THE BATTLE FOR LOST SOULS

Chapter Six: The Plan Unfolds

In the middle of the night, Mokuba's eyes weakly fluttered as he woke up from the beeping monitors nearby his bed. Shifting slightly to be more comfortable, he noticed that Kaiba fell asleep in the chair he had been sitting on for hours. The younger Kaiba's eyes scanned the now-familiar room which maintained its negative vibes for the sick boy although his brother and the nurses did their best to make the room more cheerful.

"All of Ni-sama's time is now shared between Kaiba Corporation and the hospital," lamented the young boy as he saw his brother shift to a more comfortable position and continued his light sleep at the right side of his bed. "I just hope that I'd get through this, so that we can both get on with our lives..."

"And you will get well, Mokuba," whispered a gentle and soothing feminine voice from the left side of his bed.

Mokuba abruptly turned around, wincing as he tugged one of the many tubes attached to him via a needle. His sallow eyes went wide and tears brimmed at the corners of slate-blue orbs. With a weak and pained smile, he whispered to the unexpected arrival, "I thought that you're not visiting me for a while..."

"Exceptions are made when time runs short," said Emrys without moving her lips, her eyes and face reflecting empathy over the boy's weakened condition.

Taking a cue from her, Mokuba followed suit as he mentally remarked, "You don't have to cover up what happened between the two of you. The two of you argued again, didn't you? I just wish that the two of you would get along..."

"Just as Yugi and I get along?" hinted a rueful Emrys without moving her lips.

The boy's eyes went wide even further as he wondered how Emrys could read what was in his mind since they have met.

As pacifying hazel eyes looked into puzzled slate blue orbs, their owner sighed. "My legs were almost crushed and there's a high possibility that I may never walk again. If I look past your brother's anger and frustration, I know that he just wanted me to have more faith in my recovery. Please don't be angry with him. He's just being a true and motivating friend whenever we have our disagreements."

"I was bummed that I didn't get to see you..."

With her eyes reflecting a more somber shift of mood, Emrys told Mokuba, "Your brother loves you very much. He'll do anything in his power to protect you. I'm here to help you, but listen well to what I have to say. Your body continues to be your own worst enemy as your leukemia worsens. I can help you, but I won't do anything unless you give me your permission."

"I want to get well, but you're sounding really creepy right now," mumbled the boy with a crinkled forehead and furrowed brows.

"I know it sounds scary, Mokuba. The healing process is very painful. I want to spare you from as much pain as possible. I also want you to enjoy a long life. For me to heal you, I have to separate your soul from your body first. Once that's done, I can work on healing your body."

"W – What will happen to my soul?"

Pulling out a card from Emrys' deck, she then showed it to the boy. "I'll use this blank card to temporarily house your soul."

Mokuba repeatedly shook his head and shuddered away from Emrys as bad memories of Pegasus entrapping his soul in the Shadow Realm flooded back into his mind.

Emrys soothingly told Mokuba as she came closer by his bedside, "I know what happened to you and your brother in Duelist Kingdom, Mokuba. It will not be the same. While I'm doing my best to cure your body, your soul will go to a land of pleasant dreams. I'm not going to send your soul into the dismal void where Pegasus imprisoned you. You'll be in a world where the most earnest desire within your heart will come true. However, your body will fall in a deep sleep until your soul returns. Once you're fully healed, your soul will be returned so that you can wake up and live a long healthy life afterwards."

The frightened boy continued to stare at Emrys. Although his fear lessened and as reassuring as she seemed, something in her uncustomary demeanor made him shudder.

Emrys reached out to Mokuba and offered him an open hand. On top of her hand was the blank card that she just showed him. "This is the only way for me to save you. You know that I would never deliberately harm you."

Mokuba's eyes showed the fading signs of worry as he weakly asked, "What about my brother?"

Emrys' hazel eyes glanced at the fatigued and sleeping figure sitting at the opposite side of the bed. "He may never fully understand what will happen to you. If the price to pay for your full recovery is earning his ire, then I'll still grab that opportunity. If you want me to help you get well, then all you need to do is to say 'yes' and take my hand..."

