And now, for the conclusion of the Whale Wars arc…

Bommer smirked. Sidney felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"I'm activating the Special Ability of my Dark Flat Top…it will allow my Giant Bomber AIRRAID to return from the graveyard!"

A curtain of black energy formed between the two pillars on top of Dark Flat Top. As it crackled, Giant Bomber AIRRAID emerged from the curtain and swooped into the air, ready to make another assault of Sidney's remaining lifepoints.

At that moment, Sidney looked down at the cards she had on the field. She had only two cards that could save her. It was a long shot, but it was the only thing she could count on.

Its eyes glowed as it readied to make an attack.

"I think you know what happens now, don't you?" Bommer asked. He pointed his finger at Tiger Dragon. She then raised her hand.

"Since your declaring an attack, I'm activating a couple of facedown cards…starting with my Nutrient Z Trap! It will recover my lifepoints by 4000, giving me 5400 lifepoints…"

"But my AIRRAID will destroy your card and deal you 800 damage."

Bombs descended on Sidney's field and the end result was leaving her with only 600 points. She couldn't gain the benefit of those much needed points. But, she had distracted him from her real plan. She had been lucky to activate the secondary effect of her Blast with Chain before…but the card she played next had more firepower than the last. She smiled.

"What's so funny?" Asked Bommer.

"I wasn't finished. I'm activating a second Trap. But since you used up AIRRAID's ability on my Nutrient Z, you can't protect yourself from my next card…Apocalypse Shield!"

A massive wall of bright light shot up from the ground and the missiles from AIRRAID bounded back to Bommer's side of the field.

"When a level eight or higher monster declared an attack on me, I can activate my Apocalypse Shield to send the attack right back at you…destroying every monster of your side of the field!"

The bombs ripped clean holes into AIRRAID and Dark Flat Top and they disintegrated into dust. The dust swirled as it was carried away with the breeze. Bommer suffered to damage, but two of his best monsters were gone.

Without warning, Bommer began laughing hysterically. Sidney's eyes widened. The flames around them seemed to intensify and the sky seemed to grow darker.

"I didn't think you'd do it…but you did! Now you've activated on of my Trap Cards…and this is known as The Unpurified Earth!"

His Trap Card swung up and started to glow with an eerie light. A tornado of water and wind and soot erupted and the ground began to shake.

"Because you destroy two monsters of mine with a high enough level, you've allowed me to call forth my ultimate monster! I now use the effect of my Unpurified Earth so I can special summon Earthbound Immortal Chacu Challhua!"

A hideous screech came from inside the tornado. Leo, Luna, and Trudge hunkered down in the car as the wind picked up in its power. Crow could feel the force of the wind pushing on him, and Midori held on tight to Yusei's Runner. Yusei was almost knocked over as the wind pushed him back, but he managed to plant his feet firmly down on the ground as he pushed forward against it.

Sidney found herself flat on her back in a matter of seconds as the wind blew her over. She coughed from the soiled air she started to breathe in. Yusei voice rang in her ear as she heard him calling her name.

"Yusei…I'm ok." She coughed as she slowly got back up. The tornado had disappeared. But, Sidney now found herself staring into the face of what resembled a floating Killer Whale, black and violet with ornate markings to match. Boney appendages jutted from its fins and it opened its mouth to show several rows of spear-like teeth.

(Earthbound Immortal Chacu Challhua is a level ten Dark attributed Fish Type monster that has 2900 attack points and 1600 defense points.)

"Is Free Willy here supposed to scare me?" Sidney could feel herself shaking, but trying to pretend that she wasn't completely horrified by this titan-sized monster that was waiting the tear her to shreds.

"You should be scared. But, because of my Unpurified Earth, I can't attack or activate my Immortal's effect this turn. So, you have one turn left before I end this. Use it wisely." Bommer sent his Unpurified Earth to the graveyard and his turn was over.

Meanwhile, father away from the duel, Etsuo was riding up a hill with Laura when he hit the breaks. He pointed to the giant, menacing creature that he now laid his eyes upon. Laura cocked her head and stared at it with a perplexed expression.

