Dark Magic Rising

A/N:Yu-Gi-Oh belongs to Kazuki Takahashi; this story is my own... / = communication with yami or through the Shadow Realm (like when Yami sent a message to Pegasus in "Give Up The Ghost.")

Dark Magic Rising
Evil Overlady

~ Chapter 3 ~

Téa popped in her deck and the bat-like devices from both their Duel Disks flew out to either side of them to holographically project their battle just as their Life Points indicators read 4000 for their start. Kaiba's Battle City Tournament standard... even with the duel in the sky well over and done with...

Téa skimmed over the five cards in her hand as Hery did the same... "I'll go first," Téa announced, drew a card, and flipped it over.

It was a Warrior card of a blue-haired woman in a tight sea-green dress with a giant musical note in her arms, Hibikime. A strong card, Ta decided, but an important one for later... if the other two cards she'd bought along with it were lucky enough to come into her hand in this duel.

Téa decided to go with her next strongest monster, another Warrior with flowing pink-purple hair and a blue dress sprawled across an adorned chair.

Téa could almost feel Tiye's hot tears on her neck.

/Tiye?/

/I'd almost forgotten that tablet... The priests made it... in my honor.../

/Oh, Tiye.../

/Play her./ Tiye smiled. /She will serve you well.../

"I summon Protector of the Throne (800/1500) in Attack Position..." She slapped it face up on her disk. "...And I equip her with this Warrior Elf's Light, which will decrease her defense but raise her attack power. (1200/1300)...

"And I'll end my turn."

Hery watched her like a cat sizing up its prey, then drew and placed that card face up. "I summon Dark King of the Abyss (1200/800) in Attack Position as well, and I'll lay one card faced down on the field."

Téa considered it as she drew...

"I'll switch Protector of the Throne to Defense Position and attack with The All-Seeing White Tiger (1300/500)! Take down the Dark King!"

The corner of the ex-priest's lips twitched. "You've activated my trap. Waboku!"

The White Tiger's attack rolled to zero and the difference brought Téa's Life Points down to 2800.

Uh! No fair... Waboku was supposed to be my special card...

"So much for your great beast..."

Téa suppressed a growl and lay one card face down.

Yami looked impatiently out the car window. "We're driving in circles, Kaiba! Where is it?"

"You want to try your hand at making out the faded numbers on these warehouses, be my guest," Kaiba snapped in his usual controlled tone.

Yami gave a frustrated, resigned growl of a sigh, sinking into his seat. /Téa, where are you?/

From the back seat, Bakura's Millennium Ring glowed, the points usually dangling off it lifting on their own. "We're getting close..."

Yami and Kaiba each eyed him with uncertainty.

You're a fool if you think you can defeat me, girl... Three more moves like that, and you're finished... and the Millennium Necklace is mine! Ha, ha, ha!

Hery drew another card, Mask of Darkness (900/400), a Flip Summon type... It would allow him to select one trap card from the Graveyard and return it to his hand...

...And he would select Waboku when the time was right. You haven't a chance, Tiye... "I'll place one card face down and to my Dark King of the Abyss I'll add Dark Energy (1500/1100). Now, my Dark King, claim your throne!"

"Shield and Sword!" Téa cried.

Instead of 1500 points going up against her 1300 points, his 1100 defense points became his new attack points, meeting her new 1200 defense points. His dark-clothed skeleton disintegrated. "No!"

His life points dropped to 3900.

The girl breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, satisfied.

The priest sneered. "You got lucky... Next time you'll not be so fortunate..."

She met his eyes, expression unreadable. "I take it, then, it's my move?"

He gave just the barest hint of a nod...

He's right. If I didn't think to put that card down at the last minute, I'd be toast. And he's still eleven hundred points ahead of me... I'll need to draw stronger cards if I'm to keep up...

/Have faith, Téa... Remember what you're fighting for.../

How can I forget? ...Téa lowered her eyes. Yugi and Joey are so much better at this than I am... I'm just a dancer...

/Dancers make the best fighters, Téa. Never you forget that!/ Tiye paused, and her tone was lighter. /Just ask the pharaoh. I beat his Giant Soldier of Stone with my Breath of Light tablet.../

/You're kidding! Yugi has that card! ... And I have Breath of Light!/

/Great minds think alike. ...You can defeat him, Téa. You have one power he doesn't, the power to believe in yourself.../

Téa sucked in her fear and drew.

