The Two Maxes
Odion was taken back to his room and the medical staff began running examinations. His tests came back with good results, but the stress of the duel left him unconscious. Joey was sad to see Odion like this, but thankful he wasn't in the same situation.
"I guess we're not going to find out more about who this guy is until he wakes up," said Duke.
"Well, we know one thing," Emily was saying, "he was determined to protect Marik."
"And for what?" Joey snapped. "Just look at him. Odion's lying in a hospital bed and Marik could care less if he ever wakes up again. That creep's as nasty as they get!"
"What did you expect Marik to do, send flowers?" Max sarcastically asked. "Poor Odion. It's times when you're down that you need friends the most."
Hearing Max say that made Joey think about his dream. "That's it; that's how I was able to get back on my feet and win the duel. It was because of you. When I got knocked out, I was having this dream that I needed help, and all of you were there to support me. It happened in my dream and on the arena. It gave me the strength I needed to get back up and win."
"Wow, that dream's almost as touching as the one where you were making vanilla pudding with the monkey," Tristan teased. Joey was about to strangle him for letting that secret slip. But it was a good thing he stopped when he did because it was about time to announce the next duel.
Max stopped Joey before they left the room. "Hey, Joey, about that dream you were talking about," she was wondering in curiosity. "Did I happen to be there to help you too?"
Max was there holding her hand out to Joey. He even saw her smiling at him with compassion. But he answered differently. "No, actually you weren't there, Max. Nowhere to be seen. Nope, sorry. You should probably know that most of my dreams are manly anyway. Y'know, driving cars, fixing stuff, playing superhero, being a sport's star…"
As the list kept going, Max's expression carried a look at read: 'Wow, totally not what I was expecting.' If Joey had answered differently, she would have been a little bit happier.
"Yeah, so I guess I'll see ya later," Joey told Max and began walking to the main concourse. Whew, that was a close one. The last thing I want is for Max to think I'm thinking about her. That would cause all kinds of problems and who has time for-?
But Joey's thoughts were interrupted as Téa pulled his ear and began scolding him. "Why do you have to be so mean?"
"You're the one grabbin' ears!" Joey countered.
"All Max wanted was to be your friend, but you were too much of a fool to let her," said Emily.
"Next time, grow up!" the girls yelled and began marching down the hall.
Max remained at the door and looked back at Odion. She sighed in disappointment. Looks like Odion's not the only person here who's forgotten. I guess it can't be helped. This isn't something I'm not used to. I've always been a loner. I do things my way and that's how I like it. Who needs friends? I got where I am all on my own. That's how I live and that's how I play. That's why there's only one person you can depend on: yourself.
When Max joined everyone in the main concourse, she noticed that Malik wasn't present and there was still no sign of the eighth duelist. The selector was turned on and the first sphere chosen had the number four printed on it, which was Max's number. The selector turned on again, but Max didn't care who her opponent would be. She decided to head to the stratos dueling arena.
"Don't you want to see who you're going to be dueling against?" Joey wondered.
"Oh, like it really matters," Max replied. "I'll take down whoever it is and be joining you and Yugi in the next round."
"Well, we'll be rooting for you," Joey tells her.
"Forget it," she responded. "I don't need to rely on your stupid friendship speeches to win. I was practically a champion myself before I met any of you. And besides, certain blonde freaks are really beginning to get on my nerves."
Emily found that offensive, but Joey could tell that Max was speaking directly to him and that the comment was meant for him alone.
She finally looks back at Joey. "Do you catch what I'm saying? I can perfectly see that you don't think of me as your friend, so I see no reason why I should think of you as mine. Let's just leave it at that, okay, monkey boy?"
"That is completely untrue!" Joey snapped. "And I'm no monkey boy!"
Max said nothing. She just went back on her path and took the elevator to the stratos dueling arena. When she left, it was announced that her opponent would be Malik. Hearing that, everyone headed to the arena where Max and Kaiba were waiting.
"Where's Marik?" Kaiba asked. "The announcement was broadcasted in every room."
"Maybe he chickened out," Max wondered.
"Or maybe not," Kaiba said, seeing Malik exit the elevator and taking his place on the arena.
Max's Cobalt Star shard began glowing. The spirit within had a score to settle with him. "I'm actually pleased that you decided to show up."
