain that he would show up. Zane always liked to seek out spots that were fairly deserted so he could think in peace and enjoy the view of the ocean. Atticus closed her eyes as a warm breeze sprang up and washed over her face and lifted her hair up a little. She sighed quietly as she enjoyed the breeze and the smell of sea water for several minutes before opening her eyes. She blinked as she focused on the dock and felt her breath catch. There he was! While she was enjoying the breeze and the smell, he had shown up and was staring at the ocean, arms folded. She stood there, admitting that he did look handsome in black as he did in blue and white. She continued to stare and slowly Zane looked up at her. There was no expression on his face, but she rather expected that. She simply pointed at him, herself, and the volcano in the distance behind her. Zane nodded, turned, and walked away to head for the mainland. Atticus headed for the volcano so that she could change clothes and await Zane's arrival.
She grimaced as she pulled at the bodysuit. It just doesn't fit right, which makes perfect sense. Besides that, wearing them and dueling Zane is starting to seem like a bad idea. Maybe I have time to switch clothes again.
"All right. You drag me out here in the middle of nowhere. So, now what?" Zane's voice spoke up behind her and made her realize that she now had no choice but to go through with it.
She turned to her boyfriend. "How quickly we forget. This is where Jaden dueled Night Shroud. Speaking of which," she fixed Zane with a stern look. "Considering your manager's name that should have told you he was bad news."
"I disagree. It is because of him that I was reborn."
"Reborn?" Atticus repeated.
"Yes, but since I've reached the top, I fired him."
"I see. Anyway, I realize the only way to rescue you from the darkness is to go there." She reached insider the coat and pulled out the deck that, together, seemed to emit a black aura. "I'll use this deck to enter the darkness, then we'll escape together. At least, I hope so."
Zane smirked. "'Enter the darkness'? Sounds like there's still some Night Shroud left in you."
Atticus inserted the deck into her duel disk and activated it. "Night Shroud will always be a part of me," she admitted. "But now, I'm in control."
"What are you suggesting? That I'm not in control? I couldn't disagree with you more." Zane inserted his deck and activated his disk. "But you're about to see that for yourself."
"Zane, do you feel nothing for Syrus or me?" she asked desperately, hoping she hadn't really and truly lost him.
Zane's face softened briefly. "Of course I care about both of you. I got where I am to protect you two. I vowed to crush anyone who stands in my way of doing so!" His face hardened. "And it seems that the remainder of Night Shroud in you is one such opponent. I will expel that force from you."
"And I promise to extinguish the evil force influencing you," she shot back.
"Game on," they chorused.
"I'll go first." Atticus drew a card. "I play Red-Eyes Black Chick." Her monster appeared. "Next, I'll sacrifice it for the Red-Eyes Black Dragon." Her favorite monster appeared in the chick's place. "Then I play the Spell Card Inferno Fire Blast to inflict 2400 points of damage to your life points." Red-Eyes fired its signature attack and Zane's life points dropped to 1600. "I play one card face-down and let you go."
Zane smiled slightly. "You just managed to pull off a pretty powerful combination there. It makes you think. Could you have done that by yourself? I mean, without Night Shroud's help?"
His taunt angered her. Her Zane would never have spoken to her like that; he would have complimented her. Oh, that brainwashing and evil force is so going down! "Like I said, he's gone and I won't be controlled." She glanced down tow see a dark aura leaking off the cards on her disk. She frowned. That's ominous, she thought.
"Something wrong?" Zane sneered, noticing her expression. "Just wait. I summon Cyberdark Horn."
The monster appeared and Atticus' eyes widened. I've never seen that monster before. It must be part of the Underworld deck Sheppard mentioned.
"My monster's special ability allows it to take any level four or below dragon from either of our graveyards and drain its attack points. So I'll be taking your Red-Eyes Black Chick." Her monster left her graveyard and Horn attached itself to it. Its 800 attack points doubled to 1600. "Next I'll add the spell Megamorph to double its original attack." The attack points rose to 2400.
"Now it's equal to my dragon," Atticus said.
"There's something else you should know. Cyberdark Horn can sacrifice you Chick so it won't be destroyed in battle. Cyberdark Horn attack Red-Eyes with dark sphere." The dragon launched its attack that sped toward her monster.