WARNING: This chapter contains a graphic depiction of violence. Please do not read this chapter if you are uncomfortable to do so.

Reader's discretion is advised.


Chapter 10: The Devil in the Mirror

At the crack of dawn, a suit was sauntering down the corridor, having a cup of earl gray tea. He suddenly froze up, dropping his cup to the ground and he could ignore the sound of the porcelain shattering into piece as the tea spilled all over the marble floor. His body trembled in trepidation and his eyes widened in horror as he could hardly take his sight off of Pegasus and Croquet's bloody corpses. The bloody painting of the symbol above Pegasus was just as gruesome as the corpses.

The news about the deaths of Pegasus and Croquet brought shockwaves to the entire city. The citizens couldn't believe that their iconic painter was marked for death by the murderer, as they had just seen him debut his masterpiece at the museum the previous day. They were left with questions that had yet to be answered. How could this be possible? Did he have anything to do with the masked man? Why would the masked man target such a beloved icon in the artistic world?

At the Kaiba brothers' grand mansion, Seto was at his wooden desk in his office when he heard a loud banging on the door. Roland swung it open and frantically hurried over to the desk, holding a rolled up newspaper in his left hand.

"Roland? What's all of the commotion about?" Seto asked him.

"Sir, you won't believe the news!" Roland cried, sounding panicked. "It's about Maximillion Pegasus!"

"Pegasus? What about him?"

"He's… He's…"

"He's what?!" Seto snapped irately.

With a deep breath, Roland shakily handed the newspaper over to Seto, just as Mokuba peeked through the open doorway. Seto unrolled the newspaper and the moment he opened it up, his brown eyes widened greatly and a gasp of horror escaped his mouth. He firmly grasped the newspaper, his hands shaking in terror.

"Seto! What's wrong?" Mokuba asked him.

"It… It's not possible!" Seto exclaimed. "Pegasus can't be…!"

He could hardly take his eyes off of the headline written at the top of the front page. It read in large black letters:

ICONIC ARTIST MAXIMILLION PEGASUS FOUND DEAD


At the city's cafe, Joey was gathered around by Mai and the others, as he had just shown the newspaper's front page to them. Even he couldn't believe that Pegasus was gone way too soon, at the hands of the masked killer.

"Pegasus?! Dead!?" Yugi exclaimed in shock, earning a horrified gasp from Aurora.

"But I don't understand," Tèa said, sounding worried. "He increased security at his estate, according to the authorities, and yet, somehow his security was breached. The masked man always has tricks up his sleeve."

"And he's awfully sly," Duke added.

"Dat's why it's important for us to be more aware of when he'll strike, who he may target next, and what tricks he may have in store for us," Joey explained to them. "We'll have to be more on guard when we go out in da public."

But there was another serious concern that sparked among the group and the city: the future of Pegasus' grand estate and his many possessions. They had been wondering about that since the news of the deaths first broke out.

"What will happen to Pegasus' estate, along with his prized possessions?" Tèa asked Joey.

"I don't know what'll happen to his items inside," Joey answered. "Maybe da estate itself might be sold."

"For millions of pounds," Mai stated. "It's a grand estate, after all. He was able to afford it all because he was born into a wealthy family."

"And his prized possessions are priceless. From his paintings to his family heirlooms," Yugi added.

"If that's the case, then they'll likely be returned to his family," Duke pointed out.

"Hey. What if Kaiba would buy dat estate and make it his second home?" Joey assumed, earning awkward stares from Mai, Duke and Tèa.

"Yeah, no. He already has enough space in his mansion," Tèa replied, shaking her head.

"Then maybe someone who would be just as wealthy as Pegasus and Kaiba would purchase it. Who knows when that would happen?" Bakura assumed.

"Time will tell," Yugi answered Bakura.

He scanned the front page for any additional information about the deaths, until he came across a pivotal detail. His eyes lit up in surprise, as he read aloud in front of his friends:

"The funeral for both Croquet and Pegasus will be held in a couple of days, at the cemetery. We should go there and pay our respects to them."

