A/N: I OWN NO PART YU GI OH 5DS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS!

Chapter 30: The Protector and the Protected

Era's POV

"I came to help you, Kalin," I told him.

"I have forgotten what 'satisfaction' is," Kalin responded coldly. We drew our hands and Kalin got to go first. He drew his card. "I summon Infernity Randomizer (Attack 900/ Defense 0) in attack mode. I set one face down and end my turn."

I drew my card. "I summon Angel Monk (Attack 1500/ Defense 2600) in attack mode. Then I equip Angel Monk with Halo Ring, which gives Angel Monk 1000 more attack and defense points (Angel Monk: Attack 2500/ Defense 3600). Now Angel Monk, attack Infernity Randomizer!" I ordered and the attack hit and destroyed Kalin's monster while dropping Kalin's life points to 2400.

"I activate Infernity Reflector! Since an Infernity monster was destroyed by battle and sent to the graveyard, I can revive Infernity Randomizer and inflict 1000 points of damage at you as long as I send my entire hand to the graveyard," Kalin fought and his monster returned to the field while my life points fell to 3000.

"I set a face down and end my turn," I finished.

Kalin drew a card. "I set a card face down and then activate Infernity Randomizer's effect. This forces me to draw a card and send it to the graveyard. If the card drawn and sent is a monster, you'll take damage equal to its level times 200. If it's a spell or trap, I will take 500 points of damage." He drew and sent Infernity Destroyer, which is a level six, and dropped my life points to 1800. "I end my turn there."

I drew my card to begin my turn.

Third Person POV

Yusei flew fast, picking up air currents to allow his wings to rest when he could. He soon saw the town in the distance and could feel the darkness coming from the people there. Once he got over the town, he hovered a good height above it and looked down.

He quickly noticed Era dueling and looked to see her opponent. 'Kalin?!' he thought. 'What's going on here?' He quickly turned to watching the duel.

"I summon Star Crystal Dragon (Attack 1000/ Defense 1000) in defense mode," Era played. "Now Angel Monk, attack Infernity Randomizer!" The attack succeeded yet again dropping Kalin's life points to 800.

"I activate Damage Gate! Since I took battle damage, I can special summon Infernity Beetle (Attack 1200/ Defense 0) in attack position as it has equal or less attack to the damage I took," Kalin played.

"Kalin, why are you trying to kill yourself like this? Is it because of the Earthbound Immortals?" Era asked. She could tell everyone was confused by the term "Earthbound Immortals".

"It is. After I let myself go off the deep end and let myself believe that you and Yusei betrayed me, I lost everything that was myself. I became lost in hate and I didn't care who I hurt. Whether it was physically like when you saved Yusei from the crash or emotionally by hurting Yusei through his worry of you and what I changed into," Kalin replied.

"Kalin, that was the Wicked Gods' fault," Era retorted. "Back then, you wanted to help Satellite and you felt Satellite was being hurt by Security. You didn't think what would happen and that's a mistake everyone makes. I've made that mistake at least once due to all my years on this planet. And then the Earthbound Immortals twisted you and your anger into something it wasn't. Kalin, there is light in you now and all you have to do and let go of that guilt. Because it wasn't your fault. I never blamed you and Yusei never has either. In fact, for a while, Yusei blamed himself for your death. Just let your light shine brighter and you can help this town instead of sending people to the mines. You can stop hurting yourself like this."

"Era…" Kalin muttered.

"Listen to me, Kalin," she ordered gently. "Listen to my words and let your light come back to this world again. It's there, Kalin. You just need to let it free."

"We'll see," Kalin responded. "Infernity Beetle, attack Star Crystal Dragon!"

"This duel is over, Kalin!" I called making everyone look at me. "I activate Light Shield! This negates your attack and if it was a non-light attributed monster that had its attack negated, you take 1000 points of damage. Sorry, Kalin. But maybe you'll be able to see what I mean now and let your light through." The blast hit Kalin and his life points fell to 0. Kalin fell to the ground in defeat.

Suddenly a duel runner appeared with a man getting off of it. "Lawton?!" Radley exclaimed.

"Well, it looks like it's not too late for me to duel," Lawton stated with a confident grin.

"I'm going to wipe that grin off your face!" Radley stated and they drew their hand to begin the duel.

