Thank you for these characters and their stories, Kazuki Takahashi. Requiescat in pace.
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Dria
Mai had been completely seduced by the power and the empty promises of the Orichalcos. The moment the duel began, she activated its sealing capabilities, forcing Joey to compete against her.
"How can she side with the enemy?"
"You can't do this! Don't you see you're letting that magic card control you? You're putting your own life in danger!"
That was part of the Seal's power; it dropped a veil over your eyes and made you believe that it was helping you, not controlling you, by amplifying the negative emotions within your human heart. I could only hope that Mai would figure that out before it was too late.
The Pharaoh and Yugi both glanced towards the Puzzle, but it was too young in comparison to the Seal, its owners too inexperienced in using its magic, to pose a threat. It potentially had the ability to protect the two men from the Orichalcos, but it couldn't compete in a head-on fight.
"Nothing can break the Seal of Orichalcos! Not even your little priestess there has the power to break the Seal. Once it appears, it doesn't disappear until a soul has been captured."
I glared at the two men on the balcony above. They weren't entirely wrong, but it was irritating nonetheless to acknowledge the truth of the statement. Had I been at full strength, I stood a decent chance at destroying the Seal's barrier. With how I was now, though, I would barely be able to scratch the surface. The piece now dangling across my forehead, while it could potentially provide me with the necessary strength, would only push me further into the Seal's seductive trap.
"As soon as the girl takes your friend's soul, Pharaoh, I'm taking yours."
"Get back in your cage, gorilla boy!"
I shifted my gaze to the older, more mature of the two men above us. He was determined to take my lover's soul away from him, something I wouldn't permit to happen if I could help it. While the Pharaoh couldn't currently access the full capacity of his magic, his soul was still as strong as it had ever been. Fueled by a fierce heart and an unwavering mind, the Pharaoh would prove a priceless asset to the revival of the Beast. The man met my gaze at last, and I was surprised by the gentleness hidden deep beneath the layers of anger. Perhaps this one wasn't a lost cause yet.
"Afraid you're not good enough? Afraid you're gonna lose like you did in Battle City?
"I'm afraid I'm gonna win. If I do, you're gonna pay for it by giving up your soul."
"I have no soul."
The anger and pain in Mai's eyes felt like a reflection of my own when I had first experienced the Seal's powers. It had amplified the anger I buried towards the other Atlanteans who had treated me as less than human due to their jealousy and fear of my power. I had yet to forget being called 'dangerous' even as a small child. Slifer and my father had done what they could, and they were successful to some extent, but finally letting go of those emotions had proven difficult. Even now, thousands of years later, that rage still slept beneath the surface, waiting for the moment when I was at my weakest, when it could burst forth once more.
Mai had become so absorbed by her insecurity that she was willing to harm those she had once considered her friends. Though I wasn't as close to her as Joey was, even I would have come to her side if she had only asked. Perhaps it wasn't insecurity that was consuming her, but pride. Mai believed that she deserved the best things in life, and seeking help from another was perceived as a flaw in her abilities. She must have believed that she was accomplishing everything with her own strength, that the Orichalcos was serving her and not the other way around. She didn't appear interested in capturing souls for the restoration of Atlantis, but rather to prove that she was a better duelist than anyone she came across.
"I can't watch, not if Joey is going to lose on purpose to save Mai."
Would Joey really throw the duel?
This wouldn't be the first time that Joey risked his life to save Mai.
I clenched my fists in anger as the memory the Pharaoh alluded to flashed across my gaze. The Pharaoh had taken the weight of Ra's attack on his back during Mai's duel against Marik. Thankfully, he hadn't sustained any wounds; I had been more injured when I was slammed into the metal railing by Marik's attack. In the end, I didn't blame Mai for what had happened, but my anger burned that she was holding her own weakness against our friends.