"This won't take long," Malik promised her. The evil spirit agreed and was confident that she would be able to defeat this lunatic. "Prepare to be cast into the shadows."
"Your empty threats don't scare me," Max retorted. She made the first move by summoning Dunames Dark Witch, a fairy with 1800 attack points. Malik summoned Revival Jam in defense mode along with the magic card Jam Breeding Machine.
Everyone else finally showed up to watch the duel. Max wasn't grateful. Joey remembered her saying that she didn't want their support, but she didn't tell them she didn't want them to come and watch her. Yami and Emily recognized the cards on Malik's side of the field and it wasn't a good sign. Already Max was in danger and they had to warn her. They tried to speak, but Max told them to back off. She bragged that she knew what she was up against, but Malik could sense fear in her eyes.
Max had her Dark Witch attack, but her witchcraft could not destroy the plasma beast. It regenerated and the Breeding Machine created the first slime token, but not before Malik played Pot of Greed and drew two cards from his deck. To end his turn, he played a card face down on the field. Yami and Emily both had a bad feeling that the card was probably Jam Defender. They remembered the same strategy Marik used to summon Slifer the Sky Dragon.
But it wouldn't work this time. Max played Harpy's Feather Duster to destroy Malik's Jam Breeding Machine and his face down card. With nothing to protect his slime token, Dunames Dark Witch was free to destroy it with her Spellbinding Dust and reduce Malik's life points by 1300. Max ended her turn by playing a card face down.
The duel was only just getting started. Malik summoned Melchid the Four-Faced Beast and sacrificed it with Revival Jam to summon the Masked Beast Desguardias, a fiend with 3300 attack points. Yami recognized that monster as well. Lumis and Umbra used it against him and Kaiba in their rematch. The Masked Beast attacked, but Max's trap Mirror Wall was activated, cutting the fiend's attack points in half. Dunames Dark Witch attacked and dropped Malik's life points down to 2550. But the Masked Beast had a hidden ability. When destroyed, it leaves behind the Mask of Remnance, giving Malik the power to control Max's monster as if it were his own. The Mask attached itself to the Dark Witch's face and brought her to Malik's side of the field. Malik wasn't finished. To destroy the Mirror Wall, he played Remove Trap.
Max had to admit, Malik was very different from all of her other opponents. She was even beginning to sweat. Perhaps it was because they both had experience with shadow powers. And from here on out, that was exactly how they were going to be playing. Using the magic of his Millennium Rod, Malik turned the duel into a Shadow Game. Yami, Emily, Joey, Tristan, and Téa all remembered being in the Shadow Realm before, but Duke, Serenity, and the Kaiba brothers thought they had just passed through a mysterious fog. As for Max, well, the friend they knew wasn't scared because she had been here several times before when the evil spirit of the Cobalt Star shard took over. So she was used to the horrors. But this time, Max and the evil spirit would be facing some new twists. But that didn't matter. The spirit knew the hell Max was always being put through and she had more experiences playing Shadow Games, so she immediately took control.
Emily felt a strange sensation coming from the Millennium Star. Now she realized that she could sense the presence of that evil spirit. But she also sensed that her arrival here seemed different than before. It was like the evil spirit was stepping in to protect her friend even after Max already said she didn't want help from anyone. But the evil spirit never respected her host's wishes. Besides, it was impossible to change either of their minds. Malik liked that about his opponent. It didn't even matter who he was facing because he would have much more to gain in this Shadow Game.
The spirit of the Cobalt Star shard played a card face down and summoned the Unfriendly Amazon, a warrior with 2000 attack points. As the warrior showed up on the field, a lavender light covered her outline. Malik explained that the light represented a part of the cardholder's mind and if the light is extinguished, a part of her mind is erased.
The evil Max didn't believe that to be true. She was very familiar with the horrors of the Shadow Realm. This fool is insane, she wondered to herself. Does he take me for an amateur? She had her Amazon attack the Dark Witch with her Soaring Slash. Malik lost 200 life points, but the Dark Witch was Max's own monster, meaning that she herself had erased her own mind. In this case, someone from her memory.
Malik decides to explain. "Max, each monster we play carries a memory of a person we hold within our minds. So when a monster is destroyed, the memory of a person from your life is destroyed with it."
