(13/08/11)
Author's Note: Yeah! Another chapter! Here we go~ Hope you guys like it. I had sooooooooo much fun writing this part of the season. XP
...someone reviewed saying to 'stop yapping and start cracking' so...in this chapter, I'll do just that.
...
Alright, alright. I'm going, I'm going! -starts typing furiously- ^^'
Yami and Yugi are dueling a madman. Sarah's pinned to a wall, forced to stay back and watch the duel from the sidelines. Cursed kunai are to blame. She can't help either Yugi or the Pharaoh when she will need to. What can she do? Yami's in shackles and can only get them off once he wins. And problems...just keep piling. Now Sarah gets dizzy... Really dizzy. Can both Guardian and Pharaoh hold out?
Disclaimer!: Fanfiction, and I do NOT get any money out of it either. Thanks. ^^
Battle City-New Evil Emerges, Old Friends Reunite Chapter 26
Damn it all! I wanted to shout, frustrated. When the Pharaoh is in such a situation where his life is on the line, I'm barred down and forced to watch the duel with my eyes! I wish I could have deflected all the kunai...!
But I know it was useless to keep blaming myself. Arkana was unsuspecting, and the kunai he threw were spell bounded. They would have reached their mark whether I could block them all or not. The fastest one, that I was able to counter in time, wasn't spell bounded however, but he threw it harder than anticipated so it could throw me off guard. Then, the two spell bounded kunai could strike me down and pin me to the wall. Arkana and Marik are much smarter than I thought.
Still! I shouldn't be here! This isn't fair! Fight me like a man rather than a coward who throws cursed kunai from a distance!
My left arm was in pain. With the kunai still lodged in place, the blood kept trickling down from the small wound around it. I know that once I take it out, I'll probably die from blood loss. So that option was out. Why make it hurt more than how much it's hurting right now?
The two kunai above my shoulders were still glowing a dark and purple haze. The spell won't come off any time soon. I hope to Gods it wasn't permanent...
And the one kunai, still in the wall like a dart, that was right by my head, was very scary. It was, what, an inch or two away from my face...? But I know that it was done on purpose. Arkana wanted to scare me. Well, it won't work. I've seen scarier things.
Now, Yami will have to duel with Arkana; a madman who's supposedly working for Marik. He also said that it would be better if I were dead... I bet even Bakura wished that to happen. I'm not going to let them get to me. Though it must be true for them... ^^'
Both duelists had their cards drawn; their first hands of the match. Yami sent challenging looks in Arkana's direction, while Arkana was still grinning like the fool he was. His smirk looked way too creepy. He's only just looked at his hand and started grinning again. I wonder what he's up to... He must have drawn something he wanted.
"I can't believe you're such a coward," I managed to say. Just because I was at the sidelines, prevented from doing anything, it did not mean that I couldn't say anything. "Did you have to lock Yugi up in order to battle him, for some sort of protection against him, Arkana?"
The masked man snickered my way. "Really? Is that what you think?" he asked me. The smirk on his face...I wished it would go away. "Why, I only put him in shackles because of the stakes! If I win, I get his Dark Magician."
"Is that all you want, Arkana?" asked Yami, his eyes narrowed.
His eyes flashed mischievously. "Believe what you must and remember what you accuse me of," he replied coolly. "I'm dueling for reasons only I know of."
"And your superiors?"
Arkana glared at me suspiciously, wondering what I was trying to get at. "What do you mean?" he asked.
I tried to shrug nonchalantly, but it was kind of hard with two dagger sharp objects pinning me down, and right above my shoulders too. "Oh, just the fact of common sense," I said. "Why would you do something your superiors told you to do only for your own reasons? Surely, they want something you to do for them as well..."
"Why would you be so interested?" asked Yami now, trying to get him to say something he didn't mean to. Maybe we could get some hints or answers or...something. "There's a catch for them too...isn't there?"
Arkana 'humphed' and looked away, returning his gaze to the five cards in his hand, instantly letting the smirk replace his grin. "Why should I tell you such information?" he asked.
"...it was worth a shot..." I muttered, staring at the kunai. Could I...possibly make up some sort of counter spell on my own? I could get out much quicker... I tried wrenching them out of the wall while holding up my left arm as much as I could, but they still wouldn't budge. Cursed kunai can't be countered.
Yami glared and drew his card. "Well, if you won't tell us anything, it's time to duel! I'll start it off."
Both duelists' Duel Disks opened up, the tray clicking into place and the life points were set.
LP: Arkana: 4000/Yugi: 4000
"First, I'll place a card face down onto the field," said Yami, slipping the selected card into the magic card slot. "And then, I summon Alpha the Magnet Warrior in defence mode."
