Chapter 20
"Reliving the Past"
Up on the ledge overlooking the spot where Yami and Yugi did battle, Twilight, Applejack, Tea, Fluttershy, Chris, Skye and Ironheart stood. "He may have won, but it looks to me that Yami's in pretty bad shape down there." AJ pointed out. "Of course. There's still a hole in his heart that is yet to be filled." Ironheart concurred. 'Poor guy. He still blames himself for what happened to Yugi.' Tea thought. Down in the valley, Yami collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "Yugi. If it weren't for me, you'd still have your body. I'll never forgive myself." he said as he remembered Yugi's selfless sacrifice.
"I promise, Yugi! I won't rest until I get you back!" he shouted in anguish. "It's not fair! I should be the one that's locked away, not him! I'm the one who played that evil field spell!" he yelled. "He's got to snap out of this. If he keeps wallowing in his own pity like this and keep dwelling on what happened, we'll never save Yugi." Twilight said, concerned. Soon, unbeknownst to anyone, Rafael showed up. "Well, what do you know? The Nameless Pharaoh did survive that wreck. But I'm gonna have to change that." he said.
Meanwhile, in Dartz's Phoenix hideaway, he walked through a mirror, which changed his clothes into a business suit, entered his boardroom and answered a call he found he had just received. "This had better be good." he said before finding that the caller was Rafael. "I've located the Nameless Pharaoh, master." Raf replied. "Excellent work, for once." Dartz complimented. "Now all I have to do is finish what I started." Raf continued before heading down the slope. "No, you fool! Don't go down there!" Dartz shouted, but it was too little too later as the evil spirits of the valley sensed Raf's presence and came after him.
"What's going on?!" he shouted. "It seems you've overlooked something. That valley is inhabited by both good and evil apparitions, though I never would've expected your smaller than average brain to comprehend that. Now throw your shard of the Orichalcos Stone into the ruins." Dartz replied. Raf quickly did so, allowed Dartz to speak some sort of incantation in ancient Greek that translated to; 'Ancient spirits of the Orichalcos, I call humbly upon thee to awaken the soul of one of your own from the depths of the earth.' "Come forth, my Orichalcos Soldier, and bring the Nameless Pharaoh to me!" he commanded.
Suddenly, lightning came down and struck spots in the valley around Yami before he took notice. "What's this?" he wondered. "If this is an earthquake, I think we better find cover!" Twilight shouted as she and the others braced before they heard a roar. 'I'm afraid it's worse than an earthquake.' Ironheart thought. "Whatever you are, show yourself!" Yami demanded before, from beneath the ground, dark energy burst forth, followed by the same roar from earlier. "I thought so." Ironheart said before he, Yami and everyone else laid eyes upon what the dark energy formed into, an armored monster with a blade on its left arm and the Seal of Orichalcos on its forehead.
"Who are you and what is this all about?" Yami asked, demandingly. But the creature didn't answer. "Not much of a talker, I see." Yami figured. "The pharaoh better be careful, this creature is more dangerous than he knows." Ironheart said, cautiously. "You've seen it before?" Twilight asked. On another ledge, Raf stood and watched. "I hope that creature is on my side." he said, warily. "Welcome back, my child. It's time to wage war again. And this time, we'll win!" Dartz declared in his office before the creature raised its bladed left arm before lowering it again. This time, the blade had what appeared to be monster zones on it, much like a Duel Disk and a Chaos Disk.
Right at that moment, wandering spirits began to circle Yami, telling him to close his eyes and see the truth. "What is you're trying to show me?" the ancient one asked. "The past." they answered before Yami started to hold his head, like he was having a headache. 'I see something.' he thought as he saw, in his mind, several more of the creature that stood before him. 'Evil soldiers?' he wondered before he finally saw the connection. "Wait a minute! The ancient war! The one Rafael told me about!" he said in surprise before he saw just how the war played out.
Yami saw within his mind a massive army of Orichalcos Soldiers amassing in a canyon against an opposing army of Duel Monsters. 'An army of Duel Monsters fought the soldiers of the Orichalcos? Could that be how the island city of Atlantis was destroyed? But what does this ancient battle have to do with what's going on today?' the ancient one thought before he saw what appeared to be the individuals he and the other met after waking up from the train wreck. 'Wait! That looks like Chris and Ironheart! And if that wolf is Skye, then that must mean she's really the Duel Monster known as Silver Fang! But how could this be?' he wondered before the vision of the past faded.
