"Exodia, end this now! Obliterate!"
Thunder roared through the air as Exodia seemed to swell to its full height. Lighting crackled dangerously around the duelling field, attracted to the beast like moths to a flame. Exodia leered at Leon, confident in its power and majesty. It drew back its arm, preparing to fell him and his monsters in a single strike. It seemed to grin wickedly at him, as it gathered all the lightning into a massive strike. It glowed, brighter and brighter, until Leon had to shield his eyes.
Game's over, Leon. Can't say that I'm surprised, to be honest. That Taylor's got it all- the looks, the brains, and duelling skills to boot. It's almost a shame…
Taylor stood behind her creature. She wore a confident smile on her face. She was illuminated in the light from Exodia, giving her an almost angelic appearance. A beautiful appearance. Leon felt an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, seeing her this way. He tried to quash it, but it persisted.
You're thinking about THAT?! When you're about to be annihilated? Typical…
Leon shook his head fiercely. Taylor, mistaking the look for despair, chuckled at him.
"This game's mine Leon. Better luck next time."
Leon staggered to his feet. Exodia prepared to charge at him, to blast away his world in a pillar of golden light. It drew back its massive fist, and charged at him.
But right before it collided with him, it stopped. Exodia stiffened and then froze, scant centimetres from Leon's monsters.
"Heh…heh. Are you so sure about that?"
Exodia suddenly screamed in pain, and lurched backward. Thick, black smoke began to coarse from its body, as if something was burning the Forbidden One from the inside. It doubled over, letting out a primal scream of agony as it doubled over and clutched its chest. The smoke grew thicker, obscuring and dulling the bright, golden form of the colossus. It began to coil around Exodia's right arm, congealing around it like a binding. Then, it suddenly became corporeal, the smoke slashing through the beasts shoulder like a knife through butter. It let out a piercing, inhuman cry, and Leon covered his ears as it grabbed for the falling limb. It missed, and the limb shook the earth as it crashed to the ground. Exodia started to thrash around violently, narrowly avoiding the two duelists as it rampaged. Then, it let out a final bellow, and exploded violently, the shockwave almost blasting them both off their feet.
Taylor looked stunned. "How…you destroyed Exodia! How…how could you…"
Leon smiled slightly, and pointed to his facedown card, which he had opened at the last second.
"Drop Off. It sends the last card you picked up to the Graveyard. In this case, that's the final Exodia piece- Right Arm of the Forbidden One!"
Her mouth fell open in surprise, and she pouted. "That's low, Leon."
He chuckled. "Whatever you say. Now, if you don't mind…"
He drew a card.
"…I'd like to end this."
You lucky…and I was so looking forward to watching you get crushed. You may win this game, but it doesn't mean anything. But then, you already knew that, didn't you?
She shook her head. "I'll put this facedown first. Now go ahead, if you think you can, of course."
"You know I don't lie. You should have learned to trust me by now."
"I thought you were going to end this?"
"Touché. As you wish- I play Giant Trunade!"
A typhoon blew up, forcing Taylor to shield her eyes. It whirled towards her, shaking the trees roughly. When it reached her facedown card, it became caught in the vortex, and was sucked in. Seconds later, the card was spat back out, landing amid her hand. She looked angry, but there was nothing she could do.
"And now, Chiron! Attack her directly!"
On command, the centaur leapt towards Taylor, bringing the full brunt of his weapon to bear. His staff struck her across the face with a crack that made Leon wince. She fell to one knee. Her Life Points quickly dropped to 0, and the holograms vanished. Leon walked over to her and offered his hand to help her up. She took it, and sighed dejectedly.
"I lose again. Wonderful. How many is that now?"
"Three games in a row. But it's not your fault- your deck is really good. If I hadn't have had Drop Off down…"
Ah, but you did.
"That's not much comfort, Leon."
"Sorry. But it's only a game, at the end of the day."
Empty words. And what's worse, she knows it.
The words rang with truth: Leon could see the disbelief in her eyes. She shrugged lightly.
"Whatever you say."
"Come on, let's go home. I'm getting hungry!"
She laughed. "Didn't you eat before we played?"
"Yeah…but a good duel helps me work up an appetite!"
"You never change…"
They left the park, and headed for home. The streets were unusually quiet- only the singing of birds punctuated the silence. Taylor tried to make small talk, but Leon only replied listlessly. Something was distracting him, but he couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was.
You won that game by pure luck. Exodia would have mauled you if you didn't have Drop Off down. Can't you ever win a game with some actual merit for once?
