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 4 ~
Yugi... Please, let them have made it out all right...
Téa felt suddenly very unwell, and noticed the dark mist drifting over the floor. "What's this? What's happening?"
The mist rose, blacking out the warehouse altogether. Out of the mist Sesheta stepped through. "You're in the Shadow Realm, Téa. Very few normal people can survive the Shadow Realm, not without a yami..."
"This wasn't part of the agreement."
"I've decided to raise the stakes... since the arrival of your friends. Now, we can duel in quiet."
"If you hurt any of them..."
"Ha, ha, ha! You are in no position to make empty threats, lady. I suggest we get on with the duel and finish it swiftly lest you pass out and force Tiye to take over... And I doubt she's had as much practice with the game as you..."
Téa clenched her teeth. Can't feel any doubt.. Can't feel any doubt... Can't feel any doubt - Oh, hell! What am I saying? Yugi! I can't do this alone... I'm not strong enough!
/I'm here, Téa.../ came a familiar low voice. /You're not alone./
Yami...
/Remember our bond... The special mark.../
Yes... Determination filled her eyes. Yes, I do! Téa shifted her cards to her left hand and fumbled in her purse with the other.
"You can't add extra cards-" Hery began.
"I'm not looking for cards, nitwit. I'm looking for a marker... Ah!"
"Well, hurry it up!"
She uncapped it with her mouth, shifted her wrist, and drew. With each line, she called out a name and a symbol.
Téa, Faith. Joey, Courage. Tristan, Stability. Yugi, Heart...
"That dragon won't be searching long," Bakure noted, clinging to the stack of large crates they were taking refuge behind. "We need a plan."
Kaiba fixed him with a glare. "What did you have in mind? There's nothing in our decks strong enough to defeat a Blue-Eyes. If we had the God Cards..."
"Oh, enough with the God Cards already!" Bakure snapped. "You elite types are all the same..."
"What?"
Téa... Yugi patted himself down then looked up. "Kaiba, you wouldn't happen to have a marker on you by any chance?"
Kaiba reached into his trench coat and produced a Dry-Erase Marker. "Here."
"Thanks."
Bakure eyed him.
"For unexpected meetings..." Kaiba added, then looked at Yugi. "What are you doing?"
...Grampa, Wisdom. Kaiba, Chaos. Bakura, Balance. Mai, Warrior... "Helping Téa."
"By scribbling all over your hand?" Bakure jabbed.
Kaiba was about to add a similar remark but stopped. He'd seen those markings before... Yugi seemed particularly fixated on them right before he summoned Exodia the Forbidden One and defeated Kaiba in the duel that would forever change his life... "Let him be," he said instead. "You still have Change of Heart in your deck...?"
Part of Bakure's mouth quirked in a smile. "Yes, I do." He pulled out the card, braced himself against the corner, then stepped out, holding up the card. "Change of-!"
An electric blast enveloped him briefly.
Bakure stood there, soot on his face, a flame in his white hair.
Kaiba and Yugi stared at him from cover.
Yugi slowly capped his marker. "That's new..."
Bakura coughed and the black cinder that was the card crumpled and fell from his hand. "-Plan," he finished.
/We're all with you, Téa.../ the pharaoh's voice soothed.
"Okay!" Heart of the Cards, guide me... Téa drew...
And a picture of a nearly transparent shield, reflecting a blast caught her eye.
Now, Téa was the one who almost felt like crying. Yugi gave her that card after Duelist Kingdom in case she ever got locked into another duel like the one she had with Mai...
Oh, Yugi... You're always there for me...
"I'll lay one card face down and end my turn."
Hery drew his own card, Call of the Grave, a trap card that would come in handy if his opponent ever decided to be smart and play Monster Reborn.
He'd save it for later... "Sorcerer of the Doomed (1450/1000), attack her life points directly!"
"Mirror Force!"
"What?"
A rainbow-creating surface shot up before her and the Sorcerer's attack reflected off of it, taking out both the Sorcerer and Marie the Fallen One.
Téa smiled. "My friends say hello."
Hery scowled at her.
"Now, look who's open for attack, Sesheta."
Hery continued to scowl. Then, his features softened. His lips bent into a smile.
"What's so funny?"
