"Mai-san! Hang in there!" Anzu called out.
Mai looked in the direction of the voice with a confused stare. She could not see who it was that was cheering her on. She did not recognize or remember that person at all.
Akia, seeing what was happening and sensing the darkness flowing around her, understood what was going on.
"Part of the penalty of this Dark Game is the loss of memory with each monster that is destroyed," Akia explained, "it's the Effect of Darkness. Mai-san... is forgetting us one by one..."
"What...?!" The pharaoh exclaimed.
"Wait, no way! How's that even possible?! Mai can't forget!" Jounouchi expressed his disbelief.
"How do you know that, Akia-chan?" The Spirit of the Ring asked her while masquerading as Bakura.
"...A voice told me." Akia replied. She had been hearing two voices in the darkness now. The first being the terrifying one that both her and Bakura were able to hear. The second one, however, only she could hear. It was much more familiar, almost as if it was her own voice, but somewhat different. Akia theorized that it could be her past self whispering to her. Whenever she was in the Dark World where the Dark Games were held, she felt a strange connection to many things, including her past life.
As the duel continued, Mai destroyed one of Marik's monsters, but he couldn't care less about who he had forgotten, or so he said. He took a quick glance at Akia, wondering if forgetting her would free him from this strange destiny that they shared.
The next of Mai's monsters that Marik destroyed contained her memory of Jounouchi. As she saw him disappear from her memory, she couldn't help but cry out his name. "Jounouchi! No!"
"I sure nailed a nice card," Marik chuckled.
Seeing Jounouchi disappear from her memory, made Mai remember how painful it was to be alone. She had always lived in loneliness. Ever since her parents died when she was only a child, she had grown to only depend on herself, to protect her feelings. Then, she met them, and him, Jounouchi and his friends. She got close to Akia who was like a sister to her. Mai felt so betrayed when Akia lied to her, but that was because she was so afraid of losing her. And now, she was going to forget about Jounouchi?
"Now disappear!" Marik shouted as Jounouchi's memory shattered from Mai's mind.
As if all strength had left her body, Mai fell on her knees, staring blankly at the floor.
"Mai! What's wrong?!" Jounouchi yelled out to her. "Mai! Can you hear me?! Mai! You forgot me?!"
Mai looked to the remainder of the people she remembered, Jounouchi and Anzu completely disappearing from their midst.
The Spirit of the Puzzle looked to his host's sister. "Akia, here's something that I will teach you about Dark Games."
Akia looked at him wondering what he was about to say.
"Normally, when a Dark Game starts, you cannot interfere with it," the pharaoh continued explaining, "but both you and I can. Concentrate."
"Yes...!" Akia replied, feeling renewed hope that they might be able to save Mai. Both Millennium Puzzle and Millennium Scale shone with a bright light, and the Eye of Anubis appeared on the twins' foreheads.
They then penetrated through the darkness, shining a ray of light upon a lost and wandering Mai, haunted by Marik in her mind.
"Mai," Yugi called out.
Mai looked towards the light, "Yugi...!"
"Mai-san!" Akia exclaimed.
"Akia-chan..." Mai said her friend's name back, feeling comforted to see them both.
Marik turned to the two intruders, "Yugi, you bastard! And you... You seem like you will always be a thorn in my back! Maybe I should let Mai strike my monsters so that I could finally be free of your memory!"
Even though she did not show it, Akia felt the sting of that statement. However, Mai was way more important right now.
"Mai, don't be confused by his illusions," the pharaoh said to her.
"Illusions? So I'm just imagining this loneliness?" Mai inquired.
"Mai-san, I will always be your friend! You're... my best friend in the entire world and I promise I will be better in the future," Akia proclaimed, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. "I will never lie to you again, I will always be there for you. So win this game and come back to us!"
"Akia-chan...!" The woman felt an up-welling of emotion at Akia's display of friendship towards her.
"That's right," Yugi affirmed, "willpower is the key to success in a Dark Game. We are all with you, even if you don't see us. These illusions are created by the fear and terror in your heart."
"I feel like I've lost something really important to me. Something I cherished, deep inside my heart," Mai whispered.
"Mai!" Jounouchi's voice was heard in the darkness, "Mai! Don't give up!"
"This voice... I don't know who it is, but it warms my heart," the blonde woman stated.
"Mai, you have to win," Yugi told his friend, "if you win, Marik's illusions will disappear! Don't ever let the light in your heart go out! Take back the memories you've lost!"
"We'll be waiting for you, Mai-san!" Akia added.
"Yugi, Akia-chan," Mai had a look of renewed determination, much to Marik's dismay.