"But there's a catch," Duke reminded the group. "The page says that the suit who found Pegasus and Croquet's bodies has requested that only people who attended the gala are allowed to attend. His family will have a separate, private funeral."

"Dat's us!" Joey exclaimed.

"Yes," Tèa said, nodding to him. "After all, we were invited to his gala and seeing his masterpiece debut at the museum."

"We should consider ourselves lucky, thanks to him," Yugi said to his friends, sounding optimistic as he has always been.


Three days later, the funeral for Pegasus and Croquet was held on a melancholic cloudy day at the cemetery. Only the people who attended the gala and the museum debut were allowed, whereas thousands of people gathered at Pegasus' estate to pay their respects there. They left lit candles and flowers at the gates, weeping for their well-known icon in the world of art.

Mai gazed down at two large white coffins encasing Pegasus and Croquet's bodies, her violet eyes staring in melancholy. From what she remembered, she witnessed him returning to her shortly after killing Pegasus and Croquet, and the bloodied uniform sparked her curiosity.

Mai groaned lowly as she opened her eyes, just as the masked man emerged through the mirror and back into the room. She noticed one difference from him: he was not wearing his usual clothes. Instead, he was dressed in the security guard's blood-stained uniform.

"What's with the uniform, and… why is it covered in blood?" she asked him.

"I have just completed my task for the night," he answered her. "And I have eliminated not one, but two victims. You will find out soon enough."

Once the flashback ended, Mai couldn't take her eyes off of the coffins being lowered into two open graves, where they would be laid to eternal rest. Above the dug holes stood two gray tombstones: Pegasus's tombstone had two angels sitting on both ends, to represent him and his beloved wife Cecilia; Croquet's, on the other hand, was just a mere cookie-cutter tombstone. They both had their names engraved onto them, yet beneath Pegasus' name, there was also a detailed description of him: "Beloved artist and husband".

As soon as the news about the deaths of Pegasus and Croquet spread around the city, I knew right away that it was him. He killed them both! she thought to herself.

All of a sudden, Mai snapped out of her deep thinking at the sound of Joey's voice asking her:

"Hey, Mai. Are you feeling okay?"

"I-I'm fine, Joey," she answered him. "I… I just feel bad for Pegasus and Croquet. They didn't deserve these untimely deaths."

"I agree with ya on dat. Now, come on. We've gotta get going. I plan to see Tristan and Serenity in da hospital today. I hope they have finally woken up."

After having said their goodbyes to Pegasus and Croquet, the group split up, having plans of their own. Joey had agreed to walk the sisters home, before he would head on home himself.

"So, do you have any plans for today, Aurora?" Joey asked him.

"I do have plans to visit Selena and Bakura later today, for lunch at their place," Aurora answered him.

As the trio passed by a dark alleyway, the masked man slowly emerged from the shadows, eyeing on Aurora's back. Her golden long locks were swaying to and fro as she was walking alongside her older sister.

So this girl is Mai's little sister, eh? he thought of her. Thanks to Pegasus, I now know who she is and she's my next target. I can't wait to find out what I will do to her…


At the Valentine residence, Mai was about to head out for Joey's home, wearing a violet coat with white fur trimmings on the collar and sleeves to stay warm from the chilly air.

"Aurora, are you sure you'll be okay by yourself? Don't you want to see Tristan and Serenity with me and Joey?"

"I will be alright," Aurora answered her sister.

"We can drop you off there, and then we'll head to the hospital," Mai suggested.

"No, no," Aurora said, shaking her head. "Selena and Bakura will pick me up here and then they will take me to the hospital after lunch. Thank you for the offer, though."

Mai understood her sister's answer, and she trusted Selena and Bakura since Selena was Aurora's best friend. Yet at the same time, she had to worry about her sister, with the masked man still around.

"Alright, then. I'll be heading to Joey's house. He should be getting ready for the hospital visit right now."

Aurora nodded to her sister, as she observed Mai opening the door, carrying an umbrella and a clamshell purse containing keys to the home.

"Give Joey a call if there's a problem and I'm at his house," Mai reminded her.