"O – Okay..." replied the boy as he reached out to take Emrys' hand.

"Trust me, Mokuba. I won't lead you astray," Emrys whispered as she touched palms with the boy, the blank card serving as the thin cushion between them.

Once they touched, a blinding white light emanated between the palms of their hands. The already-overwhelming light became brighter, flooded the entire room, and suddenly woke up a startled Kaiba. The young CEO, still in a stupor, abruptly rose from his chair. He vaguely saw Emrys waiting within the sea of light as well as Mokuba touching her hand.

Immediately after the light disappeared, half of Mokuba's body dangled from the bed. All the monitors attached to him gave out their distinct loud and monotonous beeps.

While Kaiba ran to his brother's aid and secured him back to bed, he kept screaming Mokuba's name at the top of his lungs. The scenes seconds later panned out before his eyes, as a team of doctors and nurses worked on his brother. They first ordered Kaiba to clear the way as they wheeled in the customary medical equipment to jump-start a patient's non-beating heart.

After many panicked minutes, the beeps changed to a softer sound – much better than seconds before, but bleaker than the sounds that Kaiba heard before he fell asleep. Dead silence filled the room as the nurses' faces wore such sorrow while looking at the young boy that had been their charge for many weeks.

One of the doctors that resuscitated Mokuba approached Kaiba. With a tightlipped demeanor, he informed the young CEO, "I'm sorry, Mister Kaiba, but your brother just fell into a coma. We must move him back to the intensive care unit so that we can closely monitor his condition. You need to sign some papers to expedite the move. We also need to discuss his medication, chemotherapy treatments, and other provisions while he's unconscious."

The elder Kaiba's jaw dropped and his normally intense azure eyes became listless. The denial and fear that he was experiencing about Mokuba's fate was much greater than anything that he had ever felt in his life – even much more than the gamut of emotions he felt when he was about to lose the duel against Mutou Yugi at Duelist Kingdom.

"Mister Kaiba..." the doctor once again said to the young CEO, as he prompted the latter to follow him.

As Kaiba absentmindedly followed the doctor down the hallway, his body shook from confusion, shock, and anger revving up his system. With his already-tired mind and body forcing him to stay alert, he mused with clenched teeth and narrowed azure eyes, "I saw you with my own eyes, Emrys! If this is your way to get back at me for yesterday, then why do you have to involve Mokuba? If I ever find out that you're responsible for this, I swear that won't breathe to see the next day once I'm done with you!"

Dawn was only a few hours away, but the waking hours continued for a wound-up Emrys. After checking the messages from her cell phone voicemail after sealing Mokuba's soul within a blank card and leaving him comatose, she did intermittent sessions of magical healing spells. She rested in-between incantations, especially since the sessions drained the majority of her psychic strength.

"My Queen..."

Emrys opened her eyes and interrupted her rest. She recognized the face behind the familiar voice that used to haunt her dreams months ago. Closing them once again to resume her restful state, she quietly asked, "What do I owe this visit of yours, Hyperion?"

The towering cloaked figure stepped out of pentagram of light that materialized inside her room and sat on the foot of Emrys' bed. The new arrival removed the hood that concealed him – revealing a handsome man in his mid-twenties with long corn-silk blond hair, smooth skin, aquiline nose, and emerald eyes. He kept his silence for a long time as he studied her face and tried to perceive what thoughts were running within her mind. His face beamed of kindness until he opened his mouth, which hinted the twisted evil residing in him. "For many months, I was convinced that your Highness is a masochistic glutton for punishment."

Emrys frowned at first as she tried to think as to what Hyperion meant. Shortly thereafter, her thoughtful scowl was replaced by a wry smirk. Now understanding that he was referring to her injured legs, she remarked, "I didn't wish to raise suspicions. However, my pathetic condition has been wearing me down. I've already taken matters in my own hands. After all, I have the golden tomes' secrets to speed up the healing process."

Hyperion smirks with satisfaction as he looked into Emrys' hazel eyes. "That is good to hear, my Queen. You should not let your gifts go untapped. I will be more than happy to remove any obstacles for you."