"That can't be!" Max gasped. "There's just no way!" But it was the truth. The first person Malik decided to remove from her memories was Téa. "No, it's impossible!"
Malik disagreed. "A person who's played several Shadow Games before should know nothing is impossible. But you should know you must have conjured the Shadow Realm before in most of your duels. This time, I'm controlling this kingdom of darkness. And when I'm through with you, you'll be nothing but a mindless shell in a world full of strangers."
This is nothing at all like the Shadow Games Bakura and I have played in the past, Max confessed. So it's true, she thought to herself as everyone began to fade away one by one. When she faced everyone standing at the sidelines, Téa wasn't there. Her eyes didn't show her presence and Téa's voice was becoming difficult for her to recognize. She truly was gone. Now Max understood what Malik was talking about. It was true that she and Bakura conjured the shadows in their games, but since Malik conjured them this time, the rules had changed. These new horrors were making the evil spirit tremble in fear. This was difficult for the real Max as well because her own mind was being affected in the same way, meaning that she was also starting to forget everything and everyone she knew.
Téa tried calling out to Max to give her words of encouragement, but Max just looked at her in confusion. She saw an invisible figure and didn't know who the voice belonged to.
Malik played a card face down and summoned Makiyura the Destructor in attack mode. It was a dark warrior with 1600 attack points. Next he equipped his warrior with the Black Pendant, a cursed piece of jewelry that gave him 500 extra attack points. Makiyura was about to attack, but Max activated a trap called Amazon Archers, lowering Makiyura's attack points back to their original value. The Unfriendly Amazon defeated Makiyura and removed Strings from Malik's mind. But Malik appreciated the act. There was no one in his memories meaningful to him and he preferred a life of solitude. But there were other matters to consider. Black Pendant's curse took 500 of Max's life points since she destroyed the monster wearing it. Plus, since Makiyura was destroyed, Malik was permitted to play a trap card from his hand. The card he played was Rope of Life. He used it to bring Makiyura back from the graveyard and make it 800 attack points stronger. Now the warrior had 2400 attack points.
Makiyura attacked the Unfriendly Amazon and removed Joey from Max's memory. Neither Max nor the evil spirit wanted to lose him. He was special to the both of them. But loneliness never really tortured either of them. It was Max's loneliness that the evil spirit preyed on and got her strength from. Besides, Max was used to being alone. She had no parents, relatives, or siblings, barely any friends, she was just the kind of girl who always did things her way without needing or even wanting to rely on anyone. How she got by and became wealthy in life at such a young age is a miracle and a mystery that baffles everyone. To her, life was just a game, a test of survival, but Max never forgot the harsh cruelties of reality.
But things started to change. She met a boy who fell in love with her and was given a token to represent his love. Within that jewel was a spirit promising to guide and protect Max despite her evil nature. But Max didn't always come to trust that spirit because she was being controlled against her will most of the time. But it was because of that spirit that Max had incredible gifts. Then she met Yugi and his friends and the more time she spent getting to know them, the more she felt her heart softening a little. It was like she had met every one of them before in a whole other life. But the horrors of this Shadow Game were bringing the same pain inflicted upon her; she was losing the only friends she had.
Joey saw Max on her knees and tried calling out to her, but got no response. "I don't get it. First she's ignoring Téa and now she's ignoring me?"
Emily shakes her head. "She's not ignoring you, Joey. You've been erased from her memories."
"She can't forget who I am," Joey protested and began calling to Max again. Max heard Joey's voice, but didn't recognize him. He was nothing but an invisible shadow.
I've had enough! If Marik's going to use shadow magic to hurt Max, then I'm going to use light magic to help her. It's time I tapped into my own Millennium powers, Emily decided and began entering Max's mind.
Yami sensed her thoughts and agreed and began following her. She's right. We have to show Max the truth and help her to see that she won't be wandering in the shadows forever.
Then they both used their Millennium powers and entered Max's mind. Malik was not pleased to see them. "You're not alone, Max," Emily promised.
Now there were two figures she was familiar with. "Yugi? Emily?"
The evil spirit was walking with Max and saw them as well. "Pharaoh and Princess? But why are you here?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Malik growled.