"Will do," Aurora replied to her. "I will see you later."

As soon as Mai headed out and closed the front door, Aurora could hear the sound of the door's lock clicking. With the door now locked and all of the windows closed, Aurora assumed she would be safe. She breathed a low sigh, as her priority now was to prepare to see Bakura and Selena.

As soon as she headed up the staircase and passed by an oval mirror with a gold frame, the masked man appeared as her reflection, passing by her. Aurora swiftly turned to the mirror, only to see her own reflection.

Who was that, passing by me? she thought, gazing into the mirror image.

Aurora shook her head rapidly, believing that it must be her imagination. She had to get ready to see Selena and Bakura at their home for lunch, and the first thing on her mind was brushing her hair in her room.

The walls of her room were painted a dusty rose shade with the trimming white as an elegant complimentary. Brocade curtains in ivory with gold draped over her windows, and they were partially open to let the natural light inside. The floor was hardwood, covered by a large blue rug that draped nicely from the window to her bed. The bed itself had a pink canopy hung right above it, and the covers and sheets matched it so well. White pillows were sitting atop it, adding a complimentary touch to the grand queen-sized bed.

Sitting at the wall adjacent to the window was a white vanity with a large oval-shaped mirror, and it had four drawers where Aurora would store her hair accessories, combs and brushes, perfumes and jewelry.

Aurora opened the top drawer to reveal her combs and brushes sitting there. She pulled out a white brush with pink roses hand-painted on the back, and the moment she was about to start brushing, she suddenly froze in alarm, forcing her to drop the brush onto the floor.

The masked man was standing inside the mirror, gazing right back at her. She was breathing rapidly, stumbling onto the floor and crawling backward as he emerged from the mirror and into the room. She could hardly take her peridot eyes off of the golden mask shielding his face, her body frozen with fear.

"W-W-Who are you?" she breathed.

A sinister grin plastered across the masked man's lips as he slowly approached her, and he answered her in a dark tone of voice:

"Why, you should thank Maximillion Pegasus for telling you about me, because now I know who you are."

A gasp of horror escaped her lips, as she recalled explaining to Pegasus about her recent sighting of the man at the museum. That was one grave mistake to her, giving the masked man the advantage to find out who nearly exposed his secret affair with Mai.

It IS him! she thought, her eyes widening in trepidation. The masked murderer who has been terrorizing the city this whole time! And now he is after me because I told Pegasus about him! I should have kept my finding of him to myself!

"And I made him famous again, thanks to you."

The headline from the latest newspaper flashed inside of Aurora's mind, bringing back the eerily grim reminder of finding out about his and Croquet's demises. Now she had to fear for her own life, because telling Pegasus about him had marked her as the killer's next victim.

"And I will make you famous again, by bringing you to justice!" Aurora protested.

That threat fell on deaf ears, however, as the masked man chuckled darkly and removed the dagger from the sheath. He aimed the dagger at her neck, as her body quivered in terror. Her hands firmly grasped the rug, her heart racing at a rapid pace and beads of sweat running down her face.

"You have no position to make empty threats towards me," he warned her. "And because you nearly exposed my secret affair, prepare to be sealed into the shadows forever!"

Aurora rolled out of the way, just before the masked man could strike her with the dagger. She swiftly rose up and dashed out of the room, grabbing a porcelain vase that was sitting on a pillar. With a cry of fury, Aurora smashed the vase onto the masked man's head, causing it to shatter into pieces as he crashed onto the rug. Without any hesitation, she immediately made a mad dash down the stairs, panting frantically. However, the masked man's right hand twitched and his head rose up from the rug, an angry growl escaping his lips.

She would dare to get away from me that easily?! he thought of her crossly. Well, she won't last for long!

Aurora entered the living room and grabbed a white phone sitting on an oakwood table next to a large bookshelf. She frantically dialed the number to Joey's house and held the phone up to her ear, listening to a dial tone on the other end.

At the Wheeler household, Joey and Mai were having earl grey tea in the kitchen when they heard his black phone ringing in his living room.