With a reassuring smile, Emrys told Hyperion with a tinge of malevolence lacing her tone, "It won't be necessary, Hyperion. It'll give me more pleasure to handle this matter personally. Helping me secure my throne is more than enough help. I thank you for that..."

Staring at Emrys with probing emerald eyes, Hyperion edged closer to her and inquired, "What plans do you have for the commoners as well as the Nameless Pharaoh?"

"I know all of them very well and that will serve as a great advantage. The Pharaoh, however, would be a difficult opponent. I want to test his strength, especially when his spirit is broken. Before I do that, though, I want to see what's in his mind..."

The man heartily chuckled as he amusedly shook his head. "The Pharaoh does not have any idea about your 'transformation,' does he?"

After many minutes of meaningful silence, Emrys sighed deeply. "I don't think he has a clue. I'm not going to wait for him to find out anything before I make my move. That fated time has finally arrived."

Comfortably crossing his arms in front of him, Hyperion smugly hinted, "You are going to start with..."

"I'll start where it's going to hurt him most..."

"Then I will take care of Kaiba Seto," said Hyperion.

Emrys' eyes narrowed. "I have made myself clear, Hyperion. All of them will be left to me. You have done your work already. You have been given your orders. Do not interfere. If there is anyone who would test or break any of them, that will all happen in my hands - not yours, or anyone else's."

"I hear you..."

Sounding more stern, Emrys said, "Give me your word, Hyperion. You will leave them all to me."

"Yes, my Queen. You have my word. However, should you change your mind and you need my help, then all that you need to do is ask," said a tightlipped Hyperion before he rose from Emrys' bed, bowed down to her on one knee, and disappeared.

By this time, the first rays of the sun began to tease the dark sky.

Emrys pulled out a duel monster's card from her deck, picked up her cell phone from the nightstand, and speed-dialed a phone number. Once the person from the other line picked up, she softly asked, "Hello, Anzu?"

"Is there something that I can help you with?" politely asked a still-sleepy Anzu.

Shifting from her bed to ease her cramped back, Emrys continued, "I'm so sorry to call you this early. I'm just so excited about this news! The studio in England left a message on my cell phone last night. The director wants new dancers for this upcoming video of mine. Would you be interested in an audition?"

Minutes after slightly recovering from shock and her sleepy state, Anzu stammered, "V - Video? Me?"

"Yes, Anzu... The auditions will not start until the beginning of school vacation, so it will not interfere with your schedule. I'm just informing you as soon as possible because those audition spots fill up so quickly. I need to turn in your name if you happen to be interested."

"I – I'm not that good of a dancer..." stammered the azure-eyed teenager on the other line. She was blushing as her hand became cold and clammy, trying to absorb what she just heard from Emrys as reality.

With a faint smile and a reassuring voice, Emrys said, "Anzu, why are you selling yourself short? This will be a good opportunity for you. Moreover, you have plenty of time to practice and prepare for the auditions. I'm sure that you can easily wipe out any competition."

"I'm honored..."

"Good! I'll tell them to put your name down. They'll inform you once the auditions open up. The choreographer had trouble with some of the dancers that we worked with last time. This next project will be more demanding. He also wants fresh faces and talent."

There was a long silence on the other line before Emrys broke the ice and asked, "Does that mean a 'yes' from you?"

A breath-taken Anzu then replied, "Why, yes! Yes! This is unbelievably great!"

"Thanks for doing this favor for me, Anzu. It'll make my work easier..."

"I should be the one to thank you!"

Emrys deeply sighed and said with a grin, "You shouldn't thank me. I just informed you of an opportunity. The rest depends on you. I have no doubt that you'll get in..."

Shortly thereafter, a loud thud came from Anzu's end of the telephone line.

As the line eventually went dead, Emrys stared at the duel monster's card in her hand. Her spurts of amused chuckles turned into a long maniacal laughter. "Two down, three more to go..."

Mutou Yugi did not have a good day.

The younger Mutou walked home just as he walked to school this morning – alone. To him, a day without seeing Jonouchi, Honda, and Anzu was incomplete, unnerving, and surreal. He called them a couple of times throughout the school day. He even called Kaiba during lunchtime to ask about his friends' whereabouts.

