YU-GI-OH
THE BATTLE FOR LOST SOULS
Chapter Nine – The Light and Dark Duels (Part Two)
To the Reader
Thanks for your patience in waiting for this story update for many years. This chapter and the subsequent ones to follow very soon, I hope, makes up for the years' worth of wait. This story, and the story arc after this one, should have been completed many years ago but it was not.
A nasty virus robbed me of the digital manuscripts from many of my work-in-progress fics, particularly the ones in the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom. Lo and behold, though, sifting through years' worth of storage boxes brought about printouts of what and how I have intended to do for these fics – the outlines, and the dueling sequences for the matches for this particular fic.
Unfortunately, the printouts do not have the other half of the duel. I must re-create the duel between Kaiba and Hyperion, which means I must rely on memory and it would change the duel as I originally have intended. Granted that the digital versions were more complete but seeing these…I cannot tell you enough how much it made my heart swell with much excitement and hope.
I do hope that the many years of absence and experience gained in real life would give more body to the rest of these fics from here on out. Happy reading, everyone…and many thanks for the support, encouragement, and outreach that those who have read and / or reviewed my work have done throughout my years' worth of hiatus.
Disclaimer
I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and its lovable characters. However, I do own this fic, Alexandra Emrys, Hyperion, and other original characters that have made an appearance in my YGO fanfics.
"Where am I?"
"You don't remember the loft in New York…your room there?"
The younger Kaiba looked deep into Emrys' eyes. "So, I'm not in the hospital anymore? No more leukemia? No more cancer?"
Emrys nodded her head of a soft and warm smile escaping from her lips, with her gently holding Mokuba's hand. "You're still not well as we speak, but I will fix that. While your eyes are closed, it will hurt. Whenever it does or whenever you feel like it, grip my hand as tightly as you can. Use me as your anchor. Use me as your strength. I won't leave your side until all of this is over."
"I'm scared, Emrys…." Mokuba's tears then began to stream down his cheek. "I've been scared for a while now since I got sick. I couldn't tell Ni-sama about how I feel. He's gone through so much already…and then this….me…"
With her hazel brown eyes brimming with tears that she did her best to hold back behind her warm, encouraging smile for the young boy, Emrys added, "You and your big brother share a strong bond. He feels what you feel. He suffers what you suffer. You don't need to tell him anything. He knows, and he's hurting along with you."
"You love us, don't you?" Mokuba asked earnestly.
"Very much so, Kiddo. I love you and I love your big brother very much...with all that I am..." was Emrys' near-whispered response.
"Do you love my brother the way that you love Yugi, Emrys?" inquired Mokuba, his sights not leaving Emrys. "I just wish that things were different...that it would've been you and him. That you love him and are with him just as you are now with Yugi."
"I do love your brother. I love him very much. It's complicated for both of us, and how I wish that it wasn't so." Emrys' tears streamed down her cheeks. "It breaks my heart to be so close to him yet so far. I'm just happy that the present situation allowed him and I to be more than friends...family...without any hindrances or jealousy. I love your brother, and I also love Yugi."
"I'm sorry to make you sad..."
Emrys bowed down her head, her quiet tears now unstoppable as she tightened the hold of Mokuba's hand. "I love all of you...every single one of you. I will do everything that I can because of that…even defy boundaries set above and below. Please never forget that."
"You're scaring me, Emrys."
"I'm scaring me, too," replied Emrys, letting a sad smile escape from her lips. "I have seen what is about to happen, and it doesn't bode well. The near and distant futures were meddled with, and I am here to straighten them out closest to the originally-intended course. I will do it all to make sure that you all see these trials through...and if needed, to make you all stronger before then. And at the same time, I fight this darkness that's inside me once and for all...but not until I am done with what I have to do. Just trust me...all right?"
Mokuba, teary-eyed as well, nodded.
As Emrys' free hand touched Mokuba's cheek, her smile became warmer still while the tears continued to flow from her. "Now close your eyes, Mokuba…. Think about pleasant things...your most earnest wishes at this time...something that would help you forget and bear all of this while I do my work on you."
And so Mokuba did as he was told, suffocating fear coiling inside him as he set all his trust on Emrys.
The singer then laid her right hand above Mokuba's closed eyes, her left hand resting on top of the boy's chest. She closed her own eyes, starting the incantation that echoed inside her head.
Soon, strong light emanated from the core of Mokuba's body. It then spread throughout the sleeping boy's entire body, and then flooded the room with blinding light.
Location - Shadow Realm
"I have…must…turn this duel around," murmured the other Yugi to himself as he took in a deep breath after drawing out a card from his deck. He then looked at the drawn card, studied the cards that he had previously drawn, and then declared, "I activate Swords of Revealing Light!"
Swords of Revealing Light
Normal Magic Card
Flip all monsters your opponent controls face-up. This card remains on the field for 3 of your opponent's turns. While this card is face-up on the field, monsters your opponent controls cannot declare an attack
The dark skies illuminated with blinding light as sharp swords rained from the sky.
