Chapter 35

"Kaiba! Mokuba!" Yugi shouted. My friends ran to where I stood next to the statues of the brothers.

"What did he do to them?!" Tea cried.

"I always thought they were hardheaded," Noah said coldly. "So, I've turned them into a living sculpture! They're so close, yet they'll never reach one another. How tragic!"

"Oh man," said Joey.

"Why would you do this?" I said, looking at Noah in desperation. Surely there was no need to go this fatr?

"Why wouldn't I?" said Noah. "They were a thorn in my side."

"But they're human beings. You can't just do that!"

"I am not human. I am far superior. I can do whatever I want!"

"You are a human! You're just denying it because you can't fulfill your human need for companionship... but we can help you."

Noah narrowed his eyes at me. "Silence! You know nothing!"

It's no use, said Marik. He won't listen to you.

You said I could help people.

The other person has to be open. Noah may be too far gone.

No...

Deep emotions swept over Yugi - mostly anger with some sadness. Then he allowed Yami to take over. "Noah!" Yami shouted. "You think this proves you're the best? I think it shows your father that you're a coward!"

"What are you talking about, Yugi?" Noah said, his own anger rising. "I defeated Seto in this duel fair and square!"

"Guess again, Noah! You think kidnapping Mokuba and using him as a shield is fair?"

"You think I cheated?"

"I think you're guilty of the same foul play you once scolded the Big Five for - something you said your father would never allow! Kaiba could have easily defeated you, Noah, but he chose the safety of his little brother over his victory. And that... makes Kaiba a stronger person than you will ever be! All you've proven here today is that you're a weak little boy who needs to cheat to get his way. And as far as I'm concerned, you didn't win this duel! But I have a proposition for you. Kaiba has four hundred life points left. Let me take his place so we can finish this duel fair and square!" He picked up Kaiba's deck, taking his place.

Has he completely lost it?! Marik exclaimed inside my head.

No. He knows what he's doing.

I hope you're right. All of our lives may depend on it.

"That could be the most foolish challenge I've ever heard," said Noah.

"Does that mean you accept," said Yami, "or are you afraid I'll defeat you and prove once and for all... that you are weak?"

"I'd be crazy not to accept!"

"Yugi!" Joey said. "Don't be a doofus! He's got over seven thousand life points to your measly four hundred!"

"Careful," said Tristan. "Joey's right for a change!"

"Once I defeat you, Yugi, I'll turn every one of you into stone!" Noah said with a wicked grin.

Yami glared at him. "Just try it!"

"I think we need a little privacy, don't you?" said Noah. Circles of stone rose beneath him and Yami, raising them high in the sky.

"Hey, what's he doing?" said Tea.

"As I was saying, I'll turn all but one of you into stone! After all, I need a body to escape in."

"And if you lose, you'll set us all free," said Yami. "So, in the name of Kaiba and Mokuba, let's duel now!"

Noah smirked. "With pleasure Yugi! "

"And may the best duelist win!"

"You're on! And when I do, you and your friends will be prisoners of my world forever!"

"Yugi's got to be out of his gourd to go through with this duel," said Joey.

"He can do it," I siad.

"You're starting this match with only 400 life points, thanks to your friend, Seto," said Noah. "Taking his place was a mistake!"

"Look, Noah," said Yami, "you overpowered Kaiba using deceit and betrayal. Then you used your virtual technology to turn him and Mokuba into stone! If you think that makes you a superior duelist, you're sadly mistaken."

"Believe what you wish, but as soon as I finish refreshing my deck with new cards, you and your friends will meet the same fate as Seto and Mokuba!"

"Yugi's been involved in some pretty tough duels against some major wack jobs in the past, but I got to say this duel definitely takes the cake," said Joey. "Not only is Yugi almost out of life points, he has no monsters on the field, and Noah just merged himself with his deck master Shinato!"

"That means noah can crush Yugi with one attack!" said robot monkey Tristan. "Then I'll be a robot monkey statue!"

"But it also means that, if he can defeat Shinato, Noah autmotically wins the duel," I said.

"But how easy can that be?" said Joey.

"Yugi, we're all here for you!" Tea called to him. "I know you can save Mokuba and Kaiba and get us out of this place! Now, whip this freak!"

"Blah, blah, blah!" said Noah. "Let's do this! Then I can silence your cheerleaders by turning them into statues. Now, just to be fair, I'll let you go first!"