I shook my head, pushing those thoughts out of my head. The Orichalcos, and those who served it, knew how to draw out a person's anxieties and make them believe that it could all be fixed with an overwhelming amount of force. Even I had fallen prey to such enticement until Leandros had brought me back to my senses. My eyes watered at the final memory I had of my father, who had given everything he had left to save me.
Fire spread through every inch of the city. Atlantis, the former paradise on Earth, had been corrupted, and now the wrath of the gods was destroying us. I sprinted from the palace through the crumbling city, searching for my father. People were everywhere, crowding the once-peaceful streets with uncontrolled panic. Someone shoved me from behind, and I fell to the ground, scraping my hands and knees in the process. Before I could stand, another person kicked my head in her attempt to jump over me to escape. It was of no importance that I was the High Priestess of Atlantis; now, I was merely an obstacle between them and potential safety. I shook my head, trying to stop the ringing in my head, and stood on unsteady feet. Blood ran down the side of my face from where I'd been struck, and the metallic taste coated my tongue.
Moving to the edge of the crowd, I climbed the nearby wall to reach the roof of the central market. Fearfully, I scanned the terrified mob from above, hoping to catch a glimpse of my dear father. He had chosen to stay with me instead of joining the rebellion, even when I'd realized my mistake and begged him to leave. He'd refused to leave my side.
"Da! Da, where are you?" I called out desperately.
I knew that he wouldn't be able to hear my voice above the panic, but I couldn't resist the natural urge to shout for him. Wiping blood off my face with my once-pristine sleeves, I returned to street level and continued running through the crowds. If he wasn't in the city center down below, there was only one other place he could be. Rushing towards the outer levels of the city, I headed towards my childhood home. I took any side streets I could to avoid the crowds, using the magic still remaining within me to clear the path forward.
At last, my destination came into view. My home was beautiful and strong, built by my father for me and our descendants, intended to last for centuries. The sea sat just beyond our front door, and many mornings and evenings were spent watching the rising and the setting of the sun. Throwing open the door, I ran inside.
"Da! Please answer me!"
There was no response from within the house. When I returned outside, I could barely hear anything. The waves below struck the city's foundation with supernatural strength, shaking the very ground beneath me. Most of this area's residents had already escaped, and those who hadn't wheezed out cries for help in their final breaths. Tears rolled down my face as the moments continued without any response from the man I loved so dearly. Finally, I heard my name.
"Dria?"
A voice that had once been so strong and soothing now could barely rise above a whisper. There, leaning along the far side of our home, was my father. His eyes were tightly shut and his hand was rigid over a wound on his leg. I rushed over to him, immediately tearing my priestly, decorative garments to staunch his wound and summoning the magic I had remaining to cast a healing spell. I didn't understand how such a powerful warrior could have been brought to this lowly state, but I didn't have time to ask.
"Little dragon, save your strength. You're going to need it. You must survive." My father placed his free hand over mine, but I stubbornly refused to listen.
"Be still, Da. I will save you, and we'll survive together. I just need a few moments."
He sighed in response before smiling at me. I stretched upward to kiss his forehead before returning my attention to the spell. I stood to tear the thicker fabric from the underside of my dress. I was so focused on my task that I didn't notice his next move. This side of our home was closest to the outer wall, which was built to prevent small children, who had little understanding of the danger, from falling into the sea below.
"Always remember, you are precious beyond measure to me, my beautiful Dria."
With all his remaining physical strength, my father pushed me toward the wall. Time seemed to slow down as my exhausted body lost its balance, falling backwards as my legs hit the stone. I reached out for my father once more, tears cascading down my face as I realized what he'd done and that I'd never see him again. The last thing I saw was his loving smile, an expression reserved for me alone, as the light began to dissipate from his eyes.
"Da!"
My body trembled slightly as the memory released me, and I wiped away the tears before they could fall. Without my father's final act, there was no telling what might have happened. The Beast would have likely killed me, or worse, I would have become its eternal servant. Leandros had used the last burst of his strength to ensure neither of those things could happen. Mai needed someone to do the same for her. I could only hope it wouldn't cost Joey his life like it had my father.