The other Yugi's move might have affected Emrys' ability to attack him, but Emrys did not have any face-down monsters for Swords of Revealing Light to flip face-up. She had two cards face-down in her magic-trap zone. Her face-up continuous spell card Spring of Rebirth remained active on her side of the field. In terms of monsters, she had Great Maju Garzett in attack mode – possessing 2800 attack points due to its effect. Accompanying Great Maju Garzett was a face-up Wall of Illusion at 1850 points in defense mode.
The other Yugi looked at his deck and mentally said, "Thank you for coming to my aid, as always. Give me the strength to save everyone…to save her…."
Shifting his gaze across the field, the other Yugi then declared as he looked at Emrys straight in the eye, "I place a monster face down, and end my turn." At the end of his turn, he had one face-down card in his magic-trap zone as well as two monsters face-down on the field.
At this point of the duel, Emrys had 4500 life points while the other Yugi had 3650 life points.
Emrys met her lover's intent gaze with an unwavering one of her own. She drew a card from her deck, stared at it for a few moments before returning her gaze at her opponent. "I activate Pot of Greed!"
Pot of Greed
Normal Magic Card
Draw two cards from your deck.
Due to Pot of Greed's effect, Emrys drew two new cards. She quietly studied the two additional cards, ironing out a strategy as she added the new additions to her hand. Pulling out a card from her hand, she announced, "I place one card face-down, and end my turn."
A new face-down card appeared on Emrys' magic-trap zone, giving her one face-up and two face-down cards on her magic-trap zone. Great Maju Garzett and Wall of Illusions remained on her side protecting her side of the field.
The other Yugi closed his eyes, thinking as he drew a card for his turn, "The Swords of Revealing Light will keep her at bay for a couple of turns." He then examined the newly-drawn card, saying, "I summon Gamma, the Magnet Warrior—"
As Emrys' eyes narrowed, she announced with a smirk, "I activate my trap card, Trap Hole! Now, my love, say goodbye to your monster!"
Gamma the Magnet Warrior
(Rock / Normal / ATK 1500 / DEF 1800)
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma meld as one to form a powerful monster.
Trap Hole
Trap Card
When your opponent Normal or Flip Summons 1 monster with 1000 or more ATK: Target that monster, destroy that target.
After sending Gamma the Magnet Warrior to the graveyard, the other Yugi ended his turn.
Emrys drew a card to mark the beginning of her turn. Her turn also marked the second turn that the other Yugi's Swords of Revealing Light was active. Choosing not to do anything further, she stated, "I end my turn."
"I draw!" declared the other Yugi while adding the new card in his hand. As he surveyed the field, he added, "I flip-summon Magician of Faith!"
Magician of Faith
(Spellcaster / Flip / Effect / ATK 300 / DEF 400)
FLIP: Target 1 Spell in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand
As Emrys' eyes gazed at the purple-and-red garbed spellcaster with staff at hand, this time it was the other Yugi's turn to smirk. "You know what this means, Emrys… It all starts now, starting with Magician of Faith. Pot of Greed returns to my hand, and I activate it!"
Pot of Greed
Normal Magic Card
Draw two cards from your deck.
Hope and gratitude towards his cards swelled inside the other Yugi's heart as he kept the two cards that he drew via Pot of Greed sandwiched between his right index and middle fingers. "I activate another magic card – Black Magic Ritual – and sacrifice Big Shield Gardna and Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts. Come forth, Magician of Black Chaos!"
Black Magic Ritual
Ritual Spell Card
This card is used to Ritual Summon "Magician of Black Chaos." You must also Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Level equal 8 or more.
Big Shield Gardna
(Warrior / Effect / Earth / 4 Stars / ATK 100 / DEF 2600)
During either player's turn, when this face-down card (and no other cards) is targeted by a Spell Card: Change this card to face-up Defense Position, and if you do, negate the Spell Card's activation. If this card is attacked, change it to Attack Position at the end of the Damage Step.
Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts
(Beast / Normal / Earth / 4 Stars / ATK 1500 / DEF 1200)
This monster moves so fast that it looks like an illusion to mortal eyes.
Magician of Black Chaos
(Spellcaster / Ritual / 8 Stars / ATK 2800 / DEF 2600)
Effect: This card can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card "Black Magic Ritual."
A vortex formed in the middle of the field, thunder and lightning manifesting as the chaotic dark portal opened to accept the two ritual sacrifices…and in the two monsters' place eventually rose the Magician of Black Chaos who now stood regally on the other Yugi's side of the field.
"That's not all, Emrys… I tribute my Magician of Faith to summon Dark Magician Girl!"
Dark Magician Girl
(Spellcaster / Effect / Dark / 6 Stars / ATK 2000 / DEF 1700)
Gains 300 ATK for every "Dark Magician" or "Magician of Black Chaos" in the Graveyard.
For a while, Emrys' gaze rested on Dark Magician Girl. Her heart ached and crumbled deep inside her as her mind's eye mingled past and present – with the Dark Magician Girl transforming as Mana and her lover's clothes being replaced into garb that he wore during his reign as Pharaoh of Egypt. She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds, composing herself and focusing her energies into the task before her.
"Did you see that…her reaction?" Yugi mentally inquired his other self.
