SC: Let me know if all the hype was for nothing.

Counterattack

Having shaken off their pursuers, Yugi gathers his remaining forces and begins their counterattack. Scott's massive army is harried by Yugi's nimble units. They are fewer in number, but the powerful and courageous resistance should be able to confront Scott's forces. The plan is to lure Scott into the Maryah-Denn Fields and then crush him once and for all!

Tristan rolled over uneasily in his sleep. Though a fire had been lit and he had managed to keep from forfeiting his coat, it was chilly in the cave they shared with Téa's band of refugees. The rocky floor dug uncomfortably into his back. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He guessed it was early morning, maybe five, early enough to where it would only be a few hours until dawn. His brown eyes glimmered in the firelight as he glanced around at the others. Joey was next to him, snoring loudly (how he had slept through all that noise so far, Tristan didn't know); Ryou and Shimon were a bit farther down the row, against the cave wall; and the girls were the closest to the fire. Téa and Fizdis still wore the jackets they received earlier, and, he noticed with a grin, Mai seemed to have acquired one and Joey lost one overnight. As he stared, however, he noticed that someone was missing from the picture.

"Yugi?"

Tristan heard the sounds of shuffling near the cave entrance and turned to look. There sat a figure with peaked hair, outlines smudged by a crimson haze. At the address Yugi had straightened his position but did not turn around. "Yes?" His words rolled gently over their sleeping comrades. Tristan tried to stay quiet as he got up and stepped over the snoring Joey, partly to keep from waking everyone up but mostly because Yugi's voice had put a kind of calm over the scene that he didn't want to disturb.

"Hey man, what are you doing up so early?" he asked, taking a seat at the cave entrance beside him.

"I could ask the same of you, as you always seem to have trouble getting up in the mornings," Yugi said with a chuckle. Tristan frowned at him, and he continued: "I've always been a morning person, but this morning had some help…"

"Joey's snoring?" Tristan supplied. Yugi grinned.

"As usual. I assume that's why you're up?"

"Among other things, but yeah." Tristan noticed that as Yugi sat he held the glass orb cupped in his hands, causing the soft red light to cast its glow upwards on his face. The contrast of light and shadow sharpened the angles of his eyes into gem-inlaid daggers. It was then that Tristan realized how powerful Yugi looked. His violet eyes shining with russet showed a mental keenness and spiritual age that far surpassed his own. There lingered a power, an intellect in his eyes that he could practically see, pacing like a caged beast, waiting to be released. He suspected that this was the look of those in history whom had risen to power at a young age: Alexander, Augustus, Napoléon… He realized he had been staring and quickly floundered for something to say.

"So, how long have you been awake?"

Yugi's eyes flicked from him to the cave wall, their movement the stroke of a sword, as he pondered the answer. "Maybe an hour. Maybe a little less."

Tristan leaned back onto his hands and joined Yugi in staring at the wall of stone. "It seems kinda' lonely out here."

"Maybe." There was a pause as he took in a breath of the misty cave air. "I haven't been wasting my time here, though." There it was, Tristan felt it: those last words were borne from the breath of battle. The change of tone had been so slight, a faint glint of light on a blade slipping an inch from its sheath, but it was enough to let Tristan know that Yugi had been contemplating the tides of war.

He asked, "How so?"

With a half-sigh that hinted at his inner fatigue, Yugi answered, "Plans for our departure. Now that we've evaded his army we need to launch a quick counterstrike against Scott. We're behind his ranks, which gives us an element they don't have factored in. They think we're in front of them, still running. Until they realize our true position, we can attack from almost anywhere behind them and be a surprise. All we need to know is where Scott is now."

"But how will we find that out?" asked Tristan, louder than he had intended. He froze as he heard some grumbling from Joey, something about "cheesecake," and then the snoring that indicated the blonde had gone back to sleep. A moment's pause, then he continued more quietly: "He could be anywhere."

"Indeed he could be, yet it is not hard to discern the possibilities. Currently his army is heading northwest after us. Once they reach the coast and realize we're not there, they'll turn around and come back the way they came, heading from northwest to southeast, thinking they missed us along the way. Since Scott thinks that we're so inferior to him, he doesn't want to be involved with fighting us. He'll go somewhere out of the way, which leaves the northeast, the southwest, or the island.

"The southwest is essentially forest land. There aren't any major cities there, so while it would make a good hiding place in terms of remoteness, its isolation won't suit the 'godly' image he's taken upon himself. The island is our stronghold, a place he knows we may fall back to, should we be defeated in a battle with his army. It's unlikely he would go there unless he thought us threat enough to recover and damage him in the future. That leaves the northeast, which has several castles and large towns for him to hole up in and wait out our defeat. It's my guess that he's there."

Tristan found his mouth was slightly ajar after Yugi's explanation. He certainly had spent a lot of time thinking these things over. Had it really taken him only an hour to come up with that logic? Tristan figured it would take himself at least a year to do the same. "Yeah," he agreed numbly, "but how do we figure out for sure which place he's gone to?"

A deep chuckle stirred the air. Yugi raised his finger and tapped the purple gem around his neck. "I've sent out a scout."

As if by an invisible cue a short burst of marigold light pierced the darkness, and the Dark Magician appeared in front of them. The master sorcerer acknowledged Tristan's presence with a curt nod before bowing deeply to Yugi. Tristan watched as Yugi gazed at his monster. After a few silent moments during which neither of them moved Yugi finally said aloud, "The Maryah-Denn Fields."

Maryah-Denn was an area in the northeast of the continent; Tristan knew this from his prior escapades with Joey. Yugi had pinned Scott's location effortlessly, his Dark Magician only confirming it. Tristan couldn't believe how easily Yugi had worked out the correct location of the enemy on logic alone. There was that mental keenness again, sharp as ever. There were a few more moments of silence between the two until suddenly the Dark Magician vanished as he had appeared. Yugi turned back to face Tristan, whom realized that he was once again staring with his mouth open.

"Whoa," he said. "I'm not really sure how you did that, but it looked cool from here." He felt extremely stupid, but fortunately Yugi gave a laugh.

"Perhaps. For now, though," he tapped the violet jewel again, "I've been told it's almost dawn." Tristan nodded, and the two stood up to roust the others.

The resistance readied themselves for their departure. The refugees they had spent the night with watched with sadness in their eyes, for Téa had decided to leave and continue with Yugi's group. "Don't worry about me," she said with a sparkle in her gaze, "I'll be just fine where I'm going." Hugs were distributed and extra supplies donated to the resistance. As a token of thanks Yugi left the sparkling diamond containing Silver Fang with the refugees so that they could defend themselves if the need arose. Then, as the sun peaked over the edge of the world above them, they left.