"Wait…these Earthbound Immortals were once trapped in the Nazca Lines, right? Since when did they have Killer Whales in Peru? …Or is that supposed to be some kind of dolphin?"

"It doesn't matter what it looks like, the point is whoever is dueling is in big trouble with whatever Dark Signer they've gotten themselves into a brawl with!"

Just then, Etsuo's Duel Runner started beeping. His pressed a button and suddenly, the layout of the duel appeared on his screen. Laura peered over his shoulder.

"Most Duel Runners can tap into the frequency of Duel Disks and other Runners in order to display a play by play of the duel. It's not like being there up close…but after what happened the other night, I'm not taking a big risk unless I have too."

Laura gasped when she saw the IDs and the names displayed in the screen.

"Oh my gosh! It's Sidney…and she's dueling Bommer! Isn't that the guy that went completely crazy at the Fortune Cup?"

Etsuo shrugged.

"I don't have a TV…so I couldn't tell you. But, it looks like things are bad."

"He's already got his Earthbound Immortal out and Sidney is 800 lifepoints behind him. But, she's got a few facedowns and a couple of good monsters out. It wouldn't help her though…that thing can attack a person directly!" Laura felt a wave of panic coming over her. Her best friend was at risk of losing her life and she was just sitting there, watching it happen. Etsuo felt a little more confident when he saw it was Sidney's turn.

"Don't worry just yet. It's your friend's turn now. She has a chance to fight back."

Laura took a deep breath. She had to put her faith in the fact that Sidney wasn't to be counted out just yet. She knew that Crow was there and possibly some of the others since one of the Dark Signers had already fallen as they had seen earlier.

Back at the duel, Sidney was praying for a miracle.

She took the top card of her deck slowly, knowing that the card she drew could decide the fate of the duel. When she turned the card over, she sighed heavily. Bommer interpreted this to be a sigh of defeat, but her face betrayed her thoughts.

"I'm setting one card as a facedown and switching my Tiger Dragon to defense mode." A card appeared and vanished as Tiger Dragon curled into a ball. Its orange fur turned a deep blue, indicating its switch to a defensive stance.

"Traps cards can't hurt my Earthbound Immortal, and your dragon can't save you!" Bommer warned her. She ignored him as she summoned her next monster.

"I'm placing my Fog Dragon on the field in defense mode as well. But it's not sticking around…I'm going to tune it with my level four Skull Dog Marron."

Her Fog Dragon swirled around Skull Dog Marron and split into green ring of light. Skull Dog Marron vanished and a pillar of light shot down from the sky. The light then dispersed, revealing her top monster, assuming a protective wrapping gesture around Sidney.

"I have Synchro Summoned my Lunar Solstice Dragon in defense mode, but I'm afraid that's where my turn ends. It's your move, Bommer."

(Reminder: Lunar Solstice Dragon is a level seven Light attributed Dragon Type Synchro monster with 2300 attack points and 2000 defense points.)

Sidney's heart was pounding so hard that she could feel it throbbing in her ears and neck. Bommer drew his next card. Yusei felt a growing feeling of helplessness. If the move she made didn't help her on this turn, this would be the end for her.

"Hey Sidney!" Crow yelled from the safety of the nearby hill. Sidney looked up, and Bommer turned his head with impatience.

"You're not giving up, are you?"

Sidney shook her head defiantly.

"No! It's not over yet! Not until my lifepoints hit Zero!"

Crow leaned back in his seat and nodded, assured that he had interpreted her actions incorrectly. Trying to play defense when she didn't have that option seemed futile…unless the trap she had laid wasn't intended to be used against Chacu Challhua.

"I'm going to attack you directly with Chacu Challhua!"

The Earthbound Immortal charged at Sidney, opening its jaws and preparing to swallow her whole. Suddenly, Sidney cracked at smile.

"You find your own demise amusing, Star Princess?" Bommer asked, now aware that she had something up her sleeve.

"Of course not…but you see…I'm not going anywhere just yet."

She revealed her Trap Card.

"I'm activating the power of my Equinox Shift Trap! It allows me to remove my Lunar Solstice Dragon from play to Special Summon its greater counterpart, Eclipse Dragon!"

