Small Note

Sakura: Thanks for all the great reviews and support. So far it looks like this update every two weeks is going to work better so far. So as promised here is the next chapter!

Chapter 14

Magic vs. Magic

Yami and Yugi stared down the infamous Pandora the conjurer who happened to be a rare hunter and another duelist that favored the Dark Magician. They had come to the card shop wanting to get some answers about how the rare hunters knew about Joey's Red Eyes Black Dragon before the tournament and it was clear they had gotten their answer.

"Yugi there's only room for one magic-themed duelist in this world." Pandora informed them using his own duel disk to show off his own Dark Magician. "Whoever wins this match will earn the title of Master of Magicians. Don't even try to run from our duel."

Yugi would never think about running away from an opponent as he showed his own Dark Magician. "I accept your challenge Pandora!"

"That's the spirit, how kind of you to accept… so there's no need for force. This is an honor," Pandora stated with a little bow before he straighten and turned, "Well then, this room is too small to fight properly. I have prepared a duel arena in the basement of the shop. This way please…" He turned to show them the way not even looking to see if they would follow.

Yugi and Yami looked at each other not sure where Pandora might be leading them but they took the chance. They followed him to the back of the store where some stairs to the basement lead.

"Mind the stairs…" Pandora warned them as he headed down into the dark basement. He only took a peak behind him to see the two following before he informed them, "Incidentally Master Marik told me you might be dropping by. I took the time to set up something special so you wouldn't get bored."

"You talked to Marik?" Yami questioned, he was the real master mind behind all this and Yami never did like an enemy he couldn't see especially when that person had it out for his boyfriend. "Where is he Pandora?"

"Where he is I wonder…?" Pandora chuckle as he simply pointed to his head and stated, "He's close… very close… You might say he's in here."

"This could be just like with that other guy," Yugi pointed out to Yami. "Marik has the power to possess his underlings and make them do whatever he wants. He could be watching us right now." Which was a really scary thought but he had a duel to focus on at the moment.

After a moment Pandora stopped before a steel door with a question mark on it, "Here we are. This is my underground arena," He opened the door up before stepping inside and as soon as they followed inside the door shut behind them and the lights came on, "Welcome to Pandora's room!"

Around them were all kinds of magic tools and occult paraphernalia with a lone duel arena in the middle. The way the arena was set up so the duelist had to step down a few steps to get into it making it lower than the rest of the floor. In the middle was a table with a pentagram on it.

"This room looks like a bad dream…" Yugi commented this room gave the feel to the darker side of magic.

Pandora walked around to his side of the arena, "A conjurer has many powers from simple card tricks to the ability to bring nightmares to life and now…" He stepped up to the table in the middle just as Yugi entered the area and did the same. His partner standing back to watch, "I believe this is a worthy stage for a match between two Dark Magicians."

Both duelists presented their decks to the other for them to be shuffled, "Now let us shuffle our decks, whether we can draw our magicians or die horribly all depends on this moment…" Pandora commented as he took a hold of Yugi's deck and started to shuffle it.

Yugi watched as Pandora shuffled his cards while he did the same to Pandora's, "Shotgun shuffle will damage your cards you know." He mentioned clearly not happy with how his cards were being handled.

"I'm used to this way."

They handed each other's decks back to the other and moved back into place for the duel to begin. However Pandora had one more trick up his sleeve as he watched Yugi step into place, "But now that we are committed to dueling, I'd like to show you something that will prove that we're truly blood brothers." He reached up to the chain that was near him that Yugi hadn't noticed before. "A nightmare show with you as the star!"

As soon as he pulled the chain, Yugi nearly lost his balance as he felt something cold and metal cover his ankles. Looking down his eyes widened when he noticed he was now shackled in place and when he pulled there was no getting out.

"What is the meaning of this!" Yami shouted as he entered the arena and tried to help Yugi get out of his shackles.

Pandora just laughed at their weak attempt to set Yugi free, "I have them too now neither of us can escape! And now you will witness the greatest show of the century…. Pandora's daring escape from the very jaws of death!"