The face down card appeared in front of Yami, displayed by the holographic projectors. His monster materialized as well, kneeling down with his sword over his shield.
Arkana drew his first card as well. "Brace yourself," he said with a smirk. "I summon my Legion of Fiend Jester, also in defence mode." A pale puppet appeared onto the field, looking like Arkana's apprentice or something in training. His hands were crossed away from him, as if blocking an attack, to display defensive mode. Arkana's lips were curled in a sneer.
"You won't be smiling for long!" said Yami, drawing his next card. I'll have to admit, his smirk seems a bit too strange at the moment. He must have something in his hand that will let him win. What if it's his own Dark Magician? Then all he'll need next turn is another monster, so he can sacrifice them both in order to summon him!
Yami's fingers went to the cards in his left hand. A thoughtful smirk played on his lips. "Since I don't trust your hand, I'll play this magic card," he said. Yes! So he noticed it as well.
"Don't trust my hand?" exclaimed Arkana. That's right. Try to act all innocent. Yami's got you right where he wants you.
Yami took a card into his hand. "Take this!" He swiped it into a magic card slot and I watched the holographic projectors materialize the card to life, showing the illustration to Arkana, thus, bringing down the problem.
"Card Destruction!"
Arkana fell back. "No!" he exclaimed. "Not my precious hand!"
"Both players must discard their hands, now," said Yami. "That means you, Arkana!"
We could see Arkana being extremely reluctant. And his smirk was replaced by a grim expression. He had something in his hand he wanted to play. Hahaha, now he won't be able to! xD
"Heh. You've been deceiving me from the start," said Yami with a smirk of his own. Arkana's glare was definitely a good sign for him. His smile was really creeping me out. You'd think he's always up to no good. "I thought you fixed your first hand. So, rather than take my chance at falling victim to another one of your tricks, I destroyed both of our hands so we can discard our old cards and start over with a clean slate."
Right! Even I saw the way he roughly shuffled his deck. Arkana cut his cards and dealt them almost like it was poker; bending the cards in such a way that did not seem respectful. If he does that sort of thing, then he would definitely have the guts to trim his cards. Cheater...
Yami gathered up the cards in his hand and directed to his opponent, "Say good-bye to the cards in your hand, Arkana!"
"You'll pay for that!" spat Arkana, gathering up his cards as well. "When I claim your Dark Magician and send you to the Shadow Realm!"
"I wouldn't count on that yet, Arkana! Reveal, the face down card, Brain Control!"
Yami's face down card suddenly flipped into activation, showing a brain in someone's hand. Ghost arms crept onto the field, headed for wherever Yami commands them to go.
"This card lets me control any of your monsters. Like Fiend Jester!"
The dark green arms shot out of the brain, wrapping their smoky fingers around the kneeling Fiend Jester, placing him on Yami's side of the field.
"No!" cried Arkana. "My monster!"
"Now, I'll sacrifice your Fiend Jester and my Magnet Warrior. Which allows me to summon my ultimate monster!"
A light purple hurricane of wind engulfed both of Yami's monsters, shooting up to the ceiling. As the smoke began to slowly disappear, we saw only one monster's hazy figure now appearing.
"Fear the power of my Dark Magician!"
Could it be? Yami was able to summon his own Dark Magician before Arkana! Of course he would, now that I thought about it. Arkana disrespected his cards, willing to do anything to them in order to win. While Yami respected his cards, they would come through for him. So, it was natural and so predictable that he would summon him.
Arkana looked distraught. It was the best way to put it. Not only was he restrained from summoning his strongest monster, but his opponent was able to summon their own before him! I wonder what'll happen to his game talk now. He's at such a disadvantage! And on home turf too!
"When you believe in the Heart of the Cards, Arkana, you don't need to cheat," said Yami, glaring at the man, nearly disgusted by his antics. "You believe in nothing but trickery and winning at all costs. But now you'll see what happens when you put Faith in your cards, Arkana!
"Dark Magician; show him some real magic!"
With a direct attack on his life points too!
Because Yami took Fiend Jester from Arkana, and he doesn't have any face down cards, Yami is free to attack him directly without the worry of being countered by a trap.
More like, Arkana set himself up in a trap.
The Dark Magician twirled his staff expertly from one hand to the other before shooting a blast of lightning fast energy in Arkana's direction. The man tried to cover his eyes from the blinding light hitting him.
It was a serious number done on him. Only a piece of what he deserved.
LP: Arkana: 1500/Yugi: 4000
I wish I could whistle. Because this was just too damn good. "Way to go, Yugi!" I cried ecstatically. "You won the round!"
"You've already lost more than half your life points, Arkana," said Yami. "Now, I'm still waiting for this grand magic show you promised me."