Before they could do anything, Téa needed to lead them back to the surface. After successfully evading Scott's army and obtaining a full night's sleep despite the cold, everyone was in a relatively good mood. "So?" Joey asked as they walked towards the surface, putting his hands behind his head. "What's the plan?"

"Something I believe attunes with your style, Joey," answered Yugi with a grin.

"Huh?"

Tristan whacked the blonde jokingly on the shoulder. "He means a completely random, out-of-the-blue attack with essentially no strategy behind it."

"What? Tristan! Why I oughta'…" Joey moved to give Tristan a good pounding but paused a moment later. He looked to Yugi accusingly. "We ain't seriously gonna' go that, are we?"

"No and yes," he said, earning the confused stares of everyone there. "We're going to be secretive and stealthy in getting to Scott. We don't want him knowing that his army missed us. Once we get to him, however, we will, as Tristan put it, attack him full out."

"'Once we get to him,'" Mai repeated. "How can we attack him if we don't know where he is?"

"And, if stealth is our goal in getting to him, how can we manage to do so without Scott noticing?" added Ryou. The others in their silence agreed with these two questions. Yugi ignored them for a moment and kept walking. His gaze glimmered as he seemed to enjoy the brief silence marred only by their scuffling footsteps. Then, after what felt to them to be minutes but in truth was only a lapse of a few seconds, Yugi spoke.

He explained what he had worked out that morning in his head with stunning knowledge of the terrain they would be soon crossing. He told them of Scott's location in the Maryah-Denn Fields (Tristan vouched for this statement). As for stealth, he had decided to split the resistance into groups that would each take different routes to Scott's current hideaway. Divided into smaller units, they could travel more easily without the fear of being seen. Joey and Téa would go via the mountains, as Red-Eyes was the fastest flyer and could pass over the peaks easily; Tristan and Ryou would take a route through the forest that fringed the plains; and Mai, Fizdis, and Shimon would lag behind as a defensive wall in case the enemy decided to change direction unexpectedly. Yugi then announced that he would be going by himself across the plains. There was an immediate outcry from everyone against this, but Yugi, expecting their concern, explained that since the plains were open fields with no cover a single person was the only way not to attract attention. There was a place just outside the town Scott was hiding in where the mountains swoop down into the valley below. Here the forest curved suddenly and grew up into the mountains, blending in with and cutting off the plains. The group would rendezvous there, where everything came together, before moving on to Scott. Mai, Fizdis, and Shimon would continue to defend the rear while everyone else moved on to the city.

"Tell me this Yugi: why does everything complicated sound so obvious when you say it?" asked Joey with a slight pout, and Yugi laughed.

"Daylight!" cried Fizdis. Indeed, before them lay the exit to the Craw-Valley, brimming with golden light. They stepped out into the dew-fresh air with grateful sighs to have finally escaped the endless caves. It had taken so long to reach the exit that the sun was already shimmering above the horizon. Its warm, comforting rays instilled a glowing peace over the land.

Yugi took a few steps away from the group and summoned Seiyaryu. The pastel air smoothed the harsh angles of the dragon's beak and feathers; its sapphire eyes matched the dazzling purity of the sky. It purred warmly at Yugi while he stroked its neck and slipped on its reins. The others watched him do this, and they didn't need to be given an order when he turned to look at them. Joey called Red-Eyes and helped Téa clamber on. Ryou and Tristan took their places on Parrot Dragon and Gazelle. The others withheld their monsters for the time being.

Yugi did not speak any words to them. With battle looming on the horizon he had fallen into his customary austere silence. All at once he dug in his heels and Seiyaryu took the sky. A few seconds later, everyone else followed suit. "Be careful everyone!" called Ryou over the rush of the wind, the last words any of them heard before they were alone.

Atop his valiant dragon, Yugi flew across the rolling Maryah-Denn Plains. The golden-brown blades of grass rippled with the wind and parted like water as Seiyaryu passed overhead. As they neared the forest the endless fields gave way to scraggly bushes, then to twisted trees of cedar and juniper, and finally to a forest of towering, proud trees, oak and elm. Still, there was no time to enjoy the scenery, as the hour of the attack on the enemy loomed near. Yugi tightened his grip on Seiyaryu's reins and leaned forward with perspicacity. He knew he would be counted on to provide most of the strength needed to defeat Scott. Despite this, there was another reason Yugi was so anxious to reach his destination. Anger burned deep within his eyes; he wanted to defeat Scott and punish him for dragging them all here to this realm.

Time flew almost faster than they did, weaving along with them through the woods. They had just passed a small creek when a twinge gripped Yugi's heart. Instinctively he pulled back on Seiyaryu's reins. The rose-colored dragon slowed and Yugi slid quickly off its back. Settling on the ground, Seiyaryu blinked sapphire eyes curiously at its master.

This feeling… a feeling that touched his heart in one spot, yet seemed to permeate his whole spirit, was definitely something familiar. It was too – right – to him to be anything else. The forest air around them, with mist beneath the cooling leaves above, was nearly soundless. Straining his memories, Yugi came across the remnants of one, jumbled together incoherently with time and magic: flashes of vaulted stone ceilings; an enrapturing violet glow; hypnotic thoughts that intoxicated him and numbed him to all others except come closer…

The quick burst of history lasted only a second. It took Yugi a few more moments to work through them and understand their message. That was how he had come across Mahado, back in the ruined castle of the Beasty Badlands. Mahado, whose soul gem matched his own perfectly and had created this same peculiar feeling, then, would surely know what to make of it. Not a moment after this connection crossed his mind the magician released himself from his soul gem in a flash of light. He appeared before Yugi, wearing what could have been – though Yugi had no idea why – an amused expression. Floating above the ground, Mahado crossed his legs beneath him and turned his starlit eyes to Yugi.

'You have sensed it too, then, Soulmaster?' he asked. This time, Yugi was sure of it: Mahado was definitely grinning.

'What is this feeling, Mahado?' asked Yugi, the slightest bit confused. 'I remember feeling this when first I met you, but what could it be this time?'

Mahado's sonorous laughter sounded in Yugi's head. 'I would not expect you to remember. Though she never actually swore eternal loyalty to you, she has aided you many times throughout the years.'

'She?'

Something in the bushes nearby rustled, immediately drawing Yugi's attention. The sensation in his heart pulsed stronger, so much so that he could feel the throbbing even in his head. He took a tentative step closer, although something about the situation told him there was nothing to fear.