"We're here because you need our help," Emily answered.
"You can't let Marik's illusions distract you," said Yami.
"Illusions?" Max echoed. "But this all seems so real."
Her counterpart decides to explain. "Only because Marik is making it all seem real. If you and I can win this duel together, I promise you will return to the life you know." This time, the spirit was being serious. She needed to protect Max.
But Max wasn't sure she could trust this spirit after all she had put her through. "I just can't," she confessed. "I feel so… alone." Then Joey's voice rang though, promising Max that everyone is with her. "Who is that?" Max asked. "I don't know whose voice that is, but it sounds familiar."
"I agree," said the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard. "It sounds like a long forgotten friend."
"Exactly, Max," Emily was saying. "It's the voices of your friends supporting you."
"And you can rest assured that no matter how dark things may seem, those voices will always be there to encourage you," Yami finished.
"I won't abandon you either," the evil spirit promised Max. "Thank you, Pharaoh and Princess. And you have my word that I shall protect your friend." Sure enough, this spirit was more humble than her partner, the spirit of the Millennium Ring.
"Be strong, both of you," said Emily's voice as she and Yami disappeared from the shadows.
Malik growled once again. How dare that little brat and her father interfere in my Shadow Game? They'll pay for that.
Max got back on her feet. "I've faced a lot of dangers before. Sure, you've added some new twists this time, but I've never backed down before and I'm not starting now." She summoned another Amazon to the field. This time, it was a Chainmaster with 1500 attack points. To end her move, she played a card face down. Malik summoned a seemingly weak monster called Holding Arms. It had only 500 attack points, but it also had the ability to shackle a monster for three turns.
Emily just couldn't stand to see Max suffer like this. True, the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard was dueling, but her friend was still in danger. If they both lost this duel together, their minds would never recover. "Marik, forget these mind games and just duel!"
"This is how I duel," Malik argued. "You see, Princess, Duel Monsters and the Shadow Realm are intertwined. So I'm simply playing the game as it was originally intended. Unfortunately, fate has selected Max and the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard to be the victims this time."
"You're insane," said Yami.
"Why is that? Because I duel with ancient magic? Last time I checked, so do you. By tapping into the powers of your Millennium Puzzle."
"And least Yami doesn't do it to torment his opponents and turn them into his victims," Emily smartly remarked.
"Pharaoh, Princess," the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard was saying, "I appreciate your help, but this is my battle now and I want the both of you to stay out of it. Please understand, I want you to believe in me as I believe in myself." Plus, she was wondering to herself, I wouldn't stand it if this lunatic did anything to hurt either of you.
Joey wasn't going to stand for it. "Come on, you guys aren't just going to stand here and let her keep dueling, are you?" he asked, putting his hands on Emily's shoulders.
"We are," Yami answered for her. "Max has made her choice."
"I just hope it's the right choice," Emily added, making Joey release her.
The evil spirit made her move by revealing a hidden magic card called Grave Arm. It allowed her to send one monster to the graveyard. She chose to sacrifice her Amazon Chainmaster. By destroying her own monster, her memory wouldn't be attacked. Another benefit was that her Chainmaster could steal a card from her opponent's deck and give it to her. It was no surprise that Max had her sights on the Winged Dragon of Ra. But just because she had the card in her possession now, didn't mean it was hers to keep. Not until she had won the duel anyway. Malik wasn't worried. He had his doubts that his opponent would be able to control an Egyptian God card.
Max knew the rules that summoning the Winged Dragon required the sacrifice of three monsters. So far, she had none on the field while Malik had two. She had to make every move count from here on out. She played two cards face down and summoned Amazon Fighter. Makiyura was about to attack, but Max revealed one of her face down cards. It was Amazoness Spellcaster. The magic card swapped the attack points of Makiyura and Amazon fighter. Now Makiyura had 1500 attack points and Amazon Fighter had 2400. Makiyura was defeated and Arkana was removed from Malik's memories. Malik also had 1050 life points remaining.
