Chapter Six- Demon Revealed
"Zane, no!" Syrus said.
"Syrus, think about it," Zane said as they stood outside the infirmary. "She will go after everyone who has a spirit key and in order to stop her, the best duelist should face her. Jaden is in no condition to duel, so it falls to me. Also, it is clear Camula wants to duel me."
"Yeah, that much is obvious," Syrus said with grim amusement.
Zane smiled back. "Yes, but I think she wants my key more. So when she returns, I'll be ready."
Syrus suddenly jerked his head to the window and spied a bat hanging from the top and appearing to be looking at them. Zane also looked when he saw Syrus reacting to something. "I see it too, Sy."
"Be careful, big bro. You know she'll do anything to win."
Zane nodded, a little taken aback by how Syrus just spoke. He didn't speak in a scared tone. He sounded…a lot like him. Maybe Alexis was right: Sy is maturing.
Camula reappeared the next night, a horde of bats announcing her return. Zane led the group to her castle, up the stairs, through a corridor, and to a room with two balconies above the floor and no rail on the front of said balconies. Camula stood on one of them, her eyes locked on Zane. "Come, darling. Let us duel. Remember, if you win, you get back Crowler and I'll be on my way. But if I win, I get your key, your soul, and get to continue my quest to release the Sacred Beasts." She activated her Duel Disk once Zane was on the other balcony; he turned his on too. "Duel," they said.
Camula started with a face-down and Vampire Lady in defense mode.
Zane drew a card and his eyes quickly darted to Syrus. I need to finish this quickly. I fear Camula may try to hold Sy hostage to force my surrender. "I play Power Bond to fuse my Cyber Dragons into the Cyber End Dragon." His fusion monster appeared and Zane felt he had this duel won.
But he was wrong and he had to de-fuse his monster to avoid Power Bond's price which would have cost him the duel. He turned to using Cyber Barrier Dragon and Cyber Laser Dragon to cut Camula's life points to 800. Almost done. Next turn, I'll attack her defense monster and use Cyber Barrier Dragon to win the duel.
Syrus beamed at his brother's moves. He hadn't lost any life points while Camula had only 800. That's why Zane the top duelist. We'll soon have Crowler back and be closer to keeping the world safe.
"Darling, you will regret those moves," Camula said, her face gaining its vampire look which was quite ugly. The eye of her charm glowed red as she drew a card and said, "I play Illusion Gate!" An actual gate materialized behind her.
"Illusion Gate?" Zane repeated as the doors to the gate opened.
"Yes. First, it destroys all your monsters on the field. But, that's not all. It has twin function." Zane's monsters vanished and there were now two Camulas instead of one.
"Illusion Gate also allows me to summon any monster you have used during this entire duel. Although you de-fused Cyber End Dragon, you did use it."
"Oh, please," Zane scoffed. "No card's that powerful to let you make a move like that. There must be some kind of catch."
"Yes, but it's just a tiny one. Should I happen to lose this duel, I must offer up a soul to the gate."
A soul? Syrus thought and suddenly he knew what was going to happen. Camula would use him to force Zane to surrender.
"Syrus, run!" Kage shouted. "If one of us is lost, the other goes too!"
"Syrus, run!" Zane shouted, not knowing he was repeating Kage.
"Oh no you don't," Camula said as her twin swooped down on him. Syrus concentrated on his energy as he was held by the twin. My life and Kage's are in danger. This is the time to tap my energy and transform. His energy flared around his body as Camula called forth Cyber End Dragon and he felt the energy rebuff the gate's attempt to latch on to his soul. He closed his eyes as he willed himself to take his demon form for the first time, a move that did not go unnoticed by anyone, save for Camula…at least for the moment.
"What is going on?" Camula demanded. "Why can't I link your soul to Cyber End Dragon?"
"I will not allow you to use such an underhanded tactic," came a voice that was between Zane and Syrus' and all saw that Camula's twin was no longer holding Syrus, but someone else that had black-gray hair and sporting wolf ears and a tail. The figure opened his eyes and they were a glowing gold. He lifted a hand and it was glowing a black-purple. The energy shifted and shaped itself so that the fingers looked like they had claws. He slashed out at the one holding him and she screamed as the energy cut her. She dropped her hostage and he swung his arm, the energy forming a whip and it cracked against Camula's charm, slicing it in two.
"No!" she screamed.
"You will not use me as a sacrifice and you will not use my friends either," the figure said. "I will protect them." He leaped off the balcony, landed in front of the group so his back was to them, spread his arms out, and a shimmering black-purple barrier surrounded all of them. "Zane, end this!"
"I can still use Cyber End Dragon and since I can't use another, I'll offer my own soul. Cyber End Dragon, attack!"
"Not so fast," Zane said. "I use my face-down, Call of the Haunted to resurrect Cyber Barrier Dragon and activate its effect to negate the attack."
Camula growled, "I end my turn."
"My turn then. I draw. I activate the spell Monster Reborn to bring back Cyber Laser Dragon. I then activate its effect to destroy Cyber End Dragon." Said dragon shattered. "I attack you directly with Cyber Barrier Dragon." The monster attacked and Camula lost the duel and her soul due to Illusion Gate's effect.
Syrus dropped the barrier as the structure began to shake. "Everyone, out! Now!" he called. The gang rushed for the exit with Syrus bringing up the rear as he was faster in his demon form. They got across the water and back to the island before turning to see the castle vanish.
Syrus looked down at himself and felt elated at having succeeded in taking Kage's form. He felt his tail swish against his leg and smiled slightly before the smile faded as he exhaled slowly and turned to face the gang. Crowler was there as the doll had resided in Chazz's pocket during the duel and it had turned into Crowler's body when Camula lost. All of them were staring at him in shock.
"Sy…rus?" Zane asked, warily.
"Yes and no," he answered. "I am actually two souls merged together. Three months before I was born, a wolf demon named Kage was fatally wounded and he used the last of his energy and strength to come to Earth and he merged his soul and spirit with me. I was unaware of it until I was thirteen. I began to see Kage in my dreams until he was able to talk to me. From that point on, he shared his story, energy, and powers with me. He also gave me confidence and wisdom. We can speak to each other with telepathy and, as you can see, I can take his form and voice as well as use the energy and powers."
"You're human and demon then?" Bastion asked.
Syrus nodded and Crowler put himself between Syrus and the others. "I won't hurt any of you," he said. "You're my friends." He took a step forward and Crowler forced the others back as he backed up.
Syrus saw the fearful looks on his classmates' face and looked imploringly at Zane who had a thoroughly mistrustful look. "Zane, please. It's me, your brother."
Zane turned and walked away with the others rushing after him. Syrus stared after them before he howled sadly to the night.