The bushes rattled again, louder and sharper, and suddenly, too quickly for the eye to follow, a figure bolted out of them. Yugi only had enough time to glimpse the colors of the being: blue with touches of magenta and yellow. The figure practically leapt on Mahado, and only then could Yugi identify it…

"Dark Magician Girl!" he blurted aloud.

The Dark Magician Girl's emerald eyes glittered with both excitement and guilt as she looked up at Mahado. 'I'm sorry I'm late!' she chimed. 'But I'm here now!'

'Late indeed,' muttered Mahado. He pulled himself free of her suffocating hug. 'Do you have any idea how long it's been since I sent for you?'

'My sincerest apologies, Master!' Dark Magician Girl pulled back and toyed idly with the hem of her skirt. 'It took me some time to get around the Imperial army,' she explained, 'and I… '

With a sigh Mahado shook his head. He glanced at Yugi, whom was watching the ordeal with an amused grin on his face, before turning back to the new arrival. 'I don't want excuses.' He raised his jade staff and pointed it almost threateningly at her. 'I expect more from my students.' Dark Magician Girl made a fake and horribly exaggerated gasp and recoiled dramatically.

Yugi chuckled at her antics. "Who is this?" he asked Mahado

Dark Magician Girl turned to him. 'Yugi, thank you for looking out for my teacher. I am his number one student!' she declared proudly, posing with her staff behind her back. Yugi wasn't entirely surprised that she knew his name; after all, they had been through a lot together.

Mahado rubbed his temple with his forefingers. 'Be quiet, you,' he said irritably. 'Soulmaster, this is my student, as she so readily proclaimed. Her name is Mana. I have called her back from her training.' Mana, as she was called, held up the "V for Victory" sign. Rolling his eyes, Mahado continued: 'She is still inexperienced' – Mana frowned at this – 'but she may be of use. Please add her to your roster… somewhere near the bottom.'

'That's not nice!' Mana hovered defensively behind Yugi and gripped both his shoulders. '"Near the bottom," indeed! That's no way to build up a girl's confidence, you know.'

Yugi laughed again. "All right!" A second later, he felt a pang of guilt. Adding Mana to his team meant that Yugi would have to replace one of his monsters. Seiyaryu he would keep, and certainly he would not give up Mahado. That left…

Sadly, Yugi pulled the magenta soul gem belonging to Magician of Faith from around his neck. He held the chain aloft and summoned her to join the convention. She materialized and looked around at the others. Mahado looked solemn, though slightly irate. She saw Seiyaryu, whom had perched on a rock during the preceding reunion, staring at her with those soul-piercing eyes. Then she saw Yugi, and Mana floating just behind him.

"Magician of Faith," he began. "I… I don't know how to say this. You… Would you mind it if I…?"

Magician of Faith understood what he was getting at. She was saddened, but she also understood that the Empire was steadily growing more deadly, and that Yugi would need better monsters to keep up. She tried to hide the tears in her eyes as she forced a smile onto her face. Magician of Faith raised her staff high, aiming to do one last act of good for the resistance and for Yugi. Enchanting words spilled off her lips as light like the sun shone atop her staff. The light condensed into a glowing orb, which floated down in front of Yugi. She mouthed the words "Thank you" before she could take no more, and vanished deep into her soul gem.

Yugi stood frozen for a moment in the silence that overtook their group. Slowly he reached out and touched the orb floating before him. The light snapped off and revealed Magician of Faith's gift: an old, rugged book, with yellowed pages and thick leather bindings, hovering in the still air.

Mahado looked on the book in slight awe. 'A Book of Secret Arts…? She is wise to leave us this. It will do well for Mana to read up on it.' For once, Mana didn't have a comment to throw back at him. With a wave of her staff the spellbook flickered away.

Yugi turned over his shoulder to look at Mana. "…It looks like you're with us now." He gave an encouraging smile. "Don't let me down."

A breath of wind fluttered Joey's vibrant blonde hair as tense brown eyes stared hard at the horizon. Every few moments he would take to a set of pacing before turning to scour the distant land again. He and Red-Eyes were atop a low-peaked mountain, just above the valley. Nearby, in the town below, the castle where Scott was hiding stood with a weighted magnetism to it, coated with darkness that pulled everything around it into its constricting core. The beautiful reds and golds of the valley sunset died at the castle edge, drained away into the black hole of stone. Joey had already made contact with Tristan and Ryou below. Tristan had signaled to him using flashes of light off his Machine King to attract the blonde's attention; Red-Eyes answered with a quick breath of flame. The four of them were ready and waiting. Now all they needed was Yugi, whom should have already arrived. Joey growled softly to himself and paced again. He hated feeling nervous like this, but he couldn't help it. His brain told him that the only reason Yugi could be so late is if he were held up by something, which could mean that he was attacked, which could mean that the enemy was headed this way…

Perched on a rock a few feet away, Téa looked up from her knees. "Will you please stop doing that, Joey?" she asked for the third time.

"What's it to you that I pace?" he countered, taking a few more steps and staring again.

"You're making me nervous. Incorrectly so," she said, following his movements with her eyes. "You know that Yugi will be here." To herself she added, "Nothing can stop him…" She trailed off as her cheeks darkened, hoping the blonde hadn't heard the last part.

Thankfully, Joey didn't turn to look at her. "Yeah, well, excuse me for being cautious" he snapped. Red-Eyes growled softly at him. "Oh, and now you think I'm overdoing things, too? Whose side are you on?" The words were harsh, unusual for Joey. Red-Eyes sighed and shifted his wings restlessly; the air was becoming a bit colder as the sun neared the edge of the world. A cool breeze slipped over them in streams that pushed the sun further into night.

Just then, a flash of light blinked in the corner of Joey's eye. He stopped pacing and whirled around to face the forest. His eyes searched for the spot where he had spotted Tristan earlier. Another flash gleamed, and he leapt upon it. Two had been sent, and a third one meant…

A third flash of light blinked at him. That meant that Yugi had arrived and was now with Tristan and Ryou.

"He's here," he said to Téa. Finally! he thought. He didn't need all this stress right before a battle. To himself he made a note to give Yugi a good whack for being late.

Téa looked up excitedly – a little too excitedly, and almost fell off the rock she was sitting on. "Yugi?"

