Chapter 30
Shadow of a Duel
"We sure showed that Marik creep, didn't we? Now we can focus on the finals." Rainbow said with excitement. 'We may have beaten Marik this time, but he'll definitely be back. But now that he knows my friends can't be controlled, maybe he'll decide to show his face.' Yugi thought. "Hey, Serenity. I won't forget how you saved my life back there. Now that you can see again, you'll be able to watch me go all the way to the top and win the Battle City finals." Joey said to his little sister.
"Look, Serenity, I know you're really excited to see your big brother dueling, but between you and me, Joey won't last two minutes with my new and improved deck. After all, I've grown since Duelist Kingdom." Mai said, confident that she'd win. "Oh, yeah? Well, who beat who last time we met in the arena?" Joey asked. "That was beginner's luck, Joey. Besides, Duelist Kingdom is ancient history and this time, I plan to wipe out both you and Yugi." Mai responded. "I'm sure you'll be tough to beat, Mai. Since we last dueled in the finals of Duelist Kingdom." Yami stated. "Forget about it, Yuge. After what we just went through, the rest of this tournament should be a breeze." Joey claimed.
"Speaking of which, it's time for any of you three to use your set of six locator cards to find out where the finals are being held." AJ advised. "Alright! Battle City Finals, here we come!" Joey shouted as he put his six locator cards onto different zones. "Word on the street is, we put them on our Duel Disks and the hidden location is revealed." he added as he finished putting five of his locator cards in the monster zones while putting the sixth and final one in his field spell zone. "Makes sense to me." Pinkie said.
Soon, a map of Battle City was projected onto the ground before the group. "Just like Kaiba said at the start of the tournament, it's projecting a map of Battle City." Spike said. "So this map will show us where the finals are?" Tristan asked. Soon, the map showed a stadium with a beacon shining from it. "It kind of looks like a stadium." Pinkie said. "Now the easy part, getting there." Duke stated. "Congratulations, Duelist, our satellite network has confirmed that you are one of the eight Battle City Finalists. Standby for directions to KaibaCorp Stadium." a computer said.
Meanwhile, at Domino Hospital, Marik was having a mental meeting with Yami Bakura. "Seems everything is going according to plan." Marik said. "Yes and I have already done more than I agreed to do. I took care of Bakura like you asked so you could rescue him, Marik, while also gaining the trust of those foolish friends of Yugi Muto. Is there more that must be done, or is it your turn to hold up your end of the deal?" Yami Bakura responded. "You'll get my Millennium Rod and my sister's Millennium Necklace when you complete your end of the bargain." Marik stated. "Well, know this, my patience is starting to wane, Marik. What's the next part of the plan?" Yami Bakura pointed out.
"You'll obtain a Duel Disk and enter the Battle City finals. I already have, so when we meet at the finals, it will be there that I hand over the Millennium Item I hold before I go off to take the Millennium Necklace from my sister. But at the tournament, I believe it will be there that you obtain the two cards I desire." Marik explained, but Yami Bakura just laughed. "Have you tried to get these cards yourself? Or is there something you're not telling me about this scheme of yours, Marik?" he asked. "You'll learn more when you win one of these cards, now I know you want the Millennium Items I spoke of, correct? If so, then I suggest you stick with the plan. Time to enter the finals is running out." Marik responded as he floated away.
"You'll need to obtain six locator cards in order to qualify." he added before fading away. "Very well, Marik." Yami Bakura said before hearing Sol calling out to Bakura, as if he was having a nightmare. 'Foolish old man.' the evil spirit thought before waking up Bakura up. "Thank goodness you're alright, I heard you shouting and saw you tossing and turning." Sol said as Bakura sat up. "I'm fine. It was only a nightmare." the boy responded. "Well, you've been through a lot. But, this should cheer you up. Yugi and Joey called while you were sleeping and told me they both qualified for the Battle City finals." Sol said, excited.