"Could it be the hospital?" Mai asked him.

"I don't know," Joey answered her. "But I hope so."

He made his way over to the phone and picked it up, with Mai watching him as he answered in a cordial greeting:

"Hello, dis is da Wheeler residence."

"Joey! Mai! Please, you have to help me!" Aurora's voice cried on the other line, shocking both Joey and Mai.

"Aurora?!" Mai exclaimed.

"Is everything okay, Aurora?" Joey asked her, sounding concerned. "What's goin' on?"

"The masked man is in my home! He is after me, all because I told Pegasus that I saw him in the museum!"

"What!?" Joey and Mai cried, their eyes widening in alarm.

Marik?! In mine and Aurora's house?! Mai thought, horrified. No! He can't be after my sister! I didn't tell her or anyone else about my affair with him!

"Please, hurry!" Aurora pleaded, breathing rapidly. "I do not know how long I will survive, and I need you to come home! Please!"

The masked man approached her from behind, growling lowly at her. Aurora swiftly turned around, and all she could do was scream in fright as he hit her neck, knocking her unconscious.

"Aurora?! Hello?! Hey! Answer me!" Joey frantically shouted into the phone.

The line had just disconnected, and all they could hear on the phone was nothing. Joey and Mai both had horrified expressions on their faces, hardly believing what had just happened to her.

The masked man, having taken hold of the phone, placed it back on the receiver before gazing upon the unconscious girl. Smiling malevolently at her, he grabbed her by her blonde hair and dragged her upstairs to her bedroom, closing the door behind them.

Mai was trembling in trepidation, fearing for her dear sister's life. How could this be happening to Aurora? She had never told her sister nor her friends about her secret affair—not even her beloved Joey. But now, she was worried that her secret may be exposed to not just her friends and Joey, but the entire city as well.

Why Aurora!? she thought of her. Why?!

Joey knew right away that Aurora was in grave danger, and her life may be tragically cut short by the killer. He grabbed hold of Mai's hand and they darted out the door and onto the sidewalk, frantically passing by some residents.

"We've got to hurry!" he exclaimed. "I don't know how much time we may have to save her, and da carriage won't be there for a couple of hours!"

Please, Aurora…, Mai thought of her sister. Don't die on us!

Aurora's eyes slowly opened up as she let out a low groan, and once her vision finally became clear, she looked around to see that she was back in her room. She gazed down at the floor and to her horror, she was directly above it. She gazed upward to see her arms restrained by the Holding Arms, and she struggled to break loose with no luck. The cuffs were too simply strong for her.

A dark chuckle caused a chill to run up her spine, as the masked man approached her with a wicked grin.

"Do you want to know who I am, behind the mask?" he asked her.

Aurora feebly nodded to him, yet she couldn't take her eyes off of him. She had no other choice, since she was too paralyzed with fear to look away.

As soon as he removed the golden masked, his true face was finally revealed, violet eyes staring directly back at her. Aurora gasped in shock, noticing the facial similarity straight away.

His face has a striking resemblance to Marik! she thought in horror. That cannot be possible! Marik vanished earlier this year and the police were unable to find any trace him! My beloved Marik, a murderer?! No! It is not like him!

"Are you… Are you the missing Marik Ishtar?!" she finally asked, sounding shocked.

"Marik?" he said to her. "No, I'm a much darker side of him. He is merely the shadow of me, and he won't be coming back."

Aurora was in disbelief about the man's similarity to her beloved Marik. The real Marik would never intend to murder anyone, whether the reason!

"Please, have mercy on me, Marik!" Aurora pleaded, tears about to well up in her eyes. "I know you are still in there! You have to fight to take control and stop this madness, before it is too late!"

"Mercy is only for the weak, and unfortunately for you, I have you no mercy."

It was no use for Aurora. Pleading him had obviously failed, since there wasn't a single sign that the good Marik would be still inside.

With no further delay, Yami Marik commanded his Holding Arms:

"Holding Arms, turn her around for me."