"Yeah. He made it." Joey turned to Red-Eyes. The ebony dragon lowered its neck and allowed the blonde to climb on. He waved his tail at Téa, signaling for her to get on as well. Tentatively she clambered up behind Joey and secured a grip around his waist (she still wasn't the world's biggest fan of flying). Red-Eyes straightened and thrust his wings down, lifting them all into the air.

The town was already slipping into its nighttime hush when Yugi, Tristan, and Ryou entered. There was no activity on the streets, and hardly any lights in the windows. Yugi wondered if maybe news of their attack had somehow reached the townspeople's ears, or if they had gone into hiding because of Scott's occupation.

"It's sad, to see a lively town reduced to this…" commented Ryou quietly. Other than his words, the relative silence pressed down on their shoulders. Unsettling though it was, it swirled around them like the quiet calm before the storm.

"Hmm? Oh, yes," said Yugi absently. He hadn't been truly listening, and had actually been speaking with Mahado.

'Mahado, are you sure Mana is up to the task of fighting with the resistance?'

'Soulmaster, do I sense doubt in your heart?'

'No, Yugi countered. 'But… she didn't seem that serious about everything. About facing Scott and the Empire.

'She was a bit… excited, that I will allow. But do not be discouraged by just her outward appearance, Soulmaster, Mahado assured him. 'When the time comes, you will see her true strength.'

"Yugi!" Tristan waved his hand in front of Yugi's face. "Hey man, wake up!"

"Huh?" Yugi said. He blinked a few times to bring himself back to reality. He turned and saw his friends looking at him concernedly.

"Now that I've finally got your attention," Tristan said dryly. "You're spacing out on us, Yugi."

"Sorry…"

Ryou commented, "It's okay. You've probably got a lot on your mind." He averted his gaze slightly. "I know I do."

"Right, well, the point is, I was trying to tell you that we're here, Yugi." Tristan waved at the open square in front of him. Multicolored tiles formed intricate, flowery designs beneath their feet. It was beautiful, though effectively ruined by the situation. "We've beaten Joey and Téa. Do you think we should find somewhere out of sight to wait until they show up?"

Yugi glanced around the area for a moment, then shook his head. "No. There's no one here to see us. Hiding won't make any difference. Scott hasn't even sent anyone to meet us along the way. He either doesn't know we're here, or…" – he stiffened atop Seiyaryu – "… he's just waiting for the face off."

"Speaking of which," Tristan jumped off of Gazelle's back and turned to face Yugi fully, "are you going to fight Scott by yourself?"

Violet eyes narrowed, a touch of anger lingering at their edges. "Yes. It's my duty to face him – and I would rather not drag all of you into the fight if it is not necessary."

"There you go again: being valiant," said a voice from above. Yugi felt the shadow of something move over him and watched as Red-Eyes landed in the square. Joey jumped off quickly, leaving Téa to slide off awkwardly.

"Joey?"

The blonde grinned at him. "Ya' gotta' stop being so egotistical. We're all stuck in this world too, and we all want to get out just as badly. We're gonna' take out Scott together." He held out his hand. "Agreed?"

"I…" Yugi began, but something in Joey's smile told him that he wouldn't back down. "…Agreed," he said, and shook on it. The air seemed to brighten, if only for a moment.

In the next moment, a dark chill encroached upon them.

"Well, well, well," said the voice, smooth as honey yet resonant with the tremors of an earthquake. "Such determination, even when death draws its scythe against your throats. I like that in prey."

There, from between the trees across from them, a shadow emerged. The slanting rays of the setting sun threw his face into a fiery glow, contrasting the icy glimmer in his darkened eyes. One step, two steps forward, and he stopped facing the resistance.

"Scott," Yugi murmured. Seiyaryu growled fiercely at the arrival of their foe.

Scott chuckled, the sound rumbling in the air. "I see your animosity hasn't wavered in the slightest."

Yugi took a bold step forward. "So, you've come out of hiding to face us? What's the matter, Scott? Things aren't working out as you planned?" Joey and Tristan took up defensive stances on either side of Yugi. Ryou's eyes showed a bit of worry, yet he held his countenance serious. Téa was the only one who actually looked afraid. She tried to hold herself strong but her fearful tremors showed through in her shoulders.

"Au contraire. I simply wanted to save you the trouble of storming my castle to reach me." Scott fingered the soul gem around his neck absently. It was a clear white, though not the white of purity. It was the white of emptiness of the soul. "Though it may not seem like it to you, things are going just as planned for me." He waved a hand at them. "I even have most of the resistance here in front of me."

"You act like we're just flies in your face!" Joey hollered. "We're not as easy to swat as you think!"

"Or maybe it's easier than you think…" The corners of Scott's thin mouth curled upward. "One of you is already gone."

A panicked tremor raced through Yugi's heart and made it tighten. Though his sense of logic told him it was probably a bluff, his fear leapt out ahead of him. "What?" he blurted.

Joey did the same thing. "Who?" A panicked voice in the back of his head babbled incoherent things about Mai being in danger.

His smirk broad as ever, Scott lifted his hand, paused for the smallest moment, and then drew it swiftly across his throat.

A sound like a gunshot blasted from the trees on the left.

BANG!

The sound thundered through the air and made the very ground beneath them rumble. It was far more powerful than even a normal cannon shot, as though it had been hooked up to several loudspeakers. In the ringing, stinging seconds that followed, something else pierced deeply into their ears: the sharp, clear sound of something shattering, and the light jingle of pieces falling to the ground. Time was slow and yet blindingly fast, a rushing torrent that never once moved. The whirl of sound and time paralyzed Yugi for a moment. His brain churned, struggling to grasp what had happened. Gunshot. Something breaking. Gunshot, it repeated over and over.

Wait… a gunshot!

The bottom of Yugi's stomach dropped below his feet leaving the empty space to fill with dread. His eyes jumped to Scott automatically since he was still stunned. Scott's eyes filled with demented glee at Yugi's immobility, what little light remaining darkening on his unholy frame.

"Who?" he repeated Joey's question. His finger lifted through the heavy daze and pointed to the right. "She is."

She. The word drilled into Yugi's consciousness with a diamond blade and sank poisoned fangs into his heart. She… No, it can't… He spun to the right and felt reality shatter, every force of nature and space reversing on him and thrusting all their combined might against his heart.