The attack left Arkana drained, from over exposure to incredible graphics and anxiety. He now had only fifteen-hundred life points left, and he still needed a way to summon his Dark Magician to battle Yami's.
Suddenly, the buzzing of the dark energy disk linked to Arkana's life points became louder as it moved to the fifteen-hundred mark of the point line. He started freaking out, shouting about how close it was getting to him.
He didn't reply, but as he tried to regain composure, I noticed the tiniest hints of another smirk beginning to form on his face.
Great... did he have any other tricks up his sleeve?
This duel is dangerous. I thought. Because of these energy disks that will send the loser of the duel to the Shadow Realm, the stakes become incredibly high. Both duelists will start thinking twice about everything, and they'll need to stay at the top of their game.
But...the thought of the Pharaoh possibly going to the Shadow Realm left me so uneasy. I couldn't bare to let that happen if it ever did, but I'm stuck here like a poster to a wall.
"Please," I said, slight desperation in my voice. "Stop the duel. End it before either of you get hurt! Arkana, are you mad? Why would you even risk your life for a duel?"
Arkana's smirk was mysterious. Yeah. He has more tricks up his sleeve. He'll just toss my plead over his shoulder as nothing but an innocent act. "You should know by now that nothing can happen without sacrifice," he said slyly. "Wishful thinking is a bad habit, Sarah."
"Arkana," said Yami, averting his gaze from me to him. "You're only one direct attack away from losing, and then you're off to the Shadow Realm. Think about what you're doing."
The man's smirk intensified. "I'm a master of magicians," he said. "I don't need to think about what I'm doing because I already know! And I've saved the best trick for the finale. Get ready, Yugi! Because this duel isn't ending anytime soon with you being the winner!"
He's giving Yami no choice. The Pharaoh will have to fight back.
"It's my turn!" said Arkana, drawing his next card. "And I summon Mystic Tomato in defence mode. Now you can't get to my life points as easily as you thought! I also place one card face down for later."
A bright red tomato materialized onto the field, in front of a face down card, with its face looking an awful lot like a jack-o'-lantern's. It's evil little smile told me that if it were real, it would chop my head off in one bite. Nasty little tomato...
"Very well," said Yami, also drawing his next card for the turn. "We've given you a chance to escape from this horrible game. But now...it's all fight. Prepare yourself, Arkana!" He quickly looked over his cards and chose one. "Here's where it ends. I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior! Now, my monster, attack Arkana's Mystic Tomato!"
A small monster made of green magnets appeared onto the field and followed the Pharaoh's orders to attack the tomato. He was just about to swipe his electrical attack right through the killer vegetable—when Arkana activated a trap.
"Not so fast, Yugi!" he said, and the face down card he placed earlier flipped upward, revealing a glowing coffin, which actually appeared onto the field as well. "You've activated my trap! Dark Renewal! As a magician, Yugi, you should know what this card does. It takes a card from each player and sends it to the graveyard, while bringing back one of the card holder's monsters."
...oh darn...this can not be good...
"As you know, Yugi, you made me discard my first hand in the beginning of our match, which made me discard my Dark Magician. Now, as long as your Beta the Magnet Warrior and my Mystic Tomato go to the Graveyard, I can summon him at last!"
"No!" Yami watched helplessly as his Beta and Arkana's Tomato were blown into a hurricane of wind, a lot like the one Yami's Dark Magician appeared out of. But now, it was working for Arkana.
From out of the whirling wind cyclone of red emerged Arkana's Dark Magician. Smirking Yami's Dark Magician's way. Clad in flowing, dark red robes while the other wore brimming, deep purple robes. Both their sceptres were a pale green, the orbs shimmering either lethally or protectively beneath the admiral lights above.
The air just felt tenser.
Both Dark Magicians were out on the field now.
It was the battle of magicians.
Which one could prevail?
"So, you've managed to summon your Dark Magician," said Yami, though he did not seem impressed. "But don't think you've won just yet! All you've done is finally put your piece on the board. And you've got your wish. It's Dark Magician versus Dark Magician. Let's see who the real master is."
Arkana smirked helpfully. "Our monsters' points are identical," he said. "So you'll have to think more strategically. And only a true illusionist, such as myself, can master the power of the Dark Magician. Prepare to lose your card, and your mind!" He wasn't hiding how excited he was about finally summoning his monster. In fact, he let it show on purpose, just to tick us off or hint that he's got even more planned.
"Think again. Now, I'll place two cards on the field. Face down. And end my turn."
Arkana's smirk suddenly increased a sort of...depth. Literally, he was telling us with his facial expressions how much he's willing to do in order to win this duel—or any duel, actually.
Or...how much he was willing to play with his opponents' minds.
Arkana only glanced at his cards before choosing a couple to play. "Two can play at that game," he said. "I also place two cards face down. So, what's next?"
