Chapter 37 - Self Destruction

Yami was suddenly awoken, and he sat up, bewildered. "Hold on," he said to himself, "Was that all a dream?" He ran a hand through his hair, he was sitting in a bed in some sort of tent, and Rose and Tea were sleeping in identical beds beside him. "Rose, Tea, wake up," he said. They stirred at the sound of his voice, but after a few tries, they both opened their eyes.

"What the..?" Rose said, looking around as she rubbed her eyes.

"Where are we?" Tea asked, confused. That's when a dog ran in and jumped on Tea, licking her face. She giggled, patting the dog as it continued to show its affection.

"Sky, what are you doing?" a girl said, walking into the tent. "That's no way to treat our guests." The dog jumped off of Tea's bed, and went to sit by the girl's side.

Yami blinked at the girl. "Who are you?" he asked.

"You can call me Kris," the girl said with a sweet smile. "And you've already met Sky," she said with a laugh as she indicated to the dog, "She's the one who found you," Kris patted the dog, "She was sniffing around for food and ended up sniffing out you guys instead," she laughed.

Once they had all fully woken up, Kris took them out to where they were found, and an old man was picking up Yami's Duel Monster cards that had been scattered on the ground.

"I see your strength is back," the man said as they approached.

"Yes, thank you," Yami said, nodding at him graciously.

"Pleased to hear it, you three had me worried. The name is Ironheart by the way, and I believe this belongs to you," he held out Yami's deck, with Timaeus sitting on the top. "Pardon me for being intrusive, but I noticed that you possess the legendary Eye of Timaeus."

Yami looked at the card for a moment, before separating it from the rest of his deck, "Take it," he said, "I'm not deserving of its power." He held the card out for Ironheart to take.

"I'll hold it until you're ready," the man said, accepting the card.

Tea asked if they had found Weevil, but Ironheart said that there was not another soul around the train.

"Exactly," Rose muttered.

"I must say young man," Ironheart continued, "You seem to possess a wisdom that reaches far beyond your years. I've encountered many people in my travels, but there's something about you I've never seen before. Same with your friend here," he indicated Rose. "There's something about that item on your chest that intrigues me," he said to her.

"Oh, it's the same for me," Rose said with a laugh.

"I also sense that you hold a great deal of loneliness in your heart," he said, turning back to Yami.

"That's because I recently lost a very close friend of mine," Yami said, looking at his feet. "And now I'm on a journey to find his soul."

"What will you do if you find him?" Ironheart asked.

"I'll apologise," Yami said, looking at his feet. "For betraying his trust, and abandoning him."

"Hmm, I might just be able to help," Ironheart said, "Follow me." He turned and started walking, and the three of them looked at each other for a moment, before falling into step behind him.

...

They walked for a while, around dangerous cliffs while Ironheart explained that they were going to a place where the souls dwell.

"You see, my people believe that souls exist all around us, and just beyond this mountain is a sacred valley, where drifting souls are said to gather as they wander along."

"And you think my friend may be there?" Yami asked.

"Perhaps," Ironheart said. He explained that there were evil spirits there as well, and that finding the soul he seeks would be easy, leaving with his own would be another thing. They approached the valley, and Ironheart explained that Yami must continue on his own, pointing out the sacred circle of which he must enter. Yami took a deep breath and then headed down into the valley, determined to find Yugi. As he walked, voices called out to him.

"Who's there?" he demanded, "Show yourself!"

"What's happening?" Tea asked, as her and Rose stood back and watched with Ironheart and Kris.

"Your friend is attracting lost souls that seek revenge," Ironheart said. Yami walked through all the evil souls and reached the centre of the circle.

"Yugi?" he called out. There was no answer, and he was about to give up when he noticed something. In front of him, a million little balls of light were coming together to form a shape.

A person.

Yugi.

"Pharaoh? Is that really you?" the boy said, blinking.

Yami's eyes widened in relief, "Yugi!" He reached for him, but just passed straight through the boy.

"You came all this way just to see me?" Yugi asked, turning around.

"Of course," Yami said, relieved to be able to see his friend again. "I wanted to say how sorry I am." The look on his face showed nothing but regret, and he hoped that Yugi would be able to see how much he wanted to apologise.

"I'm sorry too," Yugi said, looking at the ground, "I wish this whole thing never happened."

"It's my fault," Yami said, turning away. "I surrendered to my inner darkness, I allowed my anger to take over and you paid the price. Now that you're gone the darkness is starting to grow, without your light to keep me pure, I'm becoming evil, Yugi. I'm beginning to believe that what Raphael said about me is true. Perhaps I was a wicked Pharaoh." He then remembered his conversation with Rose, "Although Rose thinks otherwise, I still can't be sure. What if I am the one responsible for the destruction of Egypt. If i'm capable of such horrific behaviour then it's my soul that should be locked away..."