"Very well!" said Yami. "Let's duel!"

His deck is very different from Kaiba's, said Marik. How will they work together?

I guess we'll find out.

Yami played Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts in defense mode. Noah responded by activating a special power of Shinato's. Six orbs called the Divine Ring appeared around him, and they destroyed Gazelle, reducing Yami's life points to 200 while adding 200 life points to Noah's.

"You were a fool to think you could defeat me," said Noah, "and now you and your friends are about to pay the price. All because you're defending the honor of someone who didn't even like you, Yugi!"

"Kaiba and I have quite a bit in common," said Yami. "We're both participants in an ancient struggle that dates back 5,000 years. And Kaiba and I have something else in common - aomething you'd know nothing about, Noah!"

"Really? And what might that be?"

"He duels with honor and respect! "

"Is that so? And you think that makes you both superior to me?"

"It makes us human."

Noah seem dissatisfied with this. "Well, you won't be human for long! Once I blow away what's left of your life points, you'll all be motionless objects. Do you honestly believe you can win this with only 200 life points left?"

"Yes! I'll take you down somehow, Noah!"

"Ha!"

"You'll see! Now it's my move!"

I still don't understand why he's doing this either, said Marik.

It's the right thing to do. And we would have to do something to get out of here anyway.

There's no guarantee he will keep his word and let us go. We should have been free after defeating the Big Five.

Well, there's nothing we can really do to make him let us go. We're at his mercy.

That is my main concern.

Yami played a monster face down in defense mode and ended his turn. Noah summoned Yata-Garasu in attack mode. Then he activated Shinato's Divine Ring to attack Yami's defense monster. However, the monster was Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, which couldn't be destroyed by any monster whose attack was greater than 1900 points. Noah played a magic card that increased his life points by 500 every time a monster returned to his hand. He returned Yata-Garasu to his hand, increasing his life points to 8100. He said he could do that because it was a spirit monster.

Yami played a monster card face down. Noah played another spirit monster, Asura, which he used to destroy Celtic Guardian. Asura's ability allowed it to attack every monster on Yami's side of the field once per turn, so it also attacked the face down monster.

"It looks like you've fallen right into my trap," said Yami, "by attacking one of Kaiba's favorite cards, Cyber jar!"

"No!" Noah cried, and I felt his fear.

"I'm afraid so. And that means all monsters on the field are destroyed. And since you moved your Deck Master to the field... Your Shinato is destroyed as well, and you lose the duel!"

Noah growled in frustration. "No! This can't be happening!"

"Oh, yeah!" said Joey. "I knew Yugi would crush that little nut case!"

"Way to go, Yugi!" said the robot monkey. "Banana splits all around!"

Is this really it? said Marik.

I don't know...

"No!" Noah shouted. "I won't go! I activate my deck master's second ability - Reversal!"

"Hold on!" said Duke. "What happened to Noah?"

"He's gone!" said Tea.

"What's the deal? I thought Yugi just won the duel."

"He did!" said Joey.

"Look again," I said. Noah appeared again, but now he was separated from Shinato, who stood by his side.

Joey groaned. "I guess Yugi didn't win the duel!"

"But how were you able to escape he destructive power of Cyber Jar?" Yami said in surprise.

"It's quite simple, Yugi," said Noah. "Shinato has more than one power, and before it was destroyed, that power was activated! See, whenever Shinato is targeted by an opponent's monster, its ability of Reversal is activated, allowing my Deck Master to leave the playing field and return to its original position on the sidelines. In exchange, Shinato cannot be summoned back to the field for the duration of the duel."

"That means you can't use it to attack me for the rest of the duel! Now, thanks to the second effect of my Cyber Jar, we must each draw five cards. Then every monster we pick must be summoned to the field." Yami drew five cards. "I summon two monsters, Sangan and Gamma the Magnet Warrior, both in defense mode. And now you must summon every monster that you've drawn, Noah!"

Noah glowered at him. "I don't have one!"

"Good! Then it's my move, so I'll sacrifice Gamma the Magnet Warrior and Sangan! This activates Sangan's special ability... Allowing me to add any monster with 1500 attack points or fewer into my hand. So, I'll take Big Shield Gardna. And then thanks to my sacrifice... I'll summon this: Dark Magician in attack mode!"

Noah gasped. "Oh, no, not him!"

"You have no monsters on the field to defend you! You know what that means. Dark Magician, attack his life points directly!" I winced as Dark Magician attacked Noah. As soon as it was over, I focused on my friends' positive emotions to bring myself back up.

