Chapter 4

Tough Decisions

Shortly after Takuya entered the room, Yugi entered. Yugi was scared that the people in the back and Elizabeth would get hurt. Takuya snarled under his breath, releasing some of his hidden anger.

"Well, well, if it isn't Yugi. It has been quite some time now, hasn't it?" Bakura asked sarcastically. Yugi frowned, but in his mind he was yelling at Bakura.

"What…are…you…doing…here?" Elizabeth stuttered, furious at the boys for entering a private conversation. Elizabeth knew that Anna was behind the door, waiting for a chance to enter.

"We're here for Elizabeth," Takuya confidently stated. Orochimaru smirked at the idea as if it were ludicrous.

You, idiots! Do you really think that you can save me? Just get out of here, while you still can! Elizabeth shrieked in her mind to the others.

"I have a suggestion, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto chimed in.

"Yes, Kabuto, what is it?" Orochimaru asked politely. Elizabeth froze in place, reading Kabuto's mind.

"You think that'll work on me?" Elizabeth asked in response to Kabuto's thought, still frozen.

"I think you'll be able to decide for yourself." Orochimaru also grinned at the idea. Yugi also read Kabuto's mind, horror stricken.

What is it? What is he thinking? Takuya asked over the mind link over to the other two.

They'll let Elizabeth decide where she wants to go. However, if she chooses us, mankind will be destroyed, Anna replied, anger in her thoughts the whole time. Takuya growled at the idea.

"First thing's first, Anna needs to come out of hiding." Marik looked at the door where Anna was. Elizabeth went to defense mode, but didn't move out of the general area. Anna reluctantly came out of hiding.

"Now, my dear, you choose. Remember the conditions," Orochimaru instructed. Elizabeth ran through the conditions in her mind. Darkness: everyone lives, except herself. Light: all dies except for herself. For Elizabeth, this was a no win situation. Eventually, Elizabeth sighed.

"Please…forgive me," Elizabeth whispered to the people in the back. Elizabeth walked toward the friends that she loved like family, a tear streaking down her cheek. The four laughed manically as one by one they removed the family.

You did the right thing, Mrs. Jones sighed into Elizabeth's mind. Elizabeth picked up her pace as she ran towards Takuya. Takuya stepped back, bracing for the impact. Elizabeth ran straight into Takuya, sobbing onto his chest.

"It's alright," the three friends cooed softly. Elizabeth continued crying as the three whispered into her ears. Finally, as the last family member died, Elizabeth wiped her eyes and glared at the four men.

"Here is not the right place for a fight," Kabuto reminded Orochimaru. Bakura and Marik agreed with Kabuto about a change in scenery. Orochimaru made a hand sign and channeled his energy. Elizabeth grabbed the other three as if in an embrace.

"Hold on tight," Elizabeth ordered. Anna, Yugi, and Takuya grasped a bit of Elizabeth's clothes, waiting for whatever would happen.

"Ninja art; teleportation jutsu," Orochimaru mumbled. The friends suddenly felt a violent wind force them upward. They grasped each other more tightly now, hoping that they wouldn't fall.

The friends continued moving up until, what felt like an eternity later, they landed in a small plain. They turned to face their opponents, and Elizabeth felt the sense of déjà vu from her past dreams.

The friends were in the country, a wheat field ready to be picked in the distance, and the land was clear because of the stars and full moon in the sky. A warm breeze caressed Elizabeth's cheeks where the tears were. Elizabeth was in a line glaring at the four wicked men that killed her stepfamily.

"Hand her over, or suffer the consequences!" Bakura's voice boomed to where the friends stood.

"Never in your wildest dreams would we give Elizabeth up!" Anna shouted to the other four across the way.

"I'll never go with you, Bakura!" Elizabeth proclaimed to the four men. Orochimaru clicked his tongue, made a small cut on his arm, and placed the blood on his arm.

"Get ready, guys, he's summoning a colossal snake at us called 'Manda'," Elizabeth murmured to her friends. The others nodded and braced themselves. Soon afterward, the purple snake that once carried Elizabeth slithered to the other side of the plain.

"Well, then, I'll guess we'll have to take Elizabeth by force if we want her," Marik decided. Kabuto shrugged his shoulders then crouched into his battle position. Yugi summoned his Dark Magician, and the fight began.