Citrus-yellow shards of glass caught snippets of the dying sun and glinted coldly at him. The shards were strewn around her motionless form, sprawled out on the ground. Yugi's knees and heart threatened to give out on him at the same time with the surge of weakness that pooled around him. Her name escaped his lips on a breath of wind. "Téa…"

By now the others had overcome their own shock and were beginning to realize what was going on. Joey was the first of them to turn and witnessed Yugi throw himself at Téa's side. He saw Téa lying there, chillingly immobile, and instantly knew. The weight of the impenetrable, unreal truth struck him hard in the face, enough so that he did a double take. He could say nothing. Endless words filled his head, shouts of anger, sorrow, but none could make the jump across the endless canyon and exit his mouth.

Now on his knees beside her, Yugi touched Téa's shoulder. "T-Téa, please…" Like silent outcries from his heart tears filled and fell from his eyes, tears that he didn't bother to keep hidden either on his face on in his wavering voice. He saw the silver chain of her soul gem trailing off to the side, but the once beautiful jewel that had been on the end was gone, reduced to the mere fragments that beset them. Gently he rolled her over onto her back. Seeing her face only doubled the intensity of his tears.

As he watched the ordeal, Ryou was able to force out a sorrow-filed "Oh, my…" Tristan, like Joey, didn't say anything at all and merely averted his gaze. They stayed where they were, being unable or unwilling to move and join Yugi at her side.

"Please, Téa, speak to me…" Yugi tried again. He leaned over her and listened for the sound of her breathing. He heard no such sound. Desperate, he pressed his fingers against her neck in search of a pulse. Even after a few moments had passed without feeling anything, he kept his fingers rigidly in place, hoping against all hope that maybe he would feel something eventually, and that she would be all right, alive…

"Yugi." Joey had worked himself out of his paralysis enough to approach and to kneel beside him. Of course he was just as shaken as the rest of them were and filled with the same sadness over everything, but deep down he knew why Yugi was so deeply stricken with grief. Téa had a connection to Yugi that Joey could never dream of having, forged over the many years they had been friends, one that Joey inwardly suspected Yugi of taking farther… "Yugi, that won't work. It's too late. She's…" The monstrous canyon suddenly reappeared in his throat and Joey found he couldn't go on.

Yugi didn't hear him. He finally gave up on waiting for a pulse. Instead he slid his arm beneath her lifeless neck and lifted her torso onto his lap. Tears dripped onto her pale face as Yugi pressed his forehead to hers. "Téa…" he whispered. "I'm sorry…"

"How touching." Scott's acrimonious voice clashed against the heartfelt scene. "Poor Mister Hero, he's lost his friend." Clanking footsteps sounded from his left; a huge Barrel Dragon stepped into view from beyond the trees, its black and oiled gun barrels issuing thin trails of smoke. It had been responsible for the previous gunshot.

Joey was instantly on his feet. "Shut up, bastard!" he roared.

"Ooh, bit of a temper, have we?" Scott clicked his tongue in disapproval. "And all over a girl, too."

"How the hell could you do that to her?"

The sun's rays were quickly retreating from the land. Scott remarked almost conversationally, "Oh, death is easy to command in this realm. These gems," he motioned to his empty white one, "are in actuality a physical manifestation of the human soul. The same soul, by the way, which is the only thing holding you here in this world. No soul…" he glanced at the yellow shards that had once been Téa's soul gem, "… no life."

Joey was about to open his mouth and yell a string of some very obscene words when a sound stopped him. The blonde turned to Yugi, whose breathing had grown noticeably louder, making slight hissing sounds past clenched teeth. He gently laid Téa back down and turned his gaze to Scott. The shining trails of his tears glistened on his cheeks with dazzling intensity. His eyes were wide and glaring, dyed a shade of purple that seemed almost to be red with hatred with pupils dilated to pinpricks. Joey saw his friend's eyes and took a breath like a fish out of water. That look was nothing human. It was a look of pure, primal rage, one that sent forth waves of absolute loathing and a desire for destruction. Joey had never seen such rage before, least of all in Yugi.

Yugi stood and faced Scott fully. The emotion coming from him was so intense that sparks of electricity seemed to dance around him. It took a moment for Joey to realize that there actually were sparks, and that he wasn't just imagining them. They snapped and hissed, like sharp ruby serpents eager to tear into the nearest vulnerable flesh. That's when Joey noticed the source of the sudden electricity: around Yugi's neck, beside his soul gem and those of his monsters, was the strange red orb with a living flame inside. Joey remembered Yugi telling him how he had found it, and thought it to be something special. Now the orb was glowing a blood red, emanating tendrils of electricity to engulf its wearer.

Scott, however, wasn't daunted by the ordeal, as though he couldn't see any of it. "Ooh, it seems I've made the valiant one mad. Go on then, bring out your monsters and destroy me." Twin spurts of light flashed, and Scott's other monsters appeared, a Cosmo Queen and a second Barrel Dragon. "I should rather enjoy watching you meet the girl's fate the hard way instead of taking the instant route."

Yet Yugi didn't make any move to summon his monsters. His enraged eyes narrowed, and barely above a whisper, he said, "I'm going to kill you."

His words had been fierce, even at their volume. Joey had been the only one to truly hear them and was scared to death by them. He had never, ever, heard Yugi say he wanted to kill anyone, no matter what the offense. To hear such things from Yugi defied his very nature, and yet he had spoken with the clearest lethal air that there was no mistaking his intent. Joey's sense of logic told him that something was not right with his friend.

The electricity dancing in the air around Yugi suddenly ceased, and regrouped around the glowing red orb, now almost opaque with light and energy. The light began pulsing slowly, a bloodthirsty heartbeat, then faster, until it was a solid blaze. At close range the crimson rays blinded Joey. In the sea of unending red he heard the booming roll of thunder in the sky above. After a few moments Joey's eyes adjusted and could see through the sanguineous veils of light. He looked up at the sky to find black thunderclouds twisting and crashing against each other. Lightning arced back and forth amongst them, lightning that was the color of blood. Above the chorus of thunder, there came a titanic roar that resonated in the air and rattled every cell in Joey's body. He recognized this roar; it was one that he had heard only a few times before.

The thought of its owner made him tremble.

Suddenly twin arcs of lightning converged upon one cloud. Dark billows rent asunder, splitting open the very sky. Something moved within the gap, twisted, writhed. Endless coils of blood unraveled. Wide wings, crimson and black, flared open. Thunder crashed again as the beast descended from the heavens to meet the Earth.

Yugi's eyes were almost crazed. "Scott, meet my friend, and oblivion."

Tristan took a scrambled step back as he stared up at the gargantuan beast that blocked out the very sky. "Th-That's Slypher!" he shouted, though no one present needed help in identifying it. The huge crimson dragon lowered its head, so that its burning auric eyes could be seen even from far below on the ground. Both of its mouths bared yard-high shining fangs.