"All right!" said Duke. "He knocked off 2500 life points, which leaves 5600 left!"

"There's still a long way to go!" said Joey.

"But it's a start," I said. "And it proves he can do it."

We'll see, said Marik.

"Noah, I've cleared out your monsters and taken a bite out of your life points!" said Yami.

"Yugi, how dare you humiliate me like that!" Noah said in anger.

"Humiliate you? It's you who humiliated Kaiba and Mokuba just so you could prove to your father that you're superior!"

Noah growled. "I am! No one's better! Yugi, I deserve to be rewarded for my unsurpassable power!"

"You must earn respect, Noah, not demand it! It's true, perhaps your father should have recognized your talents. And maybe you have been treated unfairly. No one deserves to be locked away in isolation the way you were by your father. However, that's still no excuse for the way you've been treating us, Noah!"

"That's enough out of you, Yugi! Watch this!"

Noah played the Next World magic card. A carpet appeared, trapping the Dark Magician in it. Next World also allowed Noah to summon a monster with the same number of stars as one of Yami's monsters. He summoned Yamata Dragon and destroyed Dark Magician with it, leaving Yami with 100 life points. He then recalled Yamata Dragon to his hand.

Still think he can win? said Marik.

Yes. Without a doubt.

"Come on!" Tea called. "Don't let this kid push you around, Yugi! We need you!"

"Tea's right," said Joey. "Come on! We're all behind you, Yug!"

"You can do this!" I said.

"Go get him, Yugi!" said Duke.

"Huh?" said Noah, confused.

I felt Yami relax and grow confident. "The safety of all my friends depends on my victory," he said. "So, let's get on with this duel! It's my move now!"

Yami played Swords of Revealing Light so Noah could not attack for three turns. Then he summoned Kuriboh and ordered him to directly attack Noah. Noah played a monster face down in defense mode and ended his turn. Yami played Big Shield Gardna in defense, switched Kuriboh to defense, and ended his turn. Noah set another monster in defense and then placed a card face down. On Yami's turn, he simply placed a card face down.

"Well, Yugi, I think it's clear how this will end!" Noah said after drawing. "On my next turn, you're going to lose this duel. Then you and your friends will be turned to stone!"

"You can beat this guy one, two, three, Yugi!" said Tea.

Noah was surprised. "Your friends still think you can win... I guess they're more clueless than I thought!"

"Come down here and say that!" Joey said angrily. "I bet you're just jealous because Yugi over here actually has friends, and you're just a spoiled little brat who's angry at the world 'cause someone stuck you in a computer with no one to hang out with except your sorry self!"

"Joey..." Yami said.

"Well, I think your friend made his point," Noah said, annoyed. "So, now it's only fair that I get a chance to make my point. I've listened to your loud-mouthed friends insult me for too long now! So take this!" I gasped when Duke was turned to stone.

"Duke, no!" the robot monkey cried.

"Oh, no!" said Tea.

"That kid made a stiff outta Duke, too!" said Joey.

"Much better!" Noah said. "That was so much fun I think I'll transform you all Into stone, one by one, with each turn I take! What do you say?"

"I say... I'll rearrange your face, you little brat!" Joey said.

"Silence, or you'll be next to go! Since you're all so confident that Yugi's going to win, I've decided to put your fate in his hands. So, with every turn that Yugi fails to defeat me, another of you will be turned to stone! You'll be frozen in time with a look of despair on your face because Yugi failed to save you! And in the end, Yugi, you'll be left in the middle of a circle of motionless statues that were once your friends." Noah frowned as Yami laughed. "What's so funny?"

"You're nothing but a child," said Yami. "Six years may have passed, but I'm afraid you haven't matured at all. You're a weak boy!"

Noah narrowed his eyes at him. "I am strong!"

"Well, not strong enough! Just look!"

"Come on!" said Joey. "You can still beat this lame-o!"

"That's right," said Tea, "so don't you even think about giving up this fight, Yugi!"

"This can't be!" Noah said in surprise. "They still have faith!"

"Noah!" said Yami. "You wouldn't be so surprised if you had been given the chance to experience true friendship. You're just bitter!"

"The only thing I need to know about friendship Is how to destroy it! My move!"