Up to now, Yugi had no idea where they were.

Yugi finally reached home and used the game store's door to get inside the house. Once he opened the door and heard the familiar bell ring throughout the store, he let out a heavy sigh and put on cheerful facade before calling out, "Jii-chan – I'm home!"

When he did not receive his customary response, Yugi's innocent amethyst eyes went wide and his eyebrow rose. "Jii-chan?"

Still, there was no response.

Yugi's heart loudly pounded as his calculated steps led him to the living room. With vigilant eyes scanning his surroundings, his eyes went wider still once he saw a broken lamp on the hardwood floor.

Beside the broken lamp lay an unconscious Sugoroku.

Yugi ran and knelt beside his grandfather. He held back his breath as he saw that the elderly man's eyes had a glazed look.

"Yugi..."

While clutching his grandfather, the younger Mutou turned around and saw the source of that familiar feminine voice sitting behind him.

A wheelchair-bound Emrys calmly stared back at Yugi. Seeing a familiar face for the first time today, his eyes glistened from tears that now flowed freely down his cheeks. As worried and confused as he was, he felt partially relieved that she was there.

However, something from the uncustomary gleam in Emrys' eyes made a nervous Yugi muse, "Why would she leave Jii-chan like this? How long has she been here?"

A tightlipped Emrys nonchalantly ran a free hand through her long hair, took a deep breath, and then stared into Yugi's eyes. As hazel intensely met amethyst, their owner intently stated, "We need to talk right now, Yugi. If we don't settle matters between us before I leave, I'm taking away two privileges from you. You'll never see your dear loved ones ever again and your other self will never get his precious memory back..."

The younger Mutou, clutching his grandfather's catatonic body much more intensely, shuddered as more tears flowed from his eyes. Feeling a big lump form on his throat, he murmured, "This can't be..."

"Believe it," Emrys hissed as she produced her deck and pulled out the top five cards. She spread the five cards on the coffee table and showed it to him. Her hazel eyes narrowed in malicious delight as she saw the other shudder even further from fear and disbelief.

Mokuba, Anzu, Jonouchi, Honda, and Sugoroku each appeared on the five Orichalchos cards.

With a smug smirk on her face, Emrys closed her eyes and told Yugi as she returned the four cards to her deck, "When you've assembled the Millennium Puzzle, you've unleashed the Shadow Games once again into this world. The Pharaoh sacrificed his life to keep the Shadow Realm from humankind, hoping to seal its magic forever. I, on the other hand, lost my life when I tried to save him. Once you've reassembled the Puzzle, a whole series of prophecies were set into motion. One of those prophecies is how the Pharaoh's and my path will once again cross...and there are so much more to come. As to what the future holds for this world will solely be based on how everyone around us would succeed, or fail. Those fated ones include you, the Pharaoh, and me...the rest will be uncovered as time passes..."

A confused and trembling Yugi bit his lip and was speechless. As Sugoroku lay on his lap as if the elderly man was a log, he clenched his fists and his chest heaved. He hoped to wake up from this bad dream of helplessness and betrayal...

A betrayal that one of his most trusted friends and his other self's love had gravely committed...

As hazel eyes malevolently gleamed, their owner said in soothing sarcasm, "Don't worry about them, Yugi. They're safe...for now. While their souls remain longer in these cards, the more that they'll drown in their self-created world. Eventually, they'll be permanent fixtures in the world of dreams. They will never wake up or return to their bodies..."

The Millennium Puzzle activated, prompting the other Yugi to emerge and blurt out, "Why are you doing this to them? They trusted you!"

Knowing that she was now talking with the Spirit of the Puzzle, Emrys' tone became colder and more calculated. "I'm not obligated to answer that question. Be thankful that they're in a realm marked with pleasant dreams. They' re in a world where the deepest and most earnest wish inside his or her heart comes true. I could have easily sent them to a hellish dimension. Is that what you want for them?"

After many minutes of silence, the other Yugi laid Sugoroku on the hardwood floor and stood up. Without removing his probing and intent amethyst eyes on Emrys, he murmured, "Are you the one who sealed the Stone of Destiny from me?"