Yami glared. "I'll show you," he said, drawing his next card. Then he made his move. "I'll play one more card face down."
"Brilliant move, Yugi," said Arkana a little suspiciously. "So I will place one more card face down as well."
"I'll place my last."
"And so will I."
Now...this was odd. Arkana was copying every move Yami was making.
Of course! The time after both duelists have their Dark Magicians summoned is critical. The first one to lose theirs will be at a huge disadvantage. Because their best monster is destroyed. They're thinking more strategically now than ever.
I hope Yami's strategy wins though. Because this Rare Hunter was in our way. He needs to be knocked down in order for us to go any further with this tournament.
And I need to get out of this spell. The kunai still in my arm was a piercing pain, shooting through my limb, preventing me from using it properly. Blood poisoning doesn't happen for about a day with an untreated wound. But it still hurt like Hell.
Yami's duel kept my mind away from the situation until I could resolve it. First I had to get out before I could treat the wound, anyway.
And right now was particularly interesting. Arkana was mimicking Yami's every move ever since he summoned his Dark Magician. What's he planning?
"Hah," smirked Arkana. "We each have four cards face down and one Dark Magician. And now, let's see who picked the best dueling strategy. I'll play a magic card."
Arkana pressed a button on his Duel Disk to activate the card. One of his face down cards flipped up to reveal a guillotine. A lot like the kind people used in the 18th century. The card actually came to life and a real guillotine materialized onto the field, it's sharp blade glinting suggestively underneath the ceiling spotlights.
"Mystical Guillotine! Say good-bye to your Dark Magician, Yugi!"
"I won't let you destroy him!"
Arkana just laughed at his feeble like remark. That's what he thought. But I knew the Pharaoh had a plan.
Suddenly, shackled chains attached to the guillotine sprang forward from out of their hiding place and locked themselves around the wrists of Yami's Dark Magician. He was dragged onto the table underneath Arkana's sparkling blade. My heart almost leapt into my throat.
"My Dark Magician!" cried Yami. "No!"
"As if you had a choice!" said Arkana. "I'm afraid it's true. Your Dark Magician's about to be cut from the show. And your mind will be trapped in the Shadow Realm!" He started cackling maliciously once more.
"No," I said. "If Yami's Dark Magician is destroyed, then not only will he be rid of defence, but his best and favourite monster will be gone."
"It's time for the grand finale," said Arkana.
"Not yet," said Yami.
Arkana smirked. "Sorry, but the show's over and the curtain must now fall! Right on your Dark Magician!"
When he said curtain, he mean the blade of the guillotine.
Just as it was about to do just that and chop off the Dark Magician's head, Yami put his plan into use. "I'm afraid that you'll have to find him first! Go Magical Hats!"
On the last moment, the Pharaoh's magic card activated, replacing his Dark Magician on Arkana's guillotine with an empty hat. When the blade fell with a sickening slash through the black top hat, it was chopped in half to reveal air. The other three hats stayed on Yami's side of the field, ready to be struck down by Arkana's wrath.
The guy did not seem happy that Yami's Dark Magician was saved.
The Pharaoh smirked. "Now you'll have to guess which hat he's under to attack him."
"Don't be so sure of that," defied Arkana, pressing yet another button on his Duel Disk to activate another one of his face down cards. "A Thousand Knives!"
The card flipped and out showered a thousand knives, straight into his Dark Magician's hands. "These magic daggers will detect and destroy your Dark Magician!"
He could see which hat he's under?
"It's all over!"
The Dark Magician directed the knives into the middle hat's direction, sending Yami's Dark Magician's death sentence right to him. But Yami smirked once more.
"Hold on," he said. "I'll rescue him with Curse Breaker!"
Yami activated another one of his face down cards with another push on one of the buttons on his Duel Disk. The card that flipped over to reveal itself had a lock on the front that was trying to be shattered by magic. A fresh wave of golden light encased the duel field.
"It cancels out all activated magic cards on the field," he said. "My Dark Magician is safe once more." Arkana's knives and Yami's Magical Hats all disappeared. The breath I was holding still didn't escape in case there was more turning points.
Arkana glared at Yami, annoyed by how he was taking the 'show' that was 'supposed' to be his. He talks about a duel like it's some great magic act, where everything impossible can happen.
"Destroying my Dark Magician won't be easy, Arkana," said Yami. "You'll have to think of a better strategy."
Arkana's gritted teeth opened with a shout. "We'll just see about that!"
"Dark Magician!" both duelists called out in synchronized cue. "Dark Magic attack!"
Both Dark Magicians lunged in. Both held their sceptres out towards the other. And both blasted each other with a huge eruption of Dark Magic.
They'll destroy each other.