Joey couldn't believe what was happening. Yugi had somehow managed to summon Slypher, the God of the Heavens himself, from out of nowhere! Seiyaryu, Red-Eyes, and Parrot Dragon were growling and squawking chaotically. The presence of the Dragon God did not bode well to them. Even Scott's Barrel Dragons had taken fearful steps back from the celestial creature.

Scott's eyes were wide, as wide as Yugi's had been when still paralyzed by the fateful gunshot, yet he snapped at his monsters, "Don't move! You don't actually think he can control this infernal creature, do you?"

Neither Yugi nor Slypher seemed to take kindly to his insult. Slypher roared angrily, creating a gale that slammed into Scott and shoved him back several feet with a cry. Yugi smirked, and said in an almost hissing voice, "Insulting your enemy… truly a sign of weakness. Tell me, do you think so apathetically about death now, as it looms so readily before you?"

Scott opened his mouth to speak, but before any words escaped him he was knocked backward again with another roar from Slypher. This time he fell onto the rough stone beneath him with an ungraceful whap. Yugi chuckled, and the air turned colder. "Control is not an issue. Control is easy to secure.

"But you are in my way, and for that I will eliminate you." Slypher's gaping jaws opened wide. Electricity crackled and surged within, gathering strength. Scott looked up at the god and paled. There was nowhere to run; nothing would be spared, should that blast be released. His Barrel Dragons took half steps in front of him, a futile effort to shield their master. His Cosmo Queen raised her hands and muttered the incantation for a protective spell. "Shields will be of no use! You have already sealed your fate, by tempting me."

The lightning in Slypher's mouth was only barely held back. Yugi's baleful eyes punctured Scott deeper than his next words: "For crossing me, die."

"Yug', NO!" Without warning Joey seized his friend from behind in a near stranglehold. "Don't! You can't!" The action was enough to make Yugi choke and falter in his harsh demeanor.

Scott didn't waste a breath. Phosphorescent green light surrounded him, fringed with white and neon blue. His image buzzed in and out of focus, like a computer hologram. He wiped the terror from his face and mustered one last arrogant smirk before vanishing within the wormhole. His monsters blinked out of existence a few seconds later.

The lightning in Slypher's throat died and it let out an angry screech. Its tail lashed the sky angrily as thunder crashed again. Yugi uttered an infuriated growl and tried to struggle free of Joey's grasp. The blonde only gripped him harder. "Yug', listen to me! You didn't want to do that!" he cried, almost pleaded. "It wasn't worth resorting to killing, sinking to his level!"

"Let me go!" Yugi snapped, struggling harder still, clearly still dominated by rage.

"Yugi! Get it through your head! I know you want to get back at Scott for what he did to Téa! You're not a killer!" Yugi ignored him and managed to pry one hand off his shoulder. "Yugi!" Joey spun his friend around and looked him in the face.

Where his irises should have been purple, only cold, cruel yellow stared back They were blazing, fiery – and yet, could not have been emptier. Stunned by their appearance, Joey could only stare into them, and could almost see his reflection in their shallow, mirror-like essence. Yugi, however, was not content with this. "I said let go of me, mortal!" Joey's hands loosened and fell back by his sides. Yugi backed away from him once he was free, a disgusted sneer painted on his face.

"Yugi…" Joey murmured.

"Yugi!" Tristan had jogged over to the pair. "Will you please get rid of Slypher now?" he asked loudly. "He's starting to creep me out." The huge dragon was leering down at all of them, yellow eyes watching their every movement.

Yellow eyes.

"Heh. So, the mortal finds me frightening?" Yugi laughed a cold, empty laugh.

Tristan blinked at him. "'You?' What are you talking about?"

Joey's head was racing, his heart beginning to quicken with it. Yugi's words from earlier blared in his head:

"Control is not an issue. Control is easy to secure."

Oh, gods. Joey's heart froze. His gaze swiveled to Yugi's, once again looking into the yellow hollows. He confirmed to himself that they really were yellow, and it wasn't just some trick of the light.

Yugi laughed again and dark thunder rumbled overhead. "Ha! It seems you are more ignorant than you look, mortal."

Mortal. Oh gods, oh gods. That was the third time Yugi had called one of them by that name. Usually the only people that took to calling everybody around them "mortal" were those which were immortal themselves. Immortal like a god.

Immortal… like Slypher.

"What? Okay, that's it: I don't care if you're my friend, Yugi, you're gonna' pay for that one!" Tristan grabbed Yugi by his collar.

Joey paled. "Tristan, don't! He's – "

He didn't have time to finish his sentence. Without any sound or signal a bolt of red lightning raced down from the sky to strike Tristan's hand. The electricity filled his body and flung him backward with a yell of pain. He landed on the ground several yards away, twitching violently before he passed out. Yugi smirked down at him.

"Next time, don't be so presumptuous," he sneered.

"Tristan!" Ryou moved and knelt beside him. Touching his shoulder, he pulled back when he felt a small shock. He turned to Yugi fearfully. "What did you do to him?"

"I showed him what happens when I am defied."

Ryou recoiled from him. "What's happened to you, Yugi?"

"Ryou," Joey said cautiously, his voice alarmingly calm. He didn't take his eyes off of Yugi. "I don't think that's Yugi. Not anymore."

"Wh-What are you getting at?" he asked numbly.

Yugi's smirk broadened. "Well. Apparently, there is at least one perceptive mortal on this retched earth."

"So at least you admit to it. That proves that I'm not imagining things." Joey's eyes narrowed. "All right, you, what's your story? What're you doing messing with my friend?"

A bolt of lightning flashed above them, deafening thunder following shortly after. "A soul has opened the gate. I am here to ensure that gate remains open," he answered lapidarily.

"Talk straight, ya' jerk!"

"Never has there been a soul powerful enough to break the bindings that sealed me away a thousand years ago. Not until this day." Yugi raised the red orb in his palm, the flame flaring higher than ever. "This was the key to unleashing me. Only the one soul destined to set me free could ever find it, activate it, command it.

"This soul called me from the eternal abyss and bore me here. Now that I am free, I don't intend to return to my prison. No, I've secured a much better option: claiming the body of my liberator as my own." Above them, the true Slypher roared victoriously.

Joey swallowed and hollered angrily, "I'm not letting you possess my friend!"