Joey was losing the duel badly, possibly on purpose. He meant well, but this sort of sacrifice would be meaningless. It wouldn't change Mai's mind, and it would only make the Beast more powerful. I knew that he wanted to save the beautiful blonde across the floor from him, but giving up his own soul wouldn't accomplish that goal.
I resisted looking away as Mai's Harpy Lady destroyed Rocket Warrior and attacked a defenseless Joey, and I breathed a sigh of relief as Scapegoat took the brunt of the strike. Unfortunately, it didn't improve Joey's chances.
"I play my Nightmare Tri-Mirror! This will transform the reflection of your Scapegoats into more Harpy Ladies for me. Since you have 4 Scapegoats, I get 4 more Harpy Ladies!"
"I've never seen that card before. Dria, have you?"
Cold dread poured through my veins as I stared at the card. I knew the actual magic spell behind it, but it was never a card I put into commission. Given that a duelist could only have 5 monsters on the field at a time, it hardly made sense for anyone to use. But, because of the Seal, Mai could have up to 10 monsters at once. Where did the card come from? If Industrial Illusions didn't have it printed, who did? These were questions whose answers would have to wait for the time being.
If Joey doesn't do something quick, Mai's going to win the duel.
That's true. As long as the Seal of Orichalcos is on the field, it gives Mai all kinds of advantages.
Joey finally managed to draw a powerful card with Panther Warrior, and he sacrificed a Scapegoat to allow his monster to attack. Only, Mai had clearly upgraded her deck with a new set of cards, ones that I had never printed. Someone else had supplied her with these, and I didn't need many guesses to figure out who.
"I was sick of my life, so I chose to change it! You've never been like me, an outsider, all alone. Duel Monsters is all I have."
I clenched my fists as Mai briefly explained her depression and subsequent search for power and sense of belonging. I knew better than anyone what she had experienced. Loneliness drove people to make decisions and commit actions that wouldn't even be considered otherwise. However, what made Mai and I different was that I actively sought the company of others rather than sequestering myself in the darkness.
"Why didn't you tell us you were so unhappy?"
"I don't need your kind of help. All I need now is power."
I relaxed my fists, pushing back my anger. It had taken me many years to figure out how to combat loneliness, and I had been given the time to sort it out. I had also made plenty of foolish choices along the way. Mai didn't have the same kind of time. She truly believed that there was nothing more to look forward to, and that only by having power would life be worth living. Being angry with her would only exacerbate the situation; we needed to make her understand that she wasn't alone.
"Mai's got 4000 points! And Joey's down to his last 200!"
"He must find a way to break the Seal of Orichalcos. The magic within that card has infused Mai with a powerful force. Unless Joey stops it, the Seal will consume him."
"But won't Mai lose her soul?"
There's got to be a way for Joey to win this duel and save Mai.
There is one way.
Yugi snapped his eyes over toward me. Already hearing his plea to speak the solution aloud to Joey, I continued.
If I say anything, then Mai will do everything in her power to prevent it, and it wouldn't take much. Joey needs to figure it out on his own and determine the best strategy to accomplish it with the cards he currently has without her catching on too soon.
Joey began placing his hand on the duel disk to surrender the duel, interrupting my conversation with Yugi. Both the Pharaoh and I cried out against his decision.
"Forfeiting is not the answer! If you give up the duel, you're giving up on yourself and your friends."
The Pharaoh glanced towards me, giving me an opening to share my thoughts as well.
"Joey, Mai doesn't need you to sacrifice yourself for her. She needs you to stop the Seal. Giving up your soul won't change anything. In fact, it'll only make things worse for Mai because she'll no longer have you to pull her back in the right direction!"