Noah activated Pyro Clock of Destiny, which advanced the duel by one turn, causing the Swords of Revealing Light to disappear. Then he flip summoned Otohime, allowing him to switch the battle position of one of Yami's monsters. He chose Kuriboh. He sacrificed Otohime and his face down monster to summon Yamata Dragon, which he ordered to attack Kuriboh.

This is it, Marik said sadly.

No. Watch. Yami's emotions were too stable for it to be over. He had a plan.

Noah smiled gleefully when Kuriboh was destroyed. "I win the duel! Now you and your friends are trapped here forever! I've finally proven my point. See, Yugi? No one's superior to me!"

"You wish!" said Tea. She looked sadly at Yami. "Yugi! He lost."

"Not quite, Tea," said Joey. "Look! He didn't lose any life points!"

Noah gasped. "What's the matter?" said Yami. "You look shocked."

"You should have lost the rest of your life points!" said Noah.

Yami chuckled. "Take a closer look, Noah."

"Oh! You activated a trap!"

"That's right! It's a card known as Nutrient Z. Since your attack was strong enough to wipe out of my life points, I was able to activate my Nutrient Z trap card to protect me. So, I received an additional 4,000 life points before your attack did any damage! You can't get rid of me that easily, Noah, thanks to my cards and to my friends!"

"Ah, but not for long, Yugi!"

"Huh?"

Noah chuckled. "Did you forget? Every time one of your turns comes to an end... I'll transform another one of your friends into stone!"

Yami glared at him. "Noah!"

"Relax, Yugi, 'cause my turn is far from done!"

Noah activated the magic card, Sebek's Blessing, adding the life points Yami lost to his own. Then Yamata Dragon returned to his hand. By now, he had 11,00 life points while Yami had 1800. Yami summoned Alpha the Magnet Warrior and attacked Noah directly. Then he ended his turn. Smiling wickedly, Noah turned robot monkey Tristan into a statue.

"I'll get you back, Tristan," Yami said, pushing his emotions down. "Noah... this must stop!"

"It will stop when I win!" said Noah. "But by then, you'll all be trapped here."

"Look!" said Joey. "Yugi's gonna shut this place down, then we'll all be free. So, you can threaten whoever you want, Noah!"

"Whoever I want? So, I guess that includes your sister, Serenity! Fine! If Yugi doesn't win this turn, she's next!" Serenity gasped, and Joey moved in front of her protectively.

"Enough, Noah!" said Yami.

"There's still a chance to save them, Yugi... All you have to do is beat me. If not... then too bad! Your friends will be a bunch of stiffs forever!" Noah laughed. "Soon, I'll prove that no one's better than me. My move! Ha!"

Noah summoned the spirit monster, Inaba White Rabbit, which could attack Yami's life points directly. After doing so, it returned to Noah's hand. Yami played a card face down and then sacrificed Alpha the Magnet Warrior to summon Dark Magician Girl, who attacked Noah directly. That was all he could do, so Noah turned Serenity into stone.

"Serenity!" Joey cried. "No!" He sank to his knees beside his sister in despair. I hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder. I did not know how many good emotions I had to share with him, but I needed to try.

"Joey..." Yami said sadly. "I'm so sorry."

"Ha!" said Noah. "If you really cared, you wouldn't have let that happen, Yugi!"

"You're the one who's at fault here!" I said.

You should be quiet unless you want us to be next, said Marik.

But I have to say something. I have to try to help him...

I don't think anything can help him now.

Noah summoned Inaba White Rabbit again, but Yami activated his trap card, Dark Renewal. The card allowed Yami to sacrifice Inaba White Rabbit along with his Big Shield Gardna to bring Dark Magician back to the field. I sensed Noah's frustration. He placed a card face down and ended his turn.

Yami drew and played Dark Magic Ritual. He sacrificed a monster from his hand and summoned the Magician of Black Chaos. All three spellcasters attacked Noah together. However, Noah activated a trap, which stopped the attacks and forced Yami's strongest monster to attack his weakest. Magician of Black Chaos attacked and destroyed Dark Magician Girl.

"Bravo, Yugi!" said Noah. "Bravo! You've put on such a great show, I see no need to continue. So, I'll transform your friends back to normal, and we can end this duel!"

"Don't toy with me," Yami said.

"I ask only one little favor in return, Yugi - that you forfeit the duel and admit that I am superior to you. It seems a small price to pay for your friends' safe return, doesn't it? Of course, Seto and Mokuba will remain as they are and stay with me! Seto is your enemy anyway, and you shouldn't care what happens to him."