Both Akia and Yugi's souls returned to their bodies as they continued watching on the remainder of the duel. Mai looked at both of them with a grateful smile as she got up, ready to fight back. Jounouchi kept cheering her on, with her still not remembering him, but feeling the warmth in her heart regardless.
"I'll be taking back what you stole from me in this duel!" Mai challenged Marik.
"That's if you defeat me," the man calmly answered.
The duel resumed, with Mai summoning Amazon Chain Master (1500/1300) and setting a card facedown, baiting Marik to attack and destroy her monster so that she could use its special ability. That ability would allow her to steal one card from her opponent's deck. To her dismay, however, Marik summons Holding Arms which attached itself to Mai's monster, causing it to be unable to attack for three turns.
"Marik! Stop this meaningless fight already!" The pharaoh yelled out.
"No one can stop this now... Yugi, the moment this woman loses to me in this game, she shall fall into a deep slumber! It is not meaningless! Torturing those little friends of yours...!" Marik's expression was distorting and looking more and more deranged.
"You scum...!" The Spirit of the Puzzle retorted.
"Very nice, Yugi...! Hate me! Say more! Let your anger reach out and touch mine!" Veins were popping up on the sadistic man's face as he chuckled.
His voice sent shudders down Akia's spine. He was not the same person at all, anymore. Whatever hope she had of reaching him was dimming to nothing. He was the enemy and he was going to hurt her closest friend. She could not sympathize with him anymore. Whatever feelings she had, she knew that she must let them go.
"You can't!" The softer voice sounded in her mind. "Marik is not like that... His real self is lost because of all the pain he went through... Please save him... We promised to be there for one another. Forever."
Akia felt the same surge of feelings that she had felt when Marik had hugged her. The love that only him and her shared strengthened her resolve. She had to save him. That voice she heard, it was her past self, she was now sure of it.
"Yugi!" Jounouchi went to his friend and held him by the shoulders, "what does he mean? Mai will fall into a deep slumber?!"
The pharaoh averted his gaze. "That is... what a Dark Game is."
Jounouchi was starting to get really worried about what that meant. His attention was brought back to the field as Mai used her spell card Grave Arm to drag her own monster to the graveyard, prompting her special ability to steal Marik's Winged Dragon of Ra by paying 1000 Life Points.
Her friends cheered as she was now in possession of the god card. Yugi and Akia, however, were still on edge about it, considering what they were told about the god cards only being controlled by those connected to the Millennium Items.
As the duel continued, Mai was able to sacrifice her three Harpy Lady Sisters, finally summoning the Winged Dragon of Ra. Marik seemed completely unperturbed by this. Everyone gasped as the god card materialized. Against all expectations, however, it was in a spherical form, hovering over the field.
"What?!" Kaiba gasped.
"This... isn't possible!" Mai exclaimed.
"Relax, woman," Marik mocked his opponent, "what you summoned is the true Winged Sun Dragon of Ra. But it's a pity. It's impossible for a duelist of your calibre to control a god. Only those chosen can control it."
"Don't be stupid!" Mai retorted, "when a card falls into the hands of a duelist, all its powers belong to the duelist who possesses it! As of now, the god card is mine!"
"In that case, look at the god card set on your duel disk," her opponent replied.
As she did, she gasped at what she saw. A text in hieroglyphics had appeared on it. Prior to this, the text space of that card was blank, as Mai recalled.
"Can you decipher the script? It contains the key to awakening the true powers of Ra!" Marik stated.
Kaiba, wanting to know what they were talking about, told his younger brother to scan the card with one of their satellites.
Mai was panicking as she knew there was no way for her to read that text.
"It's impossible, you can't read it or control the god card," Marik chuckled, "but let me tell you something, this text is written in Hieratic text, the ancient language written by priests. It was a language used for law, religion, and literature in Ancient Egypt. Unlike the common Demotic text, only those with special status were taught it. And of course, the chosen ones can read it with their hearts. It's only natural that we Tomb Guardians know it as well."
"There's no way!" Mai denied his claims. "A card that only special people can use?!"
"Even the creator of Duel Monsters, Pegasus J. Crawford, couldn't decipher the hidden abilities of Ra. He was forced to literally transcribe the Hieratic text right onto the card, which only becomes visible once the light of Ra shines on it. Now Ra is in Sphere Mode, it acts as a motionless ball. Now, try solving the mystery and changing it to Battle Mode!" Marik explained smugly and started laughing.
"He did it on purpose..." Akia muttered.
"Damn that Marik," Jounouchi cursed, "he was never afraid to lose his god card in the first place."