Her Lunar Solstice Dragon began transforming; half of its body became solid back as night while the other became completely white. It grew widespread wings and became more muscular in its build. It roared threateningly at the whale, which suddenly backed down for no apparent reason.

(Eclipse Dragon is a level nine Dark attributed Dragon type monster with 3000 attack and defense points. It is also treated as a Light attributed monster.)

Bommer felt his hands begin to quiver.

"What just happened? I didn't call back my Earthbound Immortal's attack!"

Sidney breathed deeply.

"No, but it knew better than to fight something it doesn't stand a chance against…especially when it's became entirely disarmed!"

Bommer looked up at the whale, who seemed to loose some of its violet glow. It seemed to be grinding its teeth in frustration.

"My Eclipse Dragon negates the effect of all monsters on the field other than itself as long as I have a field Spell Card in play…and last I checked, my Gaia Power is what let you summon your Earthbound Immortal in the first place!"

The tree behind her was shining as if sunlight was being let loose from within it. Though her dragon gained no extra attack power, it utilized Gaia Power to render Chacu Challhua just as mortal as any other monster.

"No direct attacks…No more immunity to Trap or Spell Cards…No Immunity to attacks…And any other special abilities it might have can no longer be used. After seeing what an Earthbound Immortal can do…it occurred to me that it had one weakness that the Dark Signers never mentioned…for a good reason. It can't escape the special abilities of Monster Cards…leaving it vulnerable to my Eclipse Dragon or any other monster that has the power to bring it down and even destroy it!"

Bommer winced.

"I'm switching Earthbound Immortal Chacu Challhua to defense mode. I'll end my turn there."

The whale descended to the ground, growling at Eclipse Dragon with rage.

Crow sighed with relief. Midori, the twins, and officer Trudge shouted encouragingly. Off in the distance, Laura and Etsuo had high-fived each other. It seemed as if the duel would be over in a turn or two now, with another victory for the Crimson Dragon.

"Sidney…"

Yusei gazed up a Chacu Challhua as Sidney drew her next card. She turned it around and revealed it to Bommer.

"I just drew the card Fire Trooper…by sending it to the graveyard when it is summoned, I can deal 1000 points of direct damage to you."

She placed the card on the field. Her flaming warrior threw a fist of fire at Bommer that flew past his shoulder and set his side of the field on fire. The flames scorched Bommer's suit and burned one of his shoulders.

He clenched his teeth to prevent himself from crying out in pain. The flames slowly died away and he found himself with only 400 lifepoints left. Sidney now had more than him, and from the way things were going, it looked like he was about to run out.

"I see…you were lucky enough that fate was on your side…but…what about my village! What about Goodwin!" Bommer roared.

"It wasn't fate…I don't believe that. But I…I wanted to draw the card that would save myself and the others your Earthbound Immortal has trapped in itself, whoever they may be…I believe it was my will and the bonds that I am blessed to now have…"

As she was muttering to herself, Yusei saw a faint glow coming from the belly of Bommer's Earthbound Immortal. The pale images of people began to appear, and he could hear the slight sound of a child crying.

"Sidney! Bommer! Look!"

Sidney gasped in horror at the faces of the souls trapped within the Earthbound Immortal. Bommer looked upon it with disbelief, having recognized the faces.

"It can't be…"

A child's voice cried out.

"Bommer! Please save us, big brother!"

Bommer could feel himself shaking when he saw the faces of his family among the trapped. They were pleading to be freed, with frightened looks and tears streaming down. He too seemed as if he would shed a tear.

"My family…my village…they're inside of that thing…Then that means…"

Everyone realized what this meant, but there was no turning back.

"Goodwin wasn't the one who destroyed my village…it was the Dark Signers."

Sidney knew she could finish off his Earthbound Immortal now. But, she couldn't bear to think of what might happen to the children. She had no idea.

"I end my turn." She said abruptly.

"What are you doing?" Trudge called out. Everyone else was silent, having some understanding of her actions. Bommer shook his head.

"You choose not to attack…"

"If those people up there are really from your village… Those innocent people…I can't hurt them…"

Bommer hesitated.

"I understand. But this needs to end."

Sidney's eyes widened as Bommer drew his next card.