Lady of Faith (1100/800). Johnny Stepps used this card against the spirit... It's not as strong as Protector of the Throne, unless I use Silver Bow and Arrow, but I'd rather save that magic card for when it really matters...

Lady of Faith's advantage lies in the offensive, and that's a tactic I ought to take while Hery's without any monsters on the field.

Tiye nodded her support.

"I summon Lady of Faith! Attack his face-down card!"

Briefly, a mask appeared before vanishing.

Ugh! I hate those masks...

She could almost hear Sesheta grit his teeth.

Téa leaned in for the kill. "I have to say... I'm a little disappointed in you, Sesheta. No trap?"

"The trap is yet to come, priestess."

Téa grit her own teeth. "Let's get one thing straight, Sesheta. I'm no priestess. My name is Téa, and I'm one ticked off teenager so watch it! Protector of the Throne, attack his life points directly!"

"Argh..." 2700.

"Now, we're even. Make your move."

Hery looked down at his deck and drew Meda Bat (800/400), a weak monster but just what he needed to summon the Level 5 monster in his hand.

Hery allowed himself an evil smile. You have no idea what I'm about to unleash! "I sacrifice Meda Bat to summon Marie the Fallen One (1700/1200)! Crush her Protector of the Throne!"

"No!" /I should've kept her in Defense Position.../

The woman cried out and shattered. 2300.

Hery pulled another card from his hand and lay it face up on the field. "And now, Sorcerer of the Doomed (1450/1000), destroy Lady of Faith!"

1950.

"And now you are without any monsters."

Téa stared, in shock.

"Your move." The ex-priest smiled.

What can I do?

/Don't lose focus, Téa. That's what he's counting on.../

/I have to play Hibikime.../

/No! Téa, have faith... In two turns you'll have Polymerization and Queen's Double.../

/Tiye, I... I can't.../

/Have faith, Téa! The deck senses your doubt.../

"Téa!"

Yugi? Ta blinked and turned her head as three guys came running towards her. "Yugi! Bakura! Kaiba!"

Hery faced them. "Stay out of this! Unless you wish your friend to forfeit the duel and relinquish her Millennium Necklace to me!"

Bakure took in Téa's hospital gown and goosebumped bare legs as well as the Duel Disk on her arm and the purse over her shoulder. "Woman, what by the Devourer do you think you're doing?"

Little Yugi came up short beside him. "She's dueling him," he gasped.

"Dueling?" Bakure repeated as if the word were foreign to him.

/She can duel./ Ryou whispered in his mind. /I've seen her beat Mai./

/I didn't ask for your input!/ Bakure snapped.

Kaiba stepped forward. "What kind of sick game is this?"

"It's a Millennium Battle," Yugi explained. "To gain the power of a Millennium Item you have to best the chosen bearer in a duel. That's how Malik hoped to gain my puzzle."

Kaiba eyed Yugi then glared at Hery. "I'll duel you. I have more reason to." His tone dropped sharply. "You denied me my night's sleep!"

"I am uninterested in your pathetic rod, Seth."

An unwise move, Master of Secrets...

Kaiba fumed, at both the insult and the allusion to his being connected to some long ago sorcerer. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Come forth and attack!" He lifted a card and the giant blue-white dragon materialized for real.

Dark mists covered the floor. He's tapped into the powers of the Shadow Realm! ...Impressive...

The Master of Secrets narrowed his eyes, freed a hand to pull something out of his robe. "Change of Heart!"

Something changed in the dragon's eyes and it slowly turned its gaze their way.

"Wha..." Kaiba stared up at the beast in shock. "My Blue-Eyes..."

"Unfair..." Bakure hrumphed. "That's my move..."

"Uh, guys...?" Yugi uttered, tugging on Kaiba's sleeve. "I think running would be a good idea right about now..."

The dragon let loose with a blast of lightning.

"Yugi!" Téa screamed and shielded her face with her arms.

But no pain came.

Téa lowered her arms shakily.

Hery pointed at her as the dragon stomped off. Her attempted rescuers were nowhere to be seen.

"I'm not through with you yet, Téa... Now, make your move!"

Téa's heart caught up in her throat. Yugi...