"You are far too late, mortal. My hold is already in place." A blaze of sparks suddenly filled the air surrounding Yugi. Similar arcs of lightning engulfed Slypher. The dragon's immense form turned to crimson light and disappeared within the lightning. The electricity condensed into a single bolt, which lanced down from the sky and struck Yugi. It didn't seem to hurt him; rather, it strengthened him. An unholy aura of blood flared up around him. His yellow eyes burned from within.

Gusts of wind began to howl with rage. Somehow, even without Slypher looming above, the sky turned darker and filled with still more electricity. Yugi was the source of it all, the focus of the winds and the dictator of the lightning. The four resistance monsters that remained were now making a great deal of ruckus. Yellow eyes narrowed with anger, and four bolts of lightning came down upon them. Gazelle, Parrot Dragon, and Red-Eyes were hit, and disappeared into their gems. Seiyaryu flared its wings and let the wind blow it back just as the lightning came down, narrowly dodging.

Reflective eyes then flicked downward to study their newly acquired body. "Now that I have merged my full power into this body," Slypher raised his hands, palms facing upward, "I believe I'll make it more to my liking."

Ryou was crouched over Tristan and gripping him tightly, his deep eyes watching the scene before him with absolute dread. Joey could barely keep on his feet, as the constant gales lashed against him. Above the roaring air he cried, "DON'T YOU DARE DO ANYTHING TO HIM!"

Joey was in no position to stop him. Slypher moved his right hand to rest on the back of his left. He traced the length of his hand down to the fingertips, leaving blood dripping in its place. That's how it looked at first, as the dark crimson color spread across the whole of his hand. Lightning flashed and his skin seemed to shimmer. It was not, in fact, blood, but ruby scales that had grown with Slypher's touch. When the wave of scales reached his fingertips, his fingernails turned diamond white. They sharpened, lengthened, and turned into claws that curved off the ends of his fingers threateningly.

Slypher did the same to his right hand. Joey yelled something incoherent at him and took a staggered step forward against the wind. Slypher glanced up at him. He narrowed his glowing eyes again, and a considerably larger rush of air slammed him back until he was even with Ryou. The blonde practically roared, but it took all his strength just to stand up. He couldn't get closer to Slypher.

The bloodied aura flared higher around him. The more Slypher used his power, the easier he was able to access it in this foreign body. A portion of the aura extended behind him. It twisted itself out, longer and longer. Soon static crackled around it, and before Joey and Ryou's eyes it solidified. Slypher now had a tail, thick and powerful as a python. The same blood red scales covered most of its surface, except for the underside, which was pitch-black. Rigid spikes stood in a line down almost to the end. At its tip were four, stegosaurus-like spikes, and one larger one like the blade of a sword. The whole appendage was long enough for the blade to rest flat on the ground while he was standing up. It shifted behind him, ever-changing into serpentine shapes.

A groan escaped Tristan's mouth, lost to the wind that howled over him. He opened his eyes slowly. He saw Ryou leaning over him, his face turned away. Still sore from the lightning bolt, Tristan managed to force himself upright. When he got there he laid eyes on the most terrifying thing he had seen in his life.

Ryou noticed him move and turned back. "Tristan! You're okay!" Though he had yelled his words were barely audible over the wind in their ears.

Tristan ignored his gratified comment. "What the hell's happening to Yugi?" he hollered.

"It's Slypher! Yugi's been possessed by him or something!"

"WHAT?"

With two clawed fingers, Slypher reached up and pressed against his teeth. He lowered his hand, and the three youths watching saw his canines elongate into pearly fangs. They grew long enough to almost completely overlap the teeth beneath them. Slypher's tongue slid over the fangs, relishing in their presence. He seemed highly satisfied with the alterations he had made to his new body.

Slypher then spoke to them, and the wind carried his words directly to their ears. "I will refrain from making anymore changes, for now. I wish to test the limits of this new freedom by invoking my power against those that sealed me away so long ago. …The destruction… of every town and village on this continent should suffice."

He hissed in his thunder-laced voice, "For this moment, I shall spare you. You will survive long enough to escape, potentially to warn a limited number of people." Thunder filled the sky as Slypher smirked and licked his fangs again. "But that will not save you from your fate."

Slypher turned his back to them. He grasped the two remaining monster gems around his neck and pulled them off, letting them fall to the ground. Static engulfed him and he disappeared in a bolt of lightning that lanced upward into the sky. One last crash of thunder rolled down to them along with Slypher's roar. Then the dark clouds parted, the winds ceased, and all was deathly quiet.

The three youths were frozen for a long moment. After an eternity Joey sank slowly to his knees, grief and tumult overpowering him. "He's gone," he slurred. "We've lost both of them today. Téa… and Yugi."

Ryou tried to give him some words of encouragement, but could not work them out past the wall that had been erected in his throat. Tristan, however, managed to say something. "Joey… Don't give up hope like that. Maybe everything's not as hopeless as it seems. What if Yugi's fighting back inside, and breaks free?"

"Tristan, you idiot!" Joey snapped suddenly. He turned around to glare at him. The others saw that he was crying freely. "You saw most of – of that! Slypher didn't act like there was any resistance! Because there wasn't!" Tears spilled from his eyes in such fortitude they splattered to the ground.

Ryou poked a tiny hole in his wall. "But… Sometimes, it might not look like there's anyone inside fighting back, b-but I know differently…" He was insinuating to the many times he had been possessed by the Ring Spirit. Never once had he managed to break completely free, not on his own, but he had never given up fighting and had always done so beneath the Spirit's unwavering façade.

"Damn it Ryou, Slypher's a God! Do you honestly think that anyone, even Yugi, could stand up to something like that?"

"Yugi could." Both of them looked up at Tristan. "He's done it more times than any of us ever could."

Ryou nodded feebly. "A-And… Slypher did say that only one soul could be powerful enough to summon him… If Yugi could summon him, logically he could stand up to him, be his equal."

"There is no logic here, Ryou," Joey said darkly. "Because in real life your best friend doesn't turn homicidal and become a demon before your eyes –!"

"Yes it does," Tristan interjected. "What's happening in this world is real Joey, and everything that has happened up to this point has been real life."

Joey was silenced for a moment. He looked sadly at Téa. "It's not real life for her," he whispered. "Not anymore." Neither Tristan nor Ryou had anything to say to that.