Were these two going mad now?
What were they doing?
A lightning storm of attack power swallowed both monsters, shattering their forms on the spot. Both lost.
"And now, my Dark Magician will return!" Arkana and Yami then activated their final face down card, which flipped up at the same time as well. "Monster Reborn!"
Once again, both Dark Magicians reappeared onto the field, unscathed and ready for a new round. Neither Arkana nor Yami had the ice in their blood to back down. Only fire flickered through their eyes.
I heaved a long sigh. That was too much excitement for one day. I need to lie down..
Oh wait.
But I'm stuck to a wall!
"Looks like we're back to where we started," sighed Arkana.
"Yes, a stalemate," agreed Yami. "Why don't you unlock these shackles and finish this duel with honour?"
"With honour?" Arkana laughed. "And ruin all the fun? Never."
Yami's narrow eyes glared thoughtfully at Arkana. "Have it your way," he said, drawing his next card. "But answer me this: Why did you lead me down here, Arkana? And why did you force me into a duel in which the loser's mind will be sent to the Shadow Realm?"
"I'm just following the orders of my Master," answered Arkana mysteriously. A devilish glint flashed through his eyes, probably coming up with more schemes on how to win this duel.
"Enough secrets, Arkana!" he said.
"Yeah!" I said finally, after a while. The duel had just become so incredibly tense that I was scared to make a comment. I didn't want to waver the Pharaoh's concentration. "What's going on?"
It was like our demands finally triggered something. Arkana's eyes suddenly became quite soft, as if he was revisiting an old memory. I remember seeing that look on my own face each time I looked into mirror and saw a girl I hadn't been before a certain time. It was heart breaking.
Arkana's hand suddenly went to his mask. "Look at my face," he said quietly. And it was awfully weird how he suddenly changed from his evil self to someone who sounded so sad, it was evil itself. Arkana removed the mask, and Yami and I gasped in shock.
His eyes...
The top half of his face except for his eyes was...
What could have caused such terrible burns?
"Once, I was the greatest illusionist and magician since Harry Houdini himself," he began. "My act was the envy of the entire magic world. And I loved every minute of it. I had it all; money, fame, but most importantly, I had her. My sweet Catherine.
"We were going to be married...until that fateful day." His voice had suddenly become quite rigid now. That fateful day must have been how he...got all those marks...
"It was a routine escape trick," he continued. "I've done it a million times. But as Catherine looked on, something went horribly wrong.
"I lost my career and my movie star good looks that day. Then I lost Catherine's love.
"I drove her away, Yugi. I was a broken man. I didn't want her to see me ruined. She stood by me and I hurt her. By the time I figured that out, it was too late. She was gone. My life was over.
"Until I met him. Marik. He made me an offer. If I could eliminate Yugi Muto for good, he'd help me win back Catherine. With the help of his Millennium Rod."
So...that's why Arkana has gone down the wrong road. I thought as I watched him put his mask back onto his face. He had basically everything anyone could dream of, but then one day, it all disappeared. And Catherine, who was the most important to Arkana, left him because of his foolishness. He wanted her bad but he's lost her for good.
What a tragic love story.
It would have been cute if it was a movie and then the guy found the girl, begging for forgiveness, until she forgives him. And then they both live happily ever after.
But in real life...something I like to call 'reality'...once you make a mistake, it's hard to ask for a second chance.
Yami tried talking sense into him. "Working for Marik will only bring you more pain and suffering, Arkana," he said, in a reasonable tone. "Marik cares about no one except himself. He'll say and do anything to get what he wants."
Arkana's smirk returned to his face. It held knowing though. "It's a cruel, cruel world, Yugi," he said. "You'll find that out soon enough. There are very few things you can count on and even fewer people. But I am counting on Marik to bring my Catherine back into my arms."
Yami and I exchanged glances. Understanding passed through our eyes. We were in the same predicament of trusting one person or another. Arkana was led into the wrong direction though.
Arkana gestured behind him to an archway that was once dark, but suddenly lighted up once he snapped his fingers. A dark silhouette of someone sitting on a chair was just behind a curtain. We couldn't see the person's face or what they looked like, but we could see enough to find that it was a girl.
Especially after what Arkana said next.
"Ah, there she is! Waiting for me; just like Marik promised!" he said, smiling widely at the silhouette. He looked hopeful for the moment, instead of his cocky self. "He's a man of honour, Yugi. You shouldn't be so quick to judge people."
"Arkana..." I wanted to tell him to be careful, even though he tricked Yami into dueling him for his life. But he was once a normal man as well, only following another man through blind eyes. He was being tricked himself, but he didn't know it.
"Give me a minute, darling," said Arkana to the woman on the other side of the curtain. "I have to destroy Yugi. Then we can be together forever. So, you see, Yugi, it's nothing personal."