Thankfully, Joey heeded our advice and finally chose to duel as well as I knew he could. It would take a lot of work and even more luck, given the corner that he'd backed himself into, but I had faith that Joey could pull it out. The Seal would prevent Mai from seeing the whole picture; she'd only focus on what was immediately before her, an inescapable pitfall of unmitigated power. Joey, however, could see the long game, and if he was clever enough, he could figure out the weakness of the Seal.
"If Joey wins the duel, then we lose Mai forever."
"I don't think Joey's trying to win. I believe he has discovered the secret to ending this duel without either of them losing."
I knew I wasn't the only one clever enough to piece together the loophole. I turned my attention back towards Yugi, whose counterpart had already figured it out.
The Seal takes the soul of the loser, does it not? So, how do you prevent someone from losing a duel without losing yourself?
The gentle set of purple eyes narrowed slightly as he considered my question. After a few moments, excitement flashed through Yugi's eyes as he grasped my meaning.
Joey needs the duel to end in a tie.
Nodding slightly, I confirmed Yugi's suspicion. If Joey could end the duel with both his and Mai's Life Points at zero, then the Seal couldn't take anyone, and it would vanish. It would be a feat at this point though, even for Joey.
A sudden shout from outside the door caught our attention. It was Duke, along with Rex and Weevil? While I had no idea why those two had come, I was grateful that Duke had joined us.
"Are you dueling in there? Why?"
"Listen, we don't have time to stand here chit chatting. We need your help now!"
"You've gotta find a way to get us out."
Duke quickly headed to the exterior emergency doors. He'd been here enough times over the course of the last few weeks that he had memorized most of the building. From there, he should be able to get inside and access the building's security system, potentially shutting it off. I turned towards the Pharaoh.
"I'll go ensure Duke can get inside. There's no guarantee that the side doors were left open before the security system activated."
The Pharaoh narrowed his eyes for a moment, clearly concerned about letting me out of his sight, but he nodded in agreement despite those worries. I kissed his cheek quickly and ran towards the emergency exit on the next floor. Duke would be just outside, trying to find an open one to get inside and reach the main security office. As soon as I reached the interior of the emergency stairs, someone pushed me forward, up against the nearby wall, leaving me no avenue for escaping.
"I knew you'd come, sacerdos."
His nose traced the length of my neck as his hands traced my hips, pushing every curve of his body against mine. I struggled desperately, desiring that no person other than my beloved touch me in such a manner ever again, especially since Marik had done so during Battle City. I finally managed to loosen a leg, kicking my heel upwards as hard as I could. A sudden groan escaped his mouth and the pressure against my body vanished.
"Come home, Tyche. You don't have to be alone any longer."
Suddenly, his presence was gone. My body trembled in fear of the man's words, and I shook my head multiple times to rid my thoughts of the recent encounter. He'd never been so intrusive before, at least not in a physical manner. I hadn't forgotten my experiences at the hands of Marik, and it wasn't something I would put myself through again if I could avoid it.
A thunderous roar echoed through the building. Turning back towards the front lobby, I smiled widely as I felt the power of Hermos come to life. Joey had managed to awaken one of the remaining dragons. I could also faintly sense the presence of Critias alongside Timaeus. All 3 of the dragons had been freed from their icy prisons at last. My heart leapt in joy; finally, my long dormant plan would be set into motion. With the help of the dragons, we could destroy the Seal for good.
Resuming my run up the stairs, I quickly made my way to the emergency exit. Thankfully, Duke was standing just outside, about to pull as hard as he could when I opened the door. Without even greeting one another, he followed me down the hall to the security office. He set to work immediately on bypassing the system to shut it off. Knowing that I would only be in his way, I hurried back downstairs to the main floor to rejoin my friends.
As I reached the lobby, Joey was on the verge of achieving his goal of ending the duel in a tie. A smile began to spread over my face as my hope grew that neither soul would be lost, but it quickly fell apart as I gazed upon Mai. She was shaking uncontrollably, holding her own arms tightly as if she were about to crumble into nothingness.