It just turned from bad to worse as twin saws came out of the walls on either side of the arena. One for each duelist Yami figured based on the writing he saw just above them that looked like life points. He was not about to let his boyfriend play such a dangerous duel.

"A one hundred tooth carbide tipped saw blade just like they use to saw women in half! As I'm sure you've guessed already this duel will use my house rules." Pandora said enjoying the looks of horror on their faces. He was having way too much fun with this. "And those numbers marked on the cutter's rails are the players' life points." He pointed out to which Yami already figured. "Once the players' life points hit zero it is both game over as you lose both the duel and your legs. However if you happen to win there is a box between your legs. In this box is a key that will unlock the shackles on our legs. The display on the box shows the enemy's life points. It is designed to open when it reaches zero. In other words, only the winner can escape!"

"Pandora you're crazy!" Yami was beyond pissed and not even Yugi could calm him down at this point.

Pandora wasn't even fazed by Yami's anger as he continued to ignore him, "According to Greek mythology, Pandora's box was created by the gods to contain all the misfortune in the world. But when a woman named Pandora opened it, all the evil escaped bringing evil suffering and pain. But one thing remained in the box… hope. This key is our hope, but only for one of us."

"Is this fun for you?"

"Hmmm?"

"A battle that kills people…" Yami stated as he stood up not able to get Yugi out. He leveled Pandora with a look that could kill. "I'm asking you, is it fun?"

"Why yes… because I'm the one who'll win. Now the audience is supposed to be seen not heard so move along..."

"You filthy scum!" So badly Yami wanted to go over there and beat the guy to death, but there was another voice in the back of his head that was telling him that it wasn't smart. The duel would have to be played through in order to get the key to free Yugi. 'I still don't like this.' He told the pharaoh as he briefly turned back to his Aibou.

Yugi gave him a small smile even if he was scared, but he had agreed to this and he would see it through. "I'll be fine," He said as he reached out to place a hand on the side of Yami's face.

Yami calmed only a small bit from the touch, "Make sure to kick his ass…" He gave his partner a quick kiss before he moved out of the way of the duel.

Yugi put on his best poker face as he drew his first five cards, "I'll go first," He announced to which Pandora had no problem.

Pandora was already planning out his win as he looked at the cards he drew, one of them being his Dark Magician. 'Luck is on my side! I already drew the Dark Magician but of course it wasn't just luck… as a professional stage magician, I know more than one thousand techniques to cheat at cards. It's simple to draw whatever card I need from my deck. I'll teach you the hard way Yugi! No one outwits a conjurer!'

Yugi had no clue what Pandora had done to his cards or what he had already drawn as he focused on his own turn. He started with playing one card face down and then summoned his Alpha the Magnet Warrior in defense mode.

Once his turn ended Pandora drew a card before he summoned his Legion the Fiend Jester in defense mode as Yugi did with his own monster. 'According to the super expert rules, I just need to play one more monster and then I can sacrifice them both to summon Dark Magician.' Pandora thought as he ended his turn.

Of course most players might have attacked, but not Yugi as he drew his card for his turn. "Pandora instead of attacking, first I'll play a spell card and that card is…" He played his spell card down to reveal, "Card destruction!"

'Wh-What… C-Card destruction…?!'

Judging from Pandora's face, Yugi got the reaction he thought he might get once he played that spell card, "We both discard our hands, that means you too Pandora."

Pandora's hand was shaking as he closed the hand he had prepared to put it in the graveyard. His eyes not leaving the one card he was trying to summon.

"Judging from your look of panic, I guess you did have Dark Magician." Yugi summed up pretty quick, "Only a fool would duel a conjurer without taking precautions against cheating. Someone who shotgun shuffles their cards obviously does not care about hurting them… I knew you'd cut up your cards and mark them without thinking twice."

"Th-then you knew…?"

A simple nod was all Pandora got as he cursed the duelist before him. They both drew a brand new hand, but Yugi's turn was not over yet. He revealed his face down card which happened to be the spell card brain control. Since Pandora only had one little defense monster on the field it was obvious which monster Yugi was going to use it on.