His cackle disturbed me once more.
"You're a fool to be trusting a man like Marik," said Yami, being more straightforward than I was. It was just the way Arkana was looking the girl behind the curtain—Catherine—with so much affection in his eyes... You know, it's like someone being happy for their friend who's so happy in someone else's arms. You can tell their made for each other just by how they smile and act around each other. It makes your heart flutter with such love shown. Just like mine was.
I also felt bad for Arkana.
Because he threw away his life to follow a bastard like Marik.
"Instead, you should be trusting in yourself and in your cards," said Yami. Arkana laughed. "You rely on tricks and illusions to win instead of believing in your deck. And that will be your downfall."
"They're just cards, Yugi, and nothing more," said Arkana passively, and the fluttering feeling shattered. This isn't the real Arkana anymore. He's just a puppet working for someone supposedly higher than him. And he's led by the delusion of getting back his once proclaimed love.
"That is your problem, " said Yami. "They're not just cards. My heart is in my deck and that's something you'll never understand."
"You talk about your Faith in your cards, Yugi, but that will be your downfall," retorted Arkana. "I knew you depend on your Dark Magician to bail you out so I built my dueling deck with one purpose; to take your Dark Magician away from you!"
If Arkana wins, then not only will he win Yami and Yugi's Dark Magician, the dark energy disk near Yami's feet will take his mind! I have to put a stop to this! But can the only solution be with one winner?
I gritted my teeth. The chance of the Pharaoh losing himself to the Shadow Realm was too much for me to handle. I couldn't just sit back and watch!
"Set yourselves free!" I shouted to Arkana. "It's not too late to stop this!"
Arkana smirked once more. "Not until I win Yugi's Dark Magician!"
"Are you really willing to set your own mind on the line if it means you get to see Catherine again? Don't do this, Arkana! It's foolish! Marik's the one tricking you, not life!"
A glare was shot my way. A strong one; enough to make me fall back. "You have no idea what I've been through," he seethed. "You don't know what it's like to lose someone you love!"
At his words, tears begged to escape my eyes. Because he was wrong. I do know what it's like.
"You're mistaken," I said, forcing myself to calm down before I break down instead. Automatically, pictures of the empty room of our house before I left for Isis' home filled my mind. It was so cold and so heartbreaking. "I do know what it's like. But you've drowned so deep into Marik's words that you've lost all sense of self-thought! Think about what you're doing with a clear mind and stop this duel!"
"Never!"
He was done. There was no way to talk any sense into him. "Then make your move," said Yami.
"I place one card face down," said Arkana, doing just that. Then he smirked confidently Yami's way. "Ready for the Shadow Realm?"
"I won't lose," said Yami, drawing his next card. Then he made his move. "And I'll place two cards face down. That ends my turn."
Arkana smirked. "Time to spice up this show!" he said. "Hah. Ready Yugi? I reveal a magic card!" He activated, showing one of his face down cards which was a red hand trying to grasp a ball of red light. "Beckon to the Dark!"
Dark clouds materialized below the ceiling shrouding the playing field with tension. From out of a plume emerged a giant red muscled hand, reaching down for it's target.
"No! Yami's Dark Magician!"
Arkana smirk intensified. "That's right, Yugi! You should be scared. With its gruesome claw, this magic card snatches up any opponent's monster and transports it directly to the Graveyard. So you can say good-bye to your Dark Magician!"
The bloody hand grew sharp claws on its fingertips and reached for Yami's monster. It was just tightening it's grip on his Dark Magician when Yami suddenly countered. The hand immediately let go of its grasp.
"Oh really?" he said. "Afraid not! You didn't count on this! Mystical Rift Panel! This trap card will counter the darkness of your magic card and spare my monster."
"Hah. But not for long."
"We'll see!"
Arkana smirked. "We will," he said. "Beckon to the Dark was a decoy to get you to waste your trap card."
"What?" I cried.
Arkana's laugh reverberated throughout the entire room. "I knew that you would fall for that trick! Now it's my turn to play a trap card, Yugi. Nightmare Chains!"
As soon as the clouds dispersed along with the hand Arkana's second face down card activated and chain after chain after chain shot out from within it. The solid, rusty chains wound themselves tightly around Yami's Dark Magician's legs, waist, and each arm—to a slab of stone off to the side. He was completely pinned down.
"These chains will bind your Dark Magician; putting him out of play and leaving you open for a direct attack!"
"Damn it!" I cursed. "His Dark Magician is trapped!" Like me; unable to do anything for Yami.
Arkana simply laughed with delight, happy about his trap. "With your monster hung up for the moment, all he can do is watch on helplessly as I destroy his Master," he said, relishing his comeback.