The Holding Arms complied, switching her over to her back. Aurora continued to whimper in fear, her body quivering as he pulled out another card and activated it. Out came the Electro-Whip, a golden whip sparking with electrical currents running throughout.

"This is your punishment for almost having my secret affair with your sister Mai exposed. You deserve it, foolish Aurora."

"P-Please…," she whimpered. "Do not do this to me…"

Yami Marik chuckled deeply as he replied to her in a dark, sinister voice:

"Oh, but I can."

He gave a forceful strike to the back, causing Aurora to scream in pain. Her strident scream ringing inside his ears was pleasure to him. But one strike wouldn't be enough for him to satisfy his need for vengeance towards her.

Yami Marik struck harder with the whip, striking her lower back this time. The electrical currents flowed throughout, stimulating her pain receptors as another pained scream escaped her mouth.

With each hard crack of the Electro-Whip, Aurora's screams became louder and more agonizing. The pain from the electrical currents was becoming too much for her to bear, and her legs and feet were numb from the whip's electricity. The combination of the crackling electricity and Aurora's tortured screams were music to Yami Marik's ears, and he kept going until she finally lost consciousness. There were multiple whip marks all over her back, and to him, he considered them a masterpiece.

"Good," he said, smiling wickedly at her. "She's out cold. It feels so good to punish anyone who dares to expose my secret. But there is one more task for me to complete."

As the Holding Arms turned Aurora's unconscious body back around, he pulled the dagger out of the sheath and aimed it at her stomach. With the blade, he drew the Millennium symbol onto het stomach, causing it to draw blood.

Once he dismissed the Holding Arms, the Electro-Whip disappeared as Aurora's body fell to the floor before him. He was satisfied with his work, and he was eager to put it on display for Mai and Joey to see when they would find her.

"This shall be my warning for her sister. Anyone who discovers our secret will pay a heavy price, just like she did."

With his task finally done, Yami Marik entered Aurora's mirror, disappearing into the glass just as the front door to the Valentine home opened. Joey and Mai were surprised that the rooms were still clean. There was no clear sign of a struggle between Aurora and the masked man.

"Aurora!" Mai called out to her. "Aurora!"

"I'll go check upstairs," Joey said to her. "You wait here."

Mai observed Joey head up the stairs to search for her, yet she was deeply worried about her sister. If Aurora was truly dead, her suitor would have her blood on his hands and Mai would never trust him again.

I don't know what he would be doing to her, and I'm scared to find out, she thought of her secret suitor. If he did kill my sister, I'm done with him. I will never trust someone who would intentionally take away the ones I hold dear, and my sister is one of them.

At the upstairs hallway, Joey approached the closed door to Aurora's room, and knocked it three times.

"Aurora?" he called out to her, with no answer. "Are you in here?"

He reached for the doorknob and twisted it, slowly opening the door to Aurora's bedroom. He glanced down at the shattered vase, which Aurora had used to knock down the masked man earlier.

So there was a struggle in here…, he thought.

As he entered the room, Joey suddenly froze and his brown eyes widened in great horror, a gasp of terror escaping his mouth.

Back downstairs, Mai was startled by the sound of Joey's loud, distraught voice calling out to her:

"Mai! Get up here!"

Mai frantically raced upstairs, spotting Joey outside the door to Aurora's room. He had a panicked expression on his face, and she clearly knew that something was wrong. Had they arrived too late to save her sister?

"What's wrong?!" she asked him.

With a shaky finger, Joey pointed at the open door to Aurora's room as he answered Mai, stammering:

"I… I… I found her."

Mai's amethyst eyes widened in great horror as she finally came across her sister's body. She was lying lifelessly on the floor, the carved Millennium symbol still oozing fresh blood from her stomach.

Mai trembled in trepidation, gasping rapidly and her eyes still fixated on Aurora's unconscious body. She finally let out a scream of horror that rang throughout the city, scaring away pigeons nearby the home and grabbing the attention of their neighbors.


This chapter is the most horrific I've written, and yet the previous chapter still ranks at the top.

To those who were brave enough to read this chapter: Keep an eye out for the next chapter!