Malik activated his trap Card of Last Will. It allowed him to draw five new cards whenever one of his monster's attack points is decreased. Makiyura's special ability also kicked in, allowing Malik to play a trap card from his hand. He played Nightmare Wheel, trapping Amazon Fighter and taking 500 of Max's life points for every turn. But Max knew how to escape from the trap. She played a trap of her own called Rescue Operation. She could place Amazon Fighter back into her hand and summon a new monster to take her place. Max wasn't planning on summoning the Egyptian God card. She remembered that its attack points are based upon the total sum of the attack points of the monsters offered to it. To summon the Winged Dragon without a sacrifice would give it no attack points at all. Instead, she summoned Cyber Harpy, a stronger version of Harpy Lady with 1800 attack points.
It was all riding on this draw. The card Max drew from her deck was Graceful Charity. She played it and drew three new cards and discarded two. One of the cards was Elegant Egotist and she immediately played it, turning that one Harpy into the Harpy Lady Sisters. Now that she had three monsters on the field, she was able to sacrifice them and summon the Winged Dragon of Ra.
Such a fool, Malik wondered. Does she really think she can control an Egyptian God? I'm afraid it's quite the opposite. It will control her. The Winged Dragon appeared in the field, but not in what Max expected. It was a glowing sphere. This was interesting for Kaiba. Now he would learn the secrets and powers of the Winged Dragon. "My dear Max, you may have some experience playing Shadow Games, but I told you, this time, you're dealing with forces beyond your understanding. And don't forget, once you lose, your mind will be trapped here confined in isolation for eternity."
The spirit of the Cobalt Star shard was well aware of what would happen if she lost. The thought of it was actually scaring her. In the Shadow Games she played alongside her partner, they were fighting for their souls, not their minds.
"As for my Egyptian God card, you were a fool to think you could actually use it," continued Malik. "Only individuals with certain knowledge of the ancient scriptures can control such a divine power."
"And you think I'm not one of them," wondered Max.
"If you are, why don't you try reading the ancient text on the bottom of the card?" Malik challenged. Max looked down and saw small Egyptian symbols printed on the card. They read an ancient chant that had to be spoken in order to summon the Winged Dragon of Ra. But she didn't remember seeing it before she played the card on the field. But Max didn't need to read it. The spirit of the Cobalt Star shard possessed knowledge of the ancient scriptures and could decipher the text. Malik knew just as much, but he still had his doubts that his opponent would be able to control the Winged Dragon.
Kaiba was curious about the text. He told his brother to photograph the card with the satellite's camera and use the onboard network to translate it. Mokuba does as told and returns to the deck. Malik figured Kaiba was wasting his time and assumed he could read the text by simply looking at it. The truth was, many of the passengers on the blimp could trace their roots back to ancient Egypt. If Kaiba could control his own Egyptian God card, it would come to no surprise if he could decipher the chant. Another fact was that when Pegasus created the card for the Winged Dragon of Ra, not even he could understand its powers and secrets. He also knew that the Winged Dragon could only be summoned if the chant was spoken. The words were written in a special ink that would only reveal the chant once the Winged Dragon was played on the field.
It still made no difference to the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard. She was going to use the card to win the duel. "It's my move. I place one card face down. Now the Winged Dragon of Ra will awaken." Then she closed her eyes and began reciting the ancient chant. "Great beast of the sky, please hear my cry. Transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight. Envelop the desert with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe. Unlock your powers from deep within so that together we may win. Appear in this Shadow Game as I call your name: Winged Dragon of Ra!"
The sphere glowed even brighter as the Winged Dragon emerged from it with 5400 attack points. But a strange twist occurred as the Winged Dragon roared at Max and instead positioned itself on Malik's side of the arena. Everyone was confused; especially the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard.
Malik laughed. "I told you that you had much to learn, my dear," he said to her. "You may possess some knowledge of the Egyptian scriptures, but I'm afraid there's something you lack."
"And what's that?" The evil spirit asked.
"I'm afraid your ties to the ancient past are missing a certain link," he was telling her. "Despite your knowledge of the ancient ways, you don't share a link with the royal Egyptian family. The Egyptian Gods only answer to those who carry the royal bloodline."
"Oh, no!" The evil spirit cried.