"What does this mean?" he said before the creature approached him and roared. "I once fought this soldier and others like it when they formed an army in the great battle to save Atlantis." Ironheart revealed, bringing a look of shock to Tea, Twilight and her friends. "Did you say, Atlantis?" Twilight said in surprise before Ironheart nodded. "This is the same spot where we made our last stand against the evil Lord Dartz. And now its seems the battle continues." Ironheart answered.
"And now, my Orichalcos Soldier, harness the power of the very source from which you were born, and conjure the ancient Seal of Orichalcos!" Dartz declared from his office. In the valley, the Seal soon surrounded both Yugi and the armored warrior. "Oh, no. Not the Seal again!" AJ shouted. "Looks like the Nameless Pharaoh's fate is sealed. Nice knowing you." Raf said. "Be careful down there!" Fluttershy called. "What do you want from me?" Yami asked before he noticed the monster zones on the soldier's bladed forearm.
"It must want to duel." he figured. Suddenly, one of the monster zones started to glow green. 'Did he just summon a monster?' he wondered as the ground shook. Soon, a creature came forth from underground, a massive behemoth that was a level four, Light attribute fiend/effect monster with 400 attack points and 1500 defense points. "Meet Orichalcos Gigas!" Dartz declared before the creature's attack points increased to 900. "Attack the Nameless Pharaoh!" he commanded before the creature threw its attack, though Yami was able to avoid it.
Gigas threw another punch, but two ghosts suddenly surrounded Yami, telling him to fear not. Suddenly, they formed a forcefield around the ancient one, protecting him. "The lost spirits of Atlantis are protecting you, Pharaoh, but they cannot act alone!" Ironheart called. "Summon your monsters and the spirits will assist them!" he added. "Very well, then." Yami replied before the ghosts entered his deck. "Together, we'll take down this beast." he added before his Duel Disk activated and his life points set to 4000. "I summon Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts and Berfomet!" he declared before the two creatures appeared. "And now I play Polymerization to fuse them into Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast!" he continued before his most-used fusion monster appeared.
"Attack, Chimera!" he commanded before the beast pounced and destroyed Gigas, decreasing the Orichalcos soldier's life points to 2800. Suddenly, the warrior tapped into its dark power and brought Gigas back, this time with 1400 attack points. "It's back, and with more attack points?" Yami said in surprise. Gigas soon went on the attack again. "Go, Chimera!" Yami commanded. Just as before, Gigas was destroyed, lowering the Orichalcos Soldier's life points to 2100. But just as before, the warrior brought Gigas back, this time with 1900 attack points.
"Every time Yami attacks that thing, it comes back even stronger!" AJ said in alarm. "If attacking with a monster brings it back each time, my Fissure magic card should end it for good." Yami figured before the ground split open and Gigas went falling. "It worked!" the ancient one said before his feeling of hope was quickly dashed. Gigas returned, this time with 2400 attack points. "I spoke too soon. It must be immune to magic cards." the ancient one said, worried.
Then, with one punch, Chimera was destroyed, lowering Yami's life points to 3700. "At least I have a chance to protect myself, for when Chimera is destroyed, Gazelle has the chance to return!" Yami declared before his king of mythical beasts appeared. Gigas soon went on the attack again. "Not so fast, I activate my Mirror Force trap card! It'll reflect the force of your attack right back!" Yami declared before Gigas was destroyed once more. But it did little good because Gigas returned yet again, this time with 2900 attack points.
"Oh, no. Traps don't work, either?!" Twilight shouted, shocked that nothing was putting Gigas down for good before the behemoth destroyed Gazelle, greatly decreasing Yami's life points to 2300 while also sending him flying back a bit. "Nothing can stop that thing!" he figured. "No, I can't give in, I must protect my life points!" he declared as Gigas approached and threw a punch. "Go, Obnoxious Celtic Guard!" he commanded before the warrior appeared.
Thanks to its special ability, the warrior stayed on the field, but Yami's life points GREATLY decreased to 800. "Are you alright?" Yami called as his guard got sent flying by the blow. Gigas approached and threw another punch, but thanks to Yami's warning, the warrior evaded in time. "I can't keep this up. One more attack, and I'm finished." Yami said, feeling the sense of urgency. Meanwhile, Dartz was watching everything from his board room.
"I've got you right where I want you, Pharaoh." he said with a chuckle. As for Raf, he kept watching from his ledge. "Let's see you get yourself out of this." he said. "One more attack from that thing and he's a goner!" AJ said. "There's only one thing that can save him." Ironheart revealed. "The card he gave you?" Chris asked. Ironheart nodded before taking out the card in question, The Eye of Timaeus. "This is the very dragon that fought by my side so long ago." the old man said before jumping down the slope. "Grandpa!" Chris shouted, revealing that she was related to Ironheart.