"That is great news, but I'm not surprised. Did they happen to mention where the finals are being held?" Bakura asked. "Oh, dear. I guess that slipped my mind." Sol said, slightly irking Yami Bakura. "I'm really proud of those boys, since only eight Duelists will be allowed in the finals. And to think I trained them myself." Sol said. But right then and there, Yami Bakura tried to get out of bed. "Bakura, you can't move around yet, you have to lay down." Sol advised.
"I have work to do." Yami Bakura protested. "Please, you need your rest and your test results haven't come back yet." Sol insisted. "Back off, old man!" Yami Bakura shouted, revealing the power of his Millennium Ring, frightening Sol. "I don't have time for this foolishness, for my destiny awaits." he said as he stood up and walked towards Sol. "Who are you?" Sol asked, but Yami Bakura just chuckled and used his powerful magic to put Sol to sleep. "That ought to hold him for a while. Now to obtain six locator cards and enter the Battle City finals, then I'll deliver my winnings to Marik and the greatest power in the world will be mine!" he said as he took the iv out of himself and left the room.
Later, Yami Bakura managed to steal a Duel Disk, deck and locator card from a Duelist. "Please give me back my stuff!" the kid begged. "I'm afraid they belong to me, now. Your Duel Disk and your locator card are exactly what I'm looking for. "Please, don't. I need those so that I can keep dueling." the kid pleaded. "Stop groveling, it's pitiful. Your Battle City days are over and since you had one locator card, it's better off this way." Yami Bakura responded as he put the locator card in his back pocket. "Now, let's see what kind of deck you have." he added as he checked said deck.
"What? You call yourself a Duelist? These cards are of no use to me." he said, unimpressed by the kid's deck before putting it on the ground and walking away. "Well, at least he left my deck. But I guess I wasn't going to the finals anyway." the poor guy said. Later, Yami Bakura overheard some teens talking about six Duelists who managed to qualify for the finals. 'Sounds like time is running out and a practice duel would be wise.' he thought. "You there, I need to know where I can find a Battle City Duelist immediately." he said to one of the teens.
"They're practically all over town and with six having qualified already, some are doing nocturnal dueling runs." said the teen. "Interesting. Now, where are these nocturnal Duelists?" Yami Bakura asked. "There's a rumor that some duels are going down in the cemetery" said another teen. "You'd better be right." Yami Bakura warned. In said cemetery, one Duelist was calling out, looking to see if the same rumor Yami Bakura heard was true. "There's no duels going on here, must've just been hearsay." he said before a crow flying out from behind a tombstone spooked him.
"Came all this way just to find headstones and crows that like to scare humans? This just stinks!" he shouted before a hand reached out from the ground and almost grabbed his ankle. To the guy's horror, a familiar looking zombie comes out of the ground. He backed up before finding what looked like a Frankenstein's monster right behind him. Then he ran up to another gravestone only for another zombie to pop up and give him the fright of his life. "Welcome to the land of the dead." said one of the zombies. "Not a nice place to live, is it?" asked the Frankenstein creature. "It's a blooming nightmare!" said the second zombie.
"If you wish to live, drop your locator cards and run!" the first zombie advised. The frightened Duelist did so and took off running for the exit, thinking the place was haunted. However, the undead beings removed their masks and revealed themselves to be Bonz, Zygor and Sid, former henchmen of Bandit Keith's from Duelist Kingdom. "This gets more fun every time." Bonz said as he picked up at least one locator card. "That guy was wimpier than the last one." Zygor claimed. "Either way, we have our fifth locator card." Bonz pointed out.
"Brilliant, mate. One more card, and you'll have spooked your way into the finals." Sid said as he held up the other four locator cards. "Frankly, Bonz, you deserve it after what happened at Duelist Kingdom. If that jerk, Bandit Keith, didn't take all our star chips, we would've made it into the Duelist Kingdom finals." Zygor said as he remembered the events from after Bonz was defeated by Joey at Duelist Kingdom. Soon, more crows are heard and the three see them flying away from something.