Left with no choice, Mai set a card facedown and ended her turn, unable to control the god card. During Marik's turn, he summoned Holding Legs. Due to its special effect, Mai's facedown card was returned to her hand, rendering her defenceless. Because of both Holding monsters being on the field together, Marik was also able to summon the Sacred Palette of Wadjet. A big stone tablet appeared behind Mai. Marik then attacked with his two monsters, which shackled Mai's arms and legs, pinning her to the stone tablet.
"Impossible!" Mai yelled out as she struggled, "this should only be holograms! But I can't move...!"
"I thought I told you this was a Dark Game," Marik chuckled, "everything that happens here is real! Even the pain you feel from the attacks. Directly attack the player!"
As he declared the attack, electricity coursed through Mai's body as she yelled out in pain, her Life Points dropping down to 800.
"Mai! Hang in there!" Jounouchi yelled out.
"That warm voice again..." Mai whispered.
Marik laughed maniacally, "give yourself to the pain!"
"Stop it, Marik!" The pharaoh commanded.
"Quite the entertaining show, isn't it, Yugi? Listen carefully. Ra has three special abilities. I will show you only one of them right now," the Egyptian man informed. "By reciting the sacred text, the god will answer to the one who did it."
After saying this, Marik started reciting a spell, which started awakening the god card. Everyone watched in awe and horror as the god card awakened and was now controlled by Marik.
"Bring me victory! Awaken, Winged Dragon of Ra!" The man shouted out as the majestic god materialized. "My turn. With one attack, I will burn this woman up in Ra's sacred flames. Become ash and spread into darkness!"
The god card's attack amounted up to 5400, the addition of all three Harpy Ladies' attacks.
"Enough, Marik! The match is over, you don't need to attack!" The Spirit of the Puzzle yelled out.
"Keep your eyes open, Yugi. I will draw out your hatred as I destroy everything you hold dear. On my back is carved the Seal of Memories, meant to unlock the memories of the nameless pharaoh. They are to be presented to his resurrected soul. For that purpose only, countless generations of my family have lived and died. Our only birthright was darkness and a deep scar. Despair and pain... that is all..." Marik then let out a stifled laugh, "like it? That is the trauma that dominates my other self. Darkness has robbed him of his freedom, and even more darkness was born in his self-pitying heart! And the pain and hatred that exists within his dark heart, these things belong to me."
"Just as I thought, he's Marik's split personality!" Yugi stated.
"My birthday was when he was ten years old," Marik said.
"It was the same year that I met him for the first time...!" Akia gasped.
"On the day that the rite of the Tomb Guardians was performed on him," the Egyptian man explained. "His father filled him with pain and sadness until his heart was so enshrouded that all he wanted to do was die. So, in order to survive, to keep living, he had to create another self. From the moment I was born, I always knew I would take over his personality. But, there was one thing that stood in my way. I can only switch personalities when he is filled with rage... Rishid... without even knowing it, that man sealed me away with the carving on his face and sealed his anger along with it. I was confined deep within Marik's heart."
"I knew it... I knew that something horrible must've happened for Marik to turn out like that," Akia thought to herself.
Marik then laughed, "but the moment he fell unconscious, I am finally the ruler of this body!"
"What is it that you want?!" Yugi demanded to know, "the god cards?"
"What do I want? I have no needs. But if you really want an answer... All light and order and all life beside my own, I want to destroy. Destroy! Destruction is my only pleasure! That is what gives birth to my world. A world of darkness and death!" The unhinged man laughed maniacally. He then pointed his Millennium Rod at Mai. "Now, time to send this woman to perish in the darkness!"
Jounouchi, without any hesitation, ran to other side of the dueling platform.
"Jounouchi-kun!" Yugi yelled out.
"Hey, lower the ring!" Jounouchi urged Isono.
"No way! This duel is not over!" The man retorted.
Before anyone could stop him, he climbed up the the platform, not taking no for an answer.
"Stop right there, Jounouchi!" Isono yelled out.
"Shut up!" The blond young man shouted back.
Just after Marik declared his attack, Jounouchi made his way to Mai.
"Mai! I'll get you out of there!" He said to her as he put a hand on her shoulder.
"That voice..." Mai whispered, "from before..."
"Big brother!" Shizuka called out to him.
Marik smirked as he was sure that Mai would never be able to remember him. Jounouchi was trying as hard as he could to undo the restraints, but to no avail.
"Damn it..." Jounouchi muttered under his breath.
"Who..." Mai asked softly.
"Mai, you..." The blond young man looked her in the eyes.
"A warm voice... I hear it in my heart..."