"I can't lose. Won't go back there. Have to win."
My heart broke for Mai as I heard her desperate statements. The Shadow Realm had taken its toll on her mind, and it would take a long time for her to recover, if she ever did. Without Joey and the rest of our friends, the road would be long and hard. What she was looking for, what she needed, was something that the Orichalcos couldn't provide to her.
Suddenly, the younger man on the balcony above jumped from the overlook to the lower floor. Extending his left hand, a ring containing his portion of the Orichalcos stone connected with the barrier erected by Mai's portion, and the Seal was broken. A powerful shockwave burst from the dissolution of the Seal, throwing everyone in the nearby vicinity backwards. I threw my hands up in front of my face, preparing for a painful meeting with the staircase behind me.
Just before the whirlwind struck me, a streak of light crashed through the upper window, and Aristokles came flying into the building. As he landed before me, he erected a small barrier, blocking the force of the shockwave. I grabbed hold of his frame, relief flooding my veins at his arrival.
"What have you been doing to put yourself in such a state, Fragolina? It's been quite some time since your power was this low."
I wanted to quip back about his absence and how he hadn't been around to keep an eye on me, but it wasn't his fault that I was in my current state. The smoke dissipated from the central lobby and Aristokles' barrier with it.
"I'll make up for this by taking your soul, Pharaoh. The power around my neck puts your Puzzle to shame."
A bright green light shone from the older man's portion of the Orichalcos, and I shielded my eyes from the intensity. Images flashed across my vision of the last time I'd seen the stone shine as brightly, reminding me of the mistakes I'd made and the devastating results. When the light faded, Mai and the other men were gone.
Pharaoh
Dria hastened over to me after I'd been thrust against the glass windows by the Orichalcos' shockwave, a shiny silver bracelet now around the bicep of her uninjured arm. Thankfully, I wasn't hurt, and I breathed a sigh of relief when she finally reached me and came into my arms.
"You're not injured, are you?"
She shook her head, "Aristokles protected me. Are you alright?"
I nodded, smiling slightly in return and kissing her forehead. The security system deactivated, and the doors were open once again. Tea and Tristan rushed over to Joey, who was lying unconscious on the floor. My hands tightened against Dria's body as my concern for Joey grew. I felt a slight tremor beneath my hands, and though it was brief, I caught the remains of a wince across her face. Immediately, I loosened my grasp, ashamed that I had forgotten about her earlier injury. She smiled at me again, leaning her head against my chest. If I could heal her wounds myself, I would; I'd have to settle for gently rubbing her back. Joey soon awoke and quickly realized that Mai was gone, taken by the other two men.
"I'll get you back, Mai!"
Though she couldn't hear him, I could only hope that Mai could somehow sense Joey's promise. I knew he would do everything in his power to rescue her, and he wouldn't stop until he had succeeded. He must have picked up such a habit from my beloved, who seemed to revel in sacrificing herself for the safety of others.
"Face it dude. Whatever happens to her now is her own fault."
Though Tristian wasn't wrong, this wasn't the time for us to be arguing over Mai's decisions. Joey was devastated enough by what he'd already seen; he needed time to process and accept it. I knew how important Mai was to Joey; what would I do if Dria and I were in the same situation? Would I have the strength to do what was necessary to protect the world if it meant losing the one woman I wanted most? Dria gently placed her hand on my chest as the thought crossed my mind, drawing me back out of my thoughts.
"Tristan, that's enough."
The front doors suddenly opened, revealing the arrival of Kaiba and Mokuba. My eyes widened in surprise, "Kaiba?"