"Sounds like another bloke is coming our way." Sid stated. "I hope they got a locator card, cause if they don't, things might just get a bit ugly." Zygor said, seemingly looking forward to what was to happen. "Things might also get ugly if they do." Sid pointed out as fog started to roll in. Yami Bakura soon entered the heart of the cemetery. 'Not a Duelist in sight, those fools must've been wrong about this rumor.' he thought before the threesome mobbed him, trying to scare him, to no avail. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked.
"I'll show you!" Zygor shouted as he tried to grab Yami Bakura from behind, only for Yami Bakura to sidestep, pull off his Frankenstein's monster mask and hold his arm behind his back. He looked back and saw a Duel Disk on the ground. "So you three are Duelists. If this is how you intimidate the competition, you're more sorry than you look." Yami Bakura said before pushing Zygor forward. "None of you are any match for my strength, so we'll do things my way. I possess one locator card and if you'd like to have it, you'll have to duel me for it." he stated. "Fine. I have five locator cards, so once I win yours, I'll go straight to the Battle City finals. What do you say, guys?" Bonz responded.
"This guy looks familiar, but I can't remember where I've seen his face." Zygor said as Sid removed his zombie mask. "Just duel him and win that card, Bonz." the British Duelist said. "I can duel fair and square, especially if it means a trip to the finals." Bonz said as he readied his Duel Disk. "If we're going to duel, I'd rather it be face to face, not face to mask." Yami Bakura pointed out before Bonz removed said mask. "I'm afraid you don't stand a ghost of a chance in a duel against me, so put up your locator card and let's do this!" the little ghoul said, boldly.
"If you're so confident, why not raise the stakes? It's winner take all." Yami Bakura said. "Unlikely." Sid simply said. "You think Bonz is dumb enough to risk all five cards?" Zygor asked. "Your cowardice comes as no surprise, but let me say that I heard six Duelists are already qualified for the finals and you're running out of time." Yami Bakura responded. "Six finalists?!" Zygor asked in shock. "I've stated my case clearly and if you're wise, you'll duel me, Bonz. The winner goes to the Battle City finals." Yami Bakura responded.
"I accept your challenge. Besides, with only one locator card, you must've waited until now to start dueling." Bonz said. "Accepting my challenge was your first mistake and once I'm through with you, it'll be your last." Yami Bakura responded as both Duelists' Duel Disks activated, they drew their hands and their life points set to 4000 while the fog turned light red. "Now, if you want my locator card, you'll have to prepare for anything." he said. "Hey, fog isn't supposed to be this color. And it's as thick as pea soup!" Zygor pointed out. "I'll make the first move, so let's begin." Yami Bakura said as he drew his first card.
"Are you aware of the legend of this cemetery?" he asked. "What legend?" Bonz asked back. "Listen well; this cemetery is said to be haunted by the ghost of a knight who lost his head in battle." Yami Bakura began, puzzling Bonz while also worrying him. "When the clock strikes midnight, he rises up from his grave in search of his missing head." he continued. "I, don't believe you." Bonz responded, trying to muster up his bravery. But then, as Yami Bakura played the card he drew, the very thing he described burst forth from the ground on which they stood. "They say seeing is believing, so meet the Headless Knight!" the evil sprit said as his creature, a level four, Earth attribute Fiend with 1450 attack points and 1700 defense points, landed before Bonz.
"Please! Bonz's face is way scarier than that Duel Monster!" Zygor stated. "Alright, I set one card facedown and end my turn." Yami Bakura said as he finished his move. "But I'm afraid the worst is yet to come." he added. "Think you can out-scare me? Well, I'll show you!" Bonz stated as he drew. "Now allow me to dig up a creature of Greek myth that'll bury your knight in no time, The Snake Hair!" he declared as his creature, a level four, Dark attribute Zombie with 1500 attack points and 1200 defense points, appeared. "Now, Snake Hair, destroy the Headless Knight with Stone Blizzard!" he commanded. In moments, the Headless Knight was no more and Yami Bakura's life points lowered to 3950.
