The duel dragged on for hours. At last, both life point counters were at 250; dangerously low. Marik had summoned the Winged Dragon of Ra and it wasn't looking good for Jaden, with his Elemental Clayman as good as defeated and his Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin seriously weakened.

"So, are you ready to give up yet?" Marik snickered.

"Give up? To you? Keep dreaming, Marik! Now, I sacrifice my Elemental Clayman and summon Elemental Hero Neos, which fuses with my Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin to form Elemental Hero Aqua Neos! Neo-Spacian Aqua Neos' special effect allows me to destroy one random card from your deck!" Marik's deck appeared face down in midair. "And I choose to destroy…the one in the middle!" It turned over to reveal "Monster Reborn". Jaden threw his fist in the air. Marik just looked stricken and pale.

"Yes! Ha ha, take that! Your move, Marik!"

"What use is it for you to do that? You're never going to destroy my Winged Dragon of Ra."

Jaden shrugged. "I like to be on the safe side. Anyway, are you going to make a move or not?"

Marik thought for a moment. He really had no strategy.

Destin started laughing. She just couldn't help it! Here was this "undefeated" duelist, and he was losing! TO JADEN! Marik glared at her.

"So you think this is funny, huh? How's this for funny?" Marik threw the Millennium Rod across the room and struck Destiny on the left leg. She shrieked and fell down onto the floor.

"Destiny! Jaden shouted, starting to run to her side.

"No, Jaden, don't!"

He stopped.

"If you leave the field, that's an automatic forfit! I'll be fine, just win or lose fast!"

"But."

"Go! Win this… for me."

Jaden nodded and turned back to Marik. "Now, I believe you were about to skip your turn?" Marik opened his mouth to say something, but Jaden said "Yes? Good. I use Creature swap-"

"Hey!" Destiny shouted.

"-That I borrowed from Destiny- to take control of your Winged Dragon of Ra, leaving your life points wide open!"

"What? No! This cannot be!"

"Oh, but it is! Neo-Spacian Aqua Neos, attack his life points directly!"

"NOOOOOO!" Marik screamed as Jaden's monster fired a blue bolt directly at him. His last action was to turn the Millenium Rod into a dagger and hurl it at Jaden, who almost missed it. Almost. It scraped against his arm, causing a gash, but Jaden didn't notice. All he noticed was Marik fading into the shadows. "Yes!" he cried. "I won!" But his happiness was short lived. All of a sudden the room started to shake.

"A little help here!" Destiny said. Jaden ran over to her and helped her up, supporting her with the arm that wasn't injured. They hobbled out of the tomb as fast as they could. They finally got to the bottom of the staircase when Destiny lost her grip on Jaden and fell.

"Jaden!" Destiny screamed. Almost without thinking, Jaden turned around, picked Destiny up in his arms, and bolted, getting hit by a falling torch on the way out. As soon as they were outside in the desert night, Jaden stopped and flung the Millennium Eye into the collapsing doorway of Marik's tomb.

"That way no one will ever be able to use it again." he said. Then he looked tenderly down at Destiny, who had fainted dead away in his arms. Her dress was soaked with blood and her face was covered in dirt and dust. However, to Jaden, she had never looked more beautiful. She was alive, he was alive, that was all that mattered. "Destiny…" he said, brushing his hand against her cheek.

She opened her eyes weakly and said "What?"

"I love you." He whispered.

"I know." she whispered back, smiling. She put her arms around his neck, closed her eyes, and kissed him. Everything just seemed to melt away. Marik, the duel, their injuries. For a moment, they forgot their lives and only cared about that minute, right there, right then.

After a minute or two, Jaden silently released her from the kiss, pulling her body closer to his chest. She buried her head in his good shoulder and said "I'm so lucky."

"No, I am." Jaden mounted his motorcycle, helped Destiny on to the back, and sped off into the desert night.

********************************************************************************THE END! I really hoped you liked it. If persuaded enough, I might write a sequel or Generation Two thing, but we'll see.