An unfeeling Emrys tauntingly replied, "So, you're finally catching on..."

The other Yugi's face went pale and he tightly closed his eyes in disbelief. Minutes later, he regained enough composure to open his eyes once more and say, "I don't understand... You went through great lengths to help me before. Why do you now harm the very people you've risked your life and limb for? What would you gain out of hurting them?"

Looking at her lover straight in the eye, Emrys told him, "The answer is simple. It's not yet time for you to access the Stone. I also know that aside from amusement, you'd never duel against me for higher stakes. To get what I want from you, I need to force your hand. If our friends are the quickest way to get what I want from you, then so be it!"

The other Yugi fell silent. still not believing what was happening or what he was hearing from Emrys.

"If you want the Stone to be unsealed... If you want all of them back in this world safe and sound, then you'll do as I tell you."

As his entire body trembled harder from rage and disbelief, the other Yugi's tear-filled eyes narrowed. "What do you want from me?"

Gazing directly into the duelist's eyes while crossing her arms in front of her, Emrys then smugly stated, "It's fairly simple, my love. You must duel against me. If you win, you'll get them back. If you lose, their souls belong to me."

The Eye on the other Yugi's forehead menacingly flashed as his amethyst eyes reflected his anger. "What makes you think that you're going to win against me?"

Unfazed and outwardly amused, Emrys replied, "I know you very well, my love. I also know how you duel. Those two elements, along with the cards that now imprison your loved ones' souls, will make your victory much farther from your reach."

"We're dueling right now, if that's what you want!"

A taunting smirk crept from Emrys' lips. "Everything will happen in due time, dear Pharaoh. I'll send for you when that time comes."

The other Yugi spent the many minutes of silence looking into Emrys' eyes. He tried to find a rhyme and reason behind the surreal conversation and recent turn of events. When he could not find the answer in her eyes and tightlipped demeanor, he then shuddered as he asked, "How could you do this to me and to us? I thought that you loved me..."

Avoiding the other Yugi's gaze by focusing her sights on an unconscious Sugoroku, Emrys replied, "You'll get the answer to that question of yours when the time comes. The outcome of our duel will define everyone's future. For now, you should determine whether you could push everything aside to do what you must. Can you rise to the occasion when it's required, no matter what obstacles you must face?"

"Mark my words, Emrys... I will get them back from you!"

Piercing hazel eyes deeply probed troubled amethyst ones as their owner quietly challenged, "Is that what's really in your heart? When no one's around you, will you be able to maintain your inner strength? If you need to kill me or another loved one so that you can get them back and unseal the Stone, will you do it? Will you do whatever is necessary without any forethought or reservation? Will you be able to push your emotions aside to do the unthinkable?"

Yugi's other self remained stunned and speechless. Seconds later, he saw a pentagram of light appear in the living room underneath Emrys' wheelchair.

With a deep sigh and a gleam in her eye, Emrys then meaningfully muttered, "I figured as much... I wasn't kidding when I said that our next duel wouldn't be easy for you. Whatever emotional attachments or doubts you may have at this time, I suggest that you remove them. The next time we meet, I'll have no qualms in destroying you or your friends."

Pained amethyst eyes met taunting hazel ones once more.

"Until we see each other again, my love..." Emrys whispered while keeping her eyes on the other Yugi.

Eventually, Emrys and her wheelchair disappeared along with the pentagram...leaving behind a shocked and deeply disturbed other Yugi to wallow in sadness, anger, and confusion that he had never experienced before.

End of Chapter Six

Normal Disclaimer

Yu-Gi-Oh is the copyrighted property of Kazuki Takahashi. Alexandra Emrys, other original characters, The Scrolls of Passage, The Dead Incantations, The Portal of Osiris, and this fan fiction are properties of the author. This fan fiction is written for entertainment purposes only - thereby releasing the author from any liabilities.

Many thanks to Namonaki Pharaoh (aka Wes or Karen) for beta-reading this chapter. I also thank her for being the official beta-reader for this story arc, as well as the support and friendship she has given me. Luv ya, Sister. God Bless, and MTFBWY ;-D