"Well what good is that now?" Yugi said, turning around as his voice changed. There was a tone to his voice that Yami had never heard before, and it caught him by surprise. "I'm the one who's been locked away forever, not you!"

Yami stepped back, shocked at Yugi's approach, "I'm sorry..."

"Well the last thing I need is your pity, Pharaoh!" Yugi spat, "If you're really evil then there's only one thing to do..."

Yami couldn't believe what he was hearing, "What are you saying?" He watched as a duel disk appeared on Yugi's arm and the boy started walking away from him. What was he doing?

"You said it yourself, didn't you? Your spirit should be locked away with mine, and I'm going to do it," he turned around to face Yami, a harsh and determined look upon his face.

"Wait, you misunderstood me," Yami said in alarm, stepping forwards.

"Oh, so now you're taking back what you said? Make up your mind! You don't deserve to be a part of this world!" he spat, narrowing his eyes at Yami. The Pharaoh felt a pang in his chest from Yugi's harsh words, this was not the boy that had sacrificed himself to save him.

"Yugi..." Yami said, his eyes wide with disbelief. Rose could see the hurt all over his face. What is Yugi doing?! she thought.

"It's about time you started taking some responsibility for what you've done. There's only one thing left to do and you know it. You need to be a man for once and face me in a duel!"

"No, please..." Yami begged him.

"Too late!" Yugi announced, pointing an accusing finger at him. "It's time for you to pay! If you're really sorry then you'll do this." Yami instantly activated his duel disk. "Alright, I'll start, by summoning one monster face down on the field," Yugi said. "Now let's see what you've got, unless you're too scared."

"Very well..." Yami said, "If i must." He drew and summoned Gazelle to the field, attacking Yugi's face down card.

"Mine's a Gazelle, too," Yugi said as it was destroyed.

"We're holding the same cards aren't we?" Yami realised.

"Let's find out," Yugi replied. "I'll summon another card face down."

"Do these look familiar?" Yami said, holding up two cards, "Polymerisation and Berfomet. Now I can fuse my two monsters together to form Chymerra, the Flying Mythical Beast." He then played Alpha the magnet warrior and attacked Yugi's face down monster. Once Yugi's Sangan was destroyed, he attacked the boy's life points directly with Chymerra.

"When you destroyed my Sangan, you activated its special ability," Yugi said, "Letting me move a monster from my deck to my hand."

"Yes, good move," Yami nodded.

"I don't need your support," Yugi spat, picking his card. "I place this face down, then I play this: Card Destruction."

"But why?" Yami asked, confused.

"So I can start over, and our hands will be different," Yugi said, discarding his hand. "Disappointed? Now you can't cheat anymore."

"Why are you acting like this?" Yami demanded.

"What on earth is Yugi doing?" Tea said, looking worried. "What's happened to him?" She looked quite upset over seeing her friend acting like this, but Rose knew there had to be more going on than just what they could see. "He can't fight Yugi!"

"I'm just a reflection of you!" Yugi said, pointing across the field to Yami..

"That's it!" Rose said. "Tea, the Pharaoh has to fight back!" Tea questioned her, and she continued to explain. "Yugi is representing the anger and hatred that's inside the Pharaoh, the same anger that overcame him in his duel with Raphael. So if he defeats Yugi, he'll be able to overcome that darkness." Tea nodded, understanding, but she still looked worried.

"Wait a minute," Rose then said, a thought hitting her. "That means Yugi has-"

Rose and Tea snapped back to watching the duel s they heard Yami call out,"Yugi wait!" he said, his eyes wide with horror, "Are you holding the card I think you are?"

"It sounds like you're starting to catch on, aren't you your highness," Yugi said. "This duel is a chance for you to look at yourself from the outside, and there's only one card that can make that happen: the seal of Orichalcos..."

Tea gasped, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth, as Rose muttered, "I knew it."

"Yugi no!" Yami called out, but Yugi was already putting the card on his duel disk. The Seal encircled the field, and when Yugi lifted his head up the Seal was on his forehead and he had an unpleasant glint to his eyes.

"Now it's payback time, for taking my soul!" Yugi yelled.

"This is a mistake," Yami said to him, pleading him to be reasonable.

I know you can do this, Pharaoh, Rose thought, you have to fight.

"Come on, just replace your hand already, I played card destruction!" Yugi said impatiently. Yami discarded his hand and drew 5 new cards. "And now for my next move," Yugi said, "I activate monster reborn, and I'll use it to bring back my dark magician girl!" He then summoned his Celtic Guardian. "Pharaoh, you know what happens next," Yugi smirked.

"Yugi stop this!" Yami pleaded, unable to bear the sigh before him.

"Now the oricalcose serves my monsters!" Yugi said, as the Seal increased their power by 500 points. He used his Celtic Guardian to destroy Yami's magnet warrior, and then Dark Magician Girl relinquished Chymerra. Yami used Chymerra's special ability to summon Berfomet in defence mode and then summoned Big Shield Gardner in defence as well.

"That's all?" Yugi said, drawing his card. "I play Queen's Knight in attack mode!"

"Yugi," Yami grabbed his attention upon noticing the card. "That's the card Rose gave us, remember? She told us that we could all defeat the Orichalcos together!"

"If you don't mind I'm not done with my turn yet," Yugi said, ignoring Yami's words. "And to boost my fire power, I'll activate magic formula!" He used his magic card to raise Dark Magician Girl's attack points by 500. Yugi then used his Queen's Knight to attack Berfomet and then Dark Magician Girl destroyed Yami's Big Shield Gardner. Then finally, with Celtic Guardian, Yugi attacked Yami's life points directly, leaving him with his last 1200 life points.

"It won't be long now, Pharaoh," Yugi said, a smirk on his lips.

"Yugi, don't do this," Yami continued pleading, though Yugi wasn't budging, and he was beginning to lose hope.

"It hurts, doesn't it? And it only gets worse. Soon you'll be locked away forever, where you belong!"

Yami winced upon hearing Yugi's harsh words as he drew from his deck, placing one card face down and summoning Giant Soldier of Stone in defence mode. He then activated his Swords of Revealing Light to stop Yugi from attacking. This gives me three turns to talk some sense into Yugi, he thought.

"Your swords mean nothing!" Yugi said, "I have a card that can blast right through them! You should have known that, you've played this card before." Yugi smirked as he sacrificed his Guardian to summon Catapult Turtle.

"This is what I did last time," Yami said, his eyes widening.

"Exactly," Yugi said, "So it's time for you to experience the consequences of your own evil. Now you'll never duel again, it's all over!" Yugi sacrificed his Dark Magician Girl and launched her on the catapult straight to Yami's life points. He now only had 200 left. "One more attack and you'll become a prisoner of the oricalcose just like me," Yugi said, getting ready to sacrifice Queen's Knight.

Tea grabbed onto Rose's jacket, "I can't watch!"

Rose however couldn't tear her eyes away from the duel, "Come on Pharaoh..."

"Yugi please!" Yami begged, "Don't sacrifice that card, don't you remember what Rose said to us?"

"It's just a card," Yugi spat. "Now prepare to lose your soul!"

"No!" Yami said in horror, "I can't lose. If I do, then I can't set you free! And two worlds will crumble..."

"So what?" Yugi said, "You're evil, remember? Last time, you didn't care who suffered!" Yugi demanded Queen's Knight to go onto the catapult.

"Yugi please!" Yami called out to him, "Don't go through with this!"

"Too late," Yugi said, narrowing his eyes. "Attack!" The Catapult began to launch.

"Yugi no!" Yami cried out, "I won't let you do this!" So he activated his trap card, Divine Wind.

"He did it!" Rose said, nudging Tea's arm. The other girl looked over, just to see Yugi get blown off of his feet.

"What have I done?!" Yami said, "Yugi!" he ran over to his friend, who was lying on the ground motionless. Yami reached him, and lifted him up, "Speak to me, please."

Yugi then opened his eyes, "You passed the test, pal," he said with a weak smile.

"What are you talking about?" Yami asked, his eyes burning with the threat of tears. "Did you plan this all along?"

"It was the only way, by defeating me you were able to defeat the darkness that was inside your heart. It wasn't easy but you did what was best for me and for mankind. You acted like a true hero," Yugi placed a weak hand on Yami's arm with a reassuring smile.

"But now what?" Yami asked, staring down at him.

"Don't give up this fight, remember: I'm always with you." And with that, he disappeared from Yami's arms. He stayed where he was for a moment, staring at the spot where Yugi was only seconds ago. He then balled his hands into fists and stood up again.

"I'll save you Yugi!" he called out, "No matter what it takes..."

God, the puzzlefeels are unbearable even in a non puzzeshipping story, that's how canon it is! haha anyway, hope you're liking the story so far, but the heartache doesn't end there, and theres one more twist thats been added to this arc that you'll find out soon, so sit tight and prepare for feels :D

Please let me know what you think!

PharaohsThrone :)