"I did…but…."
"But what?"
"I have to beat her, Aibou. There is no other way…. I can't be distracted, even for a moment… We need everyone back!"
Opening her eyes once more, Emrys still saw the figures from the past standing before her. As she welcomed for her heart to harden for the sake of her mission, the spell that her mind's eye had conjured up earlier slowly but surely faded. She became tight-lipped, asking, "So what's next?"
Opting not to attack due to Emrys' Wall of Illusions still protecting her side of the field in defense mode, the other Yugi said, "I end my turn."
The other Yugi's life points remained at 3650 while Emrys kept her 4500 life points.
"You really know how to bounce back on top," commented Emrys with a small smile as she drew her card to begin her turn. She then added, "I place one card face down on the field and end my turn. This also marks the last turn that your Swords of Revealing Light bars my way."
As the Swords of Revealing Light disintegrated and journeyed to the other Yugi's Graveyard, he drew a card from his deck, had that same card ready in his hand, and declared, "I place one card face down and I end my turn."
"And here I am, thinking that we'll stop being coy with each other a couple of turns ago. Since you won't do it, then I will," said Emrys with a feigned sigh as she drew a card from her deck to start her turn. "One card face down, and then I activate Tribute to the Doomed – using it against your Magician of Chaos!"
Tribute to the Doomed
Magic Card
Discard 1 card, then target 1 monster on the field, destroy it.
Magician of Chaos let out a roar as long strips of linen shot out from the dark ground beneath him, wrapped him from head to toe, and pulled him helplessly into the void. Upon the master magician's demise and dismissal to the Graveyard, Dark Magician Girl's attack points increased from 2000 to 2300 due to her now-activated effect.
"Forgive me, Mana, my friend…but I must do this…" Emrys thought, as if she was having a conversation with the Dark Magician Girl who now stood as one of her opponent's sentinel. She then shifted her energies on the task before her, ordering one of her monsters, "Maju – attack Dark Magician Girl!"
Quick on his feet, the other Yugi flung his hand and declared, "Not so fast! I activate a trap card – Magic Cylinder!"
Magic Cylinder
Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Target the attacking monster, negate the attack, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equals to its ATK.
Two colorful cylinders surrounded by an aura of light materialized before the field, absorbing Great Maju Garzett's full attack points from the other Yugi's side of the field and flinging it back to Emrys.
Emrys felt a huge amount of psychic energy and life force drain from her as the other Yugi dealt her with 2800 points of damage – thereby reducing her life points from 4500 down to 1700. Great pain lanced throughout her body, most especially her damaged legs, but her hazel eyes continued its unwavering defiant gaze into her lover's amethyst eyes.
The other Yugi, whose life points remained at 3650 at the start of his turn, drew a card. He placed a monster card face down and announced the end of his turn.
"He's waiting for a particular card…and he also wouldn't leave his Dark Magician Girl unprotected, unless…" thought Emrys as she drew her start-of-turn card while her eyes remained glued on the field. After adding the new card to her hand, she then said aloud, "Maju – attack Dark Magician Girl!"
"You never learn, do you?" said the other Yugi with a small smile, "I use Mirror Force!'
Mirror Force
Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls.
"That's what you think, Pharaoh! I negate your trap with Trap Jammer!"
Trap Jammer
Trap Card / Counter
You can only activate this card when your opponent activates a Trap Card during the Battle Phase. Negate the activation of the Trap Card and destroy it.
A battle of two magical forces unfolded between the two duelists, with the magic that the other Yugi invoked being counter-acted by Emrys' trap card. As the effects of the respective cards finished playing out, the field went dark once more.
Emrys' attack continued with Great Maju Garzett annihilating Dark Magician Girl. As a result, the other Yugi lost 500 life points due to the difference between Great Maju Garzett's and Dark Magician Girl's respective attack points (2800 – 2300).
"I end my turn," said Emrys with silent satisfaction. She now stood with 1700 remaining life points. The other Yugi, on the other hand, had 3150 life points left.
"Lend me your strength," thought the other Yugi as he stared at his deck while drawing a card. He then looked up to Emrys and said, "I put one card face down, and end my turn."
"You've left your field wide open, so it seems," murmured Emrys as she began her turn. She looked at the card that she drew and declared, "I set one card face down on the field. Meanwhile, Maju, my pet – direct attack!"
Remaining undaunted, the other Yugi countered, "I activate a trap card, Backup Soldier!"
Backup Soldier
Trap Card
You can activate this card when there are 5 or more Monster Cards in your Graveyard. Select up to 3 Monster Cards with an ATK of 1500 points or less (except Effect Monster Cards) from your Graveyard and add them to your hand.
Emrys cried out, "You might have gotten some of your foot soldiers back, but you still get damage from Maju!"
As the other Yugi, through the effect of Backup Soldier, retrieved Alpha the Magnet Warrior, Gamma the Magnet Warrior, and Big Shield Gardna, he felt the abrupt drain of life points once Great Maju Garzett's attack hit him full-force. After the 2800-point direct hit, his overall life points dwindled from 3150 to a mere 350 life points.
End Chapter Nine