"Well, looks like your knight lost a lot more than its head." he said. "Wrong. I assure you, you haven't seen the last of my Headless Knight, so observe and learn." Yami Bakura retorted as he drew his next card. "I reveal my facedown card, it's called The Shallow Grave." he said before, in mere moments, a stone coffin rose up from the ground. "This magic card allows both players to special summon one monster they lost to the graveyard back to the field in defense mode. But seeing as you have no monsters in the grave to bring back, all it can do for me is bring back my Headless Knight." he explained as the Headless Knight returned to the field.
"Great, now he's got a way to shield himself from Bonzy's attacks." Zygor said. "Maybe for now, but just wait, Bonz will come up with something." Sid stated. "My knight may be too weak to attack your monster head-on, but now I'll sacrifice him to summon a creature stronger than your Snake Hair. Rise up, Earl of Demise!" Yami Bakura declared as his new monster, a level five, Dark attribute Fiend with 2000 attack points and 700 defense points, appeared in the place of the Headless Knight. "Oh, no! My monster's a goner!" Bonz shouted.
"Go, Earl of Demise, attack with your Sword of Peril!" Yami Bakura commanded before, in seconds, The Snake Hair was cut in half, lowering Bonz's life points to 3500. "No! Snake Hair!" Bonz shouted as Yami Bakura laughed. "Have you had enough punishment yet, amateur?" he asked. "We'll see who's the amateur after my turn!" Bonz retorted before drawing. "I summon the Dragon Zombie!" he declared as the undead creature appeared. "Now I activate my Premature Burial card!" he added before Snake Hair burst from the ground. "Look familiar?" he asked. "Using this magic card costs 800 life points to use, but since it brought Snake Hair back from the grave, it's a price I'm willing to pay." he explained before picking another card in his hand. "Especially after I activate Polymerization." he continued.
"Now I can fuse my two monsters together in order to make a monster from the ice age. A creature so terrifying, it'll send chills down your spine. You're finished! Behold, the Great Mammoth of Goldfine!" he bellowed as his new monster, a level six, Dark attribute zombie/fusion monster with 2200 attack points and 1800 defense points, appeared. "Since Fusion monsters have to wait one turn before they can attack, I'll set one card facedown. Now go ahead and make your next move." he added as he set his card.
'Not only will I trample his Earl on my next turn, but when I spring my trap card on him, it won't be long before his locator card is mine!' he thought. "Alright, you gonna draw or what?" he asked. "With pleasure." Yami Bakura answered before doing so. "BOO! I'm activating my facedown, Skull Invitation!" Bonz declared as his trap sprung. "Now, whenever a card goes to either graveyard, the owner will take 300 points of damage. Meaning, when Earl of Demise is sent to the graveyard by my Great Mammoth next turn, you'll lose the 300 life points automatically." he explained. "Talk about having one foot in the grave, you're finished!" he declared. But Yami Bakura just laughed.
"Your trap card is meaningless to me, to prove it, I'll send my entire hand to the graveyard!" he stated before doing so, confusing Bonz. "He must be as mad as a hatter to make that sort of move. Now you just can't lose, Bonzy." Sid said, thinking Yami Bakura made a mistake. "Yeah. Time for Skull Invitation to do its job." Bonz replied before Yami Bakura's life points lowered to 2750. "That's right! Squeeze the life points out of him!" Zygor shouted. However, Yami Bakura just started laughing again. "Now what's so funny?" Bonz asked. "You'll soon find out. Not only are you about to lose this duel, but when I'm done with you, you'll lose so much more." Yami Bakura responded, creeping Bonz out.