"We have all made a terrible mistake. You made the mistake of challenging me, and I made the mistake of thinking someone innocent was responsible for a crime they had no part in."

He glanced over at Yusei.

"I'm sorry, I had no right. You were just doing what you thought was the right thing. I did too, but I was too blinded by my rage."

"Bommer…There's no need for apologies now."

The black disappeared from the whites of his eyes, and for a moment is was as if he had been freed from the influence of the darkness. Then, suddenly, a violet light emitted from his eyes and his expression shifted from sorrow to anger.

"Bommer? What's happening to you?" Sidney panicked.

"This isn't over until one of you falls! Ending this is not a choice either of you have." His voice sounded dark and echoing, as if there were two voices speaking at once.

Yusei and Crow were taken aback.

"But I thought you just said that this needed to end." Yusei replied.

"I thought he was going to surrender or something!" Leo yelped from inside the car. Midori curled up with fear of what might come next.

The Earthbound Immortal ceased its cowering and bore its teeth. Sidney then understood what was happening.

"Chacu Challhua…"

"You catch on quickly."

"He had a right to be mad a Goodwin…but then…Bommer realized that he had no reason to go after Yusei and that this duel wouldn't get either of us what we wanted. You lost your influence over him, and now you're trying desperately to stay in control whether the lie has been exposed or not. It is YOU who wants to fight me and the other Signers! You're the enemy, not Bommer!"

The possessed Bommer set a card facedown on the field, purposefully warning her that it was a trap.

"I have no other move to make. But be careful, you might just drown yourself."

Sidney drew her next card. She turned her head up and saw Bommer close his eyes and grind his teeth.

"This is the end…" He muttered.

"Bommer! If you're fighting it, please don't give up!" Yusei urged him.

"Sidney, destroy Chacu Challhua!" He pleaded with her. Sidney hesitated. What about the kids? Crow jumped off his Runner. Then, Bommer's siblings spoke in the midst of the tension.

"Please do as our brother says."

Sidney stared straight into the eyes of the little boy and girl.

"Max…" Bommer sighed.

"We'll be ok. We promise." His brother reassured him. Sidney had no choice but to believe them. Only then could she move ahead.

First, she switched her Tiger Dragon to attack mode. It regained its normal sheen and soared into the air, letting out an ear-shattering bellow. Then, she picked the card she drew from her hand and revealed it to Bommer.

"I'm playing my Plague of Bloodstained spell card to force your Earthbound Immortal into attack mode!"

Chacu Challhua rose into the air and was wrapped in a sickening red light. Sidney then ordered her Eclipse Dragon to attack. Bommer raised his hand as if he were going to activate his facedown, but he struggled to keep his hand down and his mouth shut.

Eclipse Dragon gathered a great orb of energy in its mouth that was released and exploded into a powerful ray that consumed Chacu Challhua. It screamed in agony as it was burnt away into nothing. Though the light and the force of the blast were great in intensity, Bommer's lifepoints were only dropped down to 300.

But, Sidney had one attack left. Her Tiger Dragon had more than enough power.

She saw the violet light in Bommer's eyes vanish. He breathed heavily.

"Chacu Challhua is gone. Make your final attack."

"Tiger Dragon, attack with Wild Fire!"

A fireball was let loose from Tiger Dragon's mouth. It crashed directly into Bommer, knocking him down. His lifepoints quickly hit zero. The violet ring of fire that formed the shape of the whale slowly faded away.

Sidney called back her monsters and ran to Bommer's side. Her marks had vanished again, but she could feel the pain of her wounds gradually lessening.

She reached her hand out to Bommer. He weakly tilted his head up and shook his head no. Sidney felt a hand on her shoulder and guessed that it was Yusei.

"Bommer…"

"It's ok," He said, "Look up there."

Sidney turned up to the sky and saw a great ball of light rocketing into the darkness. She looked back down at Bommer and kneeled down.

"My village is free…they're going home. That is enough for me…"

Before she could say another word, his entire body turned gray; Bommer and his Duel Runner were turned into dust and swept away by the wind.

Thanks for your dedication to this fanfiction, my fans! Stay tuned for the next episode and keep those reviews coming! See you next time!