"You... really don't remember me?"
"I hear it again..."
Jounouchi held Mai's face gently in his hands, "it's me, Mai! Jounouchi! How could you forget? Aren't we friends who've fought together all this time? You gotta win and come back to me! I'm not going to let you forget me! Mai! I need you!"
Mai's eyes opened in realization as Jounouchi finally appeared before her, "Jounouchi!"
"Mai! You remember!" Jounouchi said.
Marik was surprised that she was able to remember, but it didn't bother him that much, considering his god card was now all charged up.
"Move!" Mai told Jounouchi. "This is my fight!"
"Are you crazy?! I'm not leaving without you," the blond young man said as he kept trying to take off the restraints. "Damn it! Why won't it budge!"
"Run, Jounouchi!" Mai yelled to her friend.
"You idiot! You think I can do that now?!" Jounouchi yelled back as he braced for impact, looking into Mai's eyes.
Both Yugi and Akia started running up the dueling platform to save their friends from the devastating attack of Marik's god card. Only Yugi made it, however, since Bakura held Akia back.
"Let me go!" Akia said in a panicked voice.
"Stop acting like the hero!" The Spirit of the Ring yelled out to her, "all it will do is get you both hurt!" Bakura hugged her tightly from behind as she tried very hard to get loose from his grip.
The pharaoh stood right on time in between the attack and Jounouchi and Mai, shielding them with his back, taking on the full brunt of it.
"How noble, throwing yourself in front of Ra's attack to prevent your friends from dying," Marik sarcastically said with his usual smirk.
"Marik! Your anger and hatred..." The pharaoh shouted, "I'll take it all on my back! But I swear I will send you back to the darkness!"
"Talk while you can, soon I will smash you to pieces, just like your Puzzle and scatter them into the darkness for all eternity," the evil personality chuckled.
"Yugi!" Akia screamed in panic and finally got loose from Bakura, running up to where her brother was collapsing from the blow.
All of Yugi's friends yelled out to him too.
"Yugi, hang in there! Yugi!" Jounouchi yelled out to him as he knelt next to his friends.
"In Ra's attack, that woman lost all her Life Points. The game is over. Hey judge!" Marik called out to Isono, "call my name and announce me the winner. And loudly if you will!"
"Tournament fourth round! The winner is Marik!" Isono announced. As soon as he did, the darkness and the holograms dissipated.
"Marik Ishtar, the real one." The Egyptian man specified.
Mai fell to her knees as what was holding her had disappeared as well. Jounouchi and Akia were trying to wake Yugi up, who was still out cold on the ground. Marik walked up to them and unsheathed his Millennium Rod, pointing the blade at Yugi's motionless body.
"Shall I tear him apart right here and now?" Marik chuckled.
Before anyone could react, Akia took out her Millennium Scale and pointed it at the man, her gaze unwavering, "if you get any closer to my brother, I won't hesitate to banish your evil soul to the darkness that you love so much, even if it means losing the real you forever."
Her voice was so menacing that Marik actually took a small step backwards, knowing that she meant what she said. He sheathed back his blade, his smirk never disappearing, "I only jest. I'll destroy Yugi in a duel befitting of the wielders of the Millennium Items."
He then started walking to where Mai was, but Jounouchi got in his way.
"Get away from her!" Jounouchi yelled out before he felt his entire body freeze in place. "What...?!"
Akia then got up and ran in between him and Mai. "You're not touching her either."
"I've been quite lenient with you all these times, but," Marik said as he used his Millennium Rod to freeze Akia in place as well, "I won't let you stand in the way of my prize."
He then went up to Mai and took back his god card.
"You're lucky you got away with your life, but you'll regret it," Marik said to Mai as he placed his hand loosely under her chin to bring her gaze up to him. "You'll wish you had died here painlessly. The loser of the Dark Game must be punished. Kujaku Mai, I plan on letting you enjoy the world inside your mind to the fullest." He said as he used his Millennium Rod to trap her in her own mind.
Akia, who had been trying this whole time to break away from his Rod's control, was finally able to by using her will in conjunction with her Millennium Scale to free herself.
"Mai-san!" The red-eyed cried out as she caught Mai who fell motionless in her arms. Akia felt her tears flow down her cheeks as one her closest friends fell victim to the darkness.
"Marik, you bastard! What have you done to her?!" Jounouchi shouted.
"She is trapped within her mind and soon she will forget everything and everyone, dying alone in a sea loneliness. She is doomed to never regain consciousness, unless I am defeated, then there's a slight chance she might recover," the madman chuckled as he then left the arena calmly, revelling in his victory.