Yami hesitated, and I sensed his conflicting emotions. Don't listen to him! I said. Kaiba is your rival but not your enemy.

But Ishizu said- Yami started.

It doesn't matter what she said. Maybe you were actual enemies in the past, but it doesn't have to be that way now. You can choose to have a better relationship with him in this life. You saw what he did for his brother. You know he's not evil. There is good there that is worth saving.

"You slime ball!" Joey shouted.

"Wait!" said Yami. "Watch what you say! You'll be next!"

"Yugi should care about what happens to Kaiba and Mokuba. The feelings between the brothers are the same as the feelings between Yugi and his friends. Tristan, Duke, and Serenity would agree. So, please fight, Yug!"

"What if I'm defeated?" said Yami.

"You won't lose!"

"I don't remember asking for your opinion, you fool!" said Noah. "So, say good-bye!" In an instant, Joey was turned to stone. Tea let out a scream while I gasped.

"No, Joey!" Tea cried. "Not you, too!" She looked up at the duelists. "Noah! You think you're really tough, don't you?"

"Why, yes!" said Noah.

"Well, I think you're just a spoiled brat who's got no guts! If things aren't going your way, you just keep changing all the rules until they are!"

Noah laughed. "Do you think I really care what you think of me, Tea? I've already proven that there's no one out there who's better than me. Now it's up to Yugi to admit the same! Then I'll gladly reverse the damage that's been done."

"You're not better than anyone," I said.

"What?"

"You've gained knowledge, but you're still just denying what you can't have."

"Normal people can't understand my greatness. I'll ask someone chosen by victory. Yugi, end this now and help me."

Yami clenched his fists. "I've some disappointing news for you. I still plan to win!"

"What? You do? Then suit yourself! I tried to make things easy for you, but you chose the hard way!"

Noah played a monster in defense and a card face down. Yami drew, and Noah activated his trap card, Groundbreaking, bringing Inaba White Rabbit back to his hand. However, Yami played Card Destruction, forcing Noah to discard his hand and draw a new one. Then he attacked Noah's face down monster was Magician of Black Chaos. The monster was Otohime, and its flip effect allowed Noah to change the position of one of Yami's monsters. He chose to force Dark Magician into defense mode. He activated the trap card, Vessel of Illusion, allowing him to summon another monster. He brought Otohime back in defense mode.

"Only two friends left!" Noah said haughtily. "Who should be next? I think... Tea!"

"No!" Yami cried right before Tea was turned to stone. I looked up at Noah, eyes wide.

We're next, Marik said.

Yami can defeat Noah and bring them back. He has to.

He is our only hope. If anyone can defeat Noah, he can. Perhaps you should focus on helping him instead of Noah.

Yeah...

"I activate the magic card, Change of Heart!" Noah declared. "It allows me to control one of your monsters! Guess who is now mine?"

"No!" Yami exclaimed. "My Dark Magician!"

"And now your favorite monster stands by my side, Yugi. Next, I shall sacrifice him along with my Otohime. This allows me to summon the most powerful spirit in all of duel monsters, Hino-kagu-tsuchi!"

"Oh, no!"

Noah laughed. "Then I'll play the magic card, Flaming Fist. This adds extra 200 attack points to my beast for one turn. The end is just about here! Hino-kagu-tsuchi, destroy his Magician of Black Chaos now!" Noah's monster attacked Yami's, reducing his life points to 100. I grit my teeth and willed myself to keep standing even as Yami fell to the ground. "It looks like my newest spirit monster has destroyed all your monsters! And thanks to the special ability of my Deck Master, an additional 700 life points are added to my total. Now I'll play Spiritual Energy Settle Machine! It lets me keep a spirit monster on the field after I discard one card from my hand." Yami struggled up to his elnows. "You may as well stay down, Yugi! It's all over!"

"No!" I shouted. "You can't give up!"

"Samia?" said Yami.

"You've got to keep trying! I know you can find a way out of this. Even Marik believes in you." I sadly gazed up at the rock where he perched. "I'm sorry I can't be right next to you, but I can still try to help! Take the strength I have left!" I closed my eyes and focused on sending positive emotions to Yami through our mind link. I attempted to transfer spiritual energy as well, though I did not know if it would work without physical touch. I opened my eyes. "There. Now stand up and win!"

"Silence!" Noah demanded. The next thing I knew, he aimed his lightning at me, and everything went black.