The blonde felt something nudge his shoulder. Sniffing up some of his tears, he turned to see the solemn sapphire eyes of Seiyaryu. Joey shifted so that he could face the dragon, and reached out to stroke its neck. "I'm sorry you had to see that happen to Yugi. He was your friend, wasn't he?" Seiyaryu growled softly. "He always thought so highly of you. I'll bet you're his new favorite monster, after his Dark Magician…"

Seiyaryu pulled away from Joey's touch. It paced over and stopped in front of Téa's lifeless form. Shards of her soul glinted around its feet. The others simply watched him, unmoving. Seiyaryu stared down at Téa's motionless form, then quickly, before any of them could react, it opened its beak and launched a blast of flames.

All three of them leapt up at once. "TÉA!" they cried in unison. Joey ran up to the dragon and seized him from behind.

"You nutcase! Burnin' her body! Ya' didn't even ask anybody!" The blonde threw the dragon to the side and moved to damage it more.

"Joey, wait…! Something's happening!" Ryou said slowly. At Ryou's words he turned and watched the silvery blaze. He could see the outline of Téa's body shimmering through the veils of flame. Strangely, she still seemed to be intact, even with the fire licking upward around her. Joey heard a faint scraping sound and looked at his feet. The gem shards on the ground were scooting toward the flames as though a magnet were luring them in. The shards moved into the flames, but didn't melt. He spied the chain to Téa's soul gem. Shards were amassed around it, building on one another and sticking.

Joey's jaw slowly dropped open. "It's… It's coming back together!" he cried happily. Gradually the familiar yellow gem began to take shape at the end of the chain. Sharp edges smoothed out into an even, faceted surface. The flames were beginning to flicker and fizzle out. Silver danced lower and lower until the fire remained only on the gem. One last shard wriggled, climbed atop its brothers, and made the gem whole.

There was a weighted pause as the three teens waited with baited breath. Four pairs of eyes pierced the air, silently hoping. Then there was movement, the tiniest flutter of eyelids. An almost inaudible intake of air as breath returned to her. Her breathing grew louder and more regular. Her three overseers nearly cried with relief.

"Seiyaryu, I love you!" Joey flung himself around the dragon's neck in a suffocating hug. Seiyaryu sweatdropped, stroking his wing down Joey's back awkwardly. Tristan laughed at the sight.

Ryou chuckled lightly. He bent low near Téa's face. "Téa?" he said quietly. "Can you hear me?"

"I hear Joey's in love with someone." The normality of her tone of voice shocked him. Tristan laughed even harder, earning a glare from Joey. Téa kept her eyes closed but was grinning broadly.

Ignoring the two boys' antics, Ryou spoke again, "Are you all right, Téa? Can you move?"

"I think so… I can move, yeah." She blinked her eyes open. With Ryou guiding her she sat upright. "And I'm all right," she added. Téa was startled when Ryou suddenly leaned forward and hugged her.

He held her tightly for a moment before pulling back. "I-I'm sorry, Téa… I was so worried; we all were… We were so afraid…"

Téa quirked an eyebrow at him. "Um… Why?"

All three boys turned to stare at her, incredulous; Joey and Tristan stopped bickering to do so.

Feeling the weight of their gaze, Téa shifted uncomfortably. "Why were you worried?" she asked again.

Tristan looked at her strangely. "You… you don't remember what happened?"

"Something happened? What?"

Ryou choked slightly. "Téa. You… you were…"

Joey cut in: "Téa, you died, damn it!"

Téa was stunned for a moment. After several seconds she blurted out, "What?"

"It's true," Ryou confirmed. "Scott… You remember that he was here, right?" She nodded slowly. "He was talking, and then there was the gunshot…"

"I remember hearing that," she interrupted. "But after that…" She trailed off in realization. "… I don't remember anything."

Tristan knelt down and looked her in the eye. "There's a reason you don't remember anything after the gunshot. Téa, that shot hit your gem. It shattered everywhere. The next thing we knew, you were on the ground, and you weren't breathing…

"Scott explained it to us. He said these gems were the 'physical manifestation of our soul.' And by destroying yours…"

"He – he killed me?"

"Yes."

"B-But then… how am I here now?" she demanded.

"Seiyaryu did that," explained Joey. "He somehow put your gem back together." He averted his gaze. "I didn't realize there was a way to bring you back. I was…"

"Distraught," Ryou supplied.

"Yeah, that's it. We all were. But most of all, you scared…" Joey cut off and his eyes darkened.

Téa urged him to continue. "Scared…?" She felt the tension around her rise dramatically. All three boys looked at each other, seemed to communicate through their eyes, and nodded.

"…Yugi," they said at the same time.

"Yugi…?" Suddenly Téa realized that Yugi wasn't with them. She looked around wildly but didn't see him. "Oh my gosh! Yugi! Is he okay? Where is he? … Where's Scott? Did Yugi go after him? What happened while I was dead?" Téa ignored the oddity of her last question.

"Calm down! Calm down!" Ryou eased. "Firstly, Scott's gone. Secondly, Yugi didn't go after him."

"But where is he?" Téa asked again irritably. "And is he okay?" If she thought the tension from before was intense, this time it was near on triple, a deadening, suffocating silence. No one made any move to say anything at all, which was getting really annoying to Téa. "Will you people grow up and talk to me?" she cried angrily.

"Téa," Joey's voice was choked. "Shut up."

"I – what?"

"Just shut up!" Téa was amazed to see tears in Joey's eyes. Amazed, and now suddenly, she was nervous.

Tristan looked at her sympathetically. "What he means to say is… we don't know where Yugi is."

"But we know… that he isn't okay," Ryou finished. He looked near on tears as well. It was surprising that he hadn't broken before Joey did.

Téa paled. She felt as if her heart had left the starting line of a big race. Her voice squeaked as she stammered, "H-He's not okay?" Again, no one moved, but she saw Seiyaryu shake its head. She realized that if something was wrong with Yugi, his dragon was probably hurting as deeply as the three boys were, and was only doing a better job at hiding it.

Seeing as Tristan was the only one not yet teary-eyed, he took the liberty of talking. "Téa, I know you want to hear all the details. I don't know all of them. I was unconscious for part of it." Téa's face turned even more fearful. Someone falling unconscious usually meant that something serious, even violent, had happened. "But I know enough to know that right now, things are not good."

"Joey and I saw everything," Ryou whispered. His lip quivered as he held back another wave of tears. "W-We can tell you… how we lost him…"

"Lost him?" By now tears were falling from Téa's eyes so hard it looked like she had been crying for hours. Her shoulders were shuddering, and she had to put her hands on the ground for support. "How? To what?"

Joey willed his tears to lessen enough for him to speak. He thought carefully for a moment, searching for the best way to word his thoughts. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke.

"Téa. We lost him… to Slypher. Yugi is now a slave to the Gods."