"My family has served the royal Egyptian family for centuries, protecting the pharaoh's tomb until his return. Our knowledge of the ancient ways as well as our ties to the royal family is the reason the Winged Dragon of Ra has abandoned you and now serves me." Malik wasn't going to have the Winged Dragon attack yet. He played Holding Legs. Once summoned, Max's trap card returned to her hand. Plus, with Holding Legs in play with Holding Arms, they shared an ability that trapped a player. Also, they could deal damage to Max's life points. The shackles imprisoned Max to a stone tablet behind her back.
"Hey, I can't move!" Max cried.
"How perceptive," said Malik. "And you can't do a thing to protect yourself." And the shackles lowered Max's life points down to 800.
"Max, are you all right?" Joey asked.
"That voice," she groaned. "It sounds familiar."
Malik laughed once again. "All of your friends are gone!"
"That's a lie!" Emily yelled.
Malik turned his attention to her. "I don't need you interfering in my Shadow Game again. I'll deal with you eventually. For now, I must deal with your friend." He turns his attention back to Max. "It's such a pity it has to end this way. Your mind is a mere shadow of its former self. As soon as my monster attacks, your world will crumble."
"Leave Max alone," Emily demanded. "Your grudge is against me and Yami, not her!"
"That's true, Princess, but I'm just having a little bit of fun," said Malik. "There's nothing I enjoy more than toying with someone's mind. But don't worry, your father and I will duel soon enough. It's something I've been looking forward to since the day my family insisted I bear the ancient scriptures on my back, cursed to carry the secret of the pharaoh's power until his return. And although this duty has brought great honor to the Ishtar name, it had brought me nothing but great suffering and despair. For generations, my family has waited for the pharaoh's return."
Then Malik started laughing. "Except for me. Serving an ancient king was just a game for fools. Giving up my life just to play servant for a five thousand year old king when all along I hold the key to his great power? I shall become the king! I always knew I was destined for greatness. I just need to put together all the pieces so I can claim my destiny."
"This madness has to stop," Yami demanded. "Understand? Right now!"
"This madness has only just begun. Soon you and the rest of your friends will suffer while the world cowers in fear before me!" Malik said and ordered the Winged Dragon of Ra to attack Max directly.
"Look out, Max!" Téa and Serenity shouted.
Joey had enough. Max had to be saved. If Kaiba or Roland weren't going to stop the duel, he would step in and take matters into his own hands even if it meant getting disqualified from the finals. But that was the least of his worries. Nothing was more important to Joey right now than helping Max. Even if the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard was the one dueling, his friend was still in danger and needed help. He didn't even care which Max he would be talking to.
"Don't worry, Max, I'll get you out of here," Joey said as he approached her. He tried to unhook the chains around her wrists, but couldn't do it.
"Who's there?" Max asked. "You sound so familiar to me, like an old friend."
"Max, it's me," Joey told her. "Come on, you've just got to remember who I am." To help her, he places his hands over her cheeks. "Look into my eyes. It's me, Joey. And I'm not going to let anything happen to you because we're friends."
"Friends?" Max echoed. "Us?"
"Yeah, no matter what. And I've got something I've gotta tell you, Max; something I should have told you before. Do you remember when I got knocked unconscious during that lightning storm? And the dream I was having? I dreamed that we were all back in school together. For some reason, I was stuck and couldn't stand up. Everyone was there to help me up; including you. You were there too, Max," he confessed. "I was wrong to lie to you and say you weren't in my dream, Max. I'm really sorry. But you were there and you are my friend."
As Max was listening to Joey, his image reappeared before her eyes. "Joey!" she cried.
"Max," he said happily.
She saw that the Winged Dragon of Ra was about to fire its attack. "Let's go. Get me out of these chains." Joey agrees and tries to break them once more. So Joey does think of me as a friend, she wondered to herself. I always knew that monkey liked me.
Of course he does, the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard wondered. He's risking his life for you.
No, Max protested. He's doing this for us. He knows we're both in danger.
He doesn't care about me. For all he knows, I'm you and he's doing this for you alone.
Does it make any difference? Max asked. I think you're just as special to him.
Then the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard began looking back on some of her old memories, like she had met Joey before in another life and he did for her what he was doing for Max, helping his friend. It was because of this same boy that Max understood what friendship was all about. And she didn't want to lose that friend again to the fate brought on her. "Forget about me, just go!"
"I am not leaving without you," Joey debated. He let go of the chains and put his arms around Max to protect her.