"You've just made matters worst for yourself, Téa. Marie the Fallen One? She's an Effect monster. As long as she exists in my Graveyard I'll gain 200 Life Points next turn and every turn after that! You can't possibly win!"
Téa began to look apprehensive.
"You should've forfeited when you had the chance, girl. Now, I'll make you suffer! Final Flame!"
"Ahh!" 1350.
She raised blue eyes cloaked with tears.
"It's only a matter of time now..."
Téa swallowed her tears and the pain from the very realistic first degree burns. "Yes, it is..." Her marked hand under the duel disk balled in a fist.
She would not fail!
/Isis, be with us.../ Tiye prayed.
Téa drew...
Polymerization.
/It's now or never, Tiye./
Tiye nodded. /Yes./
"I play Petit Angel (600/900) in attack position, and I add..." Ta started to see double, and her legs felt numb. "I'll add..."
/Téa!/ Tiye cried in alarm. /I'm taking over.../
/No,/ Téa said. /I can do this./
Tiye held back reluctantly.
"I'll add... Silver Bow and Arrow... which raises Petit Angel's attack and defense by 300 (900/1200). Go, Petit Angel! Attack his life points directly!"
1800.
"Brave, girl, but it'll be a long duel before you drop me..." He drew and waited as his Life Points climbed to 2000. "But then, it's only a matter of time before you drop yourself, isn't it? I summon Dark Bat! Attack her fairy!"
Téa braced as Petit Angel and its bow were destroyed, knocking her life points down to 1250.
I'll beat you, Hery... No matter what it takes! Téa drew and played the card in her hand. "I play the magic card Soul Release!"
"Soul Release? What's that?"
Téa stood tall, despite the delirium. "It allows me to select up to five cards from either my own or my opponent's Graveyard, and remove them from play!"
She sliced the air with her free arm as she spoke. "And you've only sent five monsters to your Graveyard, Sesheta, so the choice is simple. I choose to remove all of them."
Ghostly forms started to flow out his deck and skyward. "Including your Marie, the Fallen One! In laymen's terms - no more power bonus for you!"
Hery fixed her with an icy look. "I still have more than enough of a head start to take you down."
"Maybe... Maybe not..."
Hery laughed. "You can't possibly believe you'll still win this. You have no monsters on the field, which leaves you wide open for attack!"
"Not necessarily. I summon Hibikime (1450/1000). Eliminate his bat!" She knocked his Life Points down to 1550. "Make your move, Hery! If you have the guts!"
Hibikime? Why by all the gods did she keep such a powerful monster in reserve?
No matter... She won't defeat me!
He drew... Yami.
A Field Magic Card? It's useless! It only works on Fiends, Spellcasters, and Fairies and her Hibikime is a damn Warrior!
/You lose./ a familiar low voice entered his head.
Pharaoh? Is this some sick joke? Yami?
Realization dawned on him. It is! He manipulated the cards!
The spiky-haired kid with the puzzle emerged from the mist, but taller, more confident. He is the pharaoh!
Téa turned. "Yugi!"
Two silhouettes came up behind him, presumably Kaiba and Bakura.
"Finish him, Téa," came the pharaoh's voice, and he winked at her.
Yeah! She drew...
Queen's Double.
"Prepare to lose! I play Queen's Double and I activate Polymerization to create... Empress Judge (2100/1700)!"
Hery's eyes widened. "What!"
"Wipe out the rest of his Life Points!"
The red-haired, red-eyed, dark-skinned beauty with blue tattoos took him out.
"Ahhh!"
0.
"You lose," Téa stated, voice faltering.
The Master of Secrets stared. "Impossible..." he whispered. "I had the upper hand..."
Ryou stepped forward, more confident than Téa had ever seen him, but still not the evil of Bakure. "And now you don't. I banish you to the Shadow Realm!"
"Ahh!" The mist swallowed him up and bore him away... leaving a dark warehouse slowly lightening with the rising sun.
"I..." Téa sputtered. "I did it..."
Yami came up to her. "Yes, you did."
She felt the world lose focus and her knees buckled.
"Téa!" Yami caught her and wrapped his warm coat around her. "Shh... You're safe now..."
Téa relaxed into the warmth and passed out.