"You were so distracted by the prospect of winning my locator card and a chance to get to the finals, you failed to notice I activated a magic card." he added as said card revealed itself. "Oh, no!" Bonz said, worried. "It's called Spiritualistic Medium and it provides my Earl of Demise with an additional 500 attack points for every card sent to my graveyard." Yami Bakura explained. "It can't!" Bonz shouted. "Oh, it can and if you remember correctly, I discard four cards which gave my monster 2000 more attack points." Yami Bakura added. "Now, go, my phantom friends! Add your power to the Earl of Demise!" he declared as the Earl's attack points rose to 4000. "It's grown too powerful!" Bonz shouted.
"Now, Earl of Demise, destroy his Mammoth!" Yami Bakura commanded before the Earl cut said monster in half, lowering Bonz's life points life points to 900. "I lose 1800 life points." Bonz said, grimly. "And because of your own trap card, you lose 300 additional life points." Yami Bakura pointed out as Bonz's life points decreased to 600. "The end is near and once I win, you and your two friends will be trapped here." he said. "What do you mean by that?" Zygor asked, causing Yami Bakura to scoff. "Just look around you, fools. We've been dueling in the Shadow Realm this whole time. I transported us here when we began the duel. What do you think?" the evil spirit said as the three boys looked around and saw strange creatures wandering through the gravestones before they asked what they were.
"Those are lost souls, trapped forever in the darkness and soon, you'll be joining them. Your souls will be doomed to wander the darkness of the Shadow Realm." Yami Bakura explained. "Sorry, lads, but I'm not gonna stick around here! See ya!" Sid shouted as he ran away for his life. "Sid! Come back!" Zygor called. "He won't get far." Yami Bakura said as Sid showed up right behind Bonz and Zygor. "How did I end up back here?" the frightened bloke asked. "Let that be a lesson, you cannot run from the Shadow Realm. Only by defeating me in this duel can you hope to escape its clutches." Yami Bakura stated. "Bonz, whatever you do, don't you dare lose this!" Sid shouted. "Yeah, or we'll end up like those guys!" Zygor added as the lost souls surrounded the three boys.
"Okay, let me see here." Bonz said with his voice trembling as he drew. "Well, not bad. I play the magic card known as Nightmare's Steelcage!" he declared as the cage appeared and surrounded Yami Bakura and his monster, whose attack power returned to normal at the end of Yami Bakura's turn. "You'll be trapped in that cage for two whole turns, preventing you from attacking. But just in case, I'll set this monster in defense mode." Bonz explained as he set his monster. "This might work! Now you've got two turns to wipe out his life points!" Zygor said, feeling hopeful that Bonz would pull out the victory.
"Now it's my turn." Yami Bakura said before drawing. "Well, feeling frustrated because you can't move while in that cage?" Sid asked. "On the contrary, I'm frustrated that this duel has to end, simply because I wanted to prolong your misery." Yami Bakura responded. "What are you talking about?! As long as you're inside the Nightmare's Steelcage, your Earl of Demise can't attack for two full turns!" Bonz stated. "That's only partially true, there is one card that can penetrate your cage. I activate Ectoplasmer!" Yami Bakura replied before activating said card.
"Ectoplasmer extracts the very soul of my Earl of Demise and transforms it into an energy so powerful, it can penetrate your cage and destroy your life points." he explained. "No way!" Bonz said in shock. "Yes! Now I use Ectoplasmer, to finish you fools off, now!" Yami Bakura replied as the powerful blast of ectoplasm struck Bonz down and depleted his life points, ending the duel. "Now stop your whimpering. Nothing can save you now. It's over." he said before a funeral bell is heard in the distance. "You dueled against me and lost and now, you'll be doomed to wander the Shadow Realm until I choose to set you free." he declared before the lost souls of the Shadow Realm ultimately consumed all three boys, leaving behind only Bonz's Duel Disk, deck and locator cards while the evil spirit laughed.
'Now it's on to the Battle City finals to fulfill my agreement with Marik and soon, I will obtain the world's greatest power!' he thought as he took the five locator cards, adding his only one to them and thus granting him entry to the Battle City finals. Elsewhere, Yami and the group were on their way to KaibaCorp Stadium, unaware of what transpired. 'And no one will stand in my way.' the evil spirit continued.