What was he doing here? Dria tensed again in my arms as she met Kaiba's gaze, and I felt a flicker of anger rise in my chest. He'd wounded her deeply at the conclusion of Battle City, declaring that he'd never viewed her as a friend, only a burden who'd been weighing him down. They hadn't seen each other, or I think even spoken, since. It was no secret that Dria missed him terribly, but she didn't want to intrude on his life if she felt unwelcome. I believed that Kaiba was too stubborn, or perhaps too ashamed, to reach out to her. My hand drifted down to her injury, cradling it as gently as I could while pulling her as close to my side.
Kaiba's eyes shifted away from her gaze to my possessive grip, his eyes flashing angrily when he saw the bandages around her arm. His hand briefly clenched his briefcase more fiercely, before removing his gaze from Dria altogether to glare at me.
"Woah, it's a party. What brings you guys here?" Duke had returned from the main security office and joined us once again.
"Certainly not the dweeb convention. Any sign of Pegasus?"
Dria's breath caught in her throat as I responded, "I'm afraid we're too late."
"Believe it or not, Mai Valentine got to him before we did. She took his soul with some Orichalcos thing."
Mokuba quickly explained Kaiba's experience with the Seal and the imposter who'd tried to harm him with it. Believing that Pegasus was truly involved, they'd come here from Duelist Kingdom to speak to the man directly.
"Whoever captured Pegasus is trying to take over my company, and that's unacceptable."
Pegasus said someone was after him. We just need to find out why.
He sent you something, didn't he? Something that would allow you to gain information from him without anyone overhearing?
Dria's question sparked a memory of Pegasus' video. He had sent a Duel Monsters card with the image of a key. I released Dria to reach into my back pocket, where I'd been keeping this card for safety. As I spoke of it aloud, Duke's eyes widened.
"Wait! There was one door that wouldn't unlock even when I cracked the security system."
"Take us there, right now!"
Dria was already several steps in front of us. After riding the elevator to the top of the building, she led us through the upper hallways to what appeared to be Pegasus' main office. It was well-decorated and organized, as was to be expected from Pegasus. The door Duke had spoken of seemed little more than a closet for the CEO's office. She stepped aside as we approached the door, which was protected by a separate lock.
"That's the door! Now we just need to figure out how to open it with a Duel Monsters card. Anyone got any ideas?"
Dria's eyes crinkled in confusion at Duke's comment, and she looked towards me with the same expression. I wasn't sure why she expected me to be able to answer the question; I was a 5,000 year old, amnesia-riddled Pharaoh. What did I know about modern security systems? She smirked in response.
Don't overthink it. It's a key card, not rocket science.
Returning my gaze to the machine blocking the door, I considered the problem for a moment. Then, without further hesitation, I stepped forward and just swiped the card through the open slot. It immediately accepted the scan and unlocked the door. Kaiba strode through the door with no hesitation, followed by Dria, then the rest of us.
The room within was eccentric, to say the least, but almost expected of its designer. Statues of Toon Monsters decorated the space, all oversized and obnoxious. It wasn't surprising that Pegasus had a room like this; it was more bewildering that someone had agreed to construct these massive images for the billionaire. I began to wonder if Dria had any involvement in these decorations, and one glance at the wicked smile across her lips confirmed my suspicions. Perhaps I should have been more concerned about her mental state from the beginning. Had Pegasus rubbed off on her, or was it the other way around?
Kaiba glared at each statue around the room, as if personally offended by their presence. "I hate these toons. Let's make this quick."
Suddenly, a hologram of Pegasus projected before us. I saw Dria clench her fists as a sorrowful and angered expression crossed her face. She had surrendered her father's safety to come after us; I took her hand in mine, stroking the back gently with my thumb. She had sacrificed so much for us.
"Yugi boy, at least I hope it's you that's found this room. If you're hearing this, that means the gentlemen after my soul were finally able to capture me. It all began when a mysterious man tried to buy out my company, but there's more. This individual possesses an ancient power stronger than any I've seen. His name is Dartz."
A sudden chill swept through my body, and I found myself looking at Dria, whose expression transformed into one of pure fear, and her hand in mine began to shake.