"Don't be a hero, Joseph," said the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard. "Just go!"
"I told you, I'm staying right here," he said. "I promise I'll protect you. And I never break a promise to a friend." And the same yellow light from before shined on his forehead, revealing the insignia of friendship.
Then both Maxes realized how much Joey cared about them. It was the nicest act of friendship anyone had ever done for them and they were grateful. Sure enough, the spirit of the Cobalt Star shard knew that Joey was the hero of friendship. And the real Max really did think of him as her friend.
The attack closes in, but Emily gets in front of them and takes the blast instead. "That's enough!" she screams.
"Emily!" Joey and Max gasp.
"Well, isn't that special?" Malik asked. "It appears I'll be able to do away with you sooner than I thought."
"Never," Emily groaned. "Your shadow powers will never break me! I will shield everyone with every spark of light I carry!" But she was getting weaker as the blast kept coming.
"Nothing can withstand the force of the greatest creature that ever walked the earth!" Malik told her. "You and your friends are finished."
The attack finally stopped and Emily fell and landed on her chest. "Emily! Help her!" Tristan cried.
"Please get up!" Téa begged. But she couldn't. She was so weak, she couldn't move or even try getting up. She even ended up losing consciousness. Yami got up to the arena and rested her on his lap as he was trying to revive her. Emily may have taken the attack and protected her friends, but Max still lost the duel. Now the darkness would finally lift, but the damage would not be undone.
"Well, what do we have here?" Malik asked as he approached them. Joey held on to Max to protect her and Yami held Emily close. "By protecting her friends, the princess has done more harm for them than good. Now no one can stand in my way. I should also send her to the Shadow Realm right now."
"Stay away from her," Yami demanded.
"Relax, I still need her. And you as well. But you and your friends need to be taught a lesson in interfering with matters that don't concern you." And Malik uses his powers to render Yami and Joey immobile. "This should hold you two for a while."
The spirit of the Cobalt Star shard remembered the consequences she had to face for her defeat. She actually used her Cobalt Star shard to freeze Yami so he wouldn't cause more interference or bring more harm upon himself or his friends. Max was still in danger, but the evil spirit knew how to protect her. She handed over the Egyptian God card to Malik and told him she was ready to face her fate. But the real Max wasn't. Malik was actually going to banish the both of them to the Shadow Realm.
Max found herself trapped in an hourglass watching Yugi and the rest of the gang swimming at the beach. As she was watching them having fun, she banged on the glass begging for help. But it was pointless because no one could hear her.
"Are you beginning to understand where you are?" Malik asked Max. "It's like a living nightmare."
"More like a living hell," she smartly remarked. "I've been here many times before and I don't intend to stay here."
"You don't have a choice. No one, not even the spirit who promised to protect you, will be coming to your rescue anytime soon. Her mind is trapped as well, but separate from yours. You'll be completely alone for the rest of eternity as everything and everyone you know disappears from your minds one by one." Then the sands of the hourglass began to fall.
When Max fell to the ground, Yami and Joey were free to move again. "Max!" Joey cried. "What did you do to her, Marik?"
"Your friend is paying the price for her mistake in dueling me," he answers. "Her mind is trapped in the Shadow Realm. With each passing second, the shadows take every portion of her mind. Her friends, her family, everything she once knew is fading away from her mind and heart. And she won't be needing this anymore," he says, taking her Cobalt Star shard.
"You son of a bitch!" Joey snapped. "Bring her back now or I swear I'll kick your ass!"
"Threaten me again and you'll meet the same fate as your friend," Malik warned. And he left the arena feeling his power growing stronger.
The rest of Joey's friends stepped on to the arena trying to revive Max and Emily. But Emily was the only one who was coming back to her senses. "Are you all right?" Yami asked.
"I'm fine," she lied. She was still hurt and could feel the pain from the attack lingering. But her pain was the least of her concerns. "Joey, are you and Max okay?"
"I am, but Max isn't," he answered. "Marik used his Millennium Rod on her. He said he trapped her brain in the shadows and she's going to forget everything."
"Oh, no," Emily gasped.
Kaiba approached the arena. "All right, you geeks, clear the field. I'm dueling next and I need to prepare." Everyone listened to him and left the arena to take Max back to her room.