The jester was pulled over to Yugi side, "I sacrifice these two monsters to summon the Dark Magician!" Yugi announced as both monsters were replaced with Yugi's own mighty Magician. "This is it Pandora! I'll teach you how your cards feel when you cut them up!"

Pandora was both in panic and feeling absolute hate for Yugi. 'He summoned his Magician before I could…!'

"I'll play any game no matter how dangerous but if you want to kill me you better be ready to pay the price!" Yugi put out there and the other two could see the look of complete determination in his eyes. "Dark Magician Direct Attack!"

His faithful Magician went straight toward Pandora attacking him with his black magic and knocking his life points down to fifteen hundred. "With that attack your life points are cut in half! Let's see this 'show of the century' you were talking about!"

Yugi and Yami both watched as the saw moved toward Pandora stopping at the fifteen hundred mark. At first he started to flip out as the saw began to move and only calmed down when it stopped. One more attack like that and this duel would be over in no time which is what Yugi was hoping for.

"If you want to give up now's the time…" Yugi stated.

Pandora seemed to do a one eighty as he started to laugh at Yugi's words. It's like that little episode he just had never happened. "G-Give up! Never! This is great, the taste of death. I wish you could taste it too."

Yugi gave Yami a look that said 'He really is a nut job' but Yugi wasn't about to say it to Pandora's face.

"Listen Yugi…" Pandora said gaining their attention, "I am a conjurer. I'm in control here and you are just the audience for my show. Pandora's Great Escape! I am the one who will win… I am the one who will live and you're the on who'll be chopped to mince-meat!"

"Let's get this game over with…" Yugi wasn't interested in hearing anymore of Pandora's nonsense.

Pandora seemed to get the message as he started his turn by drawing his next card. 'Yugi's unleashed his Dark Magician… I can't get hit again or I'm dead…' He took one look at his hand before playing one monster in defense mode and another card face down before ending his turn.

'He only has one defense monster on his side. I'll summon another monster on my turn, do a double attack and I'll win.' Yugi drew his next card before summoning his Beta the Magnet Warrior in attack mode.

As soon as Yugi played his monster Pandora revealed his trap card, "Coffin of Dark Resurrection!" Pandora announced as the coffin appeared on the field opening up and pulling in Yugi's Beta Warrior inside. "The coffin resurrects Dark Magician in exchange for two souls… one of your monsters and one of mine." He informed Yugi as the coffin then took Pandora's only defense monster as well before it closed up.

The coffin only closed for a second before it began to open back up and revealed Pandora's own Dark Magician. Now both players had a Dark Magician on the field with the same amount of life points. If one were to attack the other it would be a draw so both players would have to either power their Magician's up or find another way to get to each other's life points.

/Two monsters with the same attack points can't just recklessly fight each other… if that happens both of them will die…/Yami looked beside him to see the pharaoh had appeared in spirit form. He seem to be watching this duel just as intently, /Summoning another monster can be dangerous too…/

Yami understood where he was getting at, 'They're both wielding such high level monsters. Whoever summons a new monster first is at a disadvantage because they'll be an easy target for the opponents Magician. The only way out of a stalemate would be to defeat the enemy Magician with spells or traps.'

/Yugi has seemed to figure that out as well…/

Yami could see the same thing as he watched his partner laid two face down cards instead of attacking. As he ended his turn, Pandora wasn't stupid either as he simply followed Yugi's example and played two face down cards and ended his turn.

"Then I'll play one more…" Yugi played one more face down card on his turn.

"As shall I…."

After another round of this both Yugi and Pandora both had four face down cards and neither had yet to do anything else. On Pandora's next turn he decided to get the gear moving and activated one of his face down cards. "Spell card Mystic Guillotine!"

A large Guillotine appeared on Pandora's side of the field but that wasn't the only thing as chains reached out from the guillotine chaining up Yugi's Dark Magician and pulling him to lie down below the large blade.