'Timaeus, old friend, please bring peace to our land once again.' the elderly man thought before Yami had another vision of the ancient battle for Atlantis. 'That vision. Its happening again. I can see the battle down in the valley.' he thought as he watched Duel Monsters and Orichalcos Soldiers falling left and right before he noticed a lone warrior standing his ground against a charging force of soldiers. 'That warrior is outnumbered, why doesn't he run?' Yami wondered before he saw just who it was. 'Ironheart?!' he thought, completely shocked. Suddenly, a young female warrior came to Ironheart's rescue with a bow in her hand and Silver Fang by her side.
'Chris, and Skye!' he said, absolutely surprised, but he knew they needed help. Suddenly, Yami looked up upon hearing a roar before seeing a mighty dragon flying above the battlefield. 'It's Timaeus!' the ancient one thought in absolute disbelief. With one fiery blast, Timaeus struck down several hundred if not several thousand Orichalcos Soldiers before the attack hit another creature, one much more massive than the others in the battle, in the face before an evil laugh echoed.
'Who is that?' Yami wondered as Timaeus flew forward to face the warrior and its monstrous pet. "Don't be a fool, Timaeus. You can't stop me. I hold more power in my finger than you do in your whole body!" the warrior declared before calling down bolts of energy that struck and destroyed several Duel Monsters on the ground below. But Timaeus maneuvered around around each of the bolts and kept on course. "You just don't know when to quit. Very well. Come to me, Sword of Kings!" the warrior declared before a sword appeared in his hand.
The man threw the sword at Timaeus, and it struck the dragon in the eye, sending the mighty creature falling, to Yami's shock and the shock of Ironheart and Chris. "Farewell. Finish him off, Great Leviathan!" the warrior declared before the beast prepared to strike the killing blow. But with all the strength he could muster, Timaeus retaliated and the two blasts collided enveloping the valley in a great blast of light before the vision ended.
Right as soon as Yami's vision ended, Gigas tried to attack once more, but the Obnoxious Celtic Guard evaded it in time, as did Yami. Meanwhile, Ironheart reached the bottom of the slope and rushed toward the seal, though evil spirits tried to go after him. "He'll never fight off those evil spirits alone. Let's go, Skye!" Chris said bravely before climbing onto her pet wolf's back and taking off down the slope. "Chris, wait!" Tea and Fluttershy shouted, but it was no use.
"I must protect the Nameless Pharaoh or all will be lost. Spirits, begone!" Ironheart declared before taking out and tossing two Duel Monsters cards out, before the materialized as their true forms. One was a level three, Wind attribute Beast with 1300 attack points and 500 defense points known as The All-Seeing White Tiger, and the other was a level two, Wind attribute Spellcaster with 900 attack points and 200 defense points known as Hurricail.
The two monsters destroyed two of the evil spirits before Ironheart himself destroyed the last. As for Chris, she and Skye came running in as more evil spirits came after them. "You know what to do, Skye." she said to her faithful canine friend. Suddenly, Skye showed her true form as Silver Fang and destroyed both evil spirits as she pounced through them. "Pharaoh, take this card!" Ironheart called before Yami looked back and saw him.
"You've disrupted my plans for the last time, old man." Dartz said, annoyed before casting down lightning that struck Ironheart. "No!" Yami shouted. "Grandfather!" Chris called. "Please, no." Fluttershy said, worried as Ironheart fell. "Please, take this card, Yami. It's the only way to defeat that beast!" the old warrior pleaded. However, Yami couldn't exit the Seal of Orichalcos. "I can't leave the seal!" the ancient one shouted before Chris and Skye came to a stop. "Grandpa..." the girl said, worried. "It's up to you, Chris. Take this card, bring it to the Nameless Pharaoh. Otherwise, all hope is lost." Ironheart said weakly before Chris took the Eye of Timaeus. "Good luck." he added before he turned to dust like a Duel Monster would.
"Grandpa, no!" Chris shouted with tears in her eyes. Upon the ledge, Tea and the girls were just as devastated. "Come on, Skye." Chris said before climbing back onto Skye's back and taking off toward the Seal. "Chris, Skye, stay back!" Yami shouted before Giga approached from behind, ready to strike, but the Obnoxious Celtic Guard stood fast. "If my Guardian is attacked again, the damage will hurt me instead. So I'll bring forth, Kuriboh!" he declared, remembering that Kuriboh's special ability allowed the user to discard the little fur ball to prevent damage calculation.