Is that all I can do too? Watch on helplessly as Yami will get his mind sent to the Shadow Realm?
Hell no! I won't allow this to happen!
I tried tugging myself out of the kunai all over again, twisting this way and that to try and pull myself out from a certain angle where they aren't touching the edge of my shirt. But they had caught on dead centre of the shoulders part of my shirt. And I swear that the more I try moving, the deeper they sink into the wall.
Even trying to take the shirt off was spelled! I tried only once in desperation, but not even that works!
Though it would have been highly odd if it did...
"Of course, you won't be his Master for much longer," said Arkana. "So it doesn't really matter, I suppose. Soon, he will belong to Marik.
"And now, prepare yourself! It's show time! Dark Magician, attack Yugi's life points directly!"
As predicted, I could only watch Yami get hit and his life points decrease with a beating heart of anticipation and guilt. Arkana's Dark Magician blasted Yami with a wave of his Dark Magic. The blast must have felt life-like thanks to Kaiba's new technology because as soon as the red cloaked Dark Magician shot a lightning fast strike of Dark Magic onto Yami, the dark waves engulfed him, making him cry out to the ceiling. I felt the Seal on my collar burn with his pain.
I even saw his own Dark Magician look at the scene in helpless anger.
"Yugi!" I shouted, once the attack was over. He nearly doubled over in pain, drained of his energy.
LP: Arkana: 1500/Yugi: 1500
Yami forced himself to look up at the cackling evil nutcase on the other side of the duel ring, fighting off the pain he still felt.
"I'm...fine," he managed to say. Then he wiped the side of his mouth, trying to regain breath. He glared at the masked man.
"This is turning into quite the performance," laughed Arkana. "And now, watch my friends! As the dark energy disk sends Yugi's mind to the Shadow Realm!"
"Who the Hell are you friends with in this room, you freaking bastard?" I shouted in anger.
He wanted Yami and me to watch helplessly as the dark energy disk closest to the Pharaoh now got even closer. We were both trapped and can only see it happening.
One touch of that energy disk...and it's all over!
"I'm almost ready for my grand finale, Yugi," said Arkana. His smirk was on his face once more. "It's worth sticking around for. I don't want to ruin the surprise for you, but let's just say that Marik will be extremely pleased. You, on the other hand, probably won't. But why spoil it? Now it's time for you to make your final move!"
Yami's got to find a way to free his Dark Magician! Otherwise, Arkana's got him completely cornered and with no way out.
Arkana was still talking, about how close he was to defeating Yami, when suddenly, my cell phone rung. It was the quiet (very quiet) beginning of the song Can't Breathe by Fefe Dobson. Before the singer could actually start singing this terribly sad (yet very addicting) song, I quickly reached into my pocket and pressed the on button, without waiting to read the caller ID. Arkana was busy taunting. I didn't want to waste any valuable time while he was busy.
"H-Hello?" I whispered into the phone. My arm suddenly stung.
"Sarah? Is that you?" It was Téa, and she sounded thoroughly relieved. "Thank goodness! Mr. Muto and I have been looking for you and Yugi for nearly an hour! And I couldn't reach you until now—it wasn't connecting..."
"Sorry for the trouble," I blurted first. "Yugi's dueling a Rare Hunter right now, and I'm pinned to my doom."
"What? Pinned to your doom? Rare Hunter?"
There was no time to explain. "He says that Kaiba won't be able to find us where we are," I said. "It's true then? It took you a while to call my phone?"
Suddenly, I heard some shuffling, and a familiar male's voice talked through the line. Underneath, I could hear the opposing cries of Téa.
"Sarah, it's Kaiba," he said, probably taking Téa's phone without asking. But it must have been a serious matter, otherwise he wouldn't have done it. And time really was delicate at the moment. If Arkana found me talking to someone on the phone...
I was nearly surprised to find the handsome brunette's voice enter through my ear. "K-Kaiba?" I asked. "What—"
"Listen. I can't find Yugi's or your Duel Disk markers on my satellite. Are you somewhere off Battle City grounds?"
"I...I don't know exactly where we are, but...the guy Yugi is dueling said that exact same thing; that you won't be able to find us here. I'm sorry, but there hasn't been any sign of a hint that could tell us where we are."
"It's not like I'm worried," he said in his cold monotone. "You two can handle yourselves fine. I just don't want to be responsible of two duelists' disappearances."
I almost smiled at the Kaiba-like thought. He was trying to be caring and CEO like all at once. I think...
"Doesn't my cell phone have some sort of radio wave to it?" I suddenly asked him. If everyone was looking for us, might as well help. We might need their assistance to get out of this place.
"Yes," said Kaiba.
"Could you try tracking that?"