"Die!" Pandora shouted the command releasing the blade to kill Yugi's Dark Magician.

"Not so fast! Spell card Magical Hats!" Yugi played one of his favorite spell cards saving his Dark Magician. The guillotine took out one of the Magical Hats but the Magician was not under it. This left three hats to move back over in front of Yugi one of them holding the Dark Magician.

As soon as Pandora saw this he unleashed his second spell card, "You can't get away that easily! Thousand Knives!"

Knives appeared around Pandora's Dark Magician before the Magician unleashed them on the Magical hats. However Yugi was prepared again as he used the spell card, "De-spell!" Both the magical hats and the knives disappeared leaving both Magician still standing.

"Attack! Black Magic!" Both players said at the same time, Pandora getting frustrated that none of his spell cards were working against Yugi. He had something to counter every move he made so why not just attack. He had a spell card that would give him back his Dark Magician, but what about Yugi.

After both Magicians were gone both players played another spell card. "Monster Reborn!"

Yami felt like he was going to get whiplash from this duel. Once again both players had both their Dark Magician's on the field. 'This is never going to end…'

Yugi smirked as it turned out Pandora had thought the same thing Yugi was thinking when he attacked. "It seems our Magicians are evenly matched…" He had played Monster Reborn face down as a back up to save his Dark Magician, but it appeared Pandora had been at the ready to. 'I've evaded his attacks so far but what will his next move be? He's a tough magic-user however I have faith in my Dark Magician…' Yugi thought as he looked toward his monster and he swore the magician was smiling back as if reading his thoughts.

Pandora was having similar thoughts only slightly darker, 'The legends don't lie, Yugi… Your skill in magic is plain to see but don't forget I have the upper hand. I've been preparing to fight you. I knew you used the Dark Magician and that's why my deck includes the ultimate anti-spell caster card.' He drew his next card given it was his turn now. "A fierce exchange but it's my turn! I play a face down card and that's all."

Yugi drew his next card, "Two face down cards! Turn over!"

Now with more cards on the field it was time for their fight to continue, Pandora started his turn off with, "Spell card! Beckon to the dark! The hand of the void will take one of your monsters into the darkness forever!"

Yugi wasn't about to let the the giant hand that appeared take his Dark Magician. "Trap card Mystical Rift Panel! I'm going to turn your spell right back at you!"

Unknowing to Yugi this is just what Pandora wanted as he smirked, "Just as I planned the arm was a decoy to make you play a trap card," He announced before he played his own trap, "Counter trap active Nightmare Chains!"

Behind Yugi appeared a steel grid with chains all over it. The chains grabbed Yugi's Dark Magician pulling him and trapping him against the steel grid. Pandora could only laugh evilly as he took Yugi's Magician out of play. "Now your Dark Magician can only watch as his owner is tortured to death!" He taunted Yugi since there was nothing the duelist could do.

'With Dark Magician out of the picture he'll be able to attack my life points directly!' Yugi realized quickly since it was not his turn and he had no monsters on the field.

"Go my slave! Blast Yugi to bits!" Pandora shouted as he sent his Dark Magician after Yugi.

There was nothing Yugi could do as he was forced to take the hit dead on just like Pandora did at the beginning of the duel. It took half his life points bringing him down to fifteen hundred and moving the saw so much closer to him. Of course he wasn't the only one in a panic about it as Yami was forced to watch Yugi play out this twisted duel.

"Are you ready to be dismembered Yugi? Care for a little 'body modification'? When your life drops to zero, my great escape will be complete and you'll bring down the curtain with your own blood!" Pandora continued to taunt loving every minute now that he was on the winning in, "Now Yugi, it's your last turn."

"The only blood about to be spilled is his own if he thinks I'm going to let him hurt my Yugi," Yami grumbled to himself not wanting to distract his partner. In his head he could feel the pharaoh agreeing along with him. Neither of them were about to let Pandora get even close to cutting Yugi with that blade. They just weren't going to interfere for now because they had trust and faith in Yugi's dueling abilities and they could see in his eyes he was far from beaten.