"I'm not listening…" Leon muttered quietly. Taylor gave him a cool glance.
"No need to be so blunt about it. If you want me to shut up, then just say so!"
Too late, Leon realized how that must have sounded to her. "No, I…I was just talking to myself there."
She raised an eyebrow. "If you say so. Let's hurry up, it's getting dark soon. I don't want to get jumped by anybody shady tonight."
"Heaven forbid that that might happen."
Always making jokes. Trying to cover up your anxieties, your hopes, everything. You've locked it all away, 'cause you're too scared to feel anything- or to even admit the things you truly want.
A thought leapt to the surface of Leon's mind, uncalled for.
And what might those be?
Come on, Leon. You know that better than anybody, now don't you? You're just too afraid to admit it. But what you truly want- what you do, truly desire- you can't hide it from me: You want Taylor. Deny it all you want, because I can still read you like a book. You want to hold her in your arms, feel her body against yours, and her lips pressed against your mouth…
I…I…
Problem is, you're too weak to take it. You're caught in a right predicament; you wouldn't risk her friendship for the world, and yet you want her love. And it's pulling you apart. I think you'll break soon, and end up an emotional wreck. Just like before…
"For God's sake, SHUT UP!!!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Taylor gazed at him, looking shocked and hurt. She spoke, trying to hold back tears.
"What's wrong with you? I can understand you getting distracted, but there's no need to be angry. What's going on, Leon? Is there something wrong?"
"It's nothing. I…I'm fine. Really, I am."
"Like hell you are! Ever since I got back you've been more distant each day. I want to help…but I can't do that if you won't tell me what's wrong! But then…you don't tell anyone what's wrong, do you?"
Astute little tart, isn't she?
She reached for him, but he pulled away from her hand.
"You wouldn't understand. And don't…don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."
Tears glistened in her eyes. "Leon…"
He turned and walked away, oblivious to the silence that had suddenly pervaded the streets.
Later that night…
Leon was sitting down in his living room, trying to shake off the events of the day. He clasped his hands tightly round his cup of coffee, trying to stop his hands from trembling. The warmth from it did little to alleviate the chill he felt in his bones. It shot through him again without warning, causing him to shudder. He bent over the table in front of him again.
Spread out on it was his deck, laid out neatly in five rows of eight. He mulled over it, replacing a card here and there. After about ten minutes of this, he put the cards away, and went to take a shower. He turned the water temperature far higher than normal, so the heat could scald some feeling back into him. Under the ferocity of the piping-hot water, he started to get his thoughts in order. Then, without warning:
I've got a question for you, Leon.
Now? I'm in the shower, for god's sake.
Now is as good a time as any. Here is my question. It should seem familiar to you, since you wrestle with it every night. Do you want to be healed?
Why is it important, and why the hell does it interest you?
Now now. No need for the curses. Do you?
Why should I answer you? Why should I tell you anything?
Because you desire to know the answer as much as I do.
What are you talking about?
But the voice had fallen silent. Puzzled, but grateful for the reprieve, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. After he dried himself off, he began sorting through his cards again. Unfortunately for Leon, the sojourn from the voice was to brief.
Got an answer for me?
No, I bloody well don't have an answer for you. Now I have a question for YOU- how can I be rid of you?
Funny you should ask that. Take a look in the mirror.
He looked. His reflection looked normal, for a moment. Then it moved, narrowing its eyes at him. Leon froze. It clapped its hands together in a parody of applause, and then bowed like a magician onstage. As he did, a hole appeared in the room. It was completely opaque, filled with a deep darkness. He couldn't see into it at all. The reflection turned and walked through the hole, disappearing immediately. Leon shook his head in disbelief and turned around. To his shock, the hole had now appeared in the room. A faint sound could be heard in the air. It was a voice…his own voice. It was whispering the same message over and over, barely audible to the ears.
"If you seek to be rid of me… you must pass the trials… if you are truly willing to try… then step into the dark…"
Leon quickly gathered his cards together, and faced the hole. He didn't agonize over the decision- that time was past. After all that had happened, he was eager to settle things with his would-be tormentor, once and for all. He closed his eyes, and stepped forward decisively.
What happened next, he would never be sure of, except for one thing- it was nothing like he expected. One minute he was standing on a floor, the next he was standing on nothing at all.
"AHHHH!!!!!"
He fell downwards, into a bottomless pit of shadows. Before everything went black, he heard two things- his own voice laughing cruelly, and a whispered message:
And so, it begins…