Right at that moment, a wall of furry defenders all appeared. When Gigas' attack landed, its destroyed the Kuriboh, but the large fiend also took some damage because of Kuriboh's ability to explode upon contact with an enemy monster. "Here I come!" Chris called as she and Skye approached. 'Guess again, child.' Dartz thought before calling down lightning once more. Chris and Skye were struck and fell upon contact. "Chris, are you alright?!" Yami called.
"Yeah, I think so." Chris replied as she struggled to get up, but Skye disappeared. "No, Skye's been captured!" she said in horror, indicating that both Skye and Ironheart were made into Dartz's prisoners. Chris got back up and ran as fast as she could as lightning tried to strike her down. "Please, Chris, turn around! It's too dangerous down there!" Fluttershy called. Even Yami tried to convince her to turn back, but it was to no avail.
"Pharaoh, grandpa wanted you to have this!" Chris called before lightning struck her, causing her to fly forward and close enough to the seal. "Chris, no!" Yami said in horror while the girls watched on, devastated. "Pharaoh. Take this, please." Chris said weakly as she crawled forward. "What is it?" Yami asked. "It's the only thing that can stop that soldier and its monster." Chris replied before her hand and the card she held passed through the barrier of the Seal of Orichalcos. "He saved us once, and with your help, he'll save us again." she continued.
Yami took the card and saw it was indeed The Eye of Timaeus. "I trust you, Pharaoh. Thank you." Chris said before fading away. "Please, wait! Come back!" Yami shouted, but it was too little too late. The ancient one turned back towards Gigas. 'There's only one thing left to do. I hope you deem me worthy of your power. I'm truly sorry for having betrayed you, but the lives of so many innocent people are depending on you. On us. So I ask you, not for myself, but for all those at risk, be they human or Duel Monster, please, help me, Timaeus. The future of two worlds hangs in the balance. We must win.' Yami thought as he looked down at the card he held and thought of all the people who had come into his life, as well as Kuriboh, Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl.
"I sacrifice my Celtic Guard to summon Dark Magician Girl!" he declared before his warrior faded and his top female monster appeared. "Next I play, the legendary Eye of Timaeus!" he continued before the first of the three Legendary Dragons appeared. "He'll never learn." Dartz said as he watched everything unfold from his board room. "I don't believe it! He never should've been able to summon that dragon!" Raf said in shock. "Dark Magician Girl, fuse with Timaeus!" Yami commanded before the two came together, once again becoming Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight.
"Now, my Dragon Knight, I'll enhance your strength with my Excalibur magic card!" he declared before the sword appeared in the brave knight's hand, VASTLY increasing her strength to 5200 attack points. "Attack, destroy this creature of darkness!" he commanded. With a dual blast from Timaeus and Dark Magician Girl's sword, Gigas was destroyed and so too was the Orichalcos Soldier while its life points hit 0. The force and light of the blast was so great that Raf and the girls found it hard to keep their footing. All the while, Dartz watched on in discontent. 'This isn't over yet, Pharaoh.' he thought.
Meanwhile, far away, Joey, Tristan, Spike and the rest of the girls saw the light coming from the destruction of the Orichalcos Soldier and its Gigas creature. "I'm assuming you all see that giant green light over there, right?" the underdog asked. "Yeah, but the question is what is it?" Rainbow replied. Right at that moment, Joey drew his Claw of Hermos card and saw it glowing. "I'm guessing it has something to do with my legendary dragon." Joey figured.
"Let's just hope, Yami and the other girls are okay." Rarity said before they all headed forward with Tristan carrying Rex. Back at the battlefield, the Seal of Orichalcos faded. "Thank you, my friends. That Orichalcos Soldier is gone, but I feel this is just the beginning." Yami said before Timaeus and Dark Magician Girl returned to the Dominion of the Beasts. Up on the ledge, Raf kept watch. "I have to say, I'm glad you won, Pharaoh. Because now I'll be the one who delivers your soul to Master Dartz." he said before turning to leave.
A little while later, Yami and the girls saw a stone carving of their fallen friends and the three Legendary Dragons. "So, this is a carving of Ironheart, Chris and Skye from 10,000 years ago, huh?" Tea asked as Fluttershy put down flowers in front of it and AJ took off her hat in respect. "Yes, they fought in the great battle of Atlantis." Yami confirmed. "So were they ghosts?" Tea asked. "I believe they remained here long after the battle of Atlantis ended, but now Dartz has captured their spirits." Twilight replied.
They all soon turned and left. "This just gives us three more reasons to stop Dartz and Doma." AJ said. "Yes, only by stopping this madman and his small cult of followers can peace be brought back to the world." Yami confirmed as they walked on.