Yugi looked at the cards in his hands and for now he just needed to protect his life points. The best way to do that was with a good defense monster and thankfully there was one in his hand. "I summon Big Shield Guardna in defense mode!"

"So you played a wall monster… I see you think you can cower behind that shield to escape my sorcerer's next attack but it won't work." Pandora informed Yugi about to pull another trick to wipe Yugi out, "With the end of your turn, your legs will come off below the knee, try dueling then! For now I'll summon a monster." He played Malice Doll of Demise in attack mode and then played another spell card, "This is the card that will seal your death! A spell which affects the entire board, Ectoplasmer!"

Yugi eyes widen at the card as he knew just what it was and what it could do, but Pandora decided to fill him in anyway, "This card can extract ectoplasm, soul energy from a monster and use it as a weapon and it'll go right around your wall."

'Is he planning on sacrificing his monsters souls?' were both Yugi and Yami's thoughts.

Of course Pandora confirmed it by saying, "You guessed it! Of course the monster whose soul is extracted will die, but if that's what it takes to win it's a small price to pay." He never even saw the look of horror on his own Dark Magician's face. "Here goes, on this turn Dark Magician and Doll of Demise will be converted to ectoplasm!"

Just as those words left his lips the ectoplasm of Doll of Demise left the monster's body leaving it just a shell and upon Pandora's command shot forward. It attacked Yugi directly completely by passing Yugi's monster. The attack sent Yugi's life points down to seven hundred and one more hit like would mean the end for Yugi.

"Yugi… do you know why you couldn't beat me despite your prodigious skills?" Pandora questioned acting like he had already won the duel but of course he also answered his own question. "I will tell you… you lack the ruthlessness to be a true master of magicians. You coddled your slaves! You can't win with trust!" He pointed toward Yugi's own Dark Magician, "Look at your slave, tied to the grid because you cared so much about protecting it. You were a fool! A monster is nothing but a pawn and pawns must be sacrificed!"

"You scum…" Yugi hissed not wanting to hear another word come out of this ghoul's mouth. He was spouting nothing but lies. He knew nothing about the true heart of the game.

Pandora looked to his own Magician, "Dark Magician, give me your life so that I can win! Your master demands it!"

Upon his demand the ectoplasm of the Dark Magician appeared out of the Magician leaving the monster as just a shell like it did with the doll. And once Pandora gave the command it shot forward to attack Yugi.

Yugi on the other hand could see the look the Magician had on its face before it sacrificed itself. "Can't you hear your servant crying…?" He asked even as the attack came at him.

"Just die!" Pandora shouted not caring at all what Yugi was saying.

"Yugi!" Yami was about to run over to his partner, but something held him back. And that something was the pharaoh saying, /Look closer…/

When Yami took the second to take in the whole picture he was able to see something he had not seen a second ago. Before the ectoplasm of Pandora's Dark Magician could attack Yugi, the ectoplasm of Yugi's own Dark Magician left its body and moved in front of Yugi like a shield.

Not only was Yami surprised by it but both were Pandora and Yugi who watched it in silence. The hit meant for Yugi was taken by Yugi's own Dark Magician who gave his life to protect Yugi. No life points were lost and both Dark Magicians were gone.

Inside Pandora was flipping out by that move, 'S-So that's what happened… When I designated my magician as the target of the spell, his Dark Magician was affected too… but Yugi never told it to protect him… does this mean… a card by its own will became a shield for a player!'

Yugi watched as the hologram card of the Dark Magician disappeared from the field now that the Magician was gone. He closed his eyes as he silently thanked the Magician for saving him, 'Dark Magician… the soul you gave for me will not be wasted!' A new determination appearing in Yugi's eyes when he reopened them ready to finish this duel and teach this Pandora a lesson about how to really treat his cards.

Sakura: The battle between magic users is not over yet! Thought I would finish this duel in one chapter but decided to make it into two. Next time will be the conclusion of Yugi's duel and another visit from Marik.

Yumi: Please Review! Next chapter will be posted around November 13th