"The signal is pretty weak—I can barely hear you right now—but I can try finding you and Yugi that way. Mokuba can boost the power of the signal with the dead signal of your Duel Disks. We'll come up with something soon."
"Thank you~"
I think Arkana heard. Actually, I know he did. Because at that moment, something silver and oddly familiar flew through the air—cutting it like cake, it was that fast. Something incredibly sharp hit my arm, shooting immense pain through it. I let out a cry in pain. It made me drop my phone. I heard Kaiba call my name after he heard my shout. Then the line went dead.
"Don't think that I don't know what's going on in my own show," said Arkana with a disappointed click of his tongue. I held my arm with the other damaged one, gritting my teeth from pain and anger. "Because I know all! You can't phone people while I'm dueling!"
This next kunai actually pierced right through my arm, near the edge so it could pierce through both sides of my arm. The pain was sharp and immense, even though it was only the dagger's tip digging it's way into the wall through me. Blood slowly began to trickle out of the new wound, just like the now numb wound on my other arm.
"Sarah!" cried Yami. His eyes held slight concern.
I gritted my teeth and tried to smirk. If Yami can fight through pain then so can I. "I'm...fine," I said, finding my answer to be the same as Yami's. "It was Téa on the phone before Kaiba jacked it. They're looking for the building we're in based on the signal they've got from my phone."
Arkana glared harshly. "The signal was supposed to be jammed down here," he exclaimed. "But no matter, this duel is about to end anyway. No one can save you now!"
"I beg to differ!" I shouted. I've had enough. Yami WILL win this duel. I know he will! "Take him down, Yugi!"
Yami gave me a now confident nod, with new determination grazing his features. "With pleasure," he said, drawing his next card. "I summon Big Shield Gardna in defence mode. This protects my points until further notice." A burly man with a giant shield appeared onto the field in a kneeling position. His attack was really low, but his defence points was impressive; 2600.
Arkana smirked, drawing his next card. "That's right," he said. "It's all you can do, isn't it? Your Dark Magician is removed from play and there's no way to free him. Now, watch as I finish destroying you, Yugi! Your time as King of Games in this world is almost over!" Yami stood his ground, unwilling to let the threat shatter his defences.
He can't be serious! I thought in horror. Yami...can't really lose, can he? That's impossible!
He took a look over his newly acquired card and almost cackled himself senseless. He drew a card he wanted.
"Oh, this is beautiful!" exclaimed Arkana, almost drunk from his supposed 'near victory'. "This is just the card I needed in order to wipe out the rest of your petty life points! Are you ready, Yugi? Prepare yourself with what little time you have left! You'll need it all to even comprehend what I'm about to play!"
Yami's eyes lit up with angry curiosity. What card has got this man so damn cocky? Does he really have a card in his hand that'll make the worst possible thing happen? Gods, please! This just can't be the end!
"To start my brilliant move, I first summon the Doll of Demise." Arkana's monster materialized onto the field, holding an axe in one hand while the other hand was actually made of knives. This doll looked like one of those haunted dolls from horror movies. He had 1600 attack points. What did he have planned? Yami's Big Shield Gardna had way more defence points than him.
...does it have something to do with the card he just drew? I could actually hear the loud beat of my heart every time. It was beating that much with sudden anxiety.
"And now..." said Arkana. "The card that will be your actual demise! It won't be only the doll in this case, Yugi, but a magic card that'll haunt you even as your mind is trapped in the Shadow Realm!
"I activate Ectoplasmer!"
Arkana's card appeared into the field, but the colourful illustration didn't help solve our confusion any less.
"Ectoplasmer?" I echoed.
"I've never heard of that card before." Yami glared even more at Arkana. "What are you up to?"
Arkana cackled once more, and my ears begged for it to stop. It was too high pitched, too evil, and too annoying. Will he just get to the point...? Even though we don't really want him to all at the same time...
"What am I up too?" Arkana asked innocently. The smirk on his face led us to believe otherwise. "No good, of course! This is the winning move, Yugi!
"Ectoplasmer is a special magic card. It will drain the souls of my monsters and shoot their energy right at you! Bypassing your own defences as if they were nothing but air! In other words, I can attack with half my monsters' power right at Yugi's life points!"
"What?" I cried in anguish. "If you can do that much damage, then...then..."
Arkana smirked lethally. "Then Yugi loses the duel."
Author's Note: Tata. See you guys again soon. XD I'm sooo uber tired right now—it's not even funny. I'll continue on later! Thanks so much for reading! ^^ Hope you liked this part. X'D Hey...it's still over 8,000 words long. ^^'
Oh! By the way, check out my profile for ways to keep contact with me! I've got many. X3 If you want, add me! Thanks so much! :3
I'm sorry for any grammatical errors. ^^'