Era backed up a bit to give them space. Lawton drew the fastest letting him go first. "I summon Gatling Ogre (Attack 800/ Defense 800) in attack mode and set five cards face down. Then I activate Gatling Ogre's effect. By sending all my set spell and traps to the graveyard, I can deal you 800 points of damage for each one send away," he declared. The attack was completed and Radley's life points fell to 0.

'He's strong,' Era thought.

Suddenly, she heard an electric shot being sent at her and Era immediately put up a protective aura. It hit the aura and froze before falling to the ground as a dud.

"H-How did…?" Barbara wondered and everyone backed up a bit seeing her glowing body.

"Don't think you can backstab me too easily, Barbara," Era told her with her eyes closed. "I've lived too long to allow myself to be fooled so easily."

"But that doesn't explain how you stopped yourself from being electrocuted," Malcolm responded to Era.

"You see, I'm not exactly alive anymore," she told them and walked up to Kalin. Era began to heal him and he sat up. She also used a light recovery spell to bring the light up and make it a little brighter.

"Era?" he called.

"You're free from that moment of guilt, Kalin," she told him. "Now get out of here before you get hurt anymore."

Kalin gave a small nod and walked away. The undertakers tried to reach him but Era shot a spell burning the lasso to ashes.

"W-What are you?" Lawton asked.

Era sighed and slowly changed into her angel form. They were all blinded for a moment but when she was done transforming, they all gawked at her.

"I'm an angel," Era told him sternly. "I may look eighteen, but I've been on this planet for over one hundred years. I died long ago in a car crash. Don't expect to be able to fool me anytime soon."

"An… angel?" Barbara muttered.

Era turned as she heard Yusei walk up. "The next time you want to head off to something like this, let me tag along," he told Era sternly.

"Yusei Fudo?" Barbara questioned.

"Not putting you in this kind of danger, Yusei," I responded calmly still staring at everyone else.

"Keep doing this and I'll tie you down for a while," Yusei told her defiantly. "And don't think you would be able to do this again anymore."

Era rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she stated. "We'll talk about this later. Right now, I need to find a way to free everyone in those mines."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Lawton retorted.

We turned as the sun finished setting but a large, explosion was heard from the mountain and we looked towards it.

"Did I mention I talked to the others about what was happening and they came with Sector Security to help the miners?" Yusei stated.

"You what?!" Malcolm exclaimed.

"You won't be able to send any more people to the mines," Yusei replied.

"Will our dad really be freed?" called a girl's voice as she and a young boy ran up.

"If he's a miner, yeah," Yusei answered

"Thanks!" the boy told him.

Yusei gave a small nod and smile. He then turned serious again while we looked at Barbara, Malcolm, and Lawton who looked frustrated.

"This town has the ability to change to something better than it is now. Something good," Era said to everyone. "But it's up to you whether you really want the change or if you really want to keep the town in a sense of fear of being sent to the mines. And listen to what you want and not what others like Barbara, Malcolm, and Lawton want."

Everyone looked at each other before taking off their scarves and signature items to show they wanted the change. The only ones not doing so were Malcolm, Lawton, and Barbara.

"Good," Era said looking down relieved. She turned to look up as she heard a couple more shock blasts be fired at her to see two coming from Lawton. But she used another protective aura to protect her and Yusei while the bullets quickly fell to the ground as duds again. "Want to try again?"

Lawton and the two others backed up a bit. That's when Trudge, Crow, and Jack pulled up.

"Era, you need to stop running off on your own," Crow told me. She just shrugged in response making him groan.

"So who's the leaders of this who thing?" Trudge asked.

"Those three right there," I answered pointing to Lawton, Barbara, and Malcolm.

"What do you expect to do? Send us to the Facility for following the rules of this town?" Lawton asked.

"No, I'm sending you three to the Facility for the actions you've done to send these people to the mines and hurting them there," Trudge replied. They were quickly arrested and sent off.

"Thanks, guys," Era told them.

"Next time you pull something like this, I'll find a way to put a marker on you so we can keep track of you," Jack stated.

"I don't think you would be able to keep me down for that," Era responded.

"Let's get back," Yusei suggested.

"Yeah," Jack agreed and Crow nodded.

Era looked back at the mountain. Yusei grabbed her hand making her look at him. She sighed and nodded in acceptance.

"Don't worry, Era. We'll make sure everyone's alright," Trudge assured me.

I nodded in acceptance and Yusei transformed into her angel